Another bright, nippy morning, but without a lot of wind. Had only two species on the hill first thing—but one showed up in a flock. Spent a good while getting cold fingers while photographing Common Redpolls.
About midday, I couldn’t resist taking a quick trip to the breakwater, knowing it was low(ish) tide and hoping for Purple Sandpipers. No sandpipers, but a bunch of typical winter birds—along with the half-dozen American wigeons that’ve been hanging out there for at least three weeks or so.
A bit sore tonight; still, two hikes are better than one.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 8:45 a.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. American Crow* 2. Common Redpoll
Common Eider (male).
Rockland Breakwater List Beginning at 12:15 p.m., I hiked to the light and back.
3. American Black Duck 4. Mallard* 5. Common Eider 6. Herring Gull* 7. Great Black-backed Gull 8. Long-tailed Duck 9. Red-breasted Merganser 10. American Wigeon 11. Common Goldeneye 12. Canada Goose 13. Black Guillemot 14. Horned Grebe
Some rain early, so dog and I waited until it’d passed to do our daily hike. Windy, but temps up in the 40s. The birds on the hill were shy, however, and since I had my designs on a photo, we took a second hike out to the end of the Rockland Breakwater—where it seems a bunch of other folks had the same idea.
Low tide this time, with a brisk wind and plenty of waves. Was hoping for Purple Sandpipers, saw none, and settled for a few diving ducks—including a good-looking young Surf Scoter.
Supposed to get a lot colder now.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 9:30 a.m., I hiked the open trail.
Beech Hill wasn’t the big story from today. That’s because today was our area’s Audubon Christmas Bird Count (CBC), which began at 7:45 a.m. at the Rockland Breakwater. As usual, I participated until lunch—by which time we’d listed the bulk of our species.
For the first time I can remember, CBC day was not brutally cold and/or windy. Right balmy out, to be honest. And a fun time was had by all.
Here are a few photos.
Long-tailed Duck (male, non-breeding plumage).
Herring Gull (non-breeding adult).
European Starling.
Black Scoter.
American Crow.
Black Guillemot (non-breeding plumage).
Beech Hill List Beginning at 1:30 p.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. American Crow* (v)
2. American Goldfinch* (v)
3. White-breasted Nuthatch* (v)
4. Black-capped Chickadee*
Elsewhere
5. Canada Goose
6. American Wigeon
7. American Black Duck
8. Mallard
9. Common Eider
10. Surf Scoter
11. Black Scoter
12. Long-tailed Duck
13.Bufflehead
14. Common Goldeneye
15. Common Merganser
16. Red-breasted Merganser
17. Common Loon
18. Horned Grebe
19. Bald Eagle
20. Bonaparte’s Gull
21. Ring-billed Gull
22. Herring Gull
23. Great Black-backed Gull
24. Black Guillemot
25. Mourning Dove
26. Downy Woodpecker (v)
27. Pileated Woodpecker
28. European Starling
29. Snow Bunting (v)
30. Song Sparrow
31. Dark-eyed Junco
32. Northern Cardinal (v)
33. House Finch
34. House Sparrow
