We've missed many others, but time is of the essence now. Cloud cover is reducing the amount of available light, making every moment count. Many of the birds we expect to find here are not cooperating, but we manage to get a good look at several ducks. Our last bird of the day by sight is a Northern Shoveler. Lucky for us, this duck is easy to identify by silhouette, because there isn't enough light to see anything more.
Darkness comes quickly, and gnats and mosquitoes invade.
Head nets help make things bearable - with both side doors wide open, the van is crawling with insects. This will be our last bird of the day. We detour to a secluded spot along the Delaware Bayshore. The birds are silent. I just fell asleep standing up.