A Cold And Windy Walk In Barnegat Lighthouse State Park: A Lot Of Cool Birds, Including Harlequin Ducks.

A Cold And Windy Walk In Barnegat Lighthouse State Park: A Lot Of Cool Birds, Including Harlequin Ducks.

Long Beach Island Barnegat morning (20 of 41)
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I was up early Saturday morning. I was at the LBI Hotel on Long Beach Island along  the New Jersey shore. After my usual morning coffee I was driving north  in the morning twilight  on the  empty streets of the island. I am sure, in the Summer months there is a lot of traffic even at this early hour. I only saw  two commercial vehicles on  my 8 mile drive to the Barnegat Lighthouse State Park.

The parking lot at the State Park didn’t open  until 8 a.m. so I parked along Central Avenue. I entered the park here, walking past the construction equipment associated with the dredging project that has the walkway near the light house closed.

It was cloudy and a cold  28 degrees,  but a strong northwesterly wind made it feel a lot colder. I walked  through the dunes, seeing the historic Barnegat Lighthouse. in the distance.  I walked  toward the long rock jetty that protects the island from the waves and storms of the Atlatic Ocean. . 

I saw the ocean from  the top of the dunes. The ocean in the Winter always brings me thoughts of a Charles Dickens or Emily Bronte novel. I came to a large pool of water in the sands where I saw a lot of bird activity.   I heard the familiar calls of  Canada geese. There were  mallard ducks, greater scapus and brans and other birds I couldn’t identify.  The sun hadn’t risen yet, and because of the thick cloud cover, it was still pretty  dark, too dark get any good photos of the birds.

As I continued my walk on the sand dunes , I  saw  it was high tide and a stream of water blocked  the path  to the jetty and ocean. After  a few attempts I was able to find a way over the water. 

I was now near the stone jetty that protected the island. The jetty also provides a  home for mussels and other mollusks which attract migrating shore birds in the Winter. And this is why I made the journey to Long Beach Island. I already found some new species of birds on my visit the previous afternoon.  I saw long tailed ducks and common eiders. However I was hoping to see some colorful  harlequin ducks on my visit. Of course, I also enjoyed the sight and sound  of the stormy Winter ocean.  I  soon realized , that,   waters from the ocean  surrounded the jetty as a result of the high tide.

I  had to walk out to the beach  before I was able to climb up on the jetty.

I loved hearing the roar of rhe ocean as I neared the beach. Large waves crashed to the shore asd a result of the strong winds, Great  black backed gulls and herring gulls searched for mollusks and other sea creatures in the rough surf.

I also saw a flock of purple sandpipers fly onto the rocks of the jetty, and began scurrying around looking for an early morning meal in the pools betweeen the rocks. These birds breed in the far north Arctic tundra and are seldom seen until they migrate south on the Atlantic coast in the Winter.

I climbed up on the large rocks and boulders and walked  out toward the ocean as waves  crashed on the rocks.

It was windy and cold atop the jetty,  walking in the spray from the waves.   However I soon saw what I was looking for and I didn’t mind the raw weather conditions. There were large flocks of shore birds swimming in the rough waters along the jetty. I soon saw a flock of long tailed ducks and greater scaups.

The tails of the long tailed ducks trailed  the beautiful birds as they swam, or

flew in the  wind. These ducks also breed in the tundra of the Arctic north, Their population is in decline. This is a male, and

this a female.

Large flocks of ruddy turnstones huddled in the wind on the sand dunes along the jetty. This is bird is a real traveler. It also breeds in the Arctic north but travels to North and even South America in the Winter. Some birds may travel as much as 6500 miles on their migration.

A flock  of another world traveling bird, the sanderling,  landed on the rocks of the jetty. These birds also only breed in the high Arctic but can be found on beaches all over the world in the Winter.

There were many brants, another migratory shore bird, a goose,  and

greater scaups,  a migratory duck, both breed in the Arctic north. The greater scaup is the only circumpolar diving duck.

I was  excited seeing so many  birds along the jetty. I love to photograph nature, both landscapes, plants and animals. I love looking for bears and snakes in the Summer near my home in Northeastern Pennsylvania. I also look for alligators and snakes in the Everglades on my Winter visits there. However, I think I am becoming a birder.  I love finding the many species of birds I had hardly noticed in my younger years.  I am fascinated by the distance many of these birds that I see in the Summer travel on their journey to their Winter  homes. So my excitement kept my mind of the cold, raw wind that was blowing over the jetty.

