Barnegat Light, November 14, 2018
The ML birders went to Barnegat Light earlier in the year than usual in hopes of birding in a little warmer weather. It was warmer than our mid-winter trips but still cool and windy with only partial sun. However, we did see some great birds and it started in the parking lot (doesn’t it always?) where we picked up a Brown Creeper and a Peregrine Falcon that circled over us and landed on the top of the lighthouse.
We checked out the area around the lighthouse and then the paved walk along the inlet. There were ducks at the mouth end of the inlet by the jetty but they were just too far away for good viewing. We did get a nice winter plumaged Ruddy Turnstone just sitting on the rocks below the walkway.
Our best looks at the sea ducks came after a trek across the sand to the beach end of the jetty, where we did get the Harlequin Duck, as well as Surf Scoters, Black Scoters and Common Eiders. The Harlequins were the highlight as they were close enough to the shore to get some excellent looks through the spotting scope as well as binoculars. We totaled 41 species for the day and enjoyed a nice lunch at Kubel’s.
Visit Fred’s Flickr page for more of his photos from Barnegat Light.
Participants: Ethel Cebra, Fred Kahan, Robert Koch, Laurie Larson, Jean and Chris Tindall.
Report by Robert Koch
Birds:
Common Loon
Northern Gannet
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Cormorant
Mute Swan
Brant Goose
Canada Goose
Black Duck
Mallard Duck
Common Eider
Harlequin Duck
Long-tailed Duck
Surf Scoter
Black Scoter
Bufflehead
Turkey Vulture
Peregrine Falcon
Northern Harrier
Greater Yellowlegs
Lesser Yellowlegs
Oystercatcher
Sanderling
Ruddy Turnstone
Laughing Gull
Herring Gull
Greater Black-backed Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Downy Woodpecker
Tree Swallow
Brown Creeper
European Starling
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Dark-eyed Junco
Common Grackle
Boat-tailed Grackle
House Sparrow
