Scott Kruitbosch and I birded the Stratford-Milford CBC in the snow and wind on 12/26, covering the Short Beach Area (and I checked a couple other spots enroute). Highlights: -Northern Pintail, female (Raven Park Pond = Rt 110 duckpond). - 2 KING EIDERS (female), 3000 Greater Scaup, 10 Lesser Scaup, 3000 White-winged Scoter, 500 Surf Scoter, 1 BLACK SCOTER (foot of Cove Place). -3 Pied-billed Grebes -1 Double-crested Cormorant (breakwater off Short Beach) - GREAT EGRET (Short Beach lagoon) - American Kestrel, 11 BOAT-TAILED GRACKLES (Sikorsky Airport entrance 7:15am) - 18 Am. Coot, 1 Wilson's Snipe (Birdseye St. boat ramp / marsh) - 1 Belted Kingfisher ("Avco" Cove) - 25 Horned Larks, 1 Am. Pipit, 1 Lapland Longspur (Short Beach Golf Course) - 35 COMMON REDPOLLS (Sniffen's Lane birches) NOTE: Short Beach Park (and Long Beach) was gated closed, but I walked in and birded on foot. Frank Mantlik Stratford