Jan 09 2011 - Keep off the Ice

  A bitterly cold day kept away the human customers at Riverbend. The River was mostly frozen but the bay on the Maryland side and a few other areas. In the bay there were a couple of hundred Ring-necked Ducks. Mixed in were a few Common Mergansers, a Hooded Merganser and (around) 19 Redheads. A single female Canvasback was also in the flock. As is usual in winter at Riverbend the vast majority of Ring-necked were male, maybe 90% in this group.

Futher up stream, in the next sizeable area of open water a close-knit group of 20 Redheads were found and a big raft of maybe 120 Bufflehead

At the Visitors' Center a block of suet attracted more than the usual customers including Tufted Titmouse and Cardinal. The female Cardinal that had been attacking its reflection the last two visits wasnt seen today.

A Squirrel ate fries from the rubbish bin outside the center :O