Essex and Beyond, 11/8

From Ida Giriunas:

Folks:

This was an Indian Summer-type day with clear skies, balmy breezes and
wonderful birds. We enjoyed the view of the great marsh around Essex and
Ipswich from the top of the Savros Hill in Essex.
Found the 6 CACKLING GEESE in the Ipswich Farm fields, thanks to Rick Heil.
Hot-mulled cider and apple donuts refreshed us at Russell's Winery.
Shore birds and ducks such as Buffleheads, Red-breasted Mergansers,
Black-Bellied Plovers, Purple Sandpipers, Ruddy Turnstone, Sanderling,
Dunlin, and a greater Yellowleg entertained us off the dike between Great
and Little Neck.
Saw dozens of HOODED MERGANSERS in Clark Pond along with several Gadwall.
Then to The University of MA Marine Station in Gloucester where we found the WESTERN KINGBIRD. (Thanks to Mollie Taylor for the heads-up.) Also thanks to her tip, we went to Brace's Cove at Eastern Point and found the
BLACK-HEADED GULL.

Totals for the day: 10 Species of Duck, 6 species of Shorebirds, 5 species
of Gulls, several miscellaneous species and seven HAPPY BIRDERS.

Ida Giriunas
Reading, MA