Manasquan Inlet 7/19--Wilson's Storm-Petrel

For reasons too uninteresting to relate, I was in Point Pleasant Beach this morning and while I had no interest in paying $11 to get onto the beach, I did have a very strong interest in seeing Wilson's Storm-Petrels, which have been reported off the jetty sporadically this last month. Seeing them again on my eBird "Needs" alert, I drove over there and compromised with myself. I paid 5 bucks for parking but I figured if I was going to see them I could see them just as well from the boardwalk at the back end of the jetty as I could by going on the beach and then clambering up to end of the jetty. In any event, they were going to be small in the scope and a 100 yards or so wouldn't make much difference. 

Years ago, when Shari & I made an expedition to Machias Seal Island for the life-changing experience of seeing thousands of puffins, guillemots, and terns all nesting on one small dot in the Bay of Fundy, we saw Wilson's Storm-Petrels from the lobster boat taking us out there. The word "petrel" is interesting as it is derives from French and is a diminutive for "Petre," Peter, who walked upon the water and that is how I vividly remember them, small sea-birds skipping along the tops of the waves, seemingly walking on the bay. 

So, it was pretty easy to eliminate from consideration the diving terns as well as the big clunky gulls flying around out in the ocean and when I saw two relatively tiny birds which, if I had been looking on land I might have thought were swallows, hopping along the surface, I knew I had my petrels. Seeing the white rump on one of them clinched the ID. I knew it was a state and county bird, but it wasn't until I got back to the car that I realized I'd also notched a country bird, as Machias Seal Island is in Canadian waters despite what the USA says. 

As long as I was in the neighborhood as I never am during the summer, I figured I might as well take a look at Lake of the Lilies, a great winter spot but not birded much in the summer from what I can tell. Continuing the "Winter Ducks in July" theme, there among the 60 or so pond pigs were 3 Ruddy Ducks. Too far out for me tell whether drakes or hens or both, but the coincidence of summering ducks continues. 

Stiff tails

And Finally, The Year List

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, Whitesbog
Photo: Shari Zirlin

Obviously, the two big highlights of this year's birding were the rarities we found: First on January 14 the Northern Lapwings in New Egypt, and then on August 4, the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher at Whitesbog. Both birds generated a lot of excitement with birders coming from as far as California to see the lapwings. The best part of finding and reporting the birds, though, was all the new friends we made out in the field.

The year for me only yielded 10 life birds. As I've said, it gets harder and harder, and you have to travel farther and farther, to add to the life list the larger it gets. Our trip Ohio probably added the most birds, with the KIRTLAND'S WARLBER, the holy grail of warblers, the greatest sighting. Actually 2 sightings of 2 possibly 3 different birds, which makes it all the more amazing. Other happy sightings, closer to home, were the PARASITIC JAEGER at Island Beach and just the other day, the ICELAND GULL at Manasquan Inlet.

For the year I totaled 305 species, down slightly from last years 311, but we didn't range as far (Alaska, Puerto Rico) as we did last year. We birded in NJ, NY, DE, OH, FL and Ontario. A look at the list below gives an idea of all the different areas we birded. We got around. In all, we had a great deal of fun. And tomorrow it starts all over again.

The full year's list:
(Underlined species were rarities. BOLD ALL CAPS the lifers)

