Gulling at Turner's Falls, MA - January 2nd.

Glaucous Gull - first cycle, Barton Cove.

Kumlien's Iceland Gull - first cycle, Barton Cove.

Lesser Black-backed Gull - adult (left), with American Herring Gulls.


Barrow's Goldeneye - female (center) with Common Goldeneyes. This bird came in off the CT river well after sunset and I was little surprised to come away with this image. It seemed way too dark at the time.

Once again, the incredibly productive gull flock at Barton Cove yielded six species from only c.400 birds. Initially the birds were very close to Unity Park on the Turner's Falls side of the river but spent much of the time being spooked and ultimately settled on the Gill side. Great Black-backed, American Herring and Ring-billed Gulls formed the main body of the flock, with highlights being 2 first-cycle Kumlien's Iceland, 1 first-cycle Glaucous and 1 adult Lesser Black-backed Gull. A drake Lesser Scaup was also present. On the Turner's Falls power canal - lots of waterfowl coming into roost at dusk including 60 Common and 4 Hooded Merganser, 45 Common and 1 female Barrow's Goldeneye. The Common Loon, present for several weeks, spent a good deal of time circling over the canal and may have headed south at dusk. It will be interesting to see if it returns as the ice increases on the canal.

Very cold this evening with temperatures in the low 20s and a nasty wind-chill on top of that. Tomorrow is forecast to be much colder!

GB,

JPS.