AOU Field Trip to New Jersey

I led the second all day AOU field trip to Southern New Jersey, assisted by Debbie Beer. We began in the salt marshes at Jake’s Landing (above) with the first of many Ospreys and Laughing Gulls. A couple of Marsh Wrens moved about the hedgerow, eventually coming out into good view; we parted some reeds to admire their neatly-constructed, now-empty nest. A cooperative Seaside Sparrow perched on a cordgrass stalk preening. Eastern Kingbird and Ruby-throated Hummingbird zipped by quickly, and we heard Eastern Wood-Pewee calling.

The pond at Reeds Beach Road hosted their annual group of roosting Black-crowned Night-Herons including one juvenile (above). Driving down the road, we discussed the plight of the Red Knots and studied a female Horseshoe Crab shell.

Cape May State Park was alive with terns. Forster’s Terns were numerous over Bunker Pond, with more out on the dunes and fishing over the ocean waves. As we walked out to the beach a Royal Tern flew past, and Least Terns mingling with Forster’s. We picked out three juvenile Common Terns among the group. Sanderlings ran up and down with the waves and a young Piping Plover posed for us until beach-goers spooked it and it headed for haven at the second pond.

We were delighted to find a Lesser Black-backed Gull (above left) posing in solitude, with a Laughing Gull standing nearby to compare size and color. Doubling back to the ponds, we studied Least Sandpipers, Spotted Sandpipers (below), Semipalmated Plover, Lesser Yellowlegs and our lone Piping Plover. A squeaking Blue-gray Gnatcatcher worked his way through the Bayberry bushes and our only Blue Grosbeak flew out of the bush. Overhead a couple of Broad-winged Hawk made tight circles riding thermals along with Turkey and Black Vultures. A surprise was an American White Pelican moving up the coast, soaring high in the sky.

A midday break at the CMBO bookstore was a nice reprise from the stifling heat and humidity, adding catbird and grackle to the day list. From here it was onto the Edwin B. Forsythe “Brigantine” NWR. We began at the Gull Tower with a flyby adult Bald Eagle (below) and a juvenile heading in the opposite direction. The number of roosting Great Egrets was impressive.

Along the wildlife drive loop, our first stop was before the observation tower where the West Pond was teeming with shorebirds, gulls and terns (below). Close by were a multitude of Semipalmated Sandpipers and amongst them we found a Western and White-rumped Sandpiper which allowed for good comparison in size, structure and feeding action – jizz. Great Black-backed, Herring and Laughing Gulls along with Black Skimmers, American Oystercatchers and hordes of Black-bellied Plovers with various degrees of black bellies roosted in very shallow water or on a sand bar. Our fifth tern for the day, a Caspian, was also amongst them.

Whimbrels (above in flight) stood out mainly because they kept to themselves as dowitchers busily fed nearby. In front of us we had half a dozen Long-billed with two Short-billed in a loose feeding flock; the size and structure difference was quite noticeable when they mingled. Our last find in this area was a handful of sleeping Red Knots, most with a salmon wash to the belly. In the East pool, the vagrant Roseate Spoonbill was found amongst Glossy Ibis, Great and Snowy Egrets, making for a perfect ending to this wonderful day.

all photos © adrian binns