mocosoco Birds

Birds at Black River WMA, Chester Township, May 28, 2012

Jonathan Klizas — Mon, 28 May 2012 20:32:33 +0000

Highlights include Acadian Flycatcher, Hooded Warbler and Chestnut-sided Warbler. The walk started at the railroad bed at Pleasant Hill Road and continued for approximately 1.25 miles – then, a right turn up the slope at the underground cable right-of-way and across the power-line cut on a white blazed trail. The Chestnut-sided Warbler was at the power-line cut. The Acadian Flycatcher and Hooded Warbler were beyond the power-line cut at the point where the cable path continues straight and the white blazed trail bears left 90 degrees. Here is a brief sound file of the Acadian Flycatcher.

Here is the species list:
8 Wood Duck
1 Mallard
5 Wild Turkey
1 Great Blue Heron
2 Mourning Dove
4 Red-bellied Woodpecker
1 Downy Woodpecker
7 Eastern Wood-Pewee
1 Acadian Flycatcher
2 Willow Flycatcher
2 Great Crested Flycatcher
1 Eastern Kingbird
2 Yellow-throated Vireo
2 Warbling Vireo
15 Red-eyed Vireo
4 Blue Jay
6 American Crow
2 Tree Swallow
20 Barn Swallow
5 Tufted Titmouse
1 White-breasted Nuthatch
4 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
15 Veery
8 Wood Thrush
6 American Robin
10 Gray Catbird
15 Ovenbird
1 Black-and-white Warbler
4 Common Yellowthroat
1 Hooded Warbler
7 Yellow Warbler
1 Chestnut-sided Warbler
2 Eastern Towhee
3 Song Sparrow
5 Swamp Sparrow
1 Scarlet Tanager
1 Northern Cardinal
30 Red-winged Blackbird
6 Brown-headed Cowbird
2 Baltimore Oriole

Submitted by Jonathan Klizas

Common Loons on Morris lakes, May 24, 2012

Jonathan Klizas — Fri, 25 May 2012 00:31:13 +0000

After yesterday’s Black Skimmer report from Spruce Run in Hunterdon County, there was hope that the southeasterly component to the weather of recent days might drop a tern species or something else of interest into a Morris County lake. No terns today, but Lake Parsippany had a basic plumaged Common Loon. Lake Musconetcong had two Common Loons: one in basic, the other in alternate plumage. Also present were Bank, Barn, Tree and N. Rough-winged Swallows along with Purple Martins.

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Yesterday from Ken Hart:
This morning (May 23) between 8-9 AM the following birds were present at Chimney Rock, surrounding the parking lot at the end of Miller Road:
Blue Grosbeak
American Redstart (quite a few– 8 or 9?– all females)
Worm-Eating Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Rose-Breasted Grosbeak (female, building a nest)
Red-Eyed Vireo
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Wood Thrush

This evening, there was a Swainson’s Thrush in my yard on Black River Road, Long Valley.

Mourning Warbler in Somerset County, May 23, 2012

Jonathan Klizas — Wed, 23 May 2012 13:56:12 +0000

The first Mourning Warbler (MOWA) of 2012 in either Morris or Somerset County was at Sourland Mountain Preserve this morning accessed from East Mountain Road in Hillsborough Township. The male was heard and seen amongst the Multiflora Rose along the wood’s edge in the field west of, or up the slope from, the pond. After singing repeatedly, the MOWA popped up on a tree branch posed for a few seconds and was quickly chased to another corner of the field by a male Common Yellowthroat. Other than that, a quick trip around the parking area produced the typical species of the area.

As the comment below states:
Correction! This is not the 1st Mourning Warbler for Somerset County in 2012. Mike Hiotis had one at Chimney Rock on May 11 as reported on…mocosocobirds.com on May 12.

Submitted by Jonathan Klizas.

White-rumped and Semipalmated Sandpipers in Bernardsville, May 22, 2012

Jonathan Klizas — Wed, 23 May 2012 01:07:50 +0000

Bernardsville will never be confused as being a shorebird hotspot, nor will any location in Morris or Somerset Counties. There are marshes, flooded fields, and an occasional mudflat that may hold a few shorebird gems but the Bernardsville Quarry on Old Quarry Road may be the least likely spot one could think of to find shorebirds. Yet, this afternoon, Joe Pescatore texted me that he had flushed 3 White-rumped Sandpipers in the rocky confines of the Quarry. We were unable to relocate them finding only 2 Spotted Sandpipers. In the early evening, Simon Lane visited the Quarry. Not only did he find the 3 White-rumped Sandpipers but 17 Semipalmated Sandpipers to boot! Who needs mudflats? Earlier, Joe also saw a Cliff Swallow amongst the Northern Rough-winged, Tree and Barn Swallows. Later, Simon added Common Nighhawk to the Quarry’s day list.

Images of the Red-necked Phalaropes at Negri-Nepote on May 21, 2012

Jonathan Klizas — Tue, 22 May 2012 15:10:29 +0000

Tom Ostrand generously sent mocosocoBirds the pictures at the bottom of this web page of the 5 Red-necked Phalaropes at Negri-Nepote Grasslands in Franklin Township on May 21, 2012.

Here is Tom’s account:
“I got there about 6:05pm. There were two birds present; a few minutes later another 3 flew in. Arlene (Oley) arrived at 6:20, and we both watched all 5 until 7:00.”

Here is a link to Tom’s video of the Phalaropes feeding. Also in his gallery are photos of one of the Red-necked Phalaropes encounter with an alleged Snapping Turtle.

Andrew Lucas and this writer were at the Negri-Nepote pond at 6:30 this morning, Tuesday, May 22. Only a Greater Yellowlegs and Spotted Sandpiper were present. As expected, the Phalaropes have moved on.

