Our group -- myself, Brad Beukema and Chris Wright -- covered the C&O Canal
from Milepost 22 (Violette's Lock) to Milepost 25. This stretch also
includes Riley's Lock, better known as Seneca. There was a great deal of ice
on the river, although unfortunately not enough to impede the duck hunters.
We tallied 42 species in our three miles, the same total as last year but
not the same assortment (33 species the same, 9 different, with a much
broader variety of waterfowl this time). All seven woodpeckers were seen
again, including three RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS (two adults, one juvenile).
Most surprising species missed: Dark-eyed Junco. Most enjoyable sighting:
lengthy close-up looks at a gorgeous male Golden-crowned Kinglet.
Pied-billed Grebe 7
Great Blue Heron 6
Black Vulture 8
Turkey Vulture 8
Canada Goose 57
Mallard 9
Canvasback 95
Ring-necked Duck 16
Lesser Scaup 1
Hooded Merganser 10
Common Merganser 2
Red-shouldered Hawk 1
Red-tailed Hawk 1
Ring-billed Gull 37
Herring Gull 4
Great Black-backed Gull 1
Belted Kingfisher 4
Red-headed Woodpecker 3
Red-bellied Woodpecker 11
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 2
Downy Woodpecker 9
Hairy Woodpecker 2
Northern Flicker 5
Pileated Woodpecker 2
Blue Jay 4
American Crow 15
Carolina Chickadee 37
Tufted Titmouse 21
White-breasted Nuthatch 11
Brown Creeper 4
Carolina Wren 19
Winter Wren 5
Golden-crowned Kinglet 12
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 2
Eastern Bluebird 5
Hermit Thrush 1
Song Sparrow 6
Swamp Sparrow 3
White-throated Sparrow 22
Northern Cardinal 17
Pine Siskin 1
American Goldfinch 10
Janet Millenson
Potomac, MD (Montgomery County)
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"Look at the birds!" -- Pascal the parrot |