Can you call yourself a leader if nobody shows up to the field trip? I have scheduled a few field trips for the DVOC over the past year. Most of the trips get rained out but last Saturday's weather was set to be sunny so I headed to Barnegat Lighthouse to meet the group at 8 AM. 8 AM came and went. Thank goodness Harvey showed up otherwise I would have been totally alone. Oh well. Their loss.
Harvey and I headed out on the jetty to see what we could find. There weren't many ducks but we saw Red-breasted Mergansers. I love the way the wind blows their feathers into a mess.
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Red-breasted Merganser |
We were just about to give up on our prized Harlequin Ducks when another photographer told us that they were a little farther out. Jackpot. We found the flock up on the rocks of the jetty.
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Harlequin Ducks |
They swam past us while we snapped a billion photos.
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Harlequin Duck |
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Harlequin Duck |
We didn't find as many shorebirds as normal. Only this small group of Dunlin with a single Sanderling mixed in.
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Dunlin and Sanderling |
On our way back to the lighthouse, we spotted this Horned Grebe swimming away from us. It would dive under the water and resurface farther down the jetty. I would run along to try to get ahead of it but that sucker can swim fast underwater. I managed to get this shot which shows that blood red eye.
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Horned Grebe |
The bird was on a mission to get somewhere fast. I couldn't keep up.
Harvey and I had a nice day. I wonder if anyone will show up to my next field trip?
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