Eno's Pond 2/4--Greater Yellowlegs

First pool seen from the second platform

I drove up Rt 9 to Eno's Pond to take a walk around the trails after I left Sands Point. I wandered around, making a kind of figure 8, looping around the woods and skirting the ponds, finding pretty much what I would expect. I was going to walk back to the car when I heard a distinctive "doo-doo-doo" call. I'd heard that the last time I was there, but only once so I didn't think too much about it--there were a lot of robins around and I thought it possibly could be one them. I thought the same thing this time, but when I heard it again, I decided to go back to the edge of the pond and check it out again. There had only been Mallards when I looked the first time, but this time I found first one, then 8 more Greater Yellowlegs not quite knee-deep in the water.

Greater Yellowlegs

Given my misidentification of the pipits, how do I know these are greater instead of lesser. Well, I'm only 90% certain, but 

1.  I heard the call of the greater,
2.  They have thick knees
3.  Their bills are long and more importantly
4.  When I was looking at them, their bill seemed to curve slightly upwards and
5.  Lessers, despite being listed on eBird, on much less likely in winter. 

However, if anyone wants to correct me, please do. 

So for the day I added 3 year birds, all going on to the county list which is moving up into respectable territory.

16 species
American Black Duck  1
Mallard  43
Bufflehead  2     First pool
Ruddy Duck  1     First pool, with Buffleheads
Great Blue Heron  1
Turkey Vulture  2
Greater Yellowlegs  9     
Downy Woodpecker  1     Male
Blue Jay  1     Heard
American Crow  3
Carolina Chickadee  12
Tufted Titmouse  2     Heard
Hermit Thrush  1
American Robin  20
White-throated Sparrow  3
American Goldfinch  1     Heard