Fortunately, the clouds began to clear, and the sun warmed it up a bit, but it was still mighty cold on the jetty. Of course I was the only one out there. In fact I only saw one woman walking here dog the entire three hours I was on my hike.

The historic Barnegat Lighthouse  glowed in the morning sunshine as I walked along the jetty.

I continued to see many of the same ducks I had seen, and also some more of the red breasted mergansers I saw the previosu day, This is another northern bird that breeds in the Arctic and Winters along the coasts. This is a male

this a female or juvenile,

and this is a female or juvenile hanging out with a long tailed duck.

There were so many  birds, and many different species of birds swimming together, that I took over a thousand photos. It took hours to narrow down the ones I am sharing. I saw a few more  female or juvenile, common eiders,

and my  first sighting of a male. They are beautiful birds and also  birds of the northern oceans. This is as far south as they migrate in the Winter and I was excited to see them.

I also saw my first surf scoters, another bird that breed  in the northern boreal forest and tundra regions.They are easily identified by their colorful bill.

Swimming with the surf scorers were some of there cousins black scoters.  These birds breed in the far north and are common on both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts in the Winter.

I had walked to the area of the construction where the  walkway on the jetty is closed . It was near here I was excited to see a flock of harlequin ducks. It was these colorful birds I came here to see.  These birds live near rocky shore along the northern coast of North America and migrate to the coast in Winter.  Unfortunately, the entire flock flew off as I approached.  I ws now ready to walk back.

I was pleased with the large numbers and different species of northern shore birds I had seen as I walked on the jetty.  I was also seeing the many year round sea gulls that were perched on the boulders or flying overhead on my hike including dozens of herring gulls, this is an adult,

and this a juvenile.I believe, but  I am not positive.

I also saw a some  of the remains of the seagulls  meals. blue crabs shells and

claws on the rocks.

I walked back   through the sand dunes,  to the lighthouse. Here I  followed  the short nature trail that took me through the only maritime forest on Long Beach Island.  The trail  began in  the dunes overlooking the beach,

and then  led into a sassafras , black cherry, red cedar and American holly  woodland. It was small,  not like the large American holly forests I hiked in at Sandy Hook in the Summer,  but was still a nice little trail.

I left the trail and walked the short distance  over to the Barnegat Lighthouse. This historic lighthouse  stood above the northern end of Long Beach Island since 1859 . The door to the 172 foot lighthouse  was open and there was no fee charged for admission in the Winter months.  So I climbed the 217  stairs to the  observation deck . ( It is now Monday and my old legs are still sore as I type).

The climb was worth it. I walked onto the observation deck and immediately felt the furry of the wind. It was hard keeping my balance as I took in the view of Long Beach Island,

and the jetty and ocean. The view from the lighthouse made it clear how the jetty was designed to protect the  island from the storms and waves erosion of the ocean. I climbed down the stairs and started my walk back to my Jeep.

On the way, I saw a  another trail winding through the dunes,

and followed it to the ocean. Again, I watched the waves crashing on the beach. I could have spent hours watching and listening to the ocean, but it was cold and I was getting hungry.

I followed another trail back to  street and residences. There is a large area of dunes here with red cedar and bayberry  shrubs, I heard yellow umped warblers, and Carolina wrens in the shrubs along the trail but I wasn’t going to stop and photograph them, on this hike anyway.

I envied the folks who lived in the homes  near the State Park and beach.

When I got to Center Street I was a few blocks from my Jeep. I walked along the street and saw a small  harbor on my iPhone map. I walked through the quiet neighborhood, I saw a few folks walking their dogs, and came to the harbor.

Here I saw a  red breasted merganser,  mallard and bufflehead ducks. The bufflehead ducks are another species of duck you won’t see in our forest in the Summer months, they breed in the forests of Central Canada and only migrate here in  the Winter. . Here is a link to a gallery on my blog website with some more photos of the birds I saw on my morning hike. Long Beach Island:  Barnegat Lighthouse State Park birds February 1 2025.

