The last time the bird was at Barnegat was about 10 years ago and I never had the time to go for it, so it was fantastic to finally add this species to my NJ Life List.
The looks were distant across the inlet but we waited long enough for the tide to go slack & for the sun to come out and give us very nice looks.
Across the inlet I could see friend Larry S in his blue hat getting very close photos of the birds from the Island Beach State Park side of the inlet. Hmm, I bet he even got a ride down the beach in his friend 4WD vehicle !
We had wonderfully close view of the Harlequin Ducks along the seawall here, as well as the 'Queen' Eider (female King Eider), Common Eider is various plumages, along with Northern Gannets, and all three Scoter species, Long-Tailed Ducks, Razorbills, Boat-Tailed Grackles, Great Cormorants, Red-Breasted Mergansers, Purple Sandpipers, Ruddy Turnstone, Dunlin, and both Loons.
Here's two of Larry's fine images. the rest can be seen on his Flick site
On the way home we stopped in Franklin Township for the dozen or so Sandhill Cranes that are still enjoying the corn stubble fields despite the construction of the warehouse !