Species                                 First Sighting
Pink-footed Goose     St Joe's Soccer Field
Greater White-fronted Goose     New Egypt
Snow Goose     Jones Beach SP
Brant     Jones Beach SP
Barnacle Goose     Assunpink WMA
Cackling Goose     Duke Island Park
Canada Goose     Jones Beach SP
Mute Swan     Assunpink WMA
Trumpeter Swan     Ottawa NWR
Tundra Swan     White's Bogs
Wood Duck     Central Park
Gadwall     Manasquan Reservoir IBA
Eurasian Wigeon     Brigantine
American Wigeon     Shark River
American Black Duck     Assunpink WMA
Mallard     Crestwood Village
Mottled Duck     J. N. Ding Darling NWR
Blue-winged Teal     Lighthouse Pond
Northern Shoveler     Barnegat Beach
Northern Pintail     Cedar Run Dock Rd.
Green-winged Teal     Mercer Corporate Park
Canvasback     Riverfront Landing
Redhead     Brigantine
Ring-necked Duck     Riverfront Landing
Tufted Duck     Thundergust Lake
Greater Scaup     Riverfront Landing
Lesser Scaup     Riverfront Landing
Common Eider     Barnegat Lighthouse SP
Harlequin Duck     Barnegat Lighthouse SP
Surf Scoter     Barnegat Lighthouse SP
White-winged Scoter     Avalon--8th St. Jetty
Black Scoter     Barnegat Lighthouse SP
Long-tailed Duck     Jones Beach SP
Bufflehead     Horicon Lake
Common Goldeneye     Cattus Island County Park
Hooded Merganser     Horicon Lake
Common Merganser     Assunpink WMA
Red-breasted Merganser     Jones Beach SP
Ruddy Duck     Assunpink WMA
Northern Bobwhite     Colliers Mills WMA
Wild Turkey     Crestwood Village
Red-throated Loon     Jones Beach SP
Common Loon     Jones Beach SP
Pied-billed Grebe     Riverfront Landing
Horned Grebe     Jones Beach SP
Wood Stork     J. N. Ding Darling NWR
Magnificent Frigatebird     Song of the Sea Beach
Northern Gannet     Avalon Seawatch
Double-crested Cormorant     Jones Beach SP
Great Cormorant     Cattus Island County Park
Anhinga     J. N. Ding Darling NWR
American White Pelican     Magee Marsh Wildlife Area
Brown Pelican     Barnegat Lighthouse SP
American Bittern     Brigantine
Great Blue Heron     Duke Island Park
Great Egret     Great Bay Blvd.
Snowy Egret     Great Bay Blvd.
Little Blue Heron     Brigantine
Tricolored Heron     Bayview Ave Park
Reddish Egret     J. N. Ding Darling NWR
Cattle Egret     Brigantine
Green Heron     Pearson Metropark
Black-crowned Night-Heron     Jakes Landing
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron     Brigantine
White Ibis     J. N. Ding Darling NWR
Glossy Ibis     Brigantine
Roseate Spoonbill     J. N. Ding Darling NWR
Black Vulture     New Egypt
Turkey Vulture     Crestwood Village
Osprey     Manasquan Reservoir IBA
Golden Eagle     Brigantine
Snail Kite     Harns Marsh Preserve
MISSISSIPPI KITE     Cemetery of the Resurrection
Northern Harrier     Mercer Sod Farm IBA
Sharp-shinned Hawk     GSP MM 95
Cooper's Hawk     35 Sunset Rd
Bald Eagle     Rt 539 New Egypt
Red-shouldered Hawk     Assunpink WMA
Broad-winged Hawk     Brigantine
Short-tailed Hawk     Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary
Red-tailed Hawk     Randolph Rd
Clapper Rail     Jakes Landing
Virginia Rail     Great Bay Blvd.
Sora     Magee Marsh Boardwalk
Common Gallinule     Metzger Marsh
American Coot     Manasquan Reservoir IBA
Limpkin     Harns Marsh Preserve
Sandhill Crane     New Egypt
Black-necked Stilt     Manahawkin WMA
American Avocet     Brigantine
American Oystercatcher     Jones Beach SP
Black-bellied Plover     Higbees Beach
American Golden-Plover     Bombay Hook NWR
êNorthern Lapwing     New Egypt
Wilson's Plover     Bunche Beach
Semipalmated Plover     Barnegat Impoundments
Piping Plover     Barnegat Lighthouse SP
Killdeer     Duke Island Park
Spotted Sandpiper     Pearson Metropark
Solitary Sandpiper     Pearson Metropark
Greater Yellowlegs     Stafford Forge WMA
Willet     Great Bay Blvd.
Lesser Yellowlegs     Brigantine
Upland Sandpiper     Lakehurst NAES
Whimbrel     Great Bay Blvd.
