A group of 7 of us, some from snowy Montgomery County, Maryland,
visited snow-free Occoquan NWR in Prince William County today, 12/6.
On a very pleasant sunny morning we had 57 species. Highlights were
an immature Peregrine Falcon, a perched adult male Cooper's Hawk, 2
Red-tailed Hawks, a female Red-breasted Merganser, 3 Hooded
Mergansers, 39 Buffleheads, numerous Pied-billed Grebes and a single
Horned Grebe. 10 Bonaparte's Gulls swam around with a group of
Ring-billed and Herring Gulls. Very large groups of Coot and
(Lesser) Scaup were far out in the bay, together with smaller numbers
of Gadwall.
Among our 7 species of sparrow the standouts were an American Tree
and a Savannah, both feeding on a grassy roadway and 4 Swamp. We
also picked up a couple of Winter Wrens and a Hermit Thrush. Eastern
Bluebirds and Robins were present in quantities. Brown Creeper was a
species I hadn't seen at Occoquan before.
Good Birding
Mike Bowen
Montgomery Bird Club
Bethesda MD
D.H.Michael Bowen
8609 Ewing Drive
Bethesda, MD 20817-3845
Telephone: (301) 530-5764
e-mail: dhmbowenATyahooDOTcom
