Guillemot Photo, Pine Grosbeak at Island Beach, Cape May NWR

[Nico Sarbanes sent these photos of Saturday's Black Guillemot, and folks watching it, with a note: "I am a teenager from Baltimore County, Maryland. Yesterday [Saturday December 22], myself and a group of seven other birders from the Baltimore and Harford area hit Barnegat Light and Cape May in a whirlwind day of birding. The Higbee's Beach jetty was our last stop of the day at 3:30 pm, and just as we arrived, Richard Crossley arrived behind us and notified us of the rare bird sighting, of which we had had no idea. We ran out to the jetty, and I was able to get some quick photos of the BLACK GUILLEMOT and its suddenly growing number of observers from the jetty." Later he added, "It was a fantastic end to a great day of birding at Barnegat and Cape May, and I can't wait to go back." I'll say it was fantastic, Nico! Click to enlarge the photos.]

I'll say it was a fantastic finish Nico, thanks for sharing the equally fantastic photo!

In other news, Laurie Larson reports that George Nixon found a Pine Grosbeak at the "first bathhouse" at Island Beach State Park about 8:30 AM today. He had not yet found the Bohemian Waxwings that were seen yesterday.

I birded the Cape May National Wildlife Refuge tract near Green Creek this morning - the clear highlight was a young goshawk, but many other birds spiced this clear and beautiful morning. The full list is below.

Location: Cape May NWR

Observation date: 12/24/07
Notes: Lovely, clear morning, light wind
Number of species: 44
Snow Goose 50
Wood Duck 1
American Black Duck 2
Hooded Merganser 1
Great Blue Heron 1
Turkey Vulture 15
Northern Harrier 2
Cooper's Hawk 1
Northern Goshawk 1
Red-shouldered Hawk 2
Red-tailed Hawk 5
Clapper Rail 1
Mourning Dove 10
Belted Kingfisher 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 2
Downy Woodpecker 2
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 3
Blue Jay 15
American Crow 10
Carolina Chickadee 5
Tufted Titmouse 1
Carolina Wren 10
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1
Eastern Bluebird 2
Hermit Thrush 3
American Robin 5
Gray Catbird 2
Northern Mockingbird 2
Brown Thrasher 3
European Starling 75
Eastern Towhee 5
Field Sparrow 1
Fox Sparrow 3
Song Sparrow 10
Swamp Sparrow 5
White-throated Sparrow 20
Dark-eyed Junco 5
Northern Cardinal 7
Red-winged Blackbird 50
Eastern Meadowlark 1
Common Grackle 50
House Finch 15
American Goldfinch 6