After shaking off the worst effects of our owl prowl we headed to the
Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Drive, a trip I would highly recommend to anyone visiting the area. The drive wanders through 8 miles of marsh and saltmarsh and provides shelter to a delightful array of birds and wildlife.
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| Sneaky little American Bittern |
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| Kinda judgey Red-tailed Hawk |
We were fortunate to encounter a gentleman at our first stop near the entrance who pointed us to a side road where a rare-in-this-season American Bittern was being seen from a tower. Of course we took it, to find a small crowd of birders photographing an obliging Red-tailed Hawk near the road. Lazy me stayed in the car and shot out the window. Just before we moved on, something caught my eye right between Kris's car and the next one in line. Said bittern was prancing across the road right in front of us!
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| Brant |
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| Snow Geese |
The whole drive was packed with surprises and delights, from a flock of around 90 Snow Geese right next to the car, to all three mergansers, Common, Hooded, and Red-breasted, hunting in a single small pool.
By the end of our circumnavigation of the drive we had seen 37 species.
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| Great Black-backed Gull |
We next decided to return to the Barnegat Lighthouse in hopes of getting a look at the Harlequin Ducks that were being seen there. Alas, being ancient and sporting a pair of pretty awful knees, I didn't dare go out on the tumble of giant riprap rocks that form the jetty...not that staying on the sand was any kind of punishment.... There were plenty of birds where I was too. Anyhow, Kris got spectacular photos of the sought after ducks on the other side of the jetty, while almost by accident I got reference level shots of same surfing a line of rocks out in the water. What a happy!
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| Brant |
It was a great trip that I will not forget anytime soon. If you get a chance, go do those things! See those birds and waves and shells and rocks. Hear the crashing of the surf and the calling of the gulls and the wind rushing through the sea grasses on the dunes. It will bring joy to the depths of your heart. Thanks again Kris for making it possible!
As I sit here in my snug house after waking up to - 32 C this morning- I can only be glad that you are able to get out and enjoy birding! For us, birding at the moment is watching Flickers, Downy and Hairy woodpeckers at the suet, and chickadees and Blue Jays devouring the sunflower seeds. *sigh* this too shall pass.
ReplyDeleteShirley, it has turned off much warmer here, and New Jersey where the trip was, was much warmer yet, hitting nearly 50 degrees F. Right here at home we see pretty much the same birds as you are along with a few winter sparrows. It won't be long now before the winds come up out of the south and bring us some migrants. We did get to see another Harlequin Duck today in another NY county. So weird to have never seen one in my entire life then to see them in three different places in two states over just about 10 days.
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