Today was one of those days you dream about

After working the last six days I couldn't wait to get outside today. Even though the temperature took a massive nose dive over the last 36 hours, I was going birding. The cold be damned! I still wanted to get a bunch of "yearbirds". I put together an itinerary of all the places I wanted to hit on the East side of Narragansett Bay. The problem was, I made this plan on Tuesday, so I had a long wait before I could carry it out.

I was in Tiverton, RI before 6:15 am in the hopes of hearing owls, specifically Great Horned and Screech. No luck. Then I went to Pardon Grey where I also struck out with Meadowlarks and Killdeer. I wasn't thrilled to be 0-4 before 7 am!

From there my luck changed. I saw a bunch of birds. I got my nemesis bird at Rueker, Yellow Bellied Sapsucker. I went back to Pardon Grey and had a Coopers Hawk put on a photo shoot.

From Tiverton, I went to Boyd Marsh in Portsmouth and saw a Eurasian Widgeon. I was happy to get it, because they are fairly rare. I was surprised to find out that it was the first one reported in 2019. However, it was there all of December, so I can't believe no one else had seen it.

I left Boyd's Marsh for Easton's Pond where I saw a mess of ducks including Ring Necked, Canvasback, Common Mergansers, and Ruddy Ducks. Also in the water were American Coots, which were a target bird.

I left Easton's Pond for Third Beach. I picked up all three Scoters there. I was hoping to see Surf Scoters and White Winged. When I saw them I actually did a fist pump.

Knowing I wanted to leave my long hike for the afternoon I went to Brenton Point next before walking hiking trails. At Brenton Point I saw some Snow Buntings and a Winter Wren. I wanted to look for birds on the ocean (specifically Red Necked Grebe) but the wind was so cold I managed to look for less than two minutes.

I stopped at Fort Adams. There wasn't anything unusual but the common ducks were close to shore so I got a couple pictures of Bufflehead and Common Eider.

I went for my hike during the warmest part of the day (it was still frigging cold). I had two species I wanted to find: Purple Sandpiper and Snowy Owl. I dipped on the Sandpiper but as you can see I found a Snowy Owl. It was standing on a piece of driftwood on a rocky shoreline. I was above it on the trails. When I saw it, I got close enough for pictures but not to scare it. The photos are cropped. I have made a conscious choice not to scare owls for the sake of a photo. I am not posting any of the photos on Facebook or any bird reports.

As if that weren't enough, on my way home I stopped at some woods and heard a Great Horned Owl just before dark. Talk about getting lucky.

I ended up seeing 13 new year birds. I was hoping for around 15-20. The early morning strike outs kept my number low. That said, I'm sure as hell not complaining. I got a 2 owls, and many birds that gave me trouble in 2018, especially the Sapsucker. Today was fantastic.

To pour more fuel on a great fire, I took about 150 pictures today. All but 10 came out crisp and clear. Normally, I just hope for one good photo of each species I take pics of. Before today, I had exactly ZERO pictures of a Snowy Owl that weren't blurry, now I have 75. I wish every day were like today! Here's hoping for tomorrow!!!

Multiple pictures below (no not all 150, don't worry)

Coopers Hawk

Adult male Bufflehead

Bufflehead

Common Eider, Ft. Adams 

 The photos below are of the Snowy Owl

Off to see the world

Saying goodbye at Logan
Airport

After 20 days at home my son is off again. He is not going west to his job in the Grand Canyon. Instead he is going east embarking on a grand tour around the world. First stop- Madrid, Spain.

For the next 4-6 months Dominick Pacelli III is going to travel across Europe and Asia. He is spending  three days in Spain, then heading to Africa to spend a couple days in Morocco. After they leave Morocco they are going back to Europe to spend a couple weeks there before heading to the Far East. They do not have a timetable. Nor do they really have any set plans after leaving Morocco other than going to Croatia and maybe Greece.

My son also convinced his friend Sam to go on this grand adventure. They worked their butts off at the Grand Canyon and saved enough money to take this once(doubtful this will be the only time my adventurer son does this) in a lifetime trip. As a parent, of course I've had a million worst case scenarios run through my head. However, I have faith that he will not put himself in bad situations.

