Harlequin Duck in Northampton County ~ December 29, 2010

I made another trek up to see the male Harlequin Duck this afternoon. I met Billy Weber at the parking lot, who told me that the bird was much farther up the river, closer to Belvidere. So I, along with a few other birders, drove up to the Lower Mount Bethel Recreation Fields, parked there, and walked over to the river. This puts you at the head of the rapids that are found between there and the point where the Blue Trail meets the river. The bird was there with several Buffleheads, spending almost all of its time on the New Jersey side of the river although it did eventually cross the imaginary border into PA. Later, the group lifted off and flew down the middle of the river past the rapids, which most likely put them back at the area that the bird was seen yesterday.

I managed to get another fairly good photo of the bird given the distance. This bird represents the 1st documented record for Northampton County!

Harlequin Duck on the Delaware River near Riverton, Northampton County.

For those interested in visiting the area where the bird spent most of the day, continue past the Tekening parking lot and turn into the Lower Mount Bethel Township Recreation Fields parking lot, which is just before the Belvidere Bridge. Park at the far end of the parking lot and walk across the soccer fields towards the river. The bird was most often near a boat launch on the New Jersey side, which is downriver from a distinctive aqua-colored house with bright pink shutters.

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