Brigantine 12/1--Redhead, Snowy Owl

We added 2 more year birds today but both had their unsatisfactory aspects. The Redhead we saw at the left entrance pond on Great Creek Road we saw very well, but it was a hen Redhead and it isn't being sexist to say that a hen Redhead is not a very interesting looking bird--basically a light brown duck with a slightly different bill than other Athya species. It certainly isn't as dramatic a find as a drake with its striking eponymous red head, but it counts. And the light was against us, so no photos.

As I mentioned yesterday, there has been something of a Snowy Owl irruption in NJ this season and we finally were able to track down one of the two that have been reported at Brigantine--but it was a very distant view. It reminded me of the time years ago at Jamaica Bay when I dismissed a white lump in the distance as a mound of snow when it turned out to be an owl. This mound of white, at least was moving, but no details could be discerned. It made for "guilt-free" viewing, as these popular owls tend to be harassed by birders and especially photographers who feel that there just aren't enough photos of Snowy Owls in the world and theirs, dammit, theirs is going to be the iconic photograph of the species, if they could just get a little closer. With this bird so far away and so inaccessible at the edge of the marsh, there was no question of any of us disturbing the bird (though I wouldn't have been surprised to see someone approach it in a boat), to the teeth-gnashing chagrin of some guys with howitzers for lenses. I have to say that my schadenfreude at their distress made up for the disappointment of the hazy view. As I often tell photographers, "I just have to see it."  At least I got it off the list for the year and no longer feel like the only birder in NJ who hasn't seen one.

So, obviously, no photo there either.

Photos Shari could take:

The photo above gives you a hint of what thousands upon thousands of Snow Geese look like in flight. It can't give you an idea of the racket they make. Canada Geese whisper in comparison.

Along the drive we kept flushing sparrows. From what I could tell, a couple were Swamp Sparrows, a few were Song Sparrows, but a lot of them were like this guy/gal: Savannah Sparrows, with their yellow lores and finer stripes, missing the stickpin dot of Song Sparrows.

Two  loops around the drive yielded 44 species. The temperature was in the mid 40's and there was no wind. If only it would last.
Snow Goose  5000
Brant  225
Canada Goose  100
Mute Swan  3
Tundra Swan  60    
Gadwall  4
American Wigeon  10
American Black Duck  100
Mallard  125
Northern Shoveler  10
Northern Pintail  200
Green-winged Teal  25
Redhead  1    Entrance pond on left
Ring-necked Duck  1    Entrance pond on left
Bufflehead  20
Hooded Merganser  25
Ruddy Duck  20
Great Blue Heron  4
Turkey Vulture  1
Northern Harrier  4
Bald Eagle  3    Two immature over Gull Pond, adult over exit pond
Red-tailed Hawk  2
American Coot  10
Black-bellied Plover  1
Dunlin  1000
Ring-billed Gull  2
Herring Gull  20
Great Black-backed Gull  4
Snowy Owl  1    
Downy Woodpecker  1    Upland portion of drive
Merlin  1
Peregrine Falcon  2
Blue Jay  2    Heard
American Crow  5
Carolina Chickadee  1    Heard
Carolina Wren  2    Heard
Golden-crowned Kinglet  1    Heard, picnic tables.
Eastern Bluebird  2
American Robin  3
Gray Catbird  1    Heard, entrance ponds
Yellow-rumped Warbler  25
Savannah Sparrow  5
Song Sparrow  2
Swamp Sparrow  2