It is no secret that I love to travel and sometimes get insomnia because of my wanderlust. It is safe to say that DJ (and Sam) have taken wanderlust to a totally different level. Honestly, DJ has the biggest balls I know. Some of the things he wants to do and is willing to actually go out and accomplish truthfully blows me away. I could never go to all of these countries where very few natives speak English, he relishes the thought. His lack of fear is truly awe-inspiring.

So DJ, if you are reading this on the plane right now. Have a great time. Be smart to stay safe and take a lot of pictures. I love you

New Year/ New Birds, A Pelican showed up

Pine Siskins

January 1st is Christmas day to birders. When the ball drops all of the old birds are new again. Even a robin or a herring gull gets a look because we get to count them as a "yearbird" again. Since most folks have New Years Day off, I can tell you many birders are out BEFORE the crack of dawn listening for first of the year owls. I, of course, had to work.

So for me, my New Years Day was Thursday/ Friday. I did go close to home to get Common Redpolls in Lincoln on Tuesday after work and then I went to the Cumberland Monastery and got your typical feeder birds Chickadees, Titmice, White Breasted Nuthatch, etc...

However I could barely sleep Wednesday night. It was rainy Thursday morning which only turned my anticipation into agony. My son went birding with me on Thursday. On Friday he hung out with a high school friend so I went alone. Both days I hit multiple places. I decided to chase rare birds and pick up the more common species as they come. This plan will make my number a little lower, but in the end it should get me more birds.

The only problem with this plan is you can waste a lot of time waiting for a rare bird to show. This happened to me both days. Thursday, DJ and I tried for Pine Siskins and Evening Grosbeaks near the Connecticut border without any luck. Between waiting and driving, that cost us five hours.

Today, I went back looking for those birds. I got the Siskins but dipped again on the Grosbeaks. At the end of my day, I looked for the Yellow Breasted Chat at Trustom, my last bird of 2018. I waited until dark, but it never came out of the brush.

Although I really wanted these two species (about 7 hours of daylight melted away while looking for these birds) I still managed to see some really good birds. Part of my plan was to look for the species that gave me trouble in 2018. If I could get them out of the way early then I wouldn't have to waste time on them next winter.

As usual, I dipped on the Yellow Bellied Sapsucker. However, I got Red Breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, and Hairy Woodpecker while striking out with the Evening Grosbeaks. I saw a Peregrine Falcon on the Jamestown Bridge. At Beavertail I got a Long Tailed Duck and Razorbill. All of these species gave me fits in 2018. I saw a flock of Pine Siskins at a feeder today, They were a lifer for me a month ago and the one I saw was a flyover. I was happy to study them in my binoculars to start the new year. I found the Red Crossbills at Nicholas Farm. There is no guarantee they will come back next winter.

Another bird I saw today was a raven. I got one in December but I only heard it. Today I saw one as it flew parallel to my car for a few seconds. Two other good birds were Iceland Gull and Black Headed Gull. Flying over the ocean I saw a Northern Gannet. DJ and I also saw a Bald Eagle yesterday.

All told I've saw 66 species so far. Most of those over the last two days. I would be thrilled with this but one guy already has 93 species!!! I don't know how that is even possible.

As I said, I chased rarities. I wasted a lot of time on two species I didn't get. I'm sure I could have gotten 70 (NOT 93!) if I had that time.  It was really nice to get my nemesis birds on Jan 3,4.There are still a lot of birds out there and I hope to get a bunch more next week.

The best bird of the day was a BROWN PELICAN. It was reported at the fishing docks in Galilee this morning. I didn't see the report for two hours but I was on my way to Scarborough when I saw it so I was only minutes away. Matt Schenck was walking back from it and told me right where to go. It was a few feet from fishermen unloading a boat. It was cold, but not hungry because the fishermen fed it. I took 20 pics from six feet away. I left after only a few minutes. I felt bad for the pelican. This cold climate is far from it's comfort zone. Doubtful it will survive.  More photos below

Pine Siskins and the photo below

Red Breasted Nuthatch

Goals for 2018

Usually in early January I write down my list of goals for the upcoming year. This past January all I could come up with were things to do. Going places isn't really a goal, at least not a hard one to achieve. I mean, if I want to go to Charlestown Breachway in August to look at shorebirds or albie fishing in September, all I have to do is go. Nothing is holding me back if I want to go. Therefore, I don't consider them goals. However, trips that require long drives or planning obviously are.

