Eurasian Marsh-Harrier, Melanie Lane Wetlands, Morris Co., NJ, Nov. 8, 2022, photo by Chuck Hantis
A sight record and description from Chincoteague NWR, Virginia, December 4, 1994.
Multiple observers and photographs from Maine, August 25-27, 2022
Six records since 2002 from the Caribbean and other islands in the Atlantic.
The above list is of the only known and accepted records of the Eurasian Marsh-Harrier (Circus aeruginosus) to occur on this side of the Atlantic Ocean…until November 8, 2022 when Chuck Hantis photographed one of the most amazing, if not the most amazing, bird species find ever in Morris County, New Jersey. This assumes the record is accepted by the New Jersey Bird Record Committee.
Here is the range map of the Eurasian Marsh-Harrier courtesy of Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology’s Birds of the World. Note that the Americas are not on this map at all. The Morris County Marsh-Harrier is w-w-w-a-a-a-y-y-y out of range:
Late in the afternoon of November 8 Chuck was photographing ducks at Melanie Lane Wetlands when a raptor flew within Chuck’s view that looked different than our Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius). Chuck fired off a series of photos.
By the next morning, November 9, the bird’s identity as a Eurasian Marsh-Harrier was established, the word spread rapidly through the birding hotlines, and people came from many locales to view this Mega-rarity sighting near the Powerhouse Gym on Route 10 West, just past the Ridgedale Avenue intersection.
A word of thanks to the managers of Powerhouse Gym for their gracious acceptance of a horde of people invading their property with binoculars, spotting scopes, and cameras. The business proprietors could have easily asked everyone to leave, but simply asked that birders move their cars so that their patrons could have spaces near the workout facility. Thank you, Powerhouse Gym!
Bear in mind, not everyone who came to the gym location saw the Marsh-Harrier (including this writer). It was last seen sometime in the early afternoon of November 9 and not since. People were at the gym site until after sunset but the raptor never reappeared. Birders looked this morning and afternoon, November 10, at various locations in the area but no sightings are reported as of this posting.
Cornell’s eBird contains the records of the sightings along with photographs within the individual checklists. For those not familiar with the eBird interface: from the home page, go to Explore and then Species Maps. Type in the species with New Jersey as the location and all of the submitted and confirmed checklists can be viewed from the pinpoint on the map.
Whether this individual is the same as the one that visited Maine in August is a matter of conjecture and better left for discussion at a later time.
What this episode teaches us is that not all that we see is obvious. Everything has a uniqueness worth observing. A Blue Jay is a Blue Jay but not the same one you saw a minute ago. And that Harrier that just flew by, it looked a little different? Nah, it’s just the sunlight. Or it could be a Eurasian Marsh-Harrier.
You can see more of Chuck Hantis’s extraordinary photographs at his Flickr site.
This is a request for volunteers from Emma Dougherty at Fairleigh Dickinson University. emmadough@student.fdu.edu
Purpose
Light pollution is an anthropogenic factor that is increasing more and more every day, posing serious threats to wildlife (Knop et al., 2017; May et al., 2019). Artificial light at night (hereafter, ALAN) has been shown to impact behaviors and population dynamics of wildlife, often with negative consequences
We predict the Chimney swift (Chaetura pelagica) population to be impacted by ALAN. This species is a small aerial insectivore distributed across the Americas which utilizes artificial structures such as chimneys for nesting, breeding, and roosting (Zammuto & Franks, 1981). Once abundant across its range, the Chimney swift population has been steadily declining and is currently listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN (BirdLife International, 2020). Based on the finding that coordinated entry of these swifts into their roosting sites is signaled by the time of sunset (Zammuto & Franks, 1981), we hypothesize that ALAN will affect the roosting behavior of Chimney swifts, specifically that higher levels of ALAN will cause delayed entry into roosting and breeding sites.
In order to test this hypothesis, we must quantify light intensity and compare this to the coordinated time of entry of the swifts to find possible correlations. Testing this hypothesis will allow us to shed light on the causes of Chimney swift population declines and how best to conserve them, as well as help in understanding the broader effects of ALAN on roosting behaviors in wildlife populations.
Guidelines
In order to gather these data, we are requesting the help of bird watchers and citizen scientists to record the chimney swift behavior when they see them enter a roosting site (a chimney). If you would be willing to help, please read the guidelines below, visit one of the specified sites, and fill out the form detailing your observations here: https://forms.gle/9ZVBNTq2ARaxNmVL7.
Locate one of the following roost sites listed in this google form https://forms.gle/9ZVBNTq2ARaxNmVL7, or a different site in your area if you know of one.
