mocosoco Birds

Andrew Lucas found 2 Snowy Egrets at Finderne Wetlands this morning. His comments from his eBird report: “Watched them circle in for landing at the main pond. Good views of their black legs with yellow feet and smaller size next to the Great Egrets. Stayed for about 5-10 minutes and then they flew of to the West.”

8 Great Egrets and a Yellow-billed Cuckoo were also in the area (Jeff Ellerbusch).
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From Mike Newlon:
Glenhurst Meadows (Warren Township) this morning – song but little activity. Heard both cuckoos, Scarlet Tanager, both orioles (along the brook close to the parking lot), Blue-winged Warbler (NE corner), Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Veery and Wood Thrush (woods on E side). One flyby Rough-winged Swallow. Two singing male indigo buntings. An empid sang, once, near the gazebo, song not typical Willow. Waited half a hour but it did not sing again, never saw the bird. Nothing on the ponds.

Also Pearl Crescent, Little Wood Satyr, Zabulon Skipper, Tiger and Spicebush Swallowtail.
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From Robert Gallucci:
In researching the 17 year cicadas I came across this interesting article by Laura Erickson which may explain the increase in Cuckoos.
“Of the 24 species they investigated, they found that only two species, Yellow-billed and Black-billed cuckoos, increased during cicada emergences, while 16 decreased”

Here is a link to the article: www.allaboutbirds.org/Page.aspx?pid=2212
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From Margo D. Beller, Morris Plains:
Jonathan, I don’t have your driveway but as I was taking advantage of the damp cool early this morning to weed the garden a flock of cedar waxwings made their way in the tree tops and a couple of Carolina Wrens were dueling in song. Every day this week I’ve had at least one Blackpoll Warbler singing in one of my trees, and today was no exception. But the best thing heard this morning was around 8:20 am as I was walking home from getting the newspaper. I was listening to another Carolina Wren when I realized that also calling was a Yellow-billed Cuckoo. As you’ve noted, they have been widespread in the region but this is the first time I’ve ever heard one in town (I usually hear them on Watnong Ridge, near the Mountain Way recreation area in Parsippany). Specifically, it was in a tree either in Roberts Garden or a backyard near the park. Watnong Brook flows through this area, and the cuckoo might’ve been grounded by the foggy conditions. Unfortunately, I couldn’t take the time to find it.
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From Susan Treesh in Somerset:
Alder Flycatcher calling – re-VEAL – very clearly behind house since early this AM.

A Yellow-bellied Flycatcher was found this morning in the Great Swamp NWR. It was north of the parking area (end of White Bridge Rd.) at the south end of the Old Meyersville Road Wilderness Access Area.

From Robert Skrabal:
Saw a pair of Yellow-bellied Flycatchers at Glenhurst Meadows (Warren Township). One was perched on a tree and the other was on a wire on the path right passed the power line clearing. Got a great look at them and heard them calling for about five minutes. To get to the spot I saw them, take the first bridge on the left and cross under the power lines. They were right at the edge of the woods before the path curves right. (eBird checklist)

Loons and Cormorants at Boonton Reservoir

3 Common Loons in alternate plumage continue at the north end of Boonton Reservoir. What amazed this observer was the number of Double-crested Cormorants (DCCO) streaming from the hidden north corner of the reservoir. Groups of 10, 20, 50, etc. flew south from that section to other parts of the reservoir. The 225 that were counted does not include the 50-100+ DCCOs residing on the island. In the summer of 2012, 300 DCCOs were counted at Boonton Reservoir, representing the highest known number recorded in Morris County. That number will soon be history.

Cliff Swallows are nesting again on the new Rt. 202 bridge.

Field Notes

In general, Yellow-billed Cuckoos are currently widespread throughout the mocosocoBirds region.

• 1 Grasshopper Sparrow and 11 Bobolinks at Duke Farms (Jeff Ellerbusch).
• 3 Prothonotary Warblers, Blackpoll Warblers, Yellow-billed Cuckoos at Lord Stirling Park (Chris Takacs).
• Yellow-billed and Black-billed Cuckoos, Blue Grosbeak, White-eyed Vireos at Six Mile Run, Franklin Township (Marc Chelemer). Also, Grasshopper Sparrow (Andrew Lucas).

From Ivan Kossack: Mystery and Comedy at Bee Meadow
The mystery: A Bobolink was calling from the treetops. I managed to get a couple of quick glimpses as the bird worked closer to the power line cut. He then flew along the cut but did not much care for the apparently more suitable habitat. A tree loving Bobolink?

The comedy: an immature male Orchard Oriole’s clumsy attempts at copulation with a willing but ultimately frustrated (cougar) female.
I also heard but did not see a Yellow-Billed Cuckoo.
Other than these birds, just the usual seasonal residents. – Ivan Kossack

Migratory restlessness, or Zugunruhe, is in full swing. Even with westerly to northwesterly winds, birds were on the move throughout the mocosocoBirds region today.

Chimney Rock: Olive-sided Flycatcher, 100+ Cedar Waxwings, 14 warbler species including Tennessee and Bay-breasted Warblers, and this was in the late afternoon (Jeff Elllerbusch).
A Mourning Warbler appeared for the second consecutive day this morning (John J. Collins).