Before it got nice out in April, I sat down and really thought about what my goals were.  I didn't publish them because it seemed a little pretentious. However, looking back, I pretty much accomplished what I set out to do. There is no question that the top two things on the list were by far the most important and would have been happy finishing the mountains and taking a few nice pics. Notice, on this list, there is no mention of breaking any of my personal best birding records. It was never a priority.

1. Finish the New Hampshire 4000 footers. I have two hikes left. Mt Cabot which I'm going to do as a backpack trip. The other is Mt Adams and Madison. That will be a hard one.

I obviously finished the 4000 footers. It is one of the things I am most proud of I have done. I did Adams and Madison as a day hike.

   

2. Take more good photos than I did in 2017 

    This became an easy task once I bought my 500 mm lens. I also was more aware of light, the horizon, and the subject even before I bought my lens. In 2017, I really felt my photos were lacking and wanted to work on that in 2018

3.  Spend two weekends at Plum Island birding.

Mission accomplished. I took off two Wednesdays in May to give me two 3 day weekends. One of my trips I saw 72 species on Plum Island. The other trip I didn't count them I just concentrated on photos

4.  Go to Maine to go on a Puffin Cruise and visit Scarborough Marsh.

I took a third 3 day weekend in June. I went on the Puffin Cruise. I not only saw Puffins, but also Black Guillemont, Harbor Porpoises, two whales, and Seals. It was as fun a three hours as I had all year. At Scarborough Marsh I had two lifers, Tricolored Heron and Nelson's Sparrow

5.  Spend more time trying to catch keeper stripers in Rhode Island.

I didn't necessarily try to catch more stripers (night fishing) but I did end up catching more keepers than 2017. I let them all go.

6. When we go to Acadia in September, hike the Precipice Trail and/or the Beehive.

I only had time to hike The Beehive. That was scary enough. The Precipice is twice the height. I'm glad I did the Beehive. I was scared hiking it, but once I was on top I was sad it was over

7. Get good photos of Warblers and Orioles.

I got pictures of warblers that I have not only never photographed, but had never seen. 

8. See and photograph a spring Red Knot. This is actually on my overall Bucket List along with #1

May 30th I had a flock of Red Knots in front of me and the sun at my back. I photographed them for over an hour

9. Catch a legal sized tautog

Finally! I caught four of these elusive bottom feeders this year. Two of them were of legal size and absolutely delicious!

It is pretty rare that I accomplish all of my goals. Rarely do I get much over half. What I thought was important in January, may not be nearly as important once nice weather comes in April.

Red Knot

2018 Wrap up Part 2- Daytrips and Fishing Report

Daytrips-

I actually get up earlier on my days off than I from work. I spend almost every day that I am not working out playing. Really the only thing that keeps me indoors are unsafe roads during a snowstorm and intense heat.  I can not stay still. Sometimes I have my days off planned months in advance. For instance I already know when the new moon is in July 2019 in relation to my days off. I can also tell you, I will be in Narragansett fishing for albies on September 12, 13, 2019 unless there is an offshore hurricane.

Besides all day expeditions, I also consider ticketed events as a daytrip. Going to plays and concerts is something that not only costs money but requires planning. They are also things I look forward to during the days leading up to the event.  On the opposite end, I consider an overnight to New Hampshire as one daytrip even though a trip to NH usually starts Wednesday after work and I come home Friday night. I do not consider fishing after work a daytrip even if I drive the hour to "gansett" fish for four hours and drive home.

This year I went  on 105 daytrips. This is the breakdown

All day birding trips                     31
All day fishing trips                      11
Combined birding/fishing trips     13
New Hampshire Trips                    4
Other Overnight                              4
    (Plum Island (2), Acadia,
        Monhegan Island)
Trip to Concord, MA                      1
Block Island Ferry                          1

Plays                                               9
Concert                                           5
Musicals                                          4
Museums                                         5
Ghost Tour                                       1
Enchanted Village                            1



Sporting Events                               5
Fireworks                                        3
Fairs  (Washington County)            1
Fishing Expos                                  3

Presentations                                     3

Some weird things looking back-

I went on 69 daytrips in both 2016 and 2017. I can partially explain 2017. The weather was miserable on my off days from work the first half of the year. It seemed like we would have five days of nice weather followed by snow or a deluge of rain for two days when I wasn't working. This year, I have had much better weather landing on days I can play. Also, there were always birds to look for this year, so if I didn't have anything to do, I still had a reason to leave the house. In all the years I've kept track of daytrips, never before had I broken the one hundred barrier

None of the sporting events were normal football, basketball, or baseball games. Laurie wanted to go to two skating events, and Gymnastics Nationals. We went to polo match and a rodeo

The Presentations were: A Creepy Christmas and New England Legends with Jeff Belanger, A slide show of a trip to India at Jamestown Library by birders in my club.

