Barnegat Light SP 9/19--Brown Pelican

Brown Pelican

I went to Barnegat Light SP this morning determined to add Brown Pelican to my year list--it's damn embarrassing for that big a bird to be absent this late. I'd seen a couple of days ago that large numbers had been recorded--I figured at least one would stay around. As it happens, many more than one were present--I found a few across the inlet on the Island Beach side on my first scope view and, as I continued along the walkway, more and more kept popping up, either resting on the sand bar or else gliding by like, looking, I don't know why this image comes to mind, like the old Pan Am flying boats of the 30's. Pterodactyls are the more usual simile--they look like that too.

Royal Terns (Juvenile begging from adult)

I also wanted to finally add Royal Tern to my Ocean County list. Again, there was an abundance of birds on the beach, many of them juveniles still begging food from the adults. They're great looking birds with their tonsures and huge beaks, just slightly small than Caspian Terns, which, as every field leader will tell you, is the largest tern in the world.

Another interesting sight this morning was the huge flock of Tree Swallows I at first saw swirling over the dunes. Later, as I made my way to the beach, I found most of the flock sitting on the beach. The picture below gives you an idea of how many were on the sand--you'd have to extend the picture both left and right to get a true grasp of the numbers. I listed the number at 1000, but doing a quick & dirty count on this photo alone gives me that number.

Tree Swallows on the beach

With the Brown Pelican added to the list, I'm up to 195 species for Ocean County--I have a good chance to make 200 if I can find some more warblers, and/or add a couple of ducks before the year is out. The Royal Terns brought my county life list up to 219--good enough for #4 in Ocean County. I'll never get to #1 here unless I give up my fear of pelagic trips. But you know, it's not a competition (unless I'm winning).

For the day I had 22 species at Barnegat Light, plus a Forster's Tern and a couple of Belted Kingfishers on the bay side after I left the park.
Double-crested Cormorant  100
Brown Pelican  30
Great Egret  2    Across inlet
American Oystercatcher  4
Ruddy Turnstone  5
Sanderling  40
Laughing Gull  20
Herring Gull  200
Great Black-backed Gull  20
Royal Tern  45
Mourning Dove  2
Merlin  1
American Crow  3
Fish Crow  5
Tree Swallow  1000    
Carolina Wren  1    Heard
Gray Catbird  2    Heard
European Starling  2
Northern Cardinal  1    Parking lot
Common Grackle  1
House Finch  2
House Sparrow  7