The Year

White-winged Scoter, Barnegat Light SP
Probably the best photo I took all year. The bird was so unperturbed by my presence, only a few feet away on the concrete walkway, that I thought for a moment that it might be a decoy.

On top of, on top of, on top of. That's what runs through my mind when I look back upon this terrible year. I could make the argument that birding during a pandemic, on top of "civil unrest," on top of an anxiety-inducing seemingly endless election campaign, on top of the following attempted coup, provided a distraction, an activity "to get away from it all" for a while and I made that argument many times to myself, walking around various bogs and out of the way WMA's, but mostly the best reason I could come up with was that "at least" I was getting in my exercise, because the intervals between bird sightings would bring my thoughts back to the present horrors. 

Sometimes, though, I would just stop and look at a titmouse, or a duck, or a Killdeer edging away from me and envy it. It doesn't know what's going on. Here is what draws me to birding; a peek into an alternate universe.

The prospect of chasing rarities rarely passed the "fun test." At best it seemed pointless, at worst, selfish and irresponsible. Every time I saw the abbreviation "m.obs" on an eBird list I got uncomfortable with what we were all doing. I can think of only one bird I chased this year, and that was reluctantly, the Little Stint down at Brig and a more boring NJ lifer is hard to imagine. Kudos to the man who found it and recognized that it was not quite right for the usual sandpipers in the impoundments, but it was not a glorious bird to see. 

On a positive note, the influx of Evening Grosbeaks into the state was a joy and being nearby at Wells Mills Park, easy to see and quickly, gave me a deeply desired bird on my list. If only one would patronize our feeders. 

Shari & I had a couple of trips planned this year, one to Arizona, the other to Spain, but I knew by April that those plans would quickly get the kibosh. And I wasn't heartbroken about that because I hate airplanes, airports, passports, check-in lines, baggage carousels, transfers...but thus, no life birds this year for the first time since I started listing my sightings. 

I could have had one, true, which brings to me my one big birding regret of the year. I didn't chase the Northern Wheatear when it was at Brig, for one day, out of a combination of fatigue, depression, and fecklessness and now I wish I had. I was only about 45 minutes away. I thought it was a low percentage gambit, that the tide would come in and move it away from the rocks it was feeding on. A big rationalization for just not feeling like it. 

As seems to happen each year, by December I found my interest in birding flagging--all the running around seems more obligation than amusement. "I really should go up to X to get Y on the year list." Why? To get one more bird on the year list while my fingertips freeze? Do I get a trophy? It is so much easier and pleasant to drive the ten miles and walk the trails at Whitesbog. 

But every new year I have miraculously regained my enthusiasm despite the wind and freezing temperatures. I hope that 2021 proves to be the same, but while the calendar flips over in just a few hours, the new year won't really begin in my mind until 1/20/21, just slightly past noon. Until then, whether or not I see the latest amazing rarity to plunk down in NJ seems small when viewed against the larger picture. 

For the record, I listed 281 species this year, down from 294 in NJ last year. Given the circumstances, I guess that's respectable. They were:

Species           First Sighting
Snow Goose   Sandy Hook
Brant   Sandy Hook
Cackling Goose   Conines Millpond
Canada Goose   Lake Takanassee
Mute Swan   Oceanic Bridge
Trumpeter Swan   Stone Tavern Lake
Tundra Swan   Bamber Lake
Wood Duck   Lake of the Lilies
Blue-winged Teal   Manahawkin WMA
Northern Shoveler   Brig
Gadwall   Lake Takanassee
Eurasian Wigeon   MacLearie Park
American Wigeon   Lake Takanassee
Mallard   Jackson Woods
American Black Duck   Sandy Hook
Northern Pintail   Ocean Acres
Green-winged Teal   Brig
Canvasback   Mathis Veteran's Memorial Park
Redhead   Riverfront Landing
Ring-necked Duck   Stone Tavern Lake
Greater Scaup   Oceanic Bridge
Lesser Scaup   Riverfront Landing
King Eider   Barnegat Lighthouse SP
Common Eider   Sandy Hook
Harlequin Duck   Barnegat Lighthouse SP
Surf Scoter   Sandy Hook
White-winged Scoter   Sandy Hook
Black Scoter   Sandy Hook
Long-tailed Duck   Sandy Hook
Bufflehead   Jackson Woods
Common Goldeneye   Bamber Lake
Hooded Merganser   Lake Takanassee
Common Merganser   Stone Tavern Lake
Red-breasted Merganser   Sea Bright Pavilion
Ruddy Duck   Lake Takanassee
Wild Turkey   Brig
Pied-billed Grebe   Bamber Lake
Horned Grebe   Sandy Hook
Eared Grebe   Lakes Bay
Rock Pigeon   Brick
Common Ground Dove   Cedar Bonnet Island
Mourning Dove   35 Sunset Rd
Yellow-billed Cuckoo   Manasquan River WMA
Black-billed Cuckoo   Colliers Mills WMA
Common Nighthawk   Whitesbog
Eastern Whip-poor-will   35 Sunset Rd
Chimney Swift   Manasquan River WMA
Ruby-throated Hummingbird   35 Sunset Rd
Clapper Rail   Great Bay Bvld. WMA
Virginia Rail   Reeves Bogs
Sora   Palmyra Cove Nature Park
Common Gallinule   Cape May Point SP
American Coot   Lake Takanassee
Sandhill Crane   Pemberton Twp MUA Fields
Black-necked Stilt   Brig
American Avocet   Brig
American Oystercatcher   Brigantine Island
Black-bellied Plover   Brigantine Island
American Golden-Plover   Whitesbog
Semipalmated Plover   Great Bay Bvld. WMA
Piping Plover   Island Beach SP
Killdeer   New Egypt
Whimbrel   Brig
Hudsonian Godwit   Great Bay Bvld. WMA
Marbled Godwit   Brigantine Island
Ruddy Turnstone   Barnegat Lighthouse SP
Red Knot   Brig
Ruff   Whitesbog
Stilt Sandpiper   Brig
Sanderling   Sandy Hook
Dunlin   Brigantine Island
Purple Sandpiper   Deal
Little Stint   Brig
Least Sandpiper   Great Bay Bvld. WMA
White-rumped Sandpiper   Brig
Buff-breasted Sandpiper   Whitesbog
Pectoral Sandpiper   Brig
Semipalmated Sandpiper   Brig
Western Sandpiper   Brig
Short-billed Dowitcher   Brig
Long-billed Dowitcher   Brig
American Woodcock   Beach Ave
Wilson's Snipe   Shelter Cove Park
Spotted Sandpiper   Whitesbog
Solitary Sandpiper   Reeves Bogs
Greater Yellowlegs   Brig
Willet   Brigantine Island
Lesser Yellowlegs   Brig
Thick-billed Murre   Island Beach SP
Razorbill   Manasquan Inlet
Black Guillemot   Barnegat Lighthouse SP
Bonaparte's Gull   Barnegat Lighthouse SP
Laughing Gull   Manasquan Inlet
Ring-billed Gull   Lake Takanassee
Herring Gull   Sandy Hook
Lesser Black-backed Gull   Raritan Bay Waterfront Park
Great Black-backed Gull   Sandy Hook
Least Tern   Great Bay Bvld. WMA
Gull-billed Tern   Brig
Caspian Tern   Double Trouble State Park
Black Tern   Brig
Common Tern   Brig
Forster's Tern   Brig
Royal Tern   Waretown
Black Skimmer   Brig
Red-throated Loon   Sandy Hook
Common Loon   Monmouth Beach
Great Shearwater   Barnegat Lighthouse SP
Northern Gannet   Sandy Hook
Great Cormorant   Island Beach SP
