Northern Neck X-Trip – Jan 11, 2026
Our group of about 20 enthusiastic birders headed out for a “Northern Neck X-Trip” this past weekend, greeted by a mostly sunny sky and a crisp 44 degrees—perfect conditions for a winter outing. We began our search at the ponds along Lagrange Lane, where the water was teeming with freshwater waterfowl. While we sifted through large flocks of Canada Geese and over a thousand Ring-billed Gulls filling the skies, we were treated to excellent views of Canvasbacks, Redheads, Ring-necked Ducks, and beautiful Hooded Mergansers. A post-trip eBird review of photographs revealed an exciting identification correction: what we initially thought were ten Snow Geese were actually three Snows and seven rare Ross’s Geese!
Midday brought us to George Washington Birthplace National Monument, where we enjoyed a picnic lunch before taking a walk through the cedar grove and old farm. The area was active with large flocks of Cedar Waxwings and plenty of Yellow-rumped Warblers. It was the kind of day where raptors stole the show; we realized at one point that we had tallied more Bald Eagles (13) than Song Sparrows. The group was also treated to a genuine highlight during our walk: a Merlin that offered a long, close-up view, allowing everyone to appreciate the details of this fierce falcon.
Our final stop at Muse Lane offered a dramatic change in atmosphere. The wind picked up significantly, whipping the Potomac into whitecaps and dropping the temperature, but the chilly conditions paid off. We successfully spotted our target sea ducks, including Black and Surf Scoters and a few elegant Long-tailed Ducks. We wrapped up the day with a total of 62 species and one valuable lesson learned the hard way: avoid parking on the soft, soggy road shoulders after a day of rain! It was a thrilling day on the trail, full of great birds and wonderful company.
eBird Checklist – 11 Jan 2026 – LaGrange Lane (Field is private-from road only) – 47 species
eBird Checklist – 11 Jan 2026 – George Washington Birthplace National Monument – 31 species
eBird Checklist – 11 Jan 2026 – 515 Muse Rd, Montross US-VA 38.18995, -76.90223 – 11 species