Was it not for the damp, cold air that finally penetrated my layers this morning, sending a chill through my body, I could have stayed at the tip of East Point in Biddeford Pool all day!

To my left, an immature, dark-morph Rough-legged Hawk hunted over Wood Island, alternating between hovering and stoically watching the grass below from the top of a small tree. To my right, 150 Purple Sandpipers snoozed on the rocks. Behind me, Mount Washington was simply glowing with early morning sun shining brightly off its snow-covered summit.

In front of me, one scope field of view held a gorgeous drake King Eider (the same bird I found here about 2 weeks ago) among spiffy Common Eiders, all three scoters, and both Horned and Red-necked Grebes. A short scan to the left or right would easily add Red-breasted Merganser, Common Goldeneye, Great Cormorant, Long-tailed Duck, and Black Guillemot. Farther offshore, two Northern Gannets passed offshore.

A truant American Pipit announced its presence as it passed overhead, and a dozen Snow Buntings that had been in a bare patch on the gold course as I walked out were now circling overhead and calling. The cause of this was soon evident, as walking back past the gold course yielded an immature Northern Shrike perched at the edge of the green.

A walk along Ocean Avenue and through the neighborhood was also quite productive. An adult female Merlin, rare in winter, flew in, perched atop a telephone pole for a spell, and then resumed looking for breakfast.

18 Ruddy Turnstones, the northernmost wintering flock on the East Coast, were roosting on offshore rocks, and a single Razorbill flew by, surprisingly close to shore despite the calm conditions. In the neighborhood, each prime patch of fruiting plants was being guarded by its own Northern Mockingbird; one in particular was busy defending its crabapple from two maurading American Robins. Three Common Redpolls, one at a time, passed overhead, calling, as they continued on to the south.

The scrubby edge of the beach parking lot was its usually birdy self. 4 American Tree Sparrows, a Carolina Wren, and two tough Yellow-rumped Warblers joined the usual cast of characters. Here, as was the case in the neighborhood, American Goldfinches were plentiful and House Finches seemed more numerous than usual.

I only spent 15 minutes waiting to see if the Cape May Warbler that has been visiting feeders in Hill’s Beach would show herself. She did not, but I did add Song Sparrows and a Dark-eyed Junco to the day list that I don’t actually keep.

No rarities this time at the Saco Yacht Club, although one drake Common Merganser was in the river here, and despite an abundance of fruit at the Laurel Hill Cemetery, there was a complete dearth of fruit-loving birds.

Despite the productivity of the day, and the fact that I was no longer chilled (even if the air was becoming heavier with moisture from an approaching storm system that will be grazing us with some light snow tonight), it was now time to head to the store. There was no complaining from me, however, as such a great morning of birding was going to be hard to top!