Island Beach SP 3/27--Lesser Yellowlegs, Laughing Gull, Forster's Tern, Little Blue Heron, Snowy Egret

Laughing Gull, Marina

The theme for today's excursion to Island Beach SP was "Birds You're Going to See, But Let's See Them, Already!" Laughing Gull, for example. Reports started to trickle in earlier in the month when they were still flagged as 'rare' but now they're no big deal. However, the first one is always welcome and my first of the year flying over Barnegat Bay, was pointed out to me by Steve as we stood at the end of Reed's Road. 

Lesser Yellowlegs (left), Greater Yellowlegs, Spizzle

We stayed in touch by text as we explored the bayside trails. I headed down to Spizzle Creek because I wanted to find the Tricolored Heron reported there of late. I thought I saw it in the marsh, sticking it's head out of the high grass, but something about it didn't strike me as correct. Then, I couldn't refind it, so I was a little disappointed. Walking on the blind trail I came across a small flock of Greater Yellowlegs and then looking a little farther out, came upon my first two Snowy Egrets of the year. I texted Steve, then took another look and right next to them was an adult Little Blue Heron. No hemming and hawing about whether it was a juvenile. And that, I surmised, was the bird I mistook for a Tricolored Heron.

Snowy Egrets, Little Blue Heron, Spizzle

Steve had alerted me earlier, on Reed's, that the marina, just outside the park, had a couple of Forster's Terns, along with more Laughing Gulls, so I stopped there on the way back home and checked them off the list. Meanwhile, Steve told me he'd seen the Little Blue but only two yellowlegs were there, one of each variety. I hadn't examined the flock all that closely, so it made me wonder if I'd overlooked the Lesser Yellowlegs. I had. Examining the photos I took of the flock, there, at the end, was a Lesser Yellowlegs. My fifth new species of the year. It reminded me of the Marbled Godwit I photographed on Holgate in January--I saw it but didn't know I was seeing it. It's an existential problem for those of you who are philosophically inclined. 

Forster's Tern with Herring Gull, Marina

46 species for the day, all in all, a productive outing. 

Brant   Spizzle Creek
Canada Goose   Spizzle Creek
Mute Swan   Reed’s Road
Mallard   Spizzle Creek
American Black Duck   Spizzle Creek
Black Scoter   Northern Natural Area
Bufflehead   Reed’s Road
Red-breasted Merganser   Spizzle Creek
Mourning Dove   Reed’s Road
Greater Yellowlegs   Spizzle Creek
Lesser Yellowlegs   Spizzle Creek
Laughing Gull   Reed’s Road
Herring Gull   Northern Natural Area
Lesser Black-backed Gull   Northern Natural Area
Great Black-backed Gull   Reed’s Road
Forster's Tern   IBSP Marina
Common Loon   Northern Natural Area
Northern Gannet   Northern Natural Area
Double-crested Cormorant   Spizzle Creek
Great Egret   Reed’s Road
Snowy Egret   Spizzle Creek
Little Blue Heron   Spizzle Creek
Osprey   Spizzle Creek
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker   Reed’s Road
Northern Flicker   Reed’s Road
Eastern Phoebe   Reed’s Road
Blue Jay   Reed’s Road
Fish Crow   Spizzle Creek
Common Raven   IBSP Marina
Carolina Chickadee   Reed’s Road
Tree Swallow   Reed’s Road
Golden-crowned Kinglet   Reed’s Road
Red-breasted Nuthatch   Reed’s Road
Carolina Wren   Reed’s Road
Gray Catbird   Reed’s Road
Northern Mockingbird   Northern Natural Area
American Robin   Northern Natural Area
House Finch   Spizzle Creek
White-throated Sparrow   Reed’s Road
Song Sparrow   Northern Natural Area
Red-winged Blackbird   Northern Natural Area
Brown-headed Cowbird   Reed’s Road
Common Grackle   Northern Natural Area
Boat-tailed Grackle   Spizzle Creek
Yellow-rumped Warbler   Northern Natural Area
Northern Cardinal   Northern Natural Area