Leaders: Melissa Roach
Temp: 57F
Winds: South winds 10-13mph (gusts up to 22)
Weather Conditions: Cloudy, cool, and windy. The day started with dark, overcast skies with a period of heavy fog, but became mostly cloudy with some blue sky later.
Scoters were few and far between during this year’s trip, but this adult male Black Scoter was exceptionally confiding. Photo by Melissa Roach
Barnegat State Park Lighthouse – 9:55 a.m.
22 species
| Species | Count |
| Brant | 200 |
| Mallard | 9 |
| Green-winged Teal | 1 |
| King Eider | 2 |
| Common Eider | 100 |
| Harlequin Duck | 6 |
| Black Scoter | 1 |
| Long-tailed Duck | 8 |
| Bufflehead | 3 |
| Ruddy Turnstone | 2 |
| Sanderling | 5 |
| Purple Sandpiper | 3 |
| Ring-billed Gull | 10 |
| Herring Gull | 200 |
| Great Black-backed Gull | 75 |
| Common Loon | 2 |
| Great Cormorant | 2 |
| Double-crested Cormorant | 7 |
| American Crow | 1 |
| Northern Mockingbird | 1 |
| American Robin | 1 |
| Savannah Sparrow (Ipswich) | 1 |
Common Eiders were foraging along the jetty in droves, including this immature male. Photo by Melissa Roach
Adult male Common Eiders are certainly show stoppers. Some were close enough that we could see the faint blush color on the breast. Photo by Melissa Roach
There may not have been very many Purple Sandpipers, but the ones we did find gave great looks! Photo by Melissa Roach
And just when we were about to call it quits, two King Eiders appeared in the distance! The orange base on the bill really stands out on this immature male. Photo by Melissa Roach
Barnegat Light – Bayview Ave Park – 1:59 p.m.
8 species
| Species | Count |
| Brant | 150 |
| Greater Scaup | 3 |
| Black Scoter | 1 |
| Bufflehead | 20 |
| Red-breasted Merganser | 4 |
| Herring Gull | 1 |
| Great Black-backed Gull | 1 |
| crow sp. | 3 |
Harvey Cedars – Sunset Park – 2:39 p.m.
13 species
| Species | Count |
| Brant | 26 |
| Mute Swan | 4 |
| Mallard | 9 |
| Bufflehead | 16 |
| Common Goldeneye | 4 |
| Red-breasted Merganser | 9 |
| Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) | 2 |
| Common Loon | 1 |
| Double-crested Cormorant | 2 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 1 |
| American Crow | 4 |
| European Starling | 22 |
| Northern Mockingbird | 2 |