 I walked back to my Jeep and ended my  5 mile hike. I was pleased seeing so many  species of  shore birds on my hike.  I also enjoyed the sights, sounds, smells , and feeling of the ocean. It was a good morning.  It was now after 11 a.m. I spent 4 hours in the cold and I was hungry. Here is a link to a gallery on my blog website with some more photos from  my morning hike. at Barnegat Lighthouse State Park.  Long Beach Island: Barnegat Lighthouse State Park  February 1 2025.

I looked for a place to eat and  found the LBI Pancake House in Ship Bottom. What a great choice.  On my travels I like to share my dining experiences. I have not,  intentionally, eaten in a chain or fast food restaurant in over 30 years.  ( On some of my adventures I had no choice but to eat fast food, like when I was in  Moosonee,  Canada, on St. James Bay and there was only a Pizza Hut in the town.) I love to support local restaurants. This was a great little place. Friendly staff and great food. I had a vegetable omelet with  home fries and delicious buttermilk pancakes. They were almost as good as the ones my mom would make for us on Sunday mornings.

I was full and tired, my legs already sore from walking on the rocks on the jetty and the 240 steps up the lighthouse. However,  after returning to my hotel, I decided to hike in the Cedar Bonnet Island Park. I had early reservations at the Black Whale in Beach Haven, another great restaurant, at 4;15 p.m. This early reservation was the only one available on Saturday. There were no reservations available on Friday evening. So I wanted to get in another hike before my early dinner.

I drove across the bridge about a mile to the trailhead on the eastbound lane of Highway 72 It is s small park and is  part of the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge.  It was once a dredging disposal site  until it was acquired by the US Fish and Wildlife Service  in the 1990’s. It is a short, flat trail  only 1.4 miles long.  However, when I was here before I saw a lot of song  birds in the reeds ,  bayberry , red cedar,  and American holly trees. I also saw a lot of ducks and shore birds in the salt marshes below the trail.

It was now sunny out, but still cold with a strong northwesterly wind. I was surprised to see a couple of famlies leavinng the well mantained trail as I entered the park.

The last two times I hiked thos trail it was overcast and rainy. I saw a lot of birds in trees, including some hawks. There were also ducks, herons and geese in the slat marshes and ponds below the trail. On Saturday it was quiet and I saw no bird activity. It could have been since it was mid-day and the birds had already huddled up in the trees to avoid the cold and wind. I did enjoy the beautiful scenery and views, including the bridge over the bay,

and the homes and businesses  on Long Beach Island, including my hotel.

I walked  through a woodland of red cedar trees and saw a couple of yellow-rumped warblers. I remember seeing hawks here on my previous hikes.  

I  saw a couple of herring gulls on one of the ponds but they would be the only birds I would see on my two mile hike.

I walked back to my Jeep and returned to my hotel Here is a link to a gallery on my blog website with some more photos from my afternoon  hike. Long Beach Island:  Cedar Bonnet Island  February 1 2025.

It was almost 1:30 p.m. and I had almost a 1000 photos to edit from my morning hike. I edited  my photos but had to leave for my early 4:15 dinner reservation at the Black Whale Bar and Fish House. This would be my third visit to this local establishment that was recommended to me by friends back home. It was a good recommendation. I enjoyed my meals there and was looking forward to eating there again. And I was hungry having walked 7 miles, 2 of them hopping on boulders on the jetty, and climbing 217 steps. I arrived at the restaurant and found it crodwed. every seat was taken and I sat and enjoyed a nice meal, starting with a salad and Manhatten clam chowder,

then a main course of swordfish Milanese with arugula salad.

and a piece of olive oil cake for dessert. This four course meal was a restaurant week special. I was goinf to have the seafood combo platter which I had before and was filling. The hostess encouraged me to try the special, saying the portions were large and would  be enough.  She was wrong. The food was delicious but I was still hungry when I was fisnished.

After my meal I left the  crowded restaurant and drove to a nearby dock to watch the sunset.  Here I not only watched the beautiful sunset I also saw  a very true  and inspiring message on a grill on the dock dedicated to the memeory of Zachary. It was a perfect ending for another great day at the Jersey Shore.

“Dream as if you will live forever, live as if you only have today”  In Memeory of Zachary Mandel. 

 

“The ocean stirs the heart, inspires the imagination and brings eternal joy to the soul.”  Robert Wylan 

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