I was out birding at dawn hoping to get some of the birds being seen around the vicinity.  Here were the results:

• Barred Owl: didn’t find him
• Northern Shrike: nope
• Red-throated Grebe: never go close to the site . . . too much ice on the road

So with tears in my eyes I returned home to begin work.  As I was talking to Ingrid relating my disappointing outing I was delighted to see a Red-throated Loon feeding in the river in front of the house.

Red-throated Loons are a relatively rare bird along the Maine coast . . . but they seem to love our river . . . the fourth year in a row we’ve had one visit.