At last

Back Blip 

Every winter, there is a small population of Harlequin Ducks that winter along the rocky jetty at Barnegat Lighthouse in Ocean County, New Jersey.  It's several hours drive and I've just never gotten myself down there during the cold winter months to find them.  But yesterday, in the company of two birder friends, I finally saw my first Harlequins...and they didn't disappoint!  These beautifully plumed small sea ducks breed in Alaska, a small part of the Cont'l US and northeastern Canada, as well as Iceland, Greenland and eastern Russia.

They are considered a species of concern from a conservation standpoint as numbers in the eastern US population has been declining.  

In addition to my first ever Harlequins, I also got some excellent looks at Long-tailed Ducks as they fished near the jetty, and saw my first Common Eiders.  Also Common Loons, Bufflehead Ducks, Great Cormorant, Ipswich Savannah Sparrow, gulls, Brant, Red-breasted Mergansers, Dunlin and Black Scoters.  And that was only in the morning!

In the afternoon we joined a group led by the Audubon Society at Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge where we tallied about 45 species including "peenting" woodcocks as the sun set.  One of the highlights of the afternoon for me was seeing over 1,000 snow geese.  

Got home around 10 and crashed shortly after, sleeping until nearly 8 this morning.  In a short while, I'm meeting a friend who is up visiting from Deleware to see if we can find some Wilson's Snipe that are wintering at a fish hatchery near here.  It's gloomy and overcast today. so not sure how the photos will be, but it will be great fun to catch up with Nancy.  

If you'd like to see some of the highlights from yesterday, I've posted 9 images on Flickr, starting HERE - worth a look if you have a few minutes to spare.  

I'll be back later with today's blip...

xo
Debbi