Photos by Tom Ostrand – Click on the photo for a larger image.

Red-necked Phalaropes at Negri-Nepote, Franklin Township (again!), May 21, 2012

Jonathan Klizas — Tue, 22 May 2012 02:25:06 +0000

This news did not reach a wide audience. Today, Jim Hayes eBirded 3 Red-necked Phalaropes seen at approximately 4 p.m. on May 21 at the pond at Negri-Nepote Grasslands in Franklin Township. Arlene Oley heard the news while observing the continuing Scissor-tailed Flycatcher at Schoolhouse Road in Franklin Township. She visited Negri-Nepote and found 5 Red-necked Phalaropes: 3 females and 2 males. Arlene announced these via text to KEEKEEKERR at 6:45. Here is Arlene’s description as she posted it on the New Jersey Birders page on Facebook: “Five Red-necked Phalropes seen this afternoon at Negri-Nepote, 3 females, 2 males. One got pulled down by a snapper but was able to escape as the snapper started swimming across the water, seemingly unharmed as it joined the four who had flown during the episode – it was a WOW observation.” Upon reading the KEEKEEKERR announcement, Simon Lane raced down to Negri-Nepote at dusk, but alas, the Phalaropes were gone.

On May 1 of this year, Jimmy Lee found and Jeff Ellerbusch witnessed a Red-necked Phalarope in the same pond at Negri-Nepote. Here is the post. Unfortunately, that individual flew before others could see it (this writer was screaming down I-287 when the text came that the Phalarope was seen flying south, non-stop).

And so it goes; and so they went. Again.

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher and Cattle Egret Updates; Red-headed Woodpeckers and other notes, May 21, 2012

Jonathan Klizas — Mon, 21 May 2012 23:02:44 +0000

As of this afternoon, the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher was working the field along Schoolhouse Road in Franklin Township. Scott Barnes texted on NORTHNJBIRDS that it was: “in the northwest corner of the field near some construction equipment.”
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The Cattle Egret (CAEG) of Melanie Lane in Hanover Township was seen as late as 4:50 p.m. Jamie Glydon, who found the CAEG earlier in the day, and this observer could not relocate it at 3:30 p.m. After inspecting possible locations in the nearby area, I decided to go back to Melanie Lane. Lo and behold, the Cattle Egret was standing in the parking area birders use for Melanie Lane Pond and from which we had departed a few minutes earlier! It then flew to the GE Aviation end of the grass field it seems to favor. Apparently the CAEG can be missed if it is in the taller grasses. In addition, the GE parking lot is private and you WILL be asked to leave during working hours. No matter, the CAEG is visible from the Melanie Lane Pond side of the field or from the road.
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Reports from yesterday, May 20, 2012:

From Harvey Tomlinson:

Hi Jonathan,
Sunday morning went to Lord Stirling in hopes of finding the Red-headed Woodpecker pair, but after 1 1/2 hrs of up and down the river from the beaver dam to the east tower – nothing. I did find the Male Prothonotary Warbler, and 3 Northern Waterthrushes who appeared to be on territory. The Barred Owls have a new location. Saw 1 youngster and heard 2 more. – Harvey
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From Tim Vogel:

Tourne Beaver Swamp – May 20, 2012
Hooded Merganser (3 females) no male in two weeks.
Also, they were quite a distance from the tree that they were hanging around the past few weeks.
Red-headed Woodpecker – 1 adult – one may be on the nest.
Black-billed Cuckoo – 1 calling on ridge.
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Submitted by Jonathan Klizas

Cattle Egret in Hanover Township, May 21, 2012

Jonathan Klizas — Mon, 21 May 2012 16:31:52 +0000

Today, Jamie Glydon found a Cattle Egret on the mowed rectangular grass field at Melanie Lane Pond in Hanover Township. The latest report had the Egret close to the GE Aviation building side of the field. This is the fifth known record for Morris County, the others being from 1974, 1992, 1998, and 2006.

Photos by Jamie Glydon.

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher continues in Franklin Township, May 21, 2012

Jonathan Klizas — Mon, 21 May 2012 11:50:50 +0000

John J. Collins reports on JerseyBirds that the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (STFL) is hunting low over the field along Schoolhouse Road at 7:00 a.m. Apparently the STFL is a late riser because it wasn’t seen between 6:15 and 6:40.

Birds of Wildcat Ridge WMA, Rockaway Township, May 20, 2012

Jonathan Klizas — Sun, 20 May 2012 22:04:26 +0000

Wildcat Ridge WMA in Rockaway Township may be the Worm-eating Warbler (WEWA) capital of Morris County. In a relatively small sample area, a trip around the top of the ridge and surrounding area produced at least 6 singing WEWAs. A hope for certain migrant Catharus thrush species was dashed but one Swainson’s Thrush was found singing near the top of the ridge. Click here to listen to the Wildcat Ridge Quartet, Live!, featuring Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Worm-eating Warbler, Wood Thush and Ovenbird. For all the available habitat it seems that there should be more birds singing than what was found.

Here is a partial list:
2 Eastern Wood-Pewee (only 2)
5 Great Crested Flycatcher
4 Yellow-throated Vireo
1 Warbling Vireo
23 Red-eyed Vireo
2 Veery
1 Swainson’s Thrush
7 Wood Thrush
18 Ovenbird
6 Worm-eating Warbler
1 Louisiana Waterthrush
1 Blue-winged Warbler
1 Black-and-white Warbler
2 Common Yellowthroat
7 American Redstart
1 Blackburnian Warbler
1 Prairie Warbler
3 Scarlet Tanager (there should be more)
2 Rose-breasted Grosbeak
7 Indigo Bunting