Although the weather report was not promising, I lead a small group trip down to Brigantine today and except for the strong southerly winds, it turned out to be a nearly perfect birding day. The rains held off and is seemed to me like these birds really wanted to be seen today. I knew it was going to be a good day, when at our first stop, a Song and Savannah Sparrow sat up next to each other for a few minutes, providing my group with great looks at both species for comparison. Our luck then continued to improve at our next stop, with decent looks at a Bald Eagle, Peregrine Falcon and a pair of Common Moorhens. And the day just kept getting better!
A scan of a large flock of shore birds quickly produced Pectoral, Stilt and White-rumped Sandpipers all working the flats close to the Wildlife Drive, Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs standing next to each other, and then Peregrines and a Bald Eagle started harassing the flocks of shore birds and ducks further out. Then when you didn't think the day could get much better, there was the Roseate Spoonbill sitting quietly with a small group of Snowy Egrets just across the channel. Our day finally ended with a flock of 23 Wood Ducks. Trip total: 57 species.

Roseate Spoonbill

Pectoral Sandpiper

White-rumped Sandpiper

Stilt Sandpiper