North Shore: Monmouth County, NJ; Point Pleasant to Belmar
Wednesday, February 19,2025, 8 AM – 3 PM
Temperature: low 12 F, high 27 F; wind W decreasing; sky cloudy; high tide (Belmar) about noon

The day began with a surprise. “Lake of the Lilies” (AKA Old Sam’s Pond) in Point Pleasant was almost frozen, but had a few dozen swans standing on the ice. Among the Mute Swans was a single adult Tundra Swan. A strange gray mass near the swans proved to be a mob of American Coots huddled tightly together for warmth. A single reddish bump poking out of the gray turned out to be a drake Redhead duck; and when photos were examined later, a Ruddy Duck was also discovered in the mob. A very strange group!

Manasquan inlet had no loons and few gulls. Working up the shore it appeared many of the other ponds were frozen solid. But the ocean off Sea Girt produced an excellent look at all three Scoters (just one handsome drake White-winged, the least common here) in nice light and right off the beach.

Belmar’s lakes and the Shark River inlet were also unproductive, but the estuary had vast numbers of Brant, a pair of Bald Eagles, and many Wigeon and Gadwalls. The day ended with a drive-by of the Allentown area, where several rare geese had recently been reported among Canadas; we found one Snow Goose but not the others.

Participants:  Holly Hoffman, Robert Koch, Laurie Larson, Miriam Swartz, David Wurster

Lunch: Comfi, Main St., Belmar