Winter Watching

Since it kicked off a year ago, this weekly nature column has featured more than a few writeups on sea ducks. And with good reason: Here in New Jersey, we're in a prime spot for otherwise hard-to-spot ocean-going birds to overwinter, and several spots along our shores are internationally known in the birdwatching world as some of the best sites to see certain species.

After finishing last week's writeup of the lovely long-tailed duck, I realized we've covered quite a few of these birds that are united by their winter habits and habitat, and I thought a recap was in order. 

The is a large, long, heavy-billed bird in a different family altogether from the ducks. When seen on our shores in the winter, it's a drab gray-brown having given up its striking black-and-white summer plumage. But while it may not be the most attractive bird, it's still remarkable to watch. Loons make very deep dives and can swim some distances before popping back up with a snack – often a crab or other shellfish.

have similar habits, but unlike loons, which tend to be solitary, these stately looking birds often form small groups of three to five individuals in winter. They're easily recognizable, even from a distance, by their "mohawks" of spiky feathers. Mergansers' powerful wingbeats, especially evident on takeoff, make them one of the bird world's fastest straight fliers. 

The , which we touched on last week, can often be seen nearby loons and mergansers in small flocks. The males are unmistakeable – mostly white, with a characteristic long, graceful tail feather. 

True beauties of the bird world, are one of the Shore's most sought-after avian visitors. A reclusive nester that spends its summers in remote tundras, the small diving duck is rarely seen outside of a few coastal sites in winter. We're fortunate to have a population that consistently returns to LBI's Barnegat Light. Harlequins have distinctive blue, chestnut and white markings, and nearly always stay in rough, churning waters close to rocks. 

Scoters haven't seen a lot of attention from us, though we've mentioned them in a . These hardy birds can often be seen in crashing surf, riding and diving through waves as they search for mussels and other shellfish. Three species are often spotted here: the black scoter, which is all black with a yellow protrusion on its beak; the surf scoter, black with white head markings and an longer orange beak; and, more rarely, the whitewing scoter, black with a white wing mark and a white "check mark" under its eye.

Eiders are the largest of the local sea ducks. The stately measures up to 28 inches long, and its white and black coloration and long bill are unmistakable. Eiders nest on rocky arctic outcrops and escape the frigid northern winters by migrating south to slightly warmer waters. Here in New Jersey, we're sometimes treated to a glimpse of a king eider, a much less commonly seen species.

To see these birds, head to ocean inlets from Sandy Hook to Cape May. Your best bet for spotting a bunch at once is Barnegat Light on LBI's north end. The long-tailed ducks, loons and mergansers gather in the sometimes swift-moving inlet waters, while a trek out to the end of the jetty will usually offer glimpses of harlequin ducks, scoters and, if you're lucky, a few eiders.