Most of the combined fishing/birding trips were late summer and fall. A typical day would be to fish for albies at daybreak. Go to Trustom and/or Charlestown Breachway for the rest of the morning. In early afternoon go back to where I saw bait and catch stripers till dark.  I spent the most day trips birding because birding is my best option during the colder months.

The plays I went to Lost in Yonkers, Trial of Ebeneezer, To Kill a Mockingbird, Midsummer Night's Dream, Last of the Red Hot Lovers. All of which I really enjoyed. The Crucible, Arcadia, and Romeo and Juliet, American Strippers which I really didn't

The Concerts- The Beach Boys, Femmes of Rock, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Dropkick Murphys, A Stadium Christmas, Sawyer Brown at the Washington County Fair
The Musicals- Buddy Holly Story, Jersey Boys, A Christmas Celtic Sojourn, A Christmas Carol

Fishing-

Normally I will give a rundown and a letter grade to trout, carp, and saltwater. The only one I can comment on this year is saltwater. I did not fish for carp or trout enough to form an opinion. Despite my birding, I striper fished a lot. I was out almost every night. Even when I birded all day, I usually went fishing instead of home for the evening.

Stripers-

I caught a ton of stripers this year. As my friend Dave Pickering said schoolies were everywhere. I don't know how many days I ran into huge schools of fish. They were in the bay in the spring and the ocean in late summer and early November. Mid summer was not nearly as good as last year, but there were just enough schoolies around to justify driving twenty minutes to get out of the house summer evenings.

As for keepers, overall, their numbers are still down. However, for me, I caught a few more than in 2017. In Rhode Island I had a three keeper day in August. I had a few other keepers throughout the year. At the Canal, I had one good day catching eleven fish including three keepers. It was the only good day I had at the Canal as I kept being a day late (it's called having a job). Still for me,  the number of keepers was better than last year so I'd say B- even though I know keeper numbers overall are still poor.

Other fish

I caught my first two legal tautog, which is something I've been trying to do for years.

I only caught one albie all fall. However, my friend Dave took the perfect picture of it in perfect light, so I am more than happy with my one fish in a year where very few were around.

I caught a few gorilla bluefish in one spot in May from my kayak. I think I caught a couple in the summer and one 10 pounder in the fall. I really hope their numbers rebound.

I went Black Sea Bass fishing twice. I went on Eric Meyer's boat in Buzzard's Bay where we hammered them all day. We didn't keep any under 18 inches. I went on Dick Durand's boat in Narragansett Bay. We didn't get as many because they were much harder to fool, but I caught my biggest one ever at 23 inches. It doubled my rod over in 60 feet of water for five minutes. I couldn't have been happier.

I caught 14 species of fish this year. This is probably an all time low. This is a combination of fishing almost exclusively for stripers and birding. Instead of taking trips to the Cape for trout or putting my kayak in ponds I looked for birds or striper hotspots. My all time number of species is 32, so this number is tiny. I didn't even catch a largemouth bass.

Yearly Wrap Up- Summary and Birds

Magnolia Warbler

At the end of every year I write a summary of how my year went. I usually break it up into a couple of posts. I usually divide the posts into categories (fishing, birds, daytrips, goals). I will admit, these memories and stats aren't the best reading for a follower. However, since this site is basically a journal, it's easy for me to look back on previous years just by reading the last few posts of December. Also of note, I seem to write an opening paragraph similar to this each year.

A look back at 2017

As I also write every year, each year seems to have a theme. These themes almost always seem to happen organically and I really don't plan them out. One year a decade ago, DJ and I went to New Hampshire to smallmouth  fish in the mornings and hike mountains in the afternoon. The following year I caught my first keeper striper. That was all it took for me to go to the Cape Cod Canal and Narragansett three or four nights a week after working as a baker until 1 am. 

