Ron Shields writes:

Here are some images of a very cooperative long-tailed duck found at the Kearny Marsh on Thursday.

It was a solitary bird found in the open water area of the marsh.  A very curious customer, it allowed an extremely close approach before it flew off toward the turnpike into the wind.

At times, it actually swam toward me.  I would think that it was just passing through the area.

According to Bill Boyle’s excellent “The Birds of New Jersey,” the Long-tail is a “common wintering duck along the outer coast” and “a few linger into May, and a summering bird is found on rare occasion.”

Doug Morel saw one at DeKorte in March this year. Link is here.  Jill Homcy and others saw one at Laurel Hill in January. Link is here.  Other sightings include at DeKorte and Laurel Hill in 2011.

More on Long-tailed Ducks here.  Please e-mail us if you see this guy!

(Thanks, Ron!)