Birdwalk Highlights for 11/1: Walsh Preserve to Yarmouth Town Landing.

With a strong wind and a morning high tide, sheltered upper marshes were an appealing place to be to start our outing. And Walsh Preserve delivered once again with a rare LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER and a very late LESSER YELLOWLEGS. Two great birds for November!

The 14-26 GREATER YELLOWLEGS were also a solid count for the date, thanks to the water-filled pannes. Two RED-TAILED HAWKS soared over the other side of the river, and a NORTHERN FLICKER called in the distance. We encountered one mixed species foraging flock in the woods, with 3 RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES joining a smattering of BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES, TUFTED TITMICE, and a pair of WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCHES. At the parking lot, we heard a couple of DARK-EYED JUNCOS and GOLDE-CROWNED KINGLETS, and finished up with some "vismig" from a few flocks of mixed COMMON GRACKLES and RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS (total of 195 individuals of the two species) along with a dozen AMERICAN ROBINS.

Nearby Cousin's River Fields and Marsh Preserve hosted few birds, but we did have more Common Grackles and Red-winged Blackbirds overhead, along with 2 TURKEY VULTURES, another Red-tailed Hawk, and a couple of AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES.

We finished up with a quick spin at the Yarmouth Town Landing, were we visited with 10 DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS, about 125 RING-BILLED and 25 HERRING GULS. We had a good look at a junco, added another Turkey Vulture to the tally, but finished strong with a flock of 9 EASTERN BLUEBIRDS landing right above us.