Quabbin CBC

I spent the morning through early afternoon covering the Prescott Peninsula area for the annual Quabbin Christmas Bird Count along with Tom Gagnon.  The day started out rainy and cool with a few pockets of freezing rain.  It rained throughout the morning with some dense areas of fog but eventually it let up around midday.  Despite the less than ideal conditions we managed 25 species with the highlights being Horned Grebe (13), Winter Wren (1), Red-breasted Nuthatch (12...with one group of seven together), Ruffed Grouse (2) with great looks at one, Golden-crowned Kinglet (10), Common Merganser (3), Pileated Woodpecker (3), Common Raven (2), a Song Sparrow, a Common Loon, a Bald Eagle and a Belted Kingfisher.  Also had a good mammal deep in the woods...a Red backed Vole.