Manasquan Reservoir

Havent been to this location since the summer and thankfully the water levels are back to normal. Also back to normal are the resident bald eagles who seem to be working on one of their old nests. I had 7 bald eagles on the day including a group of 3 juveniles bathing.

Barnegat Light

Just a beautiful morning there today. Birding began on the drive out with 2 adult peregrines on the Surf City water tower. While there the police chief shared that they have been nesting there for the past 7 years. Closeup photos revealed both birds are banded with DEP tags. Also saw a cool territory defense and "eechuk" calls when a Cooper's flew past. Further down I had an additional 2 peregrines on the Barnegat Light water tower. These two were definitely not the same birds as they both had empty crops and were untagged as far as I could see. Due to high winds I birded the trails first as the day warmed up. I had 2 yellow-rumped warblers and this Cooper's hawk lurking in the scrub. While there I met two women who were there to see the Harlequin ducks. One of them was a bit older and it would be a lifer for her. So I shepherded them to the jetty and lo and behold a lone harlequin male had made his way toward them, saving her the treacherous journey! Here's a pic of them out on the jetty after. Along the way I had many common loons, gulls of intermediate plumage, 3 harriers across the bay in Island beach and 2 what I think are red-breasted merganser females. Also ran into a guy who said he had a harbor seal feeding along the jetty. At the tip were large rafts of ducks shifting about. Black scoter, surf scoter, long-tailed ducks, 2 red-throated loon and 2 common eider! Driving back along route 9 I stopped in Tom's River and found the usual raft of about 25 canvasbacks along with about 50 ring-necked ducks. There were also about 100 mallards and 12 bufflehead.

Bald Eagle hunting along the Raritan River

Harlem Goshawk

It took me a few days to notice, but when I looked at the pictures from Jan. 4th, there was a juvenile goshawk. It was hunting pigeons over the 125th street Viaduct just like any self-respecting red-tailed hawk. So that's what I filed it away under...but no it's definitely a large juvenile gos!

Casa Neblina 2016!

Now online and hosting great birds such as... Fawn-breasted brilliant. Plate-billed Mountain Toucan. Masked Trogon. Collared Inca. Hook-billed Kite. Prospero Ano Nuevo!