This evening I walked around the west end of the Mall for an hour or two. I started out to see if anything was new at Constitution Gardens. It turned out that only the common birds were there: large flocks of
American robins,
dark-eyed juncos,
common grackles,
red-winged blackbirds, and
European starlings. The lake has been refilled, so the
mallards and
ring-billed gulls are back. A
northern flicker called repeatedly from high in a tree. The gardens here have a reputation as a migrant trap, so the site bears frequent visitation.
As I walked, I could see small flocks of
double-crested cormorants flying high overhead as they followed the course of the Potomac northwest. Later, when I rounded back along the river, there were few birds on it. A small flock of
lesser scaup has returned to the Tidal Basin, along with the usual gull species.
This first-year ring-billed gull let out a big yawn as I took its picture. It needs to learn better manners.
As I walked, I could see small flocks of double-crested cormorants flying high overhead as they followed the course of the Potomac northwest. Later, when I rounded back along the river, there were few birds on it. A small flock of lesser scaup has returned to the Tidal Basin, along with the usual gull species.
This first-year ring-billed gull let out a big yawn as I took its picture. It needs to learn better manners.