Island Beach SP 4/9--Glossy Ibis, White-eyed Vireo, Red-eyed Vireo

I made my first trip of the year to Island Beach SP today. Through the spring, I'm going to try to get there at least once a week. Try. I stuck strictly to the bayside today, starting on Reed's Road, which is a muddy mess. I didn't really expect to find much there since it is too early for a migration push but there is an unwritten law that you must walk it. I was right in my expectations, but there was an impressive fight of Northern Flickers, especially going over the bowl, so that species seems to be on the move.  

Brown Thrasher, Spizzle Creek

Instead of methodically working my way south, I drove down directly to Spizzle Creek which has the most varied habitat of all the trails--marsh, the bay, a tree-lined entrance path. It was on that path that I heard a Brown Thrasher (county bird) and while I was looking for it, I felt a shadow pass above me. Looking up, I saw a flock of 18 Glossy Ibis flying northeast. Year bird, and the species I figured I'd find at Spizzle, it being the best spot for waders. Too bad I couldn't get a picture of them. I eventually found the thrasher atop a tree--a good rule of thumb when looking for thrashers or mockingbirds it always to look at the highest point around. In Brooklyn, the tops of TV antennas (remember those?) were always a good spot to find the singing bird. 

Spizzle Creek has what I think is the largest concentration of Ospreys in the state and it seem every nest platform was already occupied. Herons and egrets were out in the flooded marsh, which was coming up to and in places overrunning the fairly new boardwalk to the blind, which was completely surrounded by water. 

Then I started to work my way back north. A walk along Johnnie Allen's Cove trail added Dunlins and Black-bellied Plovers to the day list. They kayak access trail was dead. The next trail, about 3 miles north, was the Tidal Pool trail. As soon as I stepped onto it I could see there was a lot of activity, most of which turned out to be Yellow-rumped Warblers. However, I did hear and record my first White-eyed Vireo of the year, and then a little later on saw a Red-eyed Vireo. Both of these birds were flagged "rare" but another a week or so will eliminate that appellation.  

While I there I met Steve coming up the path. Hadn't seen him in a while. Cedar Waxwings flew above us. I asked him if there was anything at the marina which is just north and west of the park's entrance, and he said "only" Forster's Terns. But I needed Forster's Terns for the state and county (saw them in Delaware in last month). So, my last stop was the marina where there were 14 of the terns roosted at the far end of a pier. I examined each to see if one was a Roseate Tern  (it was around this time last year that one was at the spot) but they were all the same species. 

Forster's Terns, IBSP Marina

Five trails and one marina yielded 55 species 3 year birds, 1 state bird, 2 county birds. I'm sure a look at the ocean side would have added more ducks and perhaps gannets, but there didn't seem a compelling reason to over to that side today. 

Brant
Mute Swan
Mallard
American Black Duck
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Greater Scaup
Bufflehead
Hooded Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Horned Grebe
Mourning Dove
Black-bellied Plover
Greater Yellowlegs
Dunlin
Laughing Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Forster's Tern
Common Loon
Double-crested Cormorant
Little Blue Heron
Tricolored Heron
Snowy Egret
Great Egret
Glossy Ibis
Osprey
Belted Kingfisher
Northern Flicker
Peregrine Falcon
Eastern Phoebe
White-eyed Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Tree Swallow
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Carolina Wren
Brown Thrasher
Northern Mockingbird
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
Cedar Waxwing
House Finch
American Goldfinch
Dark-eyed Junco
White-throated Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Eastern Towhee
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Boat-tailed Grackle
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Northern Cardinal