Wednesday 12/26: BBN was pretty quiet. Eventually dug up a creeper but not much else.
Thursday 12/27: Almost too nasty to check Hardy and the res and nothing of note at either.
Friday 12/28: Still one cormorant at Prospect St but not much else.
Saturday 12/29: Had to take my father to pick up his car, so started at Purgatory Cove. River was starting to freeze, but tons of Mallards flying around in addition to a big flock of Ring-necks (75 plus a Lesser Scaup), coots (40+), and a couple Ruddy and other things. Big surprise was found while trying to get a better angle on the Ring-necks: a cormorant on the far shore. First impression was that it was the Double-crested we had on the CBC on the cove, but it started to look a bit white on the belly from the side. Kept moving until I got a full view and, sure enough, it was a Great.
Then headed up to Silver Lake in Wilmington where a Glaucous Gull had been. Spent about 40 minutes scanning and didn’t find any good gulls (other than a presumed Lesser Black-back that disappeared before I got more than the back). Made a quick trip to the industrial park where Pine Grosbeaks had been seen regularly, I must have been there in between feedings and didn’t care to stay. Quick stop at the Mystic Lakes had nothing much, then more coots and Common Mergansers at Spy Pond.
Decided to check the res before heading home. Coots were in the corner again. Huge flock of Hoodies with a few wigeon way out in the middle. Further down was a small flock in close. Expected it to be the Ring-necks and a couple of the scaup, it turned out to 32 scaup and 4 Ring-necks. The rest of the wigeon flock was way off. Trapelo end was mostly frozen.
Sunday 12/30: Stayed in with the storm.
Monday 12/31: Started at Dunback: Fox Sparrow, 3 Rusty Blackbirds, nice Sharp-shinned, flyover Redpolls. On to Rock Meadow (4 Waxwings) and BBN (Raven). Cardinal ended the year.
Tuesday 1/1: Cardinal also started the year. Annual BBC walk around Newburyport. Started with a White-winged Crossbill in the parking lot, then Red Crossbills in Salisbury. Wind got in the way after that, but a few good things. Details will be on the BBC blog eventually.