It was a delightfully calm, sunny, and crisp morning for a visit to Broad Cove as we shift our seasonal birdwalk focus to the waterfront.
We began with great looks at a pair of RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS in the parking lot, and slowly tabulated woodland and edge birds and we walked to and from the water. Seven EASTERN BLUEBIRDS worked the edge with a flock of about 15 HOUSE FINCHES and a handful or two of AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES. A total of 4 SONG SPARROWS were encountered, with a scatted trio of DARK-EYED JUNCOS and later, 3 WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS together. We spotted a single CAROLINA WREN on the walk down, and then while birding the lower field, had a pair approach us with disdain. At least two mixed-species foraging flocks and other encounters yielded tallies of at least 10 BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES and 9 TUFTED TITMICE, 6 WHITE-BRESTED NUTHATCHES, 4 NORTHERN CARDINALS, 4 BLUE JAYS, 2 DOWNY WOODPECKERS, 1 HAIRY WOODPECKER, and several AMERICAN CROWS.
Down at the water, a growing number of wintering waterbirds included 150 BUFFLEHEADS, 36 CANADA GEESE (including a "v" of 32 high-flying southbound migrants, 23 AMERICAN BLACK DUCKS, 20 RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS, 15 SURF SCOTERS, 10 LONG-TAILED DUCKS, 7 HORNED GREBES, 5 COMMON LOONS, and 4 MALLARDS. After seeing a distant soaring immature BALD EAGLE, an adult was perched nearby as we walked the lower field.
However, the bird-of-the-day was the late YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER that we found on the way back up hill. Perched at the top of a tall aspen in perfect light, we were able to tell why it's called "Yellow-bellied," and scope views showed it was a spiffy adult male with a lot of clean, bright, red in its throat and head, which was a little surprising given the date as well.