Edwin B. Forsythe (Brigantine) NWR, May 6, 2021
It was a lovely May day, with a breeze, blue sky and moderate temperature, and plenty of birds.
It was a lovely May day, with a breeze, blue sky and moderate temperature, and plenty of birds.
Our highly anticipated trip to Bombay Hook didn’t turn out quite as expected. We had hoped to see Brown-headed Nuthatch, but something went wrong, and the little bird was nowhere to be found on Big Stone Beach Road south of Frederica, Del.
The date was late for wintering birds, but early for spring arrivals. The most numerous ducks were Long-tails, with plenty of Common Eiders as well. Flocks of migrating Northern Gannets were offshore. Other winter birds such as Harlequins were not in evidence and presumably had left for their northern homes.
The highlight of the day was the Eagle show — four Bald Eagles (2 adult and 2 immature) feeding and interacting near our vantage on the north dike. One of the adult eagles was kind enough to sit atop a solitary cedar right next to our car, just posing for a close-up.
The date and the weather were right on the cusp between winter and spring. The ML birders were hoping for lingering winter ducks and raptors, with perhaps a few new arrivals.
In the Pedricktown area three Tundra Swans flew over, and we saw a male Wood Duck on the Delaware River. At our second stop at the causeway, to our delight we got some great views of seven Sandhill Cranes!
A pair of Trumpeter Swans has spent several recent winters on the big lake here, and returned this year. Although too far away to photograph, their size and shape made them obvious.
The ML Birders headed down to the coast in pursuit of wintering waterfowl and the chance to see Razorbills that have been spotted in the Shark River Inlet in Belmar.
The day was misty and cloudy. 22 species were seen at Amico Island, and 16 species were seen at Boundary Creek Park.
We had a beautiful warm, sunny morning, with no wind. After driving around the Shark River Estuary, we went to the Shark River inlet and then on to Silver Lake, Lake Como, Spring Lake and Wreck Pond.
It was a sunny, mild winter day with the temperature in the 40’s. We went first to Barnegat Light and walked out on the jetty.
The day was cold and sunny with the temperature in the low 20s to mid 30s for the Birders’ Nov. 14 trip to Brigantine.
Nine Bird Club members and three guests caravanned to Sandy Hook, the Gateway National Recreation Area, on a sunny but somewhat windy day. Despite a puzzling absence of shorebirds thirty-five species were identified, and a great day was had by all.
The day was gorgeous! Clear, sunny, pleasantly warm with a little breeze. We drove to the Heislerville area and out to the platform at Thompson’s Beach. We then drove down to Goshen to the Audubon Center and lastly to Reed’s Beach.
The day was misty and cool, and the ML birders saw 21 species at Brightview farm.
The ML birders visited Hawkins Road and the Burlington County Institute of Technology on this foray for local breeding species.
We had a fine warm day with light clouds and a bit of wind; the showers in the forecast failed to materialize. Spring was in the air and Speedwell was in bloom. Eagles and Sandhill Cranes made appearances, and we were happy.
The ML Birders headed for the shore to look for winter waterfowl. Conditions conspired to offer fantastic concentrations of the beautiful Long-tailed Ducks in Barnegat Inlet, with hundreds of birds splashing, courting and calling.
The Medford Leas Birders scouted a route along the entire Burlington County side of the Delaware River, from Bordentown to Palmyra and a bit beyond. We didn’t have many ducks, but visited some interesting places.
It was a beautiful day to enjoy the last colors of Fall and the first waterfowl of Winter. Even on Nov. 10 we didn’t need heavy coats or gloves. The Bombay Hook refuge on the Delaware side of the bay is always a pleasing birding destination.
The ML Birders gathered on an overcast, calm day for a trip to Brigantine to see what we could see. In between summer and winter, the refuge can seem quiet, but we managed to find a good number of birds.
We welcomed new members as we resumed our field trip schedule after the pandemic pause. The weather was partly cloudy and hazy with an east wind, far from ideal for landbird migration, but you can’t choose the weather when you schedule a field trip.
The Medford Leas Birders hoped for a cloudy day for their August trip to Brigantine; the weather wasn’t cooperative, and the green-headed flies were biting, but the birds did not disappoint.
Several ML Birders from the Lumberton Campus put in a full day of birding, beginning at the Visitor’s Center for Ocean City, NJ. A heron rookery is situated behind the Center and birders have an excellent vantage point for viewing.