My friend Seth and I spent a little over an hour in a strikingly beautiful
Riverbend Park this afternoon. From the observation platform, straight out
from the visitor center, the river was frozen solid all the way across and as
far down toward Conn Island as one could see. We walked upiver where the
water was less frozen almost to the place with the trail turns left and goes
up the hill.
We found at least 200 Ring-necked Ducks, 100 or more Bufflehead, four
Gadwall, six male and three female Common Mergansers, two pair of a Hooded
Mergansers, four male and one female American Widgeon, and 15 or 20 Redhead,
mostly males, in two separate groups. Also lots of Mallards and Canada geese;
someone told us that there was a large number of Coots down by Conn Island.
There was still ample snow on the trails in the park and on the ice over the
river; it was really quite beautiful.
Donald Sweig
Falls Church, Virginia
Sent from my iPad
