Eleven birders came out this morning for a Northern Virginia Bird Club walk at
Mason Neck State Park. Several of us also later checked out the nearby Great
Marsh Trail. We saw a total of 52 species. While waiting for the gate to open
at 8:00 (later than we thought it would be) we watched three Wood Ducks fly
around and perch in the woods next to the road. We would see several more Wood
Ducks flying and calling the rest of the trip. We saw more waterfowl from the
area of the Visitor Center including a pair of Greater Scaup, Buffleheads,
Gadwall, and three great looking male Red-breasted Mergansers. Also of note
were Tree Swallows, a Horned Grebe, an Eastern Phoebe, an Eastern Towhee, a
large American Coot raft, and Bald Eagles. At the Great Marsh we saw Tundra
Swans, more Eagles, Northern Pintail, and Hooded Mergansers. Here are the
lists:
Location: Mason NeckState Park - CMN08
Observation date: 3/12/11
Number of species: 46
Canada Goose 16
Wood Duck 8
Gadwall 70
American Black Duck 8
Mallard 20
Green-winged Teal 10
Greater Scaup 2
Lesser Scaup 220
Bufflehead 15
Red-breasted Merganser 3
Ruddy Duck 24
Horned Grebe 1
Double-crested Cormorant 1
Great Blue Heron 8
Turkey Vulture 2
Bald Eagle 7
Red-shouldered Hawk 1
Red-tailed Hawk 1
American Coot 3000
Ring-billed Gull 7
Great Black-backed Gull 1
Mourning Dove 14
Belted Kingfisher 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 4
Downy Woodpecker 1
Pileated Woodpecker 4
Eastern Phoebe 1
Blue Jay 15
American Crow 6
Tree Swallow 3
Carolina Chickadee 14
Tufted Titmouse 6
White-breasted Nuthatch 2
Carolina Wren 3
Eastern Bluebird 6
Hermit Thrush 4
American Robin 18
European Starling 12
Eastern Towhee 1
Fox Sparrow 1
Song Sparrow 10
White-throated Sparrow 40
Dark-eyed Junco 30
Northern Cardinal 8
Red-winged Blackbird 4
American Goldfinch 2
Location: Elizabeth Hartwell Mason Neck NWR--Great Marsh Trail
Observation date: 3/12/11
Number of species: 19
Canada Goose 6
Tundra Swan 6
Wood Duck 2
American Black Duck 40
Mallard 6
Northern Pintail 2
Lesser Scaup 50
Hooded Merganser 2
Osprey 1
Bald Eagle 3
Red-bellied Woodpecker 2
Northern Flicker 1
Pileated Woodpecker 1
American Crow 5
Fish Crow 2
Carolina Chickadee 2
Tufted Titmouse 1
Carolina Wren 1
Red-winged Blackbird 6
