Marshall's Pond 1/1--Ross's Goose, Cackling Goose

They're all year birds on January 1. Before we even made it up to Sandy Hook for a "Kick Off Your Year List" field trip, I had 11 species. Alas, the Snow Goose I saw yesterday was not one of them; the pond on Schoolhouse was mostly frozen and only Canada Geese and a Great Blue Heron were at the back part where the water was open.

On the side of the road to the parkway we saw two Black Vultures eating something. Unusual to get Black Vulture before Turkey Vulture.

Sandy Hook had the expected species but there was one special bird--the group saw a Common Raven (not as uncommon as the eBird filters would have you believe) chasing a Red-tailed Hawk. The raven was almost as big, if not as big as the hawk.

I thought the raven would be the rarest bird of the day, but about noon a text came in that there were two rare geese down on our home turf, so after the group wended its way south to Lake Takanassee (which sounds like it should be a swamp in Mississippi) we drove down to the Seacourt Pavilion Shopping Center in Toms River. There, in what is known locally as Marshall's Pond, we found the previously reported Ross's Goose, a very hard goose to find in New Jersey and really difficult in Ocean County--my first lifer county bird of the year.

The bird was just sitting on a little sand bar when we arrived with its head tucked into its wing--not the most satisfying look. But then, as you can see, it perked up and gave us all the diagnostic field marks. The second county lifer took a little more work. By this time our friend Mike, who was helping with the field trip, arrived and we scanned through the 300 Canada Geese until Mike finally came up with one goose with a shorter neck and stubbier bill, just a bit smaller than the surrounding geese--a Cackling Goose. They can be maddening to find and identify because Canada Geese come in all sizes and for me to have 2 inside of a week is absolutely amazing. The light was fading, so a photo wasn't feasible. 

I started the year with 46 species, not a Cape May kind of start, but respectable. It also re-energized me for birding. I have to say that toward the end of last month I was starting to flag. The unexpected Snow Goose yesterday started to revive my spirits and today's raven and rare geese got me going again for another year of birding. 

The day's list:

Species         First Sighting

Ross's Goose     Marshall's Pond

Brant     Sandy Hook

Cackling Goose     Marshall's Pond

Canada Goose     Crestwood Village

Mute Swan     Sandy Hook

Gadwall     Marshall's Pond

American Black Duck     Sandy Hook

Mallard     Lake Takanassee

Green-winged Teal     Marshall's Pond

Surf Scoter     Monmouth Beach

Black Scoter     Sandy Hook

Long-tailed Duck     Sandy Hook

Hooded Merganser     Lake Takanassee

Red-breasted Merganser     Sandy Hook

Red-throated Loon     Sandy Hook

Common Loon     Sandy Hook

Pied-billed Grebe     Lake Takanassee

Red-necked Grebe     Sandy Hook

Northern Gannet     Sandy Hook

Double-crested Cormorant     Lake Takanassee

Great Cormorant     Sandy Hook

Great Blue Heron     Crestwood Village

Black Vulture     Dover Road, Berkeley

Turkey Vulture     Sandy Hook

Bald Eagle     Sandy Hook

Red-tailed Hawk     Sandy Hook

American Coot     Lake Takanassee

Sanderling     Sandy Hook

Bonaparte's Gull     Seven Presidents Park

Ring-billed Gull     Sandy Hook

Herring Gull     Sandy Hook

Great Black-backed Gull     Sandy Hook

Downy Woodpecker     35 Sunset Rd

Peregrine Falcon     Seven Presidents Park

Blue Jay     Crestwood Village

American Crow     Sandy Hook

Common Raven     Sandy Hook

Tree Swallow     Sandy Hook

Carolina Chickadee     35 Sunset Rd

Tufted Titmouse     35 Sunset Rd

White-breasted Nuthatch     35 Sunset Rd

Northern Mockingbird     Sandy Hook

Dark-eyed Junco     35 Sunset Rd

Northern Cardinal     35 Sunset Rd

House Finch     Sandy Hook

American Goldfinch     35 Sunset Rd