We liked Manasquan Reservoir so much last week when we went there on a field trip that we decided to return today and explore it more thoroughly than we were able to when it was one of three stops that day.
The reservoir didn't have nearly the numbers of waterfowl that it had last week. We saw no Common Mergansers in contrast to last Saturday when there were approximately 2000. But there were still a good diversity of species, including around 100 Ring-necked Ducks mixed in with Lesser Scaup.
The big find of the day was an out of season Osprey patrolling the wetlands area. On our previous trip someone mentioned that one had been seen there all winter. Lloyd Shaw, leading the trip, mentioned that Ospreys have to migrate because as they evolved, they lost their insulating feathers, which would only act as a drag when they dive into water for fish. Thus, they need warm weather. But thinking about it, I realized that while that may be true, they also have to migrate because during a normal winter, their food is encased beneath ice, and smashing yourself into a frozen lake or pond is not a good way to make your living. However, as we all know, this has been a mild winter, so an Osprey can forgo the insulation and still find fish in the open water. So this bird probably perceived no reason to fly away. Right now it rates as a "rare" bird for the area and season. As global warming continues, who knows, the species may extend its range north.
27 species scanning the reservoir and walking the wetlands trail.
Canada Goose 100
Mallard 3
Ring-necked Duck 100
Lesser Scaup 50
Bufflehead 10
Hooded Merganser 2
Ruddy Duck 12
Pied-billed Grebe 3
Double-crested Cormorant 2
Great Blue Heron 1
Osprey 1
American Coot 10
Ring-billed Gull 25
Herring Gull 1
Great Black-backed Gull 1
Rock Pigeon 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker 3
American Crow 5
Carolina Chickadee 3
Northern Mockingbird 1
Song Sparrow 1
White-throated Sparrow 1
Dark-eyed Junco 4
Red-winged Blackbird 1
Common Grackle 2
House Finch 10
American Goldfinch 2
so it was a cormorant we saw yesterday - wish i had my camera - there were two birds there, pretty close by (by the bridge if you go from the landing to the environmental center)
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