January 2008

Barnegat lighthouse, New Jersey, USA can hardly be described as a hotspot for wildlife photography, yet on one day of my visit there were 9 photographers all armed with 500-600mm lenses. A reflection of the growing popularity of wildlife photography rather than the draw of the subjects on offer. If this is so popular what must Fort Myres Beach in Florida be like these days. Presumably the police need to attend on crowd control duties with flow controls to avoid lens hoods clashing. 

For me Barnegats main attraction was harlequin ducks. This has got to be one of the best places in the world to photograph them. Situated at the southern end of Long Beach Island the lighthouse is easy to find. Parking is freely available (at least in winter), but best done outside of the main car park as they lock the gates at 1600 hours empty or not. Beware!

From the lighthouse walk along the seafront following the concrete path. There is a safety fence on both sides. Where the walkway ends, climb over the fence and continue along the man made rock barrier. The harlequins can be anywhere around the lighthouse and along the barrier. They are tame enough to approach with 300mm lenses when on the rocks, but out on the water longer lenses will be needed.

The bay was full of common loons, which also approach close enough for photography, as did the occasional black scoter. The barrier was also a roost for sanderlings and dunlin, which were ridiculously tame. Purple sandpiper and turnstone also make great pictures as the waves break over the rocks. Grey plover roost on the barrier, but make better pictures in the small pools on the sandy beach behind the rocks. As usual in the USA they are a tame species here.

Accommodation was easy to find in several motels open all year on the island.

While in the area I visited Jamaica Bay behind J.F.K Airport, New York, which is where I flew to. A great place in August for wader photography, it proved good in January for pale-bellied brent geese, a race I had not photographed before. I also got good images of long-tailed duck here.

Harlequin duck female

Long-tailed  duck

Purple sandpiper

Turnstone

Pale-bellied brent goose