November 11: Hammonasset State Park in Madison, CT. currently hosts a fresh juvenile Black-headed Gull. Perhaps the most common gull species in northern Europe, this bird is only infrequently seen in North America except for Newfoundland.
Also this fall, the east is already seeing an unusually large number of Red-breasted Nuthatches and northern finches including Purple Finches, many Pine Siskins, some Evening Grosbeaks, and now flocks of both Red and White-winged Crossbills. A flock of some 45 White-winged Crossbills is currently foraging the heavily cone-laden pines at the west end of Hammonasset. While photographing the flock, several birds flew down to the puddles near where a group of us were standing, and one White-winged Crossbill actually landed on my head.