Horicon Lake 1/15--Belted Kingfisher, Swamp Sparrow

Swamp at Horicon Lake

I awoke this morning to dense fog, but by about 9 o'clock the sun was out here in Crestwood Village. I decided to take my walk at Horicon Lake, but as I drove into Lakehurst, only a few miles away, I saw that there, the fog had not lifted. When I pulled into the parking lot at the lake, I could see a few Ring-billed Gulls on the shore and 4 geese on the water and that was it--the rest was milk. I had brought the scope, but it was useless in those conditions.

Still, I have to walk. In the field across from the parking lot I found my first Ocean County bluebirds, always a good sight, plus some of the usual birds I'd expect. I walked back to the swamp (above) and there was some activity there, mostly Golden-crowned Kinglets not being bashful. A sparrow was in the bush on the left seen above and it popped out long enough to let me have my FOY Swamp Sparrow. On the other side of the road, on the lake there were Buffleheads and Hooded Mergansers close enough to be seen in the haze coming off the water. As I started to walk back on the trail along the swamp's edge I thought I heard the rattle of a Belted Kingfisher. A little further on and I knew I had. Usually, if I can hear kingfishers, I can find them, but I figured I'd have to have my first one as only "heard" since the fog was not burning off. But, amazingly, I looked through a scrim of branches and on the tallest dead tree in the back of the swamp there was the kingfisher and more than a silhouette; I could see its gray-blue back and brownish breast band.

As I walked back out of the woods I saw that the curtain had been lifted and the lake was clearly visible and mirror smooth. More Buffleheads, a few more geese, and some Mallards.

20 species made for a decent walk:
Canada Goose  7
Mallard  4   
Bufflehead  5    
Hooded Merganser  2    
Ring-billed Gull  8
Belted Kingfisher  1
Downy Woodpecker  1    
Blue Jay  1    Heard
Carolina Chickadee  5
Tufted Titmouse  1
Carolina Wren  1    Heard
Golden-crowned Kinglet  8
Eastern Bluebird  4
American Robin  2
Northern Mockingbird  1
Song Sparrow  3
Swamp Sparrow  1
White-throated Sparrow  6
Northern Cardinal  3    
American Goldfinch  1    Heard