From Andy Lucas:
Jonathan – The birds were a bit quiet at Griggstown Grassland Preserve this afternoon but there was a singing Eastern Meadowlark near the beginning of the blue trail and a Canada Warbler poking around in the understory where the blue trail follows the wooded area. The Willow Flycatchers are also back.

I also had two very close countersinging Swainson’s Thrushes in my backyard in Griggstown this evening.

Chimney Rock had Cedar Waxwings, several American Redstarts and Magnolia Warblers, one each Black-throated green Warbler, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Scarlet Tanager, Pewee, Blue-headed Vireo, Red-eyed Vireo.

The Fisherman’s trail at Lord Stirling Park had heard-only Black-billed Cuckoo and Prothonotary Warbler. Also, Red-shouldered and Cooper’s Hawks and a female Wood Duck escorting 15 ducklings.

From Mike Newlon:
The north end of Old Meyersville Road, Great Swamp NWR had a heard-only Yellow-billed Cuckoo and an Alder Flycatcher, about 120 yards in from the parking area, immediately past the first small clearing on the left, where there is a downed tree on the right side. The bird was not carrying food or nesting material but seemed unwilling to leave a small area by the trail. Sang four times in the hour I spent there, a rough “feebeeooo”. Called more frequently, a mellow “wheat”.

From Simon Lane:
Mourning Warbler near the beginning of the wilderness trail at the end of White Bridge Rd., Great Swamp NWR in the early evening. Later: Virginia Rail, Sora, American Bittern and Common Nighthawks at the Wildlife Observation Center.

From Leslie Webster:
I was delighted to hear a White-crowned Sparrow singing near the Loantaka Way parking lot at Loantaka Brook Reservation. I only had a short time for my warbler hot spot this morning and observed/heard Ovenbird, Common Yellowthroat, Cape May, Northern Parula, Magnolia, Blackburnian, Chestnut-sided, Black-throated Blue, Yellow-rumped (at least on of which was Myrtle), and Black-throated Green. The Chestnut-sided popped up and sang a song that went way beyond the textbook version! There was also at least one lingering White-throated Sparrow.

From Randy Little:
Hi Jonathan – This week’s “Friday Morning Walk” at the Scherman-Hoffman Sanctuary (Behardsville) was highlighted by several Swainson’s Thrushes and a Canada Warbler. The former were quite lethargic, apparently resting after night migration and presumably an early morning breakfast. The Canada Warbler was singing sporadically as it foraged, but its song was IMHO far short of its characteristic breeding territorial song.

We also watched a pair of anxious Louisiana Waterthrushes flitting from rock to rock and bobbing nervously with food in their beaks, leading me to conclude that they probably had nestlings somewhere under the bank on “our” side of the Passaic, where the upstream portion of the River Trail closely approaches the river.

The Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, whose nest I had discovered 3 weeks ago during construction, were still incubating. I expect they will be feeding nestlings very soon.
Good birding, Randy

On the evening of May 16 there was a movement of Common Nighthawks as witnessed at Glenhurst Meadows with at least 29 (J. Ellerbusch) and 22 in Chatham Township (S. Lane).

Chimney Rock had 12 warbler species, Cedar Waxwings, Blue-headed Vireo and Yellow-billed and Black-billed Cuckoos. A Carolina Chickadee song was heard but the individual was never located visually. (Jeff Ellerbusch).

Chimney Rock and the Bridgewater area is Black-capped Chickadee territory. Hillsborough and the Raritan River are the northern edge of the Black-capped/Carolina intergrade zone.

From Grant Price:
New migrants seemed scarce in the places I checked. Instead, I watched some really interesting behaviors. Highlights were a pair of Yellow-billed Cuckoos mating at Chimney Rock. Visible for quite awhile. Also a large flock of courting Bobolinks at Finderne. They were very active and essentially ignored my close presence. At one point there were 12 females on one small bush with seven males in the same bush trying their best to seem manly.

From Margo D. Beller:
Morris Plains has never been so interesting. Yesterday my backyard had a singing Magnolia Warbler, Scarlet Tanager and Black-throated Blue, and just this morning an adult White-crowned Sparrow was feeding with the White-throated ones on the newly-mowed lawn. Also yesterday, near the borough’s Community Garden entrance, a Prothonotary Warbler was singing over Watnong Brook with an American Redstart and Common Yellowthroat. On or near the nearby pond were Phoebe, Wood Ducks, Mallard, Canada Geese (6 young) and a Spotted Sandpiper.

Negri-Nepote had 6 Semipalmated Plovers, 1 Spotted Sandpiper, 2 Solitary Sandpipers, 1 Lesser Yellowlegs and 23 Least Sandpipers (Zach Batren).

From Susan Treesh:
Had both Cuckoos at Negri-Nepote this morning, along with Blue Grosbeak and Indigo Bunting. Also, a Raven pursuing a Broad-winged Hawk!

From Terry Carruthers:
Hi Jonathan. An Osprey and a Broad-winged Hawk at Florham Park Fields today, but no Bobolinks. A pair of Solitary and a pair of Spotted Sandpipers, also.
[Editor's note: 12 Bobolinks were at Florham on Monday. Too bad they didn't stay but that is typical of this location.]