Date: January 2015Contributor(s): Binnie Chase, Maha Katnani

Location: Atlantic coast

Seven bird club members:  Binnie Chase, Dot Fleury, Mary and Ron Gall, Maha Katnani, Peggy Rudis, and Chet Vincent headed north on January 20th for four days of coastal winter birding looking for seabirds, Snowy Owls and the reported Gryfalcon. The first day was spent searching for the falcon in Wells, ME, but the falcon had moved to Hampton Beach in NH.

Day 2 Birded Ogunquit, Perkin’s Cove and Marginal Way. Had nice close up views of Eiders, Harlequins and Scoters, first looks at Purple Sandpiper and a distant Black Guillemont.  Spent time at Cliff House and were were rewarded with a nice King Eider. Had a very quick look at a Razorbill at Cliff house. Nubble Light was a typical Maine postcard picture. We traveled South to NH: Rye Beach, Hampton Beach, Seabrook Beach and Salisbury Beach State Reservation.

Day 3 Was spent birding Plum Island and a few spots in Newburyport, MA. We hit all the main spots and walked the Hellcat Marsh loop to find our Snowy Owl and Redpolls. A day is never enough time there.

Day 4  We packed up and headed to Cape Ann with stops at Halibut Point, Andrews Point, Emerson Inn with close looks at 25 plus Purple Sandpipers as we worked our way towards the Elk’s Club. Finally we explored Gloucester, out to Niles Pond and Lighthouse.

Our weather was beautiful and we saw many great birds, 60 plus species.

Submitted by: Binnie Chase;  All photographs copyrighted Maha Katnani

The list:

Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Gadwall, American Black Duck, Mallard, Lesser Scaup, Harlequin Duck, King Eider, Common Eider, Surf Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Black Scoter, Long-tailed Duck, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Common Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser, Wild Turkey, Common Loon, Red-throated Loon, Horned Grebe, Pied-billed Grebe, Black Guillemot, Razorbill, DC Cormorant ?, Great Cormorant, American Bittern, Bald Eagle, Northern Harrier, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper’s Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Rough-legged Hawk, Sanderling, Dunlin, Purple Sandpiper, Ring-billed Gull,Herring Gull, Great Blacked-backed Gull, Rock Pigeon, Morning Dove, Snowy Owl, Barred Owl, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, American Crow, Horned Lark, Black-capped chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Eastern Bluebird, American Robin, Northern Mockingbird, European Starling, American Tree Sparrow, Song Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Northern Cardinal, Common Redpoll, House Sparrow and  Harbor Seals

Photos, top to bottom:

Male Common Eider (left)
Scanning the seashore
On the boardwalk
A Gadwall pair
Male Common Eider
Common Loon in winter plumage
Purple Sandpipers on the rocks

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