Odds & Ends early Dec 2015

The first nine days of December have been fairly winterish on the Avalon Peninsula but not extremely cold or wickedly windy.  A record snow fall of 30 cm on 4 Dec was not what anyone was hoping for this early.  With the temperatures hovering around the freezing mark some struggling insectivores are still hanging in.  A Blue-headed Vireo in the Waterford Bridge Road cemetery is the most unusual species currently present. A Black-and-white Warbler and sometimes a Pine Warbler are hanging out with it.

The Blue-headed Vireo manages to survive up to today. This picture taken on 1 Dec 2015.

The Ruby-crowned Kinglet that was also part of the cemetery gang hasn't been seen since for a week.  Here it was on 1 Dec 2015.

There have been three different Wilson's Warblers seen this month on the Avalon Peninsula. This one was on the lower Virginia River just up stream from the Boulevard on 6 Dec 2015.

With the capping of the Pier 17 sewer outlet in St. John's, the Common Gull is going to become a rare gull unless they get a taste for bread like that Ring-billed Gull in the background.  Here at Va River parking lot at QV Lake on 6 Dec 2015.

This 1st winter Great Black-backed Gull has lost the black pigment on its bill. Or maybe it is the thin sheath of 'skin' covering the bills of gulls that is missing.  The rest of the bird looked normal.  Mundy Pond 7 Dec 2015.

The slight variation in the colour of Kumlien's Gull upper parts can be seen here on these daytime loafers at Mundy Pond on 7 Dec 2015.

This motley crew of Harlequin Ducks has been frequently the rocks below the Cape Race lighthouse. here on 5 Dec 2015. A good size flock for the location.