Double-crested Cormorant   Oceanic Bridge
American White Pelican   Brig
Brown Pelican   Island Beach SP
American Bittern   Brig
Least Bittern   Brig
Great Blue Heron   Sylvan Lake
Great Egret   Brig
Snowy Egret   Manahawkin WMA
Little Blue Heron   Manahawkin WMA
Tricolored Heron   Great Bay Bvld. WMA
Green Heron   Manahawkin WMA
Black-crowned Night-Heron   Brig
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron   Great Bay Bvld. WMA
White Ibis   Waretown - Bay Pkwy
Glossy Ibis   Shelter Cove Park
Black Vulture   Sandy Hook
Turkey Vulture   Toms River
Osprey   Brig
Golden Eagle   Motts Creek
Mississippi Kite   Waretown
Northern Harrier   Beach Ave
Sharp-shinned Hawk   Brig
Cooper's Hawk   Beach Ave
Bald Eagle   Sandy Hook
Red-shouldered Hawk   Manahawkin WMA
Broad-winged Hawk   Whitesbog
Red-tailed Hawk   Wawa Lakewood
Rough-legged Hawk   BC Fairgrounds
Eastern Screech-Owl   Manahawkin WMA
Great Horned Owl   Collinstown Road
Snowy Owl   Island Beach SP
Long-eared Owl   Assunpink WMA
Short-eared Owl   BC Fairgrounds
Belted Kingfisher   Lake Takanassee
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker   Sandy Hook
Red-headed Woodpecker   Brig
Red-bellied Woodpecker   Wawa Lakewood
Downy Woodpecker   Whiting WMA
Hairy Woodpecker   Manahawkin WMA
Pileated Woodpecker   Meadow View Ln
Northern Flicker   Sandy Hook
American Kestrel   BC Fairgrounds
Merlin   Lake of the Lilies
Peregrine Falcon   Beach Ave
Eastern Wood-Pewee   South Park Rd
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher   Whitesbog
Acadian Flycatcher   Brig
Alder Flycatcher   Manahawkin WMA
Willow Flycatcher   35 Sunset Rd
Least Flycatcher   Palmyra Cove Nature Park
Eastern Phoebe   New Egypt
Ash-throated Flycatcher   Sandy Hook
Great Crested Flycatcher   Meadow View Ln
Eastern Kingbird   Manasquan River WMA
White-eyed Vireo   Meadow View Ln
Yellow-throated Vireo   Colliers Mills WMA
Blue-headed Vireo   Meadow View Ln
Philadelphia Vireo   Island Beach SP
Warbling Vireo   Colliers Mills WMA
Red-eyed Vireo   Michael Huber Prairie Warbler Preserve
Northern Shrike   Cranberry Bogs
Blue Jay   Jackson Woods
American Crow   35 Sunset Rd
Fish Crow   Manahawkin WMA
Common Raven   New Egypt
Carolina Chickadee   35 Sunset Rd
Black-capped Chickadee   Sandy Hook
Tufted Titmouse   Whiting WMA
Horned Lark   Harvey Cedars
Northern Rough-winged Swallow   Whitesbog
Purple Martin   Meadow View Ln
Tree Swallow   Holgate
Bank Swallow   Stafford Preserve
Barn Swallow   Brig
Cliff Swallow   Wesley Lake
Golden-crowned Kinglet   Whiting WMA
Ruby-crowned Kinglet   Cattus Island County Park
Red-breasted Nuthatch   Colliers Mills WMA
White-breasted Nuthatch   Whiting WMA
Brown Creeper   Colliers Mills WMA
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher   Double Trouble State Park
House Wren   Whiting WMA
Winter Wren   Great Bay Bvld. WMA
Marsh Wren   Manahawkin WMA
Carolina Wren   Jackson Woods
European Starling   Howell
Gray Catbird   Island Beach SP
Brown Thrasher   New Egypt
Northern Mockingbird   Sandy Hook
Eastern Bluebird   Whiting WMA
Veery   Double Trouble State Park
Swainson's Thrush   Island Beach SP
Hermit Thrush   Sandy Hook
Wood Thrush   Manasquan River WMA
American Robin   35 Sunset Rd
Cedar Waxwing   Sandy Hook
House Sparrow   Riverfront Landing
American Pipit   BC Fairgrounds
Evening Grosbeak   Wells Mills Park
House Finch   Whiting WMA
Purple Finch   Island Beach SP

