Spotted Towhee, Palmyra, Dec 12th

I decided to do a little morning birding at Palmyra Cove, where the shortest route for me was actually through PA (Cottman Ave exit off I-95). From the parking lot a flock of Snow Geese were overhead - probably migrating south on the north wind. Sparrows were the target of this trip, and there were quite a few Fox Sparrows present, including at least one singing. At the junction of Saw Whet and Red-winged Blackbird trails - the anointed location for the towhee - there were more Fox, White-throated Sparrows plus Junco, but the towees were elusive, calling every so often from deep in the phragmites. Moving into a better light angle, I found a female Eastern Towhee after about an hour at this place, and then another birder found the Spotted and I re-found it about 15 minutes afterward. Not, as it turned out, the most spectacular experience [I may be a little jaded, currently] and not even a year bird but at least moderately exotic for NJ.