Yes the walk started cold but the wind was only bad at Martin’s Point Park. And it was sunny!
Twelve people came on our last walk of the year at Sabattus Pond. Leaving Martin’s Point for the small cover at the south end on Route 9, we had two male Wood Ducks and a pair of American Wigeon, plus 18 Hooded Mergansers. Then two Bald Eagles, one was a first
year, and two Belted Kingfishers. All of these within a few minutes and close enough to just need binoculars. None were as close again. While there were lots of ducks, most were in the middle of the lake, or on the other side from which ever side we were on.
See you all next May.
Here, I hope, is the full list, 36 species. We had few song birds.
- Canada Goose – 10 from Martin’s Point
- Wood Duck – 2 males
- American Wigeon – pair
- Mallard – hundreds, maybe more!
- American Black Duck
- Northern Pintail – 16 hard to see even with scope
- Green Winged Teal – 1
- Greater Scaup – 40 near Martin’s Point
- Black Scoter – 80 mostly flying high then on the water in a compact flock
- Bufflehead – 20+
- Common Goldeneye – 1
- Hooded Merganser – 14 or 28 (in two places, same?)
- Common Merganser – 1 by Gordon
- Ruddy Duck – 500?
- Mourning Dove
- Killdeer – 4 on Long Beach
- Ring-billed Gull – 8
- Herring Gull – 4
- Common Loon – 1
- Double-crested Cormorant – 1
- Turkey Vulture – 1
- Bald Eagle – 3
- Belted Kingfisher – 2
- Downy Woodpecker
- Blue Jay
- American Crow – 30+
- Common Raven (H)
- Black-capped Chickadee
- Carolina Wren – 1 by Gordon when we left him!
- American Robin – 15
- European Starling
- House Finch – 1 at feeder
- American Goldfinch
- Song Sparrow
- Dark-eyed Junco
- Red-winged Blackbird – one large flock