Avalon Seawatch, 25 November 2016

The Avalon Seawatch was much slower today than our busy Thanksgiving day yesterday!  The skies were cloudy and foggy, and the air was very still throughout the morning; maximum winds only reached 4 mph by the afternoon. There was a steady flight of red-throated loons throughout the day.  The primary species observed today were black scoter, red-throated loon, and double-crested cormorant.  Purple sandpipers and snow bunting also are still making a regular appearance along the jetties as well.

A notable moment from the day was observing a harbor seal!  Harbor seals are summer residents off the coast of Maine, but they are commonly spotted off the coast of New Jersey throughout the cooler months from December to March.  Did you know these pinnipeds can live up to 25 years?

The total number of birds observed today was 11,079.  Check out the table below to see the complete set of data collected today:

Avalon Seawatch count for 11/25/2016
Species	Count today	Season total	Season maximum
			Count	Date(s)
American Oystercatcher	2	273	49	10/24/2016
Black Duck	12	1180	246	10/24/2016
Black Scoter	4848	156400	15583	11/24/2016
Bonaparte's Gull	21	1757	795	11/14/2016
Brant	140	2218	305	11/23/2016
Bufflehead	7	3334	1803	11/21/2016
Common Loon	2	1343	376	10/24/2016
Double-crested Cormorant	809	140775	10151	10/11/2016
Great Black-backed Gull	3	696	48	10/21/2016
Greater Scaup	7	580	101	11/5/2016
Green-winged Teal (American)	28	7211	1758	10/27/2016
Laughing Gull	38	19107	1592	11/1/2016
Lesser Scaup	4	452	89	11/5/2016
Northern Gannet	409	46810	6143	11/24/2016
Red-throated Loon	3519	45498	7293	11/24/2016
Ring-billed Gull	73	5649	1515	11/22/2016
Royal Tern	3	1430	240	11/1/2016
scoter sp.	29	34185	6858	11/7/2016
Surf Scoter	1020	83317	10310	11/1/2016
Surf/Black Scoter	105	28497	4115	11/1/2016

Visit us at the Seawatch everyday, sunrise to sunset, between 8th and 9th street in Avalon.
*Information derived from http://mmsc.org/education/marine-species