Last year, my theme was really daytrips and trying new things. I went to Polo for the first time. We also went to Waterfire in Providence, the RI Philharmonic, the Drive In, and a reading of the Declaration of Independence.. For the first time in years I went to Roger Williams and Southwick Zoos. Of course there was always  fishing, hiking, birding, (and a vacation, Philly) to take up the majority of my time. All in all, I went to a variety of different things.

2018

It does not take a nuclear physicist to know what my theme for the year was in 2018. You could click on any month on the right side of this page and see multiple posts about birds. There is no question birding took up the majority of my free time this year. I am still a long way from an expert, but the amount I learned this year surpasses the last few years combined. However, my year did not start out this way. I had no intention of making birding my priority for the year. I really didn't dedicate one day to birding until February 1. The following is the breakdown of my year birding. Daytrips, Goals, and Fishing will be discussed in following posts.

Birds-

By about 20 minutes I was the first
person to see a Marbled Godwit in
 Rhode Island in 2018

Obviously, I spent a lot of time birding. I also did in 2016. In 2016 I broke my previous record of bird species in both Rhode Island and in New England. In 2016 I saw 161 species of birds in Rhode Island. I saw another 20 birds in the other New England states but not in Rhode Island for a combined total of 181. This year I saw 232 species in Rhode Island. I saw another 15 species in New England not in Rhode Island. My combined total is 247. 

I blasted my Rhode Island number by 71 and my combined total by 66 species! I will never again be able to beat my old record by such a number as there just aren't that many species of birds in New England. 

Looking back on the post I did on May 20- I had just broke my record for Rhode Island. I had seen 165 species of birds in less than the first five months of the year. However, even having over six months left, I predicted I had a good chance of seeing 180 species. Not only does it show my lack of confidence, but how much I have since learned. I thought I could only get another 15 species because that is all I thought I had the ability to find. 

However, even with such a fun and record breaking year here is how the top birders in Rhode Island fared-

The number of species seen in RI in 2018 was 314. The three leaders have seen 299, 296, 296. species. This is why I am proud to consider myself a good birder, but am no where near the experts. Again, I've seen 232. This puts me in 8th place on the list I keep track on.  Looking back on some of the birds I didn't chase such as a couple of wild geese in South Kingston and a Cattle Egret in Little Compton, I'm really upset I didn't chase them.

I ended up seeing at least 26 lifebirds. I say at least because there may be a couple gulls and terns I may not have previously seen but am not positive on. The lifers are 

American Bittern                            Summer Tanager                       Prothornatary Warbler

Cerelean Warbler                            Lincoln Sparrow                        Wilson Warbler

Curlew Sandpiper                           Tricolored Heron                       Nelson's Sparrow

Atlantic Puffin                                 Black Gullimont                        Little Egret

Wilson's Storm Petrel                      Red Necked Pharalope              Solitary Sandpiper 

Common Redpoll                            Red Crossbill                             Pine Siskin

Common Nighthawk                       Chuck Will's Widow                  Yellow Breasted Chat

Four species of Shearwaters - Cory's, Great, Sooty, Manx                 Orange Crowned Warbler

As with my record, I will never again see 26 new life birds in New England. There are still some warblers and flycatchers I have yet to see. But realistically I probably wont see 10 lifers next year even if I bird just as hard as this year.  

The one real takeaway I have from the birding this year was really: how much fun I had and how much I got into it. I love birding for many different reasons. I enjoy getting an email and knowing after work I'm going to chase a good bird. I love planning my daytrips trying to figure out where I have my best chance of seeing something new. I love being the one to report a rare species.

 I enjoy the people that are really into it. When there is a super rarity, the same ten people will make the trip no matter where the bird is in the state. I really didn't know most of these people before this year. Now we know each other by name. Although, I will never be invited to their houses on Super Bowl Sunday, nor to mine, it is nice to be included and respected as "a fellow birder".

The last reason why I have enjoyed birding so much this year is because of a very heavy, neck cramping camera lens I bought in April. Having my 500 mm Sigma has changed my life. I get almost as excited coming home from a day birding as I do leaving for it because I can look at the new pictures I took. Over the last 8 months I have taken more quality wildlife photos ( not including large mammals out west) than I have in the previous decade. My year started with frustration in Jan-March when I had my 300 mm and only got decent photos of Tundra Swan and Snow Geese. When I got my new lens I was awarded almost immediately with a three hour photo shoot of Summer and Scarlet Tanagers.   A month later, I got to cross off of my bucket list "photograph Red Knots in their breeding colors". Ever since, every trip was been a photographic adventure.

