>From Frank Mantlik 10/19/09 Stratford, Prospect Dr., Stratford Point: flock of 7 COMMON EIDERS 2:55pm close in off the bluff near Stratford Lighthouse. They were all brown birds, though at least 2 had blackish faces and pale eyelines (juvenile males). I quickly grabbed some digiscope photos, and called Milan Bull, who came out from his office and saw them. The flock then promptly lifted off , flew south 1/2 mile out into Sound, then winged far to the east and out of sight. They probably were blown into the Sound by Sunday's nor-easter, as predicted in an earlier post by Dave Provencher or Nick Bonomo. Also present was a raft of circa 110 SURF SCOTERS and 20 WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS far out (0.75 mi.) to the SE at the location where a large flock of scoters and scaup spent last winter. Apparently there is an underwater shoal with presumed shellfish beds there. Other Stratford birds found 10/19 were 1 LINCOLN'S SPARROW and 1 BLACKPOLL WARBLER behind Deluca Ballfield (Public Access weedy area of s. Main St.); 1 male LESSER SCAUP on "Warehouse" Pond (Long Beach Blvd.); a flock of 30 PALM WARBLERS (all yellow eastern race) and hundreds of usual sparrows on the weedy lot behind #650 Long Beach Blvd.; and a decent hawk flight at Boothe Park in the morning.