Hudsonian Godwit     Bombay Hook NWR
Marbled Godwit     Brigantine
Ruddy Turnstone     Ottawa NWR
Red Knot     Brigantine
Stilt Sandpiper     Brigantine
Sanderling     Seven Presidents Park
Dunlin     Great Bay Blvd.
Purple Sandpiper     Barnegat Lighthouse SP
Baird's Sandpiper     Brigantine
Least Sandpiper     Heislerville WMA
White-rumped Sandpiper     Brigantine
Buff-breasted Sandpiper     Brigantine
Pectoral Sandpiper     New Egypt
Semipalmated Sandpiper     Brigantine
Western Sandpiper     Brigantine
Short-billed Dowitcher     Great Bay Blvd.
Long-billed Dowitcher     Heislerville WMA
Wilson's Snipe     New Egypt
American Woodcock     Horicon Lake
Wilson's Phalarope     Heislerville WMA
PARASITIC JAEGER     Island Beach SP
Razorbill     Shark River Inlet
Bonaparte's Gull     Seven Presidents Park
Laughing Gull     Higbees Beach
Ring-billed Gull     Jones Beach SP
Herring Gull     Jones Beach SP
ICELAND GULL     Manasquan Inlet North Side
Lesser Black-backed Gull     Holgate
Glaucous Gull     Heislerville WMA
Great Black-backed Gull     Jones Beach SP
Least Tern     Brigantine
Gull-billed Tern     Brigantine
Caspian Tern     Brigantine
Black Tern     Point Pelee
Common Tern     Leamington--Harbour
Forster's Tern     Villas--Miami Ave. beach
Royal Tern     Brigantine
Sandwich Tern     Song of the Sea Beach
Black Skimmer     Brigantine
Rock Pigeon     Jones Beach SP
Eurasian Collared-Dove     Lincoln Ave, Cape May Pt
Mourning Dove     Utterby Rd, Malverne
Common Ground-Dove     Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary
Yellow-billed Cuckoo     Colliers Mills WMA
Black-billed Cuckoo     Forest Hill Rd
Great Horned Owl     Palmyra Cove Nature Park
Snowy Owl     Brigantine
Burrowing Owl     Cape Coral Public Library
Barred Owl     Lakehurst NAES
Long-eared Owl     Assunpink WMA
Short-eared Owl     Jakes Landing
Common Nighthawk     Magee Marsh Parking Lot
Chuck-will's-widow     E. Bay Ave, Barnegat
Eastern Whip-poor-will     35 Sunset Rd
Chimney Swift     Portage River--Oak Harbor
Ruby-throated Hummingbird     35 Sunset Rd
Rufous Hummingbird     Palmyra Cove Nature Park
Belted Kingfisher     Horicon Lake
Red-headed Woodpecker     Point Pelee
Red-bellied Woodpecker     Utterby Rd, Malverne
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker     Heritage Park
Downy Woodpecker     35 Sunset Rd
Hairy Woodpecker     Scherman-Hoffman
Northern Flicker     Assunpink WMA
Pileated Woodpecker     Scherman-Hoffman
Crested Caracara     Featherbed Lane WMA
American Kestrel     New Egypt
Merlin     Crestwood Village
Peregrine Falcon     Great Bay Blvd.
Olive-sided Flycatcher     Magee Marsh Boardwalk
Eastern Wood-Pewee     Magee Marsh Boardwalk
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher     Ottawa NWR
Acadian Flycatcher     Double Trouble State Park
Willow Flycatcher     Great Bay Blvd.
Least Flycatcher     Pearson Metropark
Eastern Phoebe     Double Trouble State Park
Great Crested Flycatcher     Crestwood Village
Eastern Kingbird     Horicon Lake
êScissor-tailed Flycatcher     White's Bogs
Loggerhead Shrike     Charlotte Harbor Buffer Preserve
NORTHERN SHRIKE     Assunpink WMA
White-eyed Vireo     Horicon Lake
YELLOW-THROATED VIREO     Magee Marsh Boardwalk
Blue-headed Vireo     Belleplain State Forest
Warbling Vireo     Point Pelee
Red-eyed Vireo     Magee Marsh Boardwalk
Blue Jay     Utterby Rd, Malverne
American Crow     Jones Beach SP
Fish Crow     Heritage Park
Horned Lark     Lakehurst NAES
Northern Rough-winged Swallow     Salem River WMA
Purple Martin     Brigantine
Tree Swallow     White's Bogs
Bank Swallow     Lakehurst NAES
Barn Swallow     Sharptown-Auburn Road
Cliff Swallow     Port Clinton--Put in Bay Ferry
Carolina Chickadee     35 Sunset Rd
Black-capped Chickadee     Scherman-Hoffman
Tufted Titmouse     35 Sunset Rd
Red-breasted Nuthatch     Whiting WMA
White-breasted Nuthatch     35 Sunset Rd
