DVOC Main Page > Field Trips > Field Trip Report

DVOC Field Trip Report
by Sandra Keller

February 17, 2014
"North Shore", NJ

It's always interesting seeing the differences year to year on our annual President's Day North Shore trip. Scoters in the thousands from Pullman Ave. north to Seven President's Park - mainly Black with some Surf mixed in. We couldn't find any White-winged, but they were probably in that mass also - just too far to scan well. Scoter numbers have been good this year in New Jersey. Many Red-throated Loons around. No Gannets were spotted - they have been scarce this winter for unknown reasons.
And no Bonaparte's Gulls - again, no idea why.

Shark River was completely open water where as most other inland areas were frozen solid, so it had concentrations of birds - species such as Horned Grebe, Common Loons, many duck varieties, Brant, etc. We found the Eurasian Wigeon that was reported the previous day. Seeing 27 Redhead Ducks there was another highight - I for one have never seen even close to that many in one location in New Jersey! We tracked down a Red-necked Grebe at Shark River - with the Great Lakes freezing up, the northeast has experienced a mini invasion of this grebe. I was actually surprised we only saw one!

I would like to thank those hardy souls who joined me as we searched for birds heading north from Shark River this trip. It was cold, thankfully not too windy! If any questions on the trip or the birds we saw, please email me at [email protected] - I look forward to next year's trip - and what the differences will be! Our we due for another alcid incursion? Winter finches perhaps? We will see.