Common Redpoll  Chestnut Point Field
Red Crossbill   Island Beach SP
Pine Siskin   Island Beach SP
American Goldfinch   Lake Takanassee
Snow Bunting   Island Beach SP
Grasshopper Sparrow   Laurel Run Park
Chipping Sparrow   35 Sunset Rd
Clay-colored Sparrow   Island Beach SP
Field Sparrow   Stone Tavern Lake
Lark Sparrow   Lenape Trail
American Tree Sparrow   Holgate
Fox Sparrow   Whitesbog
Dark-eyed Junco   Sandy Hook
White-crowned Sparrow   New Egypt
White-throated Sparrow   Jackson Woods
Vesper Sparrow   Brig
Seaside Sparrow   Brig
Nelson's Sparrow   Great Bay Bvld. WMA
Saltmarsh Sparrow   Great Bay Bvld. WMA
Savannah Sparrow   Brig
Song Sparrow   35 Sunset Rd
Lincoln's Sparrow   Island Beach SP
Swamp Sparrow   Beach Ave
Eastern Towhee   Manahawkin WMA
Yellow-breasted Chat   Brig
Bobolink   Whitesbog
Eastern Meadowlark   Colliers Mills WMA
Orchard Oriole   Whitesbog

Bullock's Oriole  Chestnut Point Field
Baltimore Oriole   Whitesbog

Red-winged Blackbird   Sandy Hook
Brown-headed Cowbird   New Egypt
Rusty Blackbird   Colliers Mills WMA
Common Grackle   Oxycocus Bog
Boat-tailed Grackle   Manahawkin WMA
Ovenbird   Manahawkin WMA
Worm-eating Warbler   South Park Rd
Northern Waterthrush   Island Beach SP
Golden-winged Warbler   Beach Plum Farm
Blue-winged Warbler   Manasquan River WMA
Black-and-white Warbler   Meadow View Ln
Prothonotary Warbler   Bunker Hill Bogs
Tennessee Warbler   Manasquan River WMA
Orange-crowned Warbler   Holgate
Nashville Warbler   Island Beach SP
Connecticut Warbler   Island Beach SP
Common Yellowthroat   Colliers Mills WMA
Hooded Warbler   Michael Huber Prairie Warbler Preserve
American Redstart   Reeves Bogs
Cape May Warbler   Palmyra Cove Nature Park
Northern Parula   Colliers Mills WMA
Magnolia Warbler   Double Trouble State Park
Bay-breasted Warbler   Palmyra Cove Nature Park
Blackburnian Warbler   Palmyra Cove Nature Park
Yellow Warbler   Whitesbog
Chestnut-sided Warbler   Palmyra Cove Nature Park
Blackpoll Warbler   Reeves Bogs
Black-throated Blue Warbler   Whitesbog
Palm Warbler   Great Bay Bvld. WMA
Pine Warbler   Whitesbog Road
Yellow-rumped Warbler   Sandy Hook
Prairie Warbler   Manasquan River WMA
Black-throated Green Warbler   Bunker Hill Bogs
Scarlet Tanager   Ephraim P. Emson Preserve
Northern Cardinal   35 Sunset Rd
Rose-breasted Grosbeak   35 Sunset Rd
Blue Grosbeak   Manasquan River WMA
Indigo Bunting   Manasquan River WMA
Painted Bunting   Island Beach SP
Dickcissel   Island Beach SP 

Black-crowned Night-Heron, Great Bay Blvd.

December Wrap-up: A Couple of Happy Moments

As is always the case, by the end of the year it becomes a chore to add anything new to the year list, both because the lowing hanging and the middle hanging fruit has been picked and because I get damned tired of chasing around after birds in the winter cold. I added 5 year birds this month, all supposed rarities, but only two--Common Redpoll and Bullock's Oriole--truly rare in the state. The other three--Sandhill Crane, Rough-legged Hawk, and Snowy Owl are usually around; you just have to go to where they are. 

