I birded Occoquan Bay NWR and the marina overlook this morning, tallying 63
species. The highlight was a 1st or 2nd year glaucous gull seen from the
marina overlook. It was with a flock of gulls on an island looking towards the
bridges. At that distance I could note that the bill had a dark tip, so it was
not an adult. I guess it is possible that this is the same 1st year bird that
was at Pohick several weeks ago. Waterfowl numbers are dropping but variety is
still decent. Most of the ducks I saw were lesser scaup, but here and there
were some other species, including greater scaup, ring-necked duck, canvasback,
American wigeon, ruddy duck, wood duck, and all three mergansers. A common
loon was close to the road at Barr island. I saw 3 osprey; one on a nesting
platform in the refuge and 2 over the river. I watched a northern harrier
catch a vole or mouse along Charlie Road. A tree sparrow was along Deephole
Point Road near Delta Road. I heard a few rusty blackbirds near the marsh.
Two king rails were calling from the marsh along Easy Road. A single tree
swallow flew overhead. As I was leaving the refuge 3 turkeys flew across the
road near the contact station.
Here is the list:
Canada goose
wood duck
gadwall
American wigeon
black duck
mallard
canvasback
ring-necked duck
greater scaup
lesser scaup
bufflehead
hooded merganser
common merganser
red-breasted merganser
ruddy duck
wild turkey
common loon
pied-billed grebe
great blue heron
turkey vulture
osprey
bald eagle
northern harrier
Cooper’s hawk
red-tailed hawk
king rail
American coot
ring-billed gull
herring gull
glaucous gull
great black-backed gull
mourning dove
belted kingfisher
red-bellied woodpecker
downy woodpecker
hairy woodpecker
northern flicker
blue jay
American crow
fish crow
tree swallow
Carolina chickadee
tufted titmouse
white-breasted nuthatch
Carolina wren
winter wren
eastern bluebird
American robin
northern mockingbird
European starling
Eastern towhee
American tree sparrow
field sparrow
song sparrow
swamp sparrow
white-throated sparrow
dark-eyed junco
northern cardinal
red-winged blackbird
rusty blackbird
common grackle
brown-headed cowbird
American goldfinch
Marc Ribaudo
Woodbridge
