I found this presumptive BLACK-HEADED X RING-BILLED GULL HYBRID along Greely Road in Cumberland during steady rain in the late morning of the 13^th. It looks very similar to the individual of this hybrid pair that wintered on the Falmouth waterfront for at least two years, 2019-20, and 2020-21. Could it be the same bird with a little more black on the head due to the earlier date?

Rarity season is upon us, but most of my birding this week was in and around our yard. Not that that wasn’t extremely enjoyable though!  A few forays afield did not produce those hoped-for November “Megas,” but I did see a few things of note over the past eight days including:

• Evening Grosbeaks have been present daily at our feeders in Durham all week. 7 on 11/11 peaked at 32 on 11/12 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).

• 1 Lapland Longspur (FOF), over our yard in Durham, 11/11.

• 1 RUSTY BLACKBIRD, our feeders in Durham, 11/12 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).

• 1 first-winter Iceland Gull (FOF), Thornhurst Farm, 11/13.

• 1 PUTATIVE BLACK-HEADED X RING-BILLED GULL HYBIRD, Greely Road, Cumberland, 11/13. First distant observation in driving rain suggested a much, much darker head and mantle, but finally relocated closer to the road. Joined by Nick Lund and Reed and Laura Robinson. 

• Red Crossbills have been regular fly-overs in our Durham yard this week, but 10 were feeding on Eastern Hemlocks on 11/17.

• 3 continuing CANVASBACKS, 398 Ruddy Ducks, 320 mixed scaup (too far to reliably sort through, 1 Evening Grosbeak, 1 Winter Wren, etc, etc, Sabattus Pond, Sabattus, 11/17.