DCAS Field Trip to Hughes Hollow, Sunday, March 20, 7:30 a.m.
Impatient for Spring? Then please join DC Audubon on Sunday, March 20th, for a trip to Hughes Hollow. This portion of the McKee Beshers WMA, at the western end of River Road in Montgomery County, Maryland, is an interesting mix of wetlands, ponds, and woods. Hopefully, the unseasonably cold weather will have left us by then and the Tree Swallows will have returned, along with Wood Ducks and other waterfowl, and a good variety of land birds. We have seen Barred Owl and Red-headed Woodpecker here in the past. This trip will start from the parking area at 7:30 a.m. and, after a circuit hike of about 1.5 miles, wind up back at the same spot between noon and 1 p.m. Bring water, a lunch or snacks, and wear waterproof footwear, since it can be very muddy.
If you plan to participate, please RSVP the leader, Paul DeAnna, via our website. In your reply, please include a phone number where you can be reached in the evenings should a last-minute postponement be necessary. IMPORTANT: if you reply via e-mail please do so by 2 p.m., Friday, March 18, as I will be away from my e-mail after that time. If you are willing to offer a ride to a non-driver nearby, please let me know & include a note on where you'll be coming from. I'll do my best to put those needing rides in touch with those willing to offer them.
DIRECTIONS (Please consult a map since odometer readings may vary): From the Capital Beltway (495) take exit 39 for River Rd. (MD 190) 3.3 miles north to the 2nd traffic light in Potomac (intersection with Falls Rd.). Continue on River Rd. 7.9 miles to the T-junction with Rt. 112 (Seneca Rd.). Follow River Rd. to the left at this stop sign for another 4.4 miles to the intersection with Hughes Rd. (road sign on right hand side only), turn LEFT (this becomes Hunting Quarter Rd.), and drive about 200 yards to the first parking area on the right, where a gated road divides the large impoundments.
There is a notice of this trip, and others, on our web site: www.dcaudubon.org where you can also read about past trips.
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It wasn't the bright sunny day I would have chosen to welcome Spring, but all in all not a bad trip. Had some good waterfowl sightings, including Wood Duck, American Wigeon, Green-winged Teal, Hooded Merganser, and Ring-necked Duck. There was a Red-shouldered Hawk around & we heard a Barred Owl, and had a nice group of Rusty Blackbirds, which are not easy to see these days. The promised Tree Swallows were indeed present. We also got Swamp Sparrow & Field Sparrow (some singing). Unfortunately, the usually reliable Red-headed Woodpeckers were absent this time, probably due to the poor acorn crop.
After the trip had broken up, just as I was leaving, there was a Bobwhite feeding right along the shoulder of River Road. Wish we could count that one.
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