I switched from Sunday to Saturday to get out to Star Island with Greg Tillman and Jerry Kelly. A quieter day than previous ones, the preceding northeasterlies not favoring a good flight. Still always a good day out on the island. Highlights included another short-eared owl, a dickcissel, and my personal favorite, three kinglets foraging for food in lawn grass mere feet away. These little beauties are the smallest bird in North America, hummingbirds excepted. That they can survive temperatures as low as minus 40 degrees Celcius in their boreal forest winter home is a marvel.

Also an unusual canada goose which I havent had time to fully research.

No more Star Trips until spring, but I will be running trips to Jeffries Ledge this winter ONLY WHEN THE SEAS ARE TWO FEET OR LESS. Thus short notice, but well worth the effort. Puffin, dovekie, common murre, razorbill, black-legged kittiwake, northern fulmar are all expected, and thick-billed murre is a possibility.

A single Canada goose on the island, with no others for comparison. Very small and short-necked.

Dickcissel flew in while we were eating lunch.

Female golden-crowned kinglet.

Male golden-crowned kinglet.