So, while I was glad to find them this month, the two real happy moments I had this month didn't involve rarities. Both occurred, naturally, at Whitesbog.

American Pipit

On a Saturday after our first and so far only snowstorm, I went to Whitesbog to walk in the fields, looking for sparrows and maybe some rare finches. Next to the parking lot in the Village there is a small, abandoned bog that was frozen over. I usually walk the edge of this bog and this day I noticed some birds picking seeds off the ice, running through the grass sticking up out of the ice and pumping their tails when they halted. My first thought was Palm Warblers (the pumping tails) but I quickly discarded the notion. Then, when I could position myself away from the sun glare, I saw that they were American Pipits.  I have American Pipit on the list from the BC Fairgrounds in October, but they were birds that just zipped by. That's usually how I see pipits. Someone cries out "Pipit!" I hear some little chip note and see a bird moving quickly away from me. So to actually find 10 of them on this little patch of ice was a thrill, particularly since I'd spent part of the morning the day before fruitlessly looking for them at Shelter Cove Park. 

The second happy moment came a few days ago, when, unable to sleep, I arrived in Whitesbog Village predawn. It was a windless morning, cold, and as I walked toward the bogs I heard first one Great Horned Owl hooting and then after a while, another calling in response. As I walked, the hoots got louder; they were somewhere in the woods to my left but there was no chance, or even purpose, of seeing them. It was enough just to start the day with owls calling. 

