Yesterday was the 26th annual Greater Portland Christmas Bird Count (CBC). Could we have asked for any nicer of a day? Yeah, it was kinda icy to start, but compared to Friday, I don’t think anyone was complaining! Plus, the birding was very good.

The preliminary total was a very good 97 species, with new high counts tallied for Canada Goose, Mallard, Black Scoter, Common Loon, Bald Eagle, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, and Ring-billed Gull. Only one Purple Finch was a record low, and we had two first count records: 2 Red Knots on Richmond Island and an unbelievably late Tree Swallow over Spurwink Marsh.

I spent 5 ½ hours walking throughout the Portland Peninsula. I began before dawn scoping the water from East End Beach. At least 4 Common Redpolls passed overhead, calling, but there could have been more. Only one other Redpoll was found on the count. While walking around the area, I had a real treat: an estimated 100 American Goldfinches feeding in a patch of Evening Primrose on the hillside (my 112 Goldfinches were the most for any territory). The stalks were falling over from the collective weight of all of these little seed-eaters!

Walking the waterfront in Old Port failed to produce any unusual gulls, but their were plenty of the common species, around, including a total of 535 Herring Gulls – also a high count for any territory. (That beat Rock Pigeon by one individual for most numerous species of my day).

Walking through the old rail yard along West Commercial Street produced little, and I failed to relocate the Swamp Sparrow that I saw on Monday near the new Commercial Street extension. Too bad. My “best” bird of the day was a lingering Hermit Thrush that I located in Western Cemetery, one of 2 Hermit Thrushes seen on the day – tying a record high for a species that has only made 3 total appearances on the Greater Portland CBC.

With a few minutes left over, I made a couple of passes up and down Congress Street and Cumberland Avenues, hoping to run into the Peregrine Falcon that has been hanging around downtown this winter, but I was only successful in adding more Pigeons to my tally.

I finished my birding day at 12:20, and headed to the store – jealous that others were getting to spend the rest of this beautiful day out in the field!

Usually, the day after a CBC I head out to “chase” some of the interesting finds that were turned up by other parties during the course of the day. One such find that intrigued me was a apparent hen Wigeon in Scarborough that shows some features of being an Eurasian. As much as I wanted to go check that out, I am still feeling some affects of my mild concussion from my fall the other day, and decided to sleep in for a change. But, since the dog needed a walk anyway, I headed over for a quick spin at Florida Lake Park in Freeport.

I came to an impasse on the trail – some open water. Without the sound of snow crunching under my feet I picked up a bird call. What was that? I know I have heard that before, but I just couldn’t place it. Then, it came to me - recalling my winters in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula – PINE GROSBEAKS! Two females were perched atop a trees and a third bird was calling a bit deeper in the woods. There could have been more, but I was unwilling to test the thickness of some ice to find out. Good numbers of this irruptive migrant have been reported in Northern and Downeast Maine, but these are the first in the Southcoastal area in at least 3 years.

Then, a little while later, a Red Crossbill flew over, calling – it is going to be a fun winter for finches it seems!