Six participants wrapped up their morning of birding with a short but rewarding 45-minute stop at the Crow’s Nest Natural Area Preserve boardwalk and canoe launch after spending a couple of hours at nearby Aquia Landing. Under clear skies and temperatures around 40°F, a steady breeze kept the air brisk, but the bright sunshine made for comfortable viewing conditions. A large flock of Ring-billed Gulls circled nearby, with a few Laughing Gulls mixed in for careful observers. Several Bald Eagles were on the move as well—some soaring over the creek, others perched regally in the treeline across the water. Waterfowl were sparser than hoped, limited to a few Hooded Mergansers and American Black Ducks, though Great Blue Herons provided their usual elegance as they hunted along the shoreline and occasionally took flight. As the group prepared to leave, a Brown Creeper sparked an enjoyable search, eventually giving everyone satisfying looks. The clear highlight, however, was a juvenile Red-headed Woodpecker perched just off the parking lot—an excellent finale to a crisp winter walk.