For the month: 123 species

Counties birded: Atlantic, Burlington, Mercer, Monmouth, Ocean

Species            First Sighting                     
Snow Goose   Brig              
Brant   Bayview Ave Park                          
Canada Goose   Assunpink WMA                                   
Mute Swan   Assunpink WMA                             
Trumpeter Swan   Assunpink WMA                                
Tundra Swan   Whitesbog            
Wood Duck   Wells Mills Park                               
Northern Shoveler   Etra Lake                              
Gadwall   Brig                      
American Wigeon   Marshall's Pond                               
Mallard   Conines Millpond                                   
American Black Duck   Cattus Island County Park                              
Northern Pintail   Brig                    
Green-winged Teal   Brig              
Ring-necked Duck   Assunpink WMA                            
Greater Scaup   Brig                       
Lesser Scaup   Assunpink WMA                         
King Eider   Barnegat Lighthouse SP                             
Common Eider   Barnegat Lighthouse SP                                 
Harlequin Duck   Barnegat Lighthouse SP                               
Surf Scoter   Island Beach SP                  
White-winged Scoter   Island Beach SP            
Black Scoter   Island Beach SP               
Long-tailed Duck   Barnegat Lighthouse SP                             
Bufflehead   Assunpink WMA                              
Common Goldeneye   Waretown - Bay Pkwy                            
Hooded Merganser   Etra Lake                             
Common Merganser   Assunpink WMA                         
Red-breasted Merganser   Island Beach SP                             
Ruddy Duck   Assunpink WMA                           
Wild Turkey    Pinewald Keswick Rd
Pied-billed Grebe   Assunpink WMA                               
Horned Grebe   Brig                       
Eared Grebe   Brig              
Rock Pigeon   Bayview Ave Marina                                
Mourning Dove   Assunpink WMA                                  
American Coot   Assunpink WMA                                   
Sandhill Crane   Pemberton Twp MUA Fields                          
Black-bellied Plover   Brig             
Killdeer   Waretown                        
Sanderling   Island Beach SP                  
Dunlin   Brig            
Purple Sandpiper   Barnegat Lighthouse SP                            
Long-billed Dowitcher   Brig                     
Greater Yellowlegs   Brig               
Laughing Gull   Island Beach SP                        
Ring-billed Gull   Double Trouble State Park                            
Herring Gull   Bayview Ave Park                          
Lesser Black-backed Gull   Island Beach SP                            
Great Black-backed Gull   Bayview Ave Park                            
Red-throated Loon   Barnegat Light Bayview Ave Marina                              
Common Loon   Barnegat Lighthouse SP                                 
Northern Gannet   Island Beach SP       
Great Cormorant   Barnegat Lighthouse SP                              
Double-crested Cormorant   Conines Millpond                         
American White Pelican   Brig                 
Great Blue Heron   Assunpink WMA                              
Great Egret   Brig                 
Black-crowned Night-Heron   Bayview Ave Park                                  
Black Vulture   BC Fairgrounds               
Turkey Vulture   Assunpink WMA                                   
Northern Harrier   BC Fairgrounds                      
Cooper's Hawk   Cloverdale Farm                                   
Bald Eagle   Whitesbog                             
Red-shouldered Hawk   Whitesbog                    
Red-tailed Hawk   Assunpink WMA                                
Rough-legged Hawk   BC Fairgrounds
Great Horned Owl   Whitesbog                 
Snowy Owl   Island Beach SP                 
Belted Kingfisher   Assunpink WMA                               
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker   Manasquan Reservoir IBA                                   
Red-bellied Woodpecker   Assunpink WMA                              
Downy Woodpecker   Assunpink WMA                          
Hairy Woodpecker   Assunpink WMA                             
Northern Flicker   Etra Lake                                  
American Kestrel   BC Fairgrounds                     
Peregrine Falcon   Brig                  
Eastern Phoebe   Assunpink WMA                                 
Blue Jay   Assunpink WMA                                  
American Crow   Assunpink WMA                                  
Fish Crow   Union Transportation Trail               
Common Raven   Schoolhouse Rd.                               
Carolina Chickadee   Assunpink WMA                          
Tufted Titmouse   Assunpink WMA                                 
Golden-crowned Kinglet   Whitesbog                 
Ruby-crowned Kinglet   Whitesbog                                 
Red-breasted Nuthatch   Crestwood Village                             
White-breasted Nuthatch   Assunpink WMA                             
Brown Creeper   Whitesbog                                  
Winter Wren   Island Beach SP               
Carolina Wren   Assunpink WMA                        
European Starling   Assunpink WMA                             
Gray Catbird   Brig              
Northern Mockingbird   Barnegat Lighthouse SP                                 
Eastern Bluebird   Assunpink WMA                                
Hermit Thrush   Whitesbog                       
American Robin   Whitesbog                    
House Sparrow   Wawa Rt 70 & CR 530                        
American Pipit   Whitesbog                       
House Finch   Assunpink WMA                          
Common Redpoll   Chestnut Point Field                                  
Red Crossbill   Brig             
Pine Siskin   35 Sunset Rd                                   
American Goldfinch   Assunpink WMA                          
Chipping Sparrow   Bamber Lake                        
Field Sparrow   Assunpink WMA                         
American Tree Sparrow   Assunpink WMA                                
Fox Sparrow   Union Transportation Trail                      
Dark-eyed Junco   Assunpink WMA                               
White-crowned Sparrow   Assunpink WMA                               
White-throated Sparrow   Assunpink WMA                               
Savannah Sparrow   Whitesbog              
Song Sparrow   Assunpink WMA                        
Swamp Sparrow   Whitesbog                   
Bullock's Oriole   Chestnut Point Field                         
Red-winged Blackbird   Cattus Island County Park                             
Brown-headed Cowbird   New Egypt                  
Boat-tailed Grackle   Manahawkin WMA                        
Orange-crowned Warbler   Island Beach SP                             
Common Yellowthroat   Great Bay Bvld. WMA                          
Pine Warbler   35 Sunset Rd                                
Yellow-rumped Warbler   Union Transportation Trail
Northern Cardinal   Assunpink WMA      

Chestnut Point Field 12/30--Common Redpoll, Bullock's Oriole

I always thought the field across the street from the Chestnut Point parking lot at Manasquan Reservoir was off limits but, with the discovery of a Bullock's Oriole in there a few days ago, it turned out that I was operating under a misapprehension. I decided to drive up there this morning; Manasquan Reservoir is one of my favorite winter spots anyway, so I figured that if I dipped on the oriole, at least I could take my walk on the 5 mile perimeter trail. I arrived pretty early, the sun low on the horizon, meeting only a couple of other birders that I knew. The bird was seen yesterday, by m.obs, in a field about a quarter mile from the guardrail on Georgia Tavern Road. It looked unpromising to me--a lot of high grass and scattered cedars. It wasn't like a lake or beach you could just scan. So, I walked into the field, muttering to myself about wasting my time and wandering randomly, as you can see as eBird tracked my path. For the first half hour or so not much was happening at all aside from an eagle flyover, a few crows, and a distant Blue Jay call. 

