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.