As per 20-year tradition of Saturday Morning Birdwalks, we visit Winslow Park for the first time of the winter season on the first Saturday of December. Although it was a cold start to the day, the near-complete lack of wind made for a decidedly pleasant outing.
Winter waterbirds are rapidly building in now, highlighted today by a pair of BARROW'S GOLDENEYE off the point. This is a rather early date here for recent years, although when birdwalks started 20 years ago, we often had them by Thanksgiving. Last year, they didn't show up until early January! The glass-calm water and soft light from a thinly clouded sky made for optimal viewing conditions, and the male offered especially stunning views.
Other waterbird tallies and/or estimates included: 250 BUFFLEHEADS, 150 COMMON EIDERS, 75 AMERICAN BLACK DUCKS, 75 RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS, 40 HERRING GULLS, 35 MALLARDS, 30 LONG-TAILED DUCKS, 13 COMMON LOONS, 12 SURF SCOTERS, 10 RING-BILLED GULLS, and one RED-THROATED LOON.
A tarrying BELTED KINGFISHER posed nicely for us as he consumed a small fish, and a CAROLINA WREN sang from the nearby yards. One mixed species foraging flock in the woods consisted of a half-dozen BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES, 4 TUFTED TITIMICE, and a pair each of WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCHES and DOWNY WOODPECKERS.
Two EASTERN BLUEBIRDS were in the park, with a handful more on the drive back that also yielded a RED-TAILED HAWK and a RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER.
And as an added bonus, we were all able to enjoy the three continuing FOX SPARROWS under the feeders (see previous post) here at the store upon our return.