Harbor Seals and Harlequins

For several years in the middle of the last decade* the NJ State Parks Department held an event in late winter celebrating the overwintering wildlife at Barnegat Inlet: Harbor Seals and Harlequins it was called. As far as I can tell, this event was last held in 2007, discontinued, no doubt, due to a lack of funds. I went a couple of times and while I saw plenty of harlequin ducks, I never saw a harbor seal. In fact, I'd never seen a seal in New Jersey.

*The "oughts", the "oohs", what do do you call those years?

Until last Saturday that is. When I saw not one but two harbor seals. My birding buddy Laura invited me on a Monmouth County Audubon Society trip to Barnegat (she's a big wig in the society).*

*Then she promptly bailed on me, something about a dentist appointment. Yet it's somehow my fault that she couldn't join me to see the tundra swans! (Thankfully, she did catch up with us later in the day.)

My first look at a harbor seal was early in the trip. It was a brief distant glimpse, just a head above the water. It wasn't until we were leaving that we came upon the one pictured here. Nicely posing in the golden light of the setting sun. Aware but unconcerned with all the photographers and other gawkers.

Conversely, the harlequins were scarce this trip. This is one of only two drake photos. Usually they are right up on the rocks of the jetty, well lit from the low southern winter sun.

And this one of only a half dozen or so shots of the hen. The surf was a bit rough along the jetty, so bad we couldn't walk out to the end. And the ducks were somewhere else, I know not where.

But I was at Barnegat Light State Park, on my annual winter pilgrimage. With friends old and new. As well as my life harbor seal. Pretty cool.