In the calm before the storm this morning, I ventured down to Biddeford Pool. Beginning at East Point, I quickly spotted the spiffy drake King Eider in his usual spot – with a small group of Common Eiders just off of the rocky ledge marked by the tall, rusting pole. A handful of Razorbills and a few Black-legged Kittiwakes were also present offshore, but the combination of heat shimmer off the water and scope-shake from the increasing wind made for rather difficult seawatching condition. Therefore, I soon moved in from off the point.

75-100 Purple Sandpipers were foraging on the rocks along Ocean Avenue, a single hen Greater Scaup continues there as well. The edge of the beach parking lot was its usually birdy self, but nothing out of the ordinary could be teased from the brush. And finally, at the Pool itself, three Ruddy Turnstones were foraging in the recently exposed flats – this is the only location in Maine where these pebble-flipping shorebirds overwinter.

I then began to work my way back to Yarmouth, with various stops including the Biddeford Boat Launch, Water Street in Saco (a previously reported Barrow’s Goldeneye was not present here this morning), and the Saco Yacht Club (one drake Common Merganser).

I also took a swing through the Laurel Hill Cemetery, where there is still a lot of fruit on the trees. But alas, the only frugivores partaking in the bounty today was one Gray Squirrel.

The morning remained snow- and ice-free, happily, and in fact, it didn’t begin to snow – at least in Yarmouth – until around 3:00pm. The rest of the day – not looking so nice. It’ll be a fun trip up the driveway when I get home! Hopefully, the ice accumulation won’t be nearly as bad as is currently forecasted.

But, assuming it is safe driving out there tomorrow morning, it would be a great morning to hit the coast looking for storm-blown stuff like Dovekies and Black-legged Kittiwakes.