ML646601476

Observation details

*Continuing as part of spectacular and perhaps unprecedented Raritan foray. Many present when I arrived - loafing, flying around the breakwalls, and commuting/fishing offshore. I decided I would count them after scanning for the sandwich tern, but of course they had mostly dispersed by the time I felt satisfied that the sandwich tern was not present. This represents a safe estimate of what birds were present when I first arrived - there was too much shuffling after that to get a good sense of how many may truly be in the area. A few loafing throughout the first 5-6 hours; scarce in the evening. A joy to watch all their antics, from spectacular plunge dives to white pelican-esque dunk feeding to trying to swallow each others’ heads. Somewhat less joyous watching them stick the bends of their ossified tracheae through their throats while at rest. Believe I even heard some vocalizations