Blog

Shorebirds at Heislerville – May 7, 2026

Leaders: Shaun Bamford, Chris Marks, John McElroy, Ruth Bergstrom

Temp: 62°F

Winds: NNW 8 mph

Weather Conditions: cloudy. Intermittent light rain, wind kept the gnats away after the beginning of the walk thankfully

Heislerville WMA – 1:32pm

22 species

Species Count
Canada Goose 4
Semipalmated Plover 25
Semipalmated Plover - Ruth Bergstrom

Semipalmated Plover photo by Ruth Bergstrom

 
Short-billed Dowitcher 38
Lesser Yellowlegs 7
Willet 1
Greater Yellowlegs 5
Dunlin 20
Semipalmated Sandpiper 50
Laughing Gull 12
American Herring Gull 6
Black Skimmer 200
Least Tern 5
Forster’s Tern 8
Double-crested Cormorant 4
Snowy Egret 1
Great Egret 1
Osprey 8
Bald Eagle 1
Tree Swallow 2
Barn Swallow 6
Red-winged Blackbird 2
Common Grackle 2

 

East Point Lighthouse – 2:44pm

14 species

Species Count
Semipalmated Plover 3
Short-billed Dowitcher 5
Willet 1
Laughing Gull 5
American Herring Gull 3
Forster’s Tern 6
Double-crested Cormorant 2
Great Egret 1
Great Blue Heron 1
Osprey 4
European Starling 2
Song Sparrow 1
Common Grackle 2
Boat-tailed Grackle 4

 

Thompson’s Beach and Road – 3:17pm

17 species

Species Count
Clapper Rail 10
Short-billed Dowitcher 5
Willet 1
Semipalmated Sandpiper 20
Laughing Gull 8
American Herring Gull 4
Forster’s Tern 6
Snowy Egret 1
Great Egret 1
Turkey Vulture 1
Osprey 10
Barn Swallow 1
Marsh Wren 1
Seaside Sparrow 3
Red-winged Blackbird 10
Common Grackle 1
Boat-tailed Grackle 2
New Jersey Audubon