Date: 6/22/26 7:59 am From: Marc Chelemer <mchelemer...> Subject: [JERSEYBI] Summer Solstice Big Day - an Odyssey (785 words)
Jerseybirders,
Yesterday, I enjoyed a 15-1/2 hour birding day, from an hour before dawn to an hour after sunset, to celebrate the Summer Solstice. I reasoned, "it's the longest day of the year, why not take full advantage of it by birding the entire day?" Further, it was the 2001st day in a row that I have slung on my binoculars, so it seemed a good day for an "Odyssey" of sorts.
I started the day at Bevan Wildlife Management Area in Cumberland County, in the vain hope that the Saw-Whet Owl that my World Series team encountered on Ackley Road might still be around. No, but I did get a view of a Whip-poor-will to start the morning (and who knew that Towhees would be "che-winking" at 4:35 AM?). I headed next to the area south of Downe, where the loud call of a Chuck-will's-widow just off the road in the woods prompted a quiet creeping into that area. With my high-powered flashlight, I was able to first see it by eyeshine, and then by indirect illumination, the whole bird, perched on a long, singing so vigorously its whole body shook - how thrilling!
Next up was a stunning Yellow-breasted Chat, which improvised away in a close treetop. Soon after, a beautiful male Blue Grosbeak vaulted to the top of a different tree, and offered an early-morning sun-illuminated view as it announced itself. Shortly after, I paused along the main road as the sun rose and watched herons, egrets, swallows, and gulls begin their morning's foraging; the light was so perfect and the temperature...63 degrees...was equally marvelous. On, eventually, to Belleplain State Forest, where my targets were good views...not just hearing...of Prothonotary Warbler and Summer Tanager. Eventually, over a pleasureable 90 minutes of relaxed birding, I enjoyed excellent views of those species, plus two chatty Louisiana Waterthrushes, a quiet but curious Worm-eating Warbler, a VERY confiding Hooded Warbler, two Acadian Flycatchers, and more. Every bird seemed to find the perfectly illuminated spot from which to peer at me. A Broad-winged Hawk soared overhead during my sojourn, providing a much-improved observation over any I've had so far this year.
After a quick stop at the Woodbine Airport to "check off" Horned Larks (the World Series is in my blood, what can I say?), I went on to the Ocean City Welcome Center where, again, I enjoyed a relaxing hour, mostly waiting out a Tri-colored Heron which eventually obliged by flying right by me and into a nest, with its head feathers fully displayed like a crest?! I have had worries that the White Ibis will drive every other species away from the rookery eventually, but I now think that's a longer way off, if at all, than I had originally thought; there seem to be plenty of trees available for all the other species of long-legged gangly birds.
Forsythe was next, as I simply had to find "Avery Cunningham's" American Avocet, my favorite shorebird. Forsythe looks awful: there is effectively NO WATER in the southwest pool at all; Goose Markers 4 and 5 might as well be the desert. And even around in the northwest pool, it's not looking good; the water level is very low. But, the Avocet was there, far far off, as was a lingering Black-necked Stilt, plus dozens of Knot, Dowitcher, Black-bellied Plover, and more. In the upland, another Blue Grosbeak obliged by sitting in perfect light, and a Chat rose into the air doing its wacky display flight and song. Despite the wind, greenheads, and low water levels, Forsythe yielded 67 species.
Last stop was Barneget Light State Park to look for the continuing Roseate Tern, and to enjoy birds in the golden western light. Both the tern and probably 10 Piping Plovers obliged; they were all wonderful to watch as evening came on. One Herring Gull strolled up to a family of fishermen and parked itself next to a young lady, no more than three feet away from her. A picture on my checklist shows the improbable scene.
I hadn't encountered any owls in the morning, so my last stop was Manahawkin WMA, where I've heard or seen Great Horned Owls in the past; 'twas not to be yesterday, but in a fitting full-circle ending to the day, the last bird I observed was a Whip-poor-will on the road, jumping up occasionally to snatch an insect before returning to its "pile-of-leaves" look on the warm asphalt.
In the end, I tallied 120 species for the day, with exceptional views of nightjars, grosbeaks, tanagers, and warblers, and far-off, but satisfying views of Avocet, Stilt, and Roseate Tern. What a glorious day indeed. My trip report is on E-Bird for anyone interested.
