Manahawkin WMA 3/14--Blue-winged Teal

Of all the problems caused by the coronavirus catastrophe, social distancing is no hardship for me. Been practicing it all my life. So, instead of going on either of the NJ Audubon field trips scheduled for today, I went birding solo.

I started off at the Manahawkin WMA. May as well go there while the trails are mowed, because once they grow over, it is tick heaven. A perfect combination: Corona with Lyme. I knew that a difficult duck for the county had been spotted there a few days ago, and sure enough, in the back impoundment, there were three Blue-winged Teal. They were the last of the ducks to fly out as I approached, leaving only the imperturbable Mute Swans and a single drake Mallard. Most of the ducks must have flown to the front impoundment, because in there I found lots of teal of the green-wing persuasion, black ducks, Hooded Mergansers, and a lingering pintail. But not Blue-winged Teal. Possibly they were hiding in the phragmites (the front impoundment is fresh water), because later in the day they were reported again.

Bye-bye

I was hoping for more, as spring birds seem to be trickling in, but everything else was what you'd expect to see. I drove down to Tuckerton, thinking perhaps a yellowthroat or Osprey would be there but not yet. However, I was happy to find one Great Egret, since it was a county bird. It's risible--in a couple of months there could literally be 100 Great Egrets along the 4 miles of marsh that Great Bay Blvd transits, but today, I got my first one for Ocean County and it seemed like an event. This one, of course, was not cooperative even though I thought I was stealthily approaching it for a photo. I should have just tried a shot through the phrags from a distance instead of my clumsy stalking.

Again, everything else along the boulevard was what you would expect to find though Red-throated Loon and 5 Greater Yellowlegs were not obvious but the result of scanning. Last week there were hundreds of scaup and Brant in the bays. Today I found no scaup and a paltry 5 Brant. One Bald Eagle was on the nest at the end of the road. Again, an expected bird.

I don't know how long the frivolity of birding will be allowed, but until we're all shut in, watching our feeders, I'm going to get out and get 'em while I can.

Wash your hands, sneeze into your elbow, stay healthy.