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.
Our Pathways trip to the Delaware refuge enjoyed perfect weather and interesting birds.
We enjoyed a very pretty walk through historic Batsto village to the lake, which was mirror-calm. Later, we looked for a Red-headed Woodpecker along a sand road near Chatsworth, but instead found the Pine Barrens endemic plant “Pyxie” in full bloom.
The rain date of Sept. 27 was a lucky, sunny, 65-degree day in between two days of clouds due to Tropical Storm Ophelia. Despite a shortage of migrants, there were some surprises.
A mild spring day with high clouds made for good birding at Assunpink. We made a side trip to Roosevelt, a town with a fascinating history.
For the second year in a row we visited Bombay Hook in November, for a transitional season look at departing shorebirds and arriving waterfowl.
The PPA’s Rancocas Creek Farm was our second short trip of the year, and we combined it with a visit to the Eagles’ Walk Green Acres trail in Vincentown. The weather was delightful with starting temperatures in the mid 60’s into the mid 70’s at Eagles’ Walk Green Acres.
The ML Birders took our first short trip of the year to Boundary Creek Park on a mostly overcast day with temperatures in the low 60’s. The bird of the day based on numbers was the Gray Catbird. We observed a total of 30 species for the morning.
Combined notes from two trips, April 8 and April 27 2022. April 8 was a fine early spring day, while April 27 was very windy, with less bird activity.
The ML Birders were anticipating a nice day for seeing waterfowl on the big ponds at Whitesbog. An added bonus would be seeing a pair of Ross’ Geese, which were seen a couple of days before our arrival.
Two ML Birders decided to test the old adage “there is no such thing as bad weather only bad clothing.” It was a cold and very windy but sunny day at Barnegat Light
Nine ML Birders made the trip to the refuge that was enhanced by a nice sunny day. We started birding around the parking area checking for land birds.
The Pathways trip to Bombay Hook NWR had one of those “I wish the weather was like this every day” days. Crystal clear blue skies, gentle breeze and temperature in the 70’s. The birds did not match the weather as the variety and number were not great.
It was a pleasant morning of mostly sun and little wind at Palmyra Cove. We managed to spot 29 species of birds and a few other flying critters (butterflies and dragonflies).
We could not have asked for a nicer day to end our trip season. Bright sun and warmer temperatures with just enough breeze for comfort. The fenced rolling pastureland with three gamboling horses tacking our progress made for great entertainment. We totaled 29 species seen and/or heard.
In a week of dreary weather the ML Birders caught only a few sprinkles and even a little sun on their trip to Fish House Cove and environs along the Delaware River.
Since this trip was originally scheduled for last fall the thought was to segue from the nice Fall to the pleasant weather of Spring. What greeted the birders was a hint of Winter in May!!