Brown Creeper     Assunpink WMA
House Wren     Belleplain State Forest
Winter Wren     Assunpink WMA
Marsh Wren     Pickerel Creek Wildlife Area
Carolina Wren     Crestwood Village
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher     Double Trouble State Park
Golden-crowned Kinglet     Crestwood Village
Ruby-crowned Kinglet     Assunpink WMA
Eastern Bluebird     Crestwood Village
Veery     Ottawa NWR
Gray-cheeked Thrush     White's Bogs
Swainson's Thrush     Ottawa NWR
Hermit Thrush     Crestwood Village
Wood Thrush     Pearson Metropark
American Robin     Utterby Rd, Malverne
Gray Catbird     Horicon Lake
Brown Thrasher     White's Bogs
Northern Mockingbird     Jones Beach SP
European Starling     Utterby Rd, Malverne
American Pipit     Brigantine
Cedar Waxwing     Brigantine
Snow Bunting     Island Beach SP
Ovenbird     Whiting WMA
Worm-eating Warbler     Belleplain State Forest
Louisiana Waterthrush     Magee Marsh Boardwalk
Northern Waterthrush     Ottawa NWR
Blue-winged Warbler     Point Pelee
GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER     Oak Openings Preserve
Black-and-white Warbler     Horicon Lake
Prothonotary Warbler     Belleplain State Forest
TENNESSEE WARBLER     Pearson Metropark
Nashville Warbler     Pearson Metropark
Mourning Warbler     Magee Marsh Boardwalk
Common Yellowthroat     Horicon Lake
Hooded Warbler     Belleplain State Forest
American Redstart     Ottawa NWR
KIRTLAND'S WARBLER     Magee Marsh Wildlife Area
Cape May Warbler     Ottawa NWR
Northern Parula     Ottawa NWR
Magnolia Warbler     Pearson Metropark
Bay-breasted Warbler     Magee Marsh Boardwalk
Blackburnian Warbler     Point Pelee
Yellow Warbler     Brigantine
Chestnut-sided Warbler     Magee Marsh Boardwalk
Blackpoll Warbler     Magee Marsh Boardwalk
Black-throated Blue Warbler     Pearson Metropark
Palm Warbler     Bayview Ave Park
Pine Warbler     Cattus Island County Park
Yellow-rumped Warbler     Assunpink WMA
Yellow-throated Warbler     Belleplain State Forest
Prairie Warbler     Horicon Lake
Black-throated Green Warbler     Point Pelee
Wilson's Warbler     Magee Marsh Boardwalk
Yellow-breasted Chat     Assunpink WMA
Eastern Towhee     Whiting WMA
American Tree Sparrow     Jones Beach SP
Chipping Sparrow     35 Sunset Rd
CLAY-COLORED SPARROW     Ottawa NWR
Field Sparrow     Assunpink WMA
Vesper Sparrow     White's Bogs
Lark Sparrow     Oak Openings Preserve
Savannah Sparrow     Stafford Forge WMA
Grasshopper Sparrow     Negri-Nepote Grasslands
NELSON'S SPARROW     Brigantine
Saltmarsh Sparrow     Great Bay Blvd.
Seaside Sparrow     Jakes Landing
Fox Sparrow     Stafford Forge WMA
Song Sparrow     Jones Beach SP
Lincoln's Sparrow     Magee Marsh Boardwalk
Swamp Sparrow     Central Park
White-throated Sparrow     Utterby Rd, Malverne
White-crowned Sparrow     Assunpink WMA
Dark-eyed Junco     Jones Beach SP
Summer Tanager     Belleplain State Forest
Scarlet Tanager     Magee Marsh Parking Lot
Western Tanager     W. Cape May
Northern Cardinal     Utterby Rd, Malverne
Rose-breasted Grosbeak     Point Pelee
Blue Grosbeak     Mt. Loretto Unique Area
Indigo Bunting     Pearson Metropark
Painted Bunting     Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary
Dickcissel     Negri-Nepote Grasslands
Bobolink     Harder grasslands
Red-winged Blackbird     Jones Beach SP
Eastern Meadowlark     Featherbed Lane WMA
Yellow-headed Blackbird     Sharptown-Auburn Road
Rusty Blackbird     Oros Preserve
Common Grackle     Manasquan Reservoir IBA
Boat-tailed Grackle     Bayview Marina
Brown-headed Cowbird     New Egypt
Orchard Oriole     Point Pelee
Baltimore Oriole     Point Pelee
House Finch     Whiting WMA
Purple Finch     Oak Openings Preserve
White-winged Crossbill     Washington Road, Princeton
Common Redpoll     Manasquan Reservoir IBA
Pine Siskin     Whiting WMA
American Goldfinch     35 Sunset Rd
House Sparrow     Utterby Rd, Malverne