Riverfront Landing 1/8--Canvasback

Today was the first day that, instead of deciding which bird I'd already seen during the day to use for my Bird A Day list/contest, I went looking for a specific bird to add. After dropping off Shari at the Toms River Park & Ride bus station, I drove down to Riverfront Landing about a mile away, knowing that this was a reliable spot for Canvasbacks, a large, really handsome black & white duck with a brick red head that always seems to be served at banquets in Edith Wharton novels.

Since last year this little park was the only place I saw Canvasbacks (twice) I figured I'd get them out of the way and on the list--plus I do enjoy seeing  them. When the obsessiveness overtakes the enjoyment, then I'll know it's time to stop birding. At first, from the parking lot, there were only Mallards to be found and few cormorants that flew in. Piers and shacks on the piers block the view. I walked to the edge of the park and turned around facing the piers from the other side, which had the added benefit for putting the sun behind me. I immediately found some Canvasbacks and then, as a bonus, I gave myself a lesson in separating 3 lookalike ducks--Lesser Scaup, Greater Scaup, and Ring-necked Duck. Ring-neck was the most numerous and easiest--just look for the white "spur" on the side plus the white ring around the bill. These birds are often miscalled Ring-billed Ducks which does make more sense since the ring on the neck is virtually invisible. Next I found a duck with no spur and clean white sides and a rounder head than the Ring-necks--Greater Scaup. Finally, a few ducks with no spurs, grayer sides and a puffier head drifted into scope view--Lesser Scaup. The Toms River is not, I think, really a river, more like a tidal inlet, so it incorporates aspects of habitat all three of these species prefer--salt water for greater, and a more protected pond-like habitat near shore for the lesser and ring-necks.

The final little surprise was seeing a Pied-bill Grebe close in among the piers as I was packing up the scope. Another bird normally found on ponds.
14 species
Canada Goose  26    F/O
American Black Duck  1
Mallard  15
Canvasback  4
Ring-necked Duck  14
Greater Scaup  1
Lesser Scaup  5
Bufflehead  5
Hooded Merganser  2
Ruddy Duck  15
Pied-billed Grebe  1
Double-crested Cormorant  5
Great Black-backed Gull  1
Blue Jay  1    Heard