A few months ago, I had the opportunity to join a New Jersey Audubon Young Birders field trip to Barnegat Lighthouse State Park on Long Beach Island. There were many guides and fellow birders eager to search for birds. Despite the strong winds, numerous birds swam along the coast and soared through the skies.
Our group of approximately 20 people walked a trail from the lighthouse to the beach, observing birds in ponds and thickets along the way.
Birds Seen at the Lighthouse
- Harlequin Duck
- Black Scoter
- Bufflehead
- Red-breasted Merganser
- Ring-billed Gull
- American Herring Gull
- Great Black-backed Gull
- Thick-billed Murre – a highlight for everyone, generating a ton of excitement among the group!
Birds weren’t the only animals taking advantage of the one day of relatively warm weather between the snowstorms. Many seals were seen within the bay, resting vertically before heading back out into the ocean.
Birds Seen Along the Trail
Along the trail to the beach, we heard and saw many more birds:
- Brant
- Canada Goose
- Mallard
- American Black Duck
- Common Eider
- Dunlin
- Northern Harrier
- American Crow
- Common Raven
- Snow Bunting
- Northern Cardinal
- Yellow-rumped Warbler
Birds Observed at the Beach
I was extremely surprised to see so many birds at the beach—not just flying overhead, but also on the water. Many birds were swimming near the shore despite the waves and cold temperatures, treading water peacefully and seemingly ignoring the rough conditions. Others rested along the rocks or perched on nearby towers.
Species observed included:
- Red-throated Loon
- Common Loon
- Northern Gannet
- Lesser Black-backed Gull
- Great Cormorant
- Double-crested Cormorant
- Long-tailed Duck
- Surf Scoter
- Ruddy Turnstone
- Sanderling
- Razorbill
Reflections
Time and time again, nature surprises me with the abundance of birds in a single location and with their resilience despite the recent freezing temperatures and the emergence of bird flu.
As we walked, it dawned on me that places such as New Jersey and Pennsylvania are considered south for many Northern and Arctic birds. This realization helped me understand why sightings of Snow Buntings, Northern Gannets, and especially the Thick-billed Murre were so exciting—they are species that typically breed in Arctic regions and are uncommon visitors here.
How to Distinguish a Thick-billed Murre from a Common Murre
(Adapted from All About Birds)
| Thick-billed Murre | Common Murre |
| Shorter, thicker bill | Longer, thinner bill |
| Darker face with no black line extending from the eye | Whiter face with a distinct black line extending from the eye |
| White chest meets the dark throat in an inverted “V” (breeding plumage) | White chest meets the dark throat in a “U” shape (breeding plumage) |
I am excited about my upcoming scheduled bird walks with NJ Audubon, including the Youth Birds and Fall Migration: Avalon Seawatch trip in November. I look forward to sharing my experiences here again!
By Alex Wu
