Ok, now it’s cold. I’m happier. 15 degrees and a northwest breeze off the water this morning was plenty cold as I scanned the bay from Portland’s Eastern Promenade. More Long-tailed Ducks were offshore than I have seen of late, possibly reflecting a seasonal movement. There wasn’t a whole lot else though. But, as I left the Prom, I was extremely happy to see the Peregrine Falcon has once again taken up its roost on the steeple of the church at the corner of Franklin and Cumberland. It’s the first time that I have seen it up there this winter.

February is a great time for gull watching, and since I have seen so few “white-winged gulls “ (Iceland and Glaucous) so far this winter, I decided to poke around the piers of Old Port. I walked around, garnering numerous odd looks from folks, up and down piers, and scanning the water and rooftops. An adult Bald Eagle cruised overhead (there aren’t too many cities where Bald Eagles are routinely observed downtown!), looking for either fish scraps or an unsuspecting gull.

The Eagle cleared a few rooftops of gulls, and I identified an adult Iceland Gull among the swirling masses. Another 1st-cycle (one year old) Iceland Gull was spotted from the Portland Fish Pier.

Ah, yes, good to have winter back . . . and with snowfall on the way . . . wax those cross-country skies and fill those feeders!