Chasing

We were barely in the house after returning from Manasquan Reservoir when I checked my email and saw that a Pink-footed Goose had been found (by a reliable observer) in Toms River. Back in the car we went.

As we were driving there a text message came in on my phone from SJBirds, a kind of private Twitter network I belong to, reporting the bird. This is as sophisticated as I get in the field. I can't check my email because I don't have a smart phone. But at least I knew exactly where we were going--to a shopping mall on Hooper Avenue!  Informally called "Marshall Pond" this unprepossessing body of water looks to be a stream incorporated into the mall's drainage system. It directly across from Marshall's Department Store. I've checked it a few times. In the winter there are hordes of Canada Geese there as well as Mallards and sometimes a few more interesting species. PFGO was certainly more interesting. One of this species had been reported for the past couple of weeks a little north of here where Mercer, Middlesex, and Monmouth Counties meet, but no sightings had been made for the past couple of days. Pink-footed Goose, like Barnacle Goose, is starting to appear more often (global warming again) so this could be the same bird, or it could be a different one.

We got there about 4:15, looked for the birders and heard a variant of "Oh, you just missed it": "It went around the other side of that island." The island was nothing more than some tall reeds rising out of mud, but no matter where we stood or what angle we took, we couldn't see to the other side of the island. As it was getting close to sunset, I knew what was going to happen next: the geese started to get restless, and then, through some mysterious method of communication, began to deploy in squadrons that took off from the pond in groups of 20 or 30. Somewhere in one of these groups, I was sure, went the Pink-footed Goose.

We figured as long as we were in the neighborhood we might as well stop at PetSmart for more bird seed and cat treats. But instead of going home the usual way, Shari turned right on Rt 571 because she knew there was a golf course along the road. We saw another car pulled onto the shoulder and stopped a little ways one. We four scanned a flock of at least 1000 geese. By now we were in the gloaming and Shari and I gave up. At 5:25 I got another text from SNJBirds: PFGO on golf course. Those other 2 birders were more persistent than us and it paid off for them.

Oh well, maybe it will stick around. And the trip was not a complete loss. I added 3 birds to my Ocean County year list--Gadwall, wigeon, coot--putting me (briefly) into a tie for the #1 spot.