As I have mentioned before, we conduct free birdwalks every Saturday morning here at the store. Each week, I post our highlights on our website. However, this morning we had a very successful outing, so I thought I would share the summary here as well:

Location: Florida Lake Park and other Freeport Locales.
Participants: (only) 3.

Summary:
Most people stayed away this morning due to the forecast of below zero windchills. However, due to overnight cloud cover and morning sun, temperatures had only dropped into the low 20's, and the wind had not yet picked up when we began. In otherwords, it was downright pleasant.


Furthermore, the birding this morning was exceptional. From the parking lot here at the store, we enjoyed our continuing FIELD SPARROW at the feeders. 45 CEDAR WAXWINGS were perched in the trees, and a total of 43 AMERICAN ROBINS passed overhead. Furthermore, a pair of HAIRY WOODPECKERS around the feeding station was the first time in over a year that this species has visited the feeders here.

Our first stop was the crabapple trees in front of LL Bean's Corporate offices. There, another 40 CEDAR WAXWINGS and about 30 AMERICAN ROBINS were closely observed in perfect light.

Our main destination for the morning was Freeport's Florida Lake Park. On Thursday, I heard a single PINE GROSBEAK there, and this was our target for the morning. After only a few minutes of walking the trail towards the lake, we saw not one, but 13 PINE GROSBEAKS right along side of the trail. Contently feeding on Highbush Cranberry and Red Spruce buds, we watched them for 15 minutes as close as 25 feet away. A absolutely fantastic sighting! One SONG SPARROW was along the dike (the former mystery birds that did it's usual dissapearing act again this morning), but the woods were quiet except for a handful of BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES.

We slowly drove some Freeport backroads back to the store, where we saw the icing on the cake for the mornings's outing - a NORTHERN SHRIKE that I origininally found on the Christmas Bird Count on New Year's Eve was right where I hoped it would be!