But as the sun rose higher in the sky, some birds started to move around and a flock of them stopped long enough among the high grass for me to get my bins on them. Field sparrows, Yellow-rumped Warblers, a Song Sparrow...and the oriole. Amazing. I'm usually the one running across the field after someone has found the bird. It's the old "Blind Squirrel Theory." I called out, "I have the bird," knowing that was probably enough to spook the oriole, which, of course flew out of sight into a cedar. Luckily, at least one other birder saw it too. He was standing looking at the same stand of grass at a 90 degree angle from where I stood. The few birders there came rushing over. I pointed out where it had gone, determined quickly that my chances of getting a photo were nil, and decided to leave before the second wave of birders descended on the field. 

Which they already were, as I was walking out, including Bob and Linda who were just crossing the road as I was leaving. I gave them directions to the area, but it was really just a case of Zirlin's 4th Law of Birding: Don’t look for the bird, look for the birders. They asked me if I wanted to walk back with them, but I declined and walked around the reservoir as I had planned. 

As an extra added attraction, one time before I found the oriole and one time just after it flew into the cedar tree, Common Redpolls undulated and called overhead. I've been looking for them all fall and winter and naturally, when they aren't on my mind is when I see them. 

When I finished my walk around the reservoir Bob, Linda, Carol, & Steve were just coming out of the field. They had all successfully found the bird which was good news. Nothing as aggravating as dipping on a bird a hundred other people have seen. 

So a successful morning and that field looks promising for grassland species in the spring and summer. 

Pemberton MUA 12/14--Sandhill Crane

Not much to say about today's year bird: Veni, vidi, ego got infectum. By the time I was halfway to the fields around the Pemberton Municipal Utilities Authority, the forecast rain had begun. I pulled into the gravel driveway off Fort Dix Road, took out my bins, scanned, and there, as they were last year, were 3 Sandhill Cranes in the fields beyond the corn stubble. I stood in the rain (thus infectum) with my scope just long enough to get a couple of truly crappy doc digiscope photos and then left. I tried to get a better look at them from the Pemberton Early Childhood Education Center off a road on the opposite side of the field but I couldn't figure out the proper angle and driving around a school with optics is pretty much frowned upon. So I went back, looked again, admired them through the raindrops for a few more minutes and came home as the rain became steadier. 

Sandhill Cranes use to be regulars in New Egypt, but the last time I went by the field, a week ago, it was so overgrown that even had they been in there, you'd never see them despite their great height. I guess this spot (not too very far away actually as the crane flies) may become the go to spot for finding cranes in NJ if one isn't inclined to search the stubble fields around Zarepath in Somerset County, where despite numerous trips, I have never had any luck. 

Island Beach SP 12/13--Snowy Owl

© Peggy Cadigan

Snowy Owl can cause all kinds of ethical anxieties. Should we look for one in the dunes? How close should we get? How much time should we spend observing it? Are we stressing the bird? How secretive do we want to be about this bird? Did everyone get their photograph? 

So today's sighting was a guilt-free, exciting, and genuinely surprising experience. A group of us on Scott's and Linda's NJ Audubon field trip at Island Beach were standing on dune, scoping the ocean for ducks and loons and gannets when Scott suddenly called out, "Snowy Owl!" and there, flying fast in front of us, pursued by 3 or 4 Herring Gulls,  was the owl. It flew a little north and landed in the dunes about  1000 feet up the beach, the gulls peeled off, and the group got to view the owl for a minute or so before it squatted down deeper into the sand and grass. For a few in the group it was even more thrilling since it was a life bird for them. For me the first thought was, "Good, now I don't have to trek down Holgate and search for one until next year. 

