Hi all
Planning a trip to Washington DC in the first two weeks of July. Have managed to find some info on some State Parks in the area (Rock Creek, Great Falls) but read with interest that the Kenilworth Aquatic gardens is supposed to have breeding Prothonotary Warbler, White Eyed Vireo and Blue Grosbeak. Can anyone confirm if this is true? If so, any ideas where they can be found? Also, any other info on the DC area (or any birding sites in Maryland that would be passed on the way from Gettysburg) would be most appreciated.
Thanks in advance
Chris
I have never seen a Prothonotary Warbler. But I have birded Kennilworth a few times and it is a great spot! I've seen Brown Thrashers, Eastern Towhees, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Brown Creepers, Bald Eagle, Greater Yellowlegs, Winter Wrens and all your usual suspects there. I've heard White-eyed Vireos there but never spotted one there. I wouldn't doubt Blue Grosbeaks are there but I haven't seen one there. Blue Grosbeaks are quite common in the DC area. One word of caution - Kennilworth borders the projects. You have to drive through a "bad area" and then park your car only a hundred yards away.
If you go to Kennilworth, consider also visiting the National Arboretum which is only a mile away.
A couple spots I would really recommend are Lilypons Water Gardens (a local famous birding spot) and the North Tract of the Patuxent National Wildlife Research Refuge.
I see Blue Grosbeaks almost every time I go to Patuxent NWRR in the spring/summer. I've also seen Scarlet and Summer Tanagers there on multiple occasions (I even have a picture from there taken a few weeks ago of a Blue Grosbeak and Summer Tanager sitting in the same tree).
Lilypons is crazy! It is land owned by a business that sells aquatic plants and landscaping. Their huge property is divided up into many small, man-made ponds separated by earthen berms. Different types of water lillies and marsh plants are grown there as an aquatic nursery. There are Koi ponds, turtle ponds, lilly ponds, pond ponds. And surrounding the entire area is a fantastic river with elevated berms and overgrown forest. Bald Eagles and Osprey. An actively roosting Great Blue Heron colony is visible from one path. It's amazing to watch those birds feed their young in these HUGE nests. They have established Purple Martin colonies. Orioles, several vireo species are almost guaranteed to be seen. I've seen or heard White-eyed Vireos there every time I've been in the spring/summer.
If you'd like more detailed directions to any of these sites, let me know!