Brigantine NWR

Ruddy turnstone   

      In southern New Jersey lie two of the premier birding locations on the east coast.....Cape May and the Brigantine unit of the Forsythe National Wildlife Reserve in Galloway Twp.  While it's a bit of a trip for those of us in the Hudson Valley, it is well worth the effort and time to travel down to these gems.  This past weekend, 10 members of the Mearns Bird Club made the trek to "Brig" as it is affectionately know to local birders in search of shore birds.  At this time of year, the birds are all adorned with their finest plumage as the breeding season is now well under way.  Birds which can appear dull and drab during the dull and drab days of winter now are alive with bright hues.  Seeing birds joined as pairs is another plus for us during the rites of Spring, and Brigantine produced as promised.

Herring gulls

      Rails are always a major bonus for birders as the birds may be present, but they are not always prominent.  You may hear an occasional Clapper rail at the Brig during other times of the year, but during May, they seem to be all around us and their distinctive tapping call was heard throughout the journey around the impoundments.  Not only were they heard, but they were easily seen as well and made for great subjects for those of us with our cameras ready.

Clapper rail

     Next is the numbers of birds present during spring.  Without a doubt, there were hundreds of Semi-palmated sandpipers on every available mudflat....literally thousands when all were taken into account.  Black-bellied plovers in breeding plumage are a sight to behold and when you see one, you feel that you've seen something quite special.  So you can imagine how I felt when I sighted a sand bar with 296 of these handsome birds standing "shoulder to shoulder".  When we returned the next day to the same spot, the tide had changed and the huge numbers of plovers were no longer present.  Another case if being in the right place at the right time.  

Black-bellied plovers (Click on the image to enlarge)

      Finally, there are the "rarities".  As often as I bird, I can count on one hand the number of times that I've had good looks at the Gull-billed tern.  Every time that I have seen it, it has been here at Brig.  Today was not going to break my string of good fortune.  Our first stop gave us great views of a Gull-bill flying in close proximity with ample chances for good photos.
     And so it goes.....we travel around the state, the country and this entire world and there will always be a few special locations where it is almost magical.  Brigantine is surely on my list of those sites.

Gull-billed tern