Probably my favorite photo of the year

Finishing the Year Strong

Yellow Bellied Sapsucker

   Since it rained yesterday, I had one day left before the new year to see if I could find any more "yearbirds". All year I have tried to just enjoy experiences. Numbers really haven't mattered. Many times this year I have stayed with cool birds for a long time hoping to get a wallhanger photos instead of looking for the next bird.

Over the last few weeks I have taken any fun experience I could get such as yesterday's Razorbills and last week's Peregrine Falcon. However, over those few weeks, I have really been targeting new birds. When I saw the Peregrine, I was actually looking for Lapland Longspurs and after that I took the Block Island Ferry to look for alcids.

Knowing today was my last real chance to see any new birds before Jan 1, I went in search of targets that I knew were around. They were  Yellow Bellied Sapsucker, Brown Creeper, Eared Grebe, Lapland Longspur, and Yellow Breasted Chat. I knew there was zero chance of seeing all of these birds, but I was going to give it the old college try. On the RI Birds list I keep track of my birds on, I was in 10th place to start the day. I was three birds behind an 8th place tie.

I went to Trustom Pond first to look for Yellow Breasted Chat and Brown Creeper. The Chat a very pretty large warbler had been around Farm Pond for a few days. I didn't find it. However, I did get a Brown Creeper relatively easily. I found it on the Red Maple Trail.  One bird down

From Trustom I went to Fort Ninigret. There is a Yellow Bellied Sapsucker that birders say "is always in the big tree at Ft. Ninigret" except when I am there. I have looked for the Yellow Bellied Sapsucker 40 or 50 times this year. The big tree is right next to the parking area. Everyone and their brother has seen this damn bird there except me. On Christmas my friend Mike saw it in the morning and sent me a text. I met him there an hour later and it was gone!!!

Despite going 0-45 I had high hopes this morning. The sun was out and it was warm. It was the perfect weather for a Sapsucker to soak up some rays. Sure enough I found it within a minute. I sent Mike a text in all caps that I FOUND IT!  Two birds down

From Ft. Ninigret I went to Westerly, I had two targets, the Eared Grebe and Longspur. The grebe had been seen just west of Weekapaug. I knew before I got out of the car I didn't have a chance of seeing it. The ocean was still rough from yesterday's storm. I never would have found it between huge rollers. Even if I saw a grebe, I would never had time to identify it.

Horned Larks 23
Lapland Longspur 0

Off to Misquamicut I went. The Longspur was hanging out with Horned Larks a few days ago. I was looking at the Larks on Christmas when I got the text from Mike. I didn't see the Longspur mixed then nor was it there today. The number of Horned Larks has risen from 10 to about 30 over the last few days, but it seems the Longspur has moved on.

After striking out in Westerly I went back to Trustom. It was only 12:15. I figured I'd give the Chat another chance. I went back to Farm Pond. I ran into a birder named Dave who I see quite a bit. We ended up talking and the next thing we knew we had been looking for it for two hours. Another birder saw it in a spot we weren't looking, he had pictures so this gave us hope.

Finally after three hours Dave left. I walked to the other side of the pond and started "pishing" I walked all the way around the back side but still didn't see it. After I came back to my original spot, the bird came out of the thickets. I only got t couple of good looks at it, but it is unmistakable. I really wish Dave was still there as a witness but I saw it a good half hour after he left. After I saw the Chat, I had to pick my son up at the train station. Three birds down in a very successful day!

So I finished the day tied for eighth in Rhode Island for the people on the list. Diane Auld, David Wallis and I have 231 species each. I will have to wait it out two more days to see if either of the other two get another bird. Part of me hopes that Eared Grebe got blown to Montauk, NY (pretty much 100 percent of me). As Robert Duvall who plays Robert E Lee in "Gettysburg" after planning the third day of battle says "It's in God's hands now"

That last line may or may not be a bit dramatic, I'll let you be the judge. I do have one more species I can chase after work. Barrow's Goldeneye. One or two usually winter in the Providence River. One guy saw them three weeks ago. I looked three days in a row. I found Common Goldeneye but no Barrow's. The guy Dave who I birded with at Trustom today also said he didn't see them either. But they might be there. Who knows?