I started off with a drive over to Longport, down to the the S. 11th Ave. Jetty & the Atlantic Ave. jetty. Ocean high tide was 10:47am & low tide 4:53pm. No mussels on their jetties & fairly high waters so no birds around the jetties. The S. end of Longport beach was absent of birds as well. The only birds to be seen were out in the Great Egg Habor inlet looking across to Malibu Beach WMA. There I saw a group of ~ 115 Greater Scaup & ~ 30 LTD's. I then headed over to Malibu Beach WMA & scoped the ducks from there, closer in distance but now stuck looking into the sun. From MB-WMA I headed over to the OC-Longport Fishing Pier. From the pier I got some good looks @ 1 Common Loon & 1 Red-throated Loon that must have come from under the pier as all the sudden there they were. I had just finished shooting some photos of the Common when the Red-throated appeared. Even though they aren't in breeding plumage (although you could see some "spots" on their backs) they are amazing beautiful birds when you see them up close!

I also walked along the marshes along Broad Thorofare (going towards Longport-Somers Pt bridge) & saw some YT warb's (5), C. Grackles (3), RW Blkbirds (4), Bufflehead (5) & Brants (100's). In the marsh pond @ MB-WMA there was 1 pair of mallards & a good size group of Brant.

Click the photo's for a slide show of the Loons.