Photo: Bufflehead, Christopher Baker/Audubon Photography Awards

When: Sunday, February 5, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Where: Pohick Bay Regional Park
Members: $15
Non-members: $25

Bufflehead, Christopher Baker/Audubon Photography Awards

***Note: This field trip was previously on Saturday, but has been moved to Sunday due to cold weather Saturday morning.***

Are you new to birding and would like to improve your waterfowl identification skills? Join Greg Butcher and Phil Silas to view a wide assortment of waterfowl. Meet at the Pohick Bay Regional Park’s shore launch parking lot on Sunday, February 5 at 9:00 AM. From there the group will proceed to the Elizabeth Hartwell Mason Neck NWR to become acquainted with Tundra Swans; dabbling ducks such as Mallards, Northern Pintails, and American Black Ducks; and small diving ducks such as Hooded Mergansers and Buffleheads. With luck you may see large rafts of Lesser Scaup in the channel of the Potomac River. The next stop will be the Mason Neck State Park Visitor’s Center overlooking Belmont Bay to look for additional divers like Ruddy Ducks, Common Mergansers, Redheads, and Canvasbacks, and dabblers like American Wigeons and Gadwall. You may also see an assortment of waterbird species like American Coots, Great Blue Herons, and Pied-billed Grebes. You’ll learn the difference between “waterfowl” and “waterbirds.”

Registration is limited to twenty people to ensure that everyone is able to see and learn about the birds. Attendance at the Duck and Waterfowl Identification webinar on Feb 2 is encouraged but not required. Please consider signing up to volunteer for the Winter Waterfowl Count on Feb 11-12.

Greg Butcher and Phil Silas will be walk leaders for this field trip.

Please note that a parking fee or State Park pass will be required to go to Mason Neck State Park.