© Peggy Cadigan

While the owl was sitting atop the dune I tried to take a photo only to find that my camera battery was dead. Fortunately, Peggy Cadigan was able to fire off some shots as the owl zipped by then landed and with her permission I'm using them to illustrate this entry.

Other birds of note today, the last NJA trip of the year (Christmas counts start next week and trips would create conflicts) were an immature Laughing Gull flying south--there have been a large number hanging around late, perhaps because the weather has stayed warm for the most part, a few Lesser Black-backed Gulls that I would have probably ignored but that Scott picked out of Herring Gull flocks, and an Orange-crowned Warbler that he heard at Spizzle Creek and that then popped up in a cedar where, amazingly, I was able to spot it almost immediately. Usually, I'm looking too far left, or right, or up, and the bird escapes me.  

The weather was ridiculously warm for mid-December or at least for those of us who remember when December was a cold month. That won't last as the first major storm of the season is about to hit the area this week. Too bad, because there a few interesting birds around that I'd like to get a chance to see but the bad weather will make that unlikely. 

For the trip I wound up with 39 species; not a lot, but many tasty specimens on the list. 

Brant  100    In flight, bayside

American Black Duck  2

Common Eider  35

Surf Scoter  30

Long-tailed Duck  30

Bufflehead  150    Bayside

Red-breasted Merganser  5    Bayside

Horned Grebe  5    Bay

Sanderling  80

Dunlin  8

Laughing Gull  1    Late, immature

Ring-billed Gull  1

Herring Gull  100

Lesser Black-backed Gull  3

Great Black-backed Gull  12

Red-throated Loon  6

Common Loon  10

Northern Gannet  20

Great Blue Heron  2

Northern Harrier  1    Gray Ghost

Red-tailed Hawk  1

Snowy Owl  1    

Downy Woodpecker  2

Peregrine Falcon  2   Spizzle Creek

Carolina Chickadee  1    Heard Spizzle Creek

Winter Wren  1    Heard Spizzle

Carolina Wren  3    Heard

Gray Catbird  2

Northern Mockingbird  3

Hermit Thrush  1    Heard Johnny Allen Cove Trail

American Robin  2

House Sparrow  1    Heard Entrance

House Finch  5

American Goldfinch  2    Heard

White-throated Sparrow  1    Dump

Song Sparrow  2

Swamp Sparrow  1    Heard Spizzle

Orange-crowned Warbler  1    Spizzle Creek

Yellow-rumped Warbler  20

BC Fairgrounds 12/2--Rough-legged Hawk

Years ago, Shari & I got our life Rough-legged Hawk at the Burlington County Fairgrounds, but as I recall, it took several trips and on the day we finally saw one, we circled the area 3 or 4 times before we finally parked on a precarious shoulder and found the bird hovering over the grasslands. I was a lot more persistent back then. The fairgrounds are a reliable spot for this species and in the intervening years I've been pretty fortunate when I've gone looking for the bird, but I usually have to put in some time. 

Today, after my walk around Whitesbog, I drove over to the fairgrounds and saw 3 hawks flying above the fields. Two were harassing the middle bird which had big white patches on its wings. Two Northern Harriers bickering with a Rough-legged Hawk. Since I usually see this species one time a year, I wanted to make sure, so I asked another birder there if I was right in my i.d., which he affirmed. Well, that was easy and a good thing too, because it was pretty blustery there today and hanging around a parking lot looking for a hawk was not how I wanted to spend the afternoon. No chance for a picture; the other guy was trying to digiscope the bird in flight but I knew that was a mug's game. 

Along with the 4 Northern Harriers I saw (there were probably as many 6 according to the birder I consulted, they're pretty common at the site), I also saw 4 Black Vultures and an American Kestrel, another species that is a gimme there this time of year. 

American Kestrel