Working hard to escape the very strong winds today, we took advantage of the high tide to check the salt pannes at the Walsh Preserve for late shorebirds. We were rewarded with a single truant LESSER YELLOWLEGS and a PECTORAL SANDPIPER joining a goodly 28 GREATER YELLOWLEGS. Two GREAT EGRETS were out in the marsh, a couple of TURKEY VULTURES were overhead, and a RED-TAILED HAWK put on a good show soaring over the marsh later in the walk.
A couple of pockets of activity in the woods yielded a total of 7 YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS, 3 WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS, 3 BLUE JAYS, 2 RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES, 2 AMERICAN ROBINS, 2 WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCHES, 1 EASTERN BLUEBIRD, and a smattering of TUFTED TITMICE and BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES.
Winds were really ripping when we arrived at the nearby Cousin's River Fields and Marsh Preserve, and the birding was tough. A few more Turkey Vultures were overhead, and we managed to glimpse a total of 9 PALM WARBLERS, and one each of WHITE-THROATED SPARROW, SWAMP SPARROW, and SONG SPARROW. We encountered a couple of GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS as well, and finished with a fly-by RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER.
A quick stop to finish things off at the Yarmouth Town Landing offered up a GREAT BLUE HERON, a as-cooperative-as-it-ever-gets SAVANNAH SPARROW, and at least 24 DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS.