Day 16 White Winged Gulls in Suffolk County Massachusetts

Pat and I went for the day to Suffolk County. Snow 3 inches, wind picking up making mid twenties fell chilly on Castle Island, but a fantastic day. 1.8 miles. Pat had missed white wings here in Portland and we got them both in multiples on Revere Beach. The beach was littered with quahog shells. We wondered if that is what the gulls were eating. more than 1000 herrings, with fewer great black back and ring bills. I saw 2 glaucous, and 1 iceland although Pat saw more. All immature. after walking the beach, we drove down to the end and found a great little circle for parking. From there we saw great cormorant, sanderling, dunlin, horned grebe and all three scoters. Great stop.

Castle Hill held less, but we did get long tailed duck. Pretty chilly and exposed. There's a ferry out to pleasure Island, which would be fun to take some day. Missed the reported scaup, but a nice flock of 78 brant.

Olmstead Park, Leverett Pond had some fresh water ducks at the end by the bridge where the water is still unfrozen. Wood Duck, 2 drakes, Hooded Merganser, a coot that obliged by walking up on shore, and lots of mallards. Unfortunately no teal.

On the way home we stopped in Stratham NH in hopes of my nemesis fox sparrow, but dipped.

Posted on February 14, 2021 01:02 AM by