Visited Great Falls NP for an hour at 3:00 PM. I had a few FOY birds in
mind
while driving over, but totally forgot about the one that I would see, a Palm
Warbler ( FOY in Va),
hanging out on the fringes of a vocal Carolina Chickadee/ Titmouse flock .
I birded the area from the far parking lot up to the dam, ducks in order of
numbers
included Bufflehead, Ring Necked, Black and Common Mergansers.
Buffleheads have been seen in real solid numbers all winter here and
above the dam at Riverbend.
Double Crested Cormorants were actively fishing below the dam and then making
trips up to the rookery on Conn Island ( Immediately above the dam), they
share space with the dozens of Great Blues that constantly come and go from
the tree tops. Probably Black-crowned Night-Herons in there too. The Bald Eagle
nest
on Conn had zero activity while I was there, but saw a few in flight.
On the way home while passing Lake Anne in Reston, I saw 4 Tundra Swans
on the Lake along with Tree Swallows and probable Rough Winged which I lost
track
in poor lighting. I've been hearing Tundra Swans migrating overhead late at
night, it
still always awes me to hear them woohooing and then see them come into sight
silhouette against the night, but they are an uncommon sight on the Lake.
Dave Young
Reston, Va
