The Glaucous and Iceland Gulls did not reappear in Hillsborough today (See yesterday’s post). A Lesser Black-backed was with Ring-billed, Herring and Great Black-backed in the morning as a wicked rain and wind storm pummeled the area. All of the gulls were gone by late afternoon.

Here are photos taken yesterday of the adult Glaucous Gull and 2nd cycle Iceland Gull.

Glaucous Gull, Hillsborough Twp., NJ, Jan. 5, 2014 (photo by Jeff Ellerbusch).

Iceland Gull, Hillsborough Twp., NJ, Jan. 5, 2014 (photo by Jeff Ellerbusch).

On the Raritan River today, viewed from the D&R Towpath in Franklin Township (Jeff Ellerbusch):
74 Ring-necked Ducks
52 Bufflehead
48 Common Goldeneye
2 Lesser Scaup
17 Common Mergansers
Canada Geese, Mallards, Am. Black Ducks

175 Snow Geese were seen flying north over I-287 this afternoon in the Pluckemin area of Somerset County (J. Klizas).

From Chuck Smith (Jan. 5):
A single female Common Goldeneye was mixed in with good numbers of Hooded Mergansers, Ringed-necked Ducks, Buffleheads and a few Common Mergansers on the Passaic River at Two Bridges, Lincoln Park.