On the night of your roost watch, arrive to the site 45 minutes before sunset (find time of sunset at https://sunrise-sunset.org/).
Observe the chimney swifts entering!
As the first chimney swift enters…
record the time
record the weather conditions
count the number of birds entering
record the light measurement following the instructions below
For those who visit or are familiar with Boonton Reservoir, the Morristown Green newspaper published a history of the old town before the reservoir was built written by Jeffrey V. May of the North Jersey History and Genealogy Center located at the Morristown and Morris Township Library. Fascinating reading for those interested. Here is the link to the article:
The 86th annual Boonton Christmas Bird Count (hereafter, BCBC) took place on Sunday, December 26, 2021. Temperatures ranged from 41°F at 6 AM, falling a few degrees in the morning before rising up to 48°F in the afternoon. A gorgeous day with mostly blue skies, sunshine, and open water creating a pleasant atmosphere for the 42 participants.
Most importantly, a huge warm thank you to all of the participants for their enthusiasm and energy in making this endeavor possible.
96 species were tallied along with 1 count-week addition. Count-week is three days before and three days after the actual count date. Count-week species are not included in the CBC total species count.
The 86 year average species count is 82. The 21st-century average is…96.
22,525 individual birds were tallied. This is a boost from the previous four years (2017-2020) whose average is 13,200 and is approximately average for the previous ten years. The rise in numbers is partly due to an increase in Common Grackle, European Starling, and American Robin numbers this year. These species’ numbers vary greatly from year to year.
Species
Avg. 2017-20
Total in 2021
American Robin
114
1,086
European Starling
1,332
2,827
Common Grackle
663
4,042
Highlights for this year’s Boonton CBC are below along with new record high totals and ties:
Common Ravens first appeared on the BCBC in 2002. They were tallied sporadically until 2011 and recorded every year since then. The high count of 12 was reached in both 2019 and 2020. Well, throw that number out. 2021 has 45 (!) Common Ravens recorded.
Sora was recorded for the sixth time in the 86 year history of the BCBC and the first since 1977, forty-four years ago. Thank the intrepid marsh-man, Jeff Ellerbusch, for that outstanding record.
Virginia Rails were often recorded between 1946-87 but none since then. Five were tallied in Troy Meadows in 2021, the most since 5 were recorded in 1982.
Common Yellowthroats have appeared in 26% of the BCBC. One was recorded in 2019 but one must go back to 2004 for the previous one. In other words, they are rare on the BCBC this century. 4 Common Yellowthroats are tallied for 2021, the most since 7 were recorded in 1984 and the second most in the 86 year history of the BCBC.
Orange-crowned Warblers have appeared twelve times on the BCBC. The one found in 2021 is the first since 2008 and the fourth during the 21st century.
1 Cackling Goose is the third record for the BCBC.
1 Eastern Phoebe is the 12th record for the BCBC.
Bald Eagles had a record 21 tallied in 2021. Their previous high count was 14 in 2020.
Turkey Vultures are taken for granted. They always seem to be around although you may notice more of them in our area this winter. 2021 sets the all-time BCBC record with 118 Turkey Vultures breaking the previous record of 102 set in 1992.
3 Peregrine Falcons match the high count first tallied in 2011.
17 is a record number of Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers. The previous high was 11 in 2019. They are now a nester in Morris County.
17 Ruby-crowned Kinglets is a BCBC record. 15 in 1984 was the previous high count.
7 Gray Catbirds ties the BCBC record set in 1996.
136 Yellow-rumped Warblers is a new BCBC record. 124 in 2000 is the previous high.
Other News:
Black Vultures had their fourth highest total with 65. Keep in mind that Black Vultures only started getting recorded on the BCBC in 1989.
2 Red-breasted Mergansers are the first since 2017 and only the twelfth occurrence on the BCBC.
12 Pied-billed Grebes is the highest total since 22 were found in 1998.
8 Sharp-shinned Hawks is the highest total since 12 were counted in 2011. From 1991-2011, double-digit Sharp-shinned Hawks were tallied each year except for two years.
After a dip in numbers between 2009-2019 when the average total during that period was 53, Red-tailed Hawks are rebounding slightly in the past two years with totals of 80 and 71 respectively.
How times have changed for the American Kestrel. Two years in a row with 1 reported is something special these days. 3 is the highest total in the 21st century (2001) but eight years in this century have had zero. Am. Kestrel was annual on the BCBC from 1936 (the first year of the BCBC) through 1998. Am. Kestrels averaged a total of 22 between 1971-1982 with high counts of 32 in 1976 and 1978.
Merlins were first reported on the BCBC in 1991 with one individual. The next records are 1995 (1), 2001 (2), and every year except two since 2003.
6 Killdeer is the most since 8 in 2009.
1 Wilson’s Snipe marks the second year in a row for this once somewhat reliable species. None were reported from 2015-19.
24 Eastern Screech-Owls is the most since 29 in 2004.
Red-bellied Woodpeckers continue their wild swing in numbers:
2016 – 177
2017 – 51
2018 – 142
2019 – 243
2020 – 82
2021 – 176
Northern Flickers have similar swings: 24 in 2020; 81 in 2021.
1,086 American Robins in 2021; 53 in 2020. Typical numbers for this species.
11 Eastern Towhees in 2021; none in 2020.
59 Am. Tree Sparrows is the second lowest total in the entire history of the BCBC. This once abundant species has fallen precipitously and inexplicably. A total of 75 in 1936, the first year of the BCBC, was followed by consecutive years in the hundreds and 16 years with totals over 1,000 until 2017. Can anyone explain this serious drop?
In a year when both Virginia Rails and a Sora are tallied, how can there be zero Marsh Wrens on the BCBC date other than a count-week entry?
203 House Sparrows is the lowest total since 186 in 1971.
Another shocker: 102 Rock Pigeons is the lowest total ever.
Both Black-backed Chickadee and Tufted Titmouse have seen a steep drop in BCBC numbers during the recent part of the 21st century. See the average numbers in the following table.
Average counts
86 years of BCBC
21st Cent.
2000-2016
2017-2021
Black-capped Chickadee
301
199
231
93
Tufted Titmouse
238
294
340
140
47 species were above their 21st century average. Only 33 species were above average in 2020.
The following species were seen by one party only, an indicator of how fragile the total species count of a CBC can be. The species column is followed by the amount reported. The third column represents the percentage of occurrences in the 86-year history of the count.
Species
Total
% on BCBC
Comments
Cackling Goose
1
4.7%
First counted in 2008.
American Wigeon
1
81.4%
Common and fairly numerous most years of the count until 2015.
Redhead
4
48.8%
Usually found somewhere.
Lesser Scaup
17
52.3%
Highest total since 62 in 2012.
Common Goldeneye
1
74.4%
Less frequent since 2011.
American Kestrel
1
88.4%
See comments earlier in this summary.
Merlin
1
23.3%
Increasing in regularity.
Sora
1
7.0%
First since 1977.
Killdeer
6
64.0%
Another species becoming less frequent.
Wilson’s Snipe
1
62.8%
Note the similarity to Killdeer’s occurrences.
Great Black-backed Gull
1
65.1%
Peak numbers are in the 1980s.
Eastern Phoebe
1
15.1%
Mild temperature find.
Hermit Thrush
1
68.6%
Erratic on the BCBC.
Orange-crowned Warbler
1
14.0%
First since 2008.
Purple Finch
3
91.9%
2021-22 is not a productive winter finch season.
The following table shows notable species missed in 2021 that appear more than 50% in the history of the count.
Species
% on BCBC
Comments
Canvasback
59.3%
Missed five years in a row and seven out of the past nine.
Ruffed Grouse
59.3%
Last reported in 2006.
Rough-legged Hawk
54.7%
Not reported since 2010.
Long-eared Owl
60.5%
Irregular since 2008.
Savannah Sparrow
72.1%
First miss since 2008.
Pine Siskin
57.0%
Simply not a flight year.
Historical Items
Below is the list of species occurring in all 86 years of the Boonton CBC. This has not changed since 2018:
American Black Duck
Mallard
Red-tailed Hawk
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Blue Jay
American Crow
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
European Starling
American Tree Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Dark-eyed (Slate-colored) Junco
Northern Cardinal
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow
Here is the top ten of the number of individuals for all 86 years of the count. 1,436,511 individual birds were counted uninterrupted from 1936-2021. No change in the order from last year, or the year before that, or the year before that,…:
Species
Total Individuals (86 years)
1
European Starling
212,564
2
Canada Goose
175,089
3
Common Grackle
132,072
4
American Crow
126,354
5
Mallard
65,361
6
Dark-eyed (Slate-colored) Junco
57,408
7
American Tree Sparrow
53,589
8
Red-winged Blackbird
44,153
9
Ring-billed Gull
40,201
10
House Sparrow
39,063
White-throated Sparrow is catching up with 38,884 and will probably replace House Sparrow next year.
The Boonton CBC for 2022
The second Sunday of the CBC count period in 2022 falls on December 25. Apparently, that creates a scheduling conflict for some people. When this calendar event occurs, traditionally the Boonton CBC is held the day after on a Monday which will be December 26, 2022. We’ll go with that date. Hopefully, everyone can make it.
This report is also at the following location on the mocosocoBirds.com web site:
Tufted Duck, Loantaka Brook Reservation, Morris Co., NJ, Nov. 22, 2021 (photo by Jonathan Klizas)
Chris Neff found a Tufted Duck at Kitchell Pond at Loantaka Brook Reservation on November 22, 2021 and thinks the duck may have been there the day before. Many others have observed the duck since.
Eleven previous records of Tufted Duck are recorded in New Jersey (http://njbrc.com/documents/ARL.pdf). This is the first for Morris County and the first this far inland as far as is known. The other records are from coastal locations as well as Bergen and Salem counties. It will be up to the New Jersey Bird Records Committee to accept this as a valid New Jersey record.
This duck took a few hours to determine the identification. An adult male Tufted Duck is relatively easy to identify, but the one at Loantaka…not so. The Aythya genus can be problematic at times, especially with the possibility of a hybrid.
It is determined with the help of Tom Johnson and others that the Loantaka individual is a pure Tufted Duck (TUDU in abbreviated bird-banding-speak) showing no signs of hybridization.
The tuft is tough to see in certain conditions, especially when the duck’s head is wet. Note the wide nail of the bill. Interestingly there are a smattering of Tufted Duck reports currently from Vermont as well as New Brunswick, Labrador, and Newfoundland in Canada.
Tufted Duck, Loantaka Brook Reservation, Morris Co., NJ, Nov. 22, 2021 (photo by Jonathan Klizas)Tufted Duck, Loantaka Brook Reservation, Morris Co., NJ, Nov. 22, 2021 (photo by Jonathan Klizas)
View local eBird checklists in the mocosocoBirds region via eBird’s Region Explorer. Use the following links:
The eBird Hotspot Primer is here and can also be accessed via the Hotspot menu item on the mocosocoBirds.com website.
The mocosocoBirdsFacebook page is located here and also posts timely information not found on the mocosocoBirds web site. @mocosocoBirds at Twitter is another communications stream. Instant field reports and links of interest are tweeted as they occur. The latest tweets appear on the sidebar of this page. One can follow mocosocoBirds at Twitter or link to @mocosocoBirds.
The New Jersey Bird Records Committee web site is here and contains the list of accepted records, the list of review species, and annual reports.
Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology’s Birds of the World online encyclopedia is here.
Dickcissels, Central Park of Morris County, Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ, Oct. 6, 2021 (photo by Jonathan Klizas)
A pair of Dickcissels were found among the tubed saplings in the western area of Central Park of Morris County this afternoon, Oct. 6. One of these was seen by George Eschenbach on the afternoon of Oct. 3. George also recorded a Nelson’s Sparrow that day. This makes two years in a row that Nelson’s Sparrow has been found in Parsippany. Otherwise, it is a mega rarity in Morris County.
Central Park of Morris County is the old Greystone property that has been overrun with playing fields. A post from 2018 mentions the old Kirkbride Building and its famous resident, Woody Guthrie. The post is here. Incidentally, the white Red-tailed Hawk headlining that post has passed away.
The preserved area of the park has tallied 124 species as of today. The park is an eBird hotspot. The link for it is here. It is a local place worth visiting especially during the autumn sparrow season. Be aware that the park is extremely popular. There can be Soccer, Lacrosse, and Cross Country tournaments running concurrently during certain periods of the year.
View local eBird checklists in the mocosocoBirds region via eBird’s Region Explorer. Use the following links:
Emma Dougherty is an ecology researcher at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Madison, NJ. She is currently studying the effects of light pollution on the roosting behavior of Chimney Swifts.
Here is a description of the project:
Effects of artificial light on Chimney Swift roosting behavior
The effects of artificial light at night (ALAN) has been shown to have widespread effects on the phenology and behaviors of wildlife. In birds, this has led to extended periods of singing, calling, and active feeding. Chimney swifts [Chaetura pelagica] are a small insectivorous species of bird that is distributed across North and South America. They are an interesting example of commensalism with humans, utilizing artificial structures such as chimneys for nesting, breeding, and roosting, sometimes in groups comprised of thousands of individuals. Chimney swifts are declining and are listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN, for reasons that are unclear. For this project, we are examining the effects of ALAN on the roosting behavior in this threatened species.
If the reader has information on roost sites or possible roost sites of Chimney Swifts please contact Emma at this address: emmadough@student.fdu.edu
Great Blue Herons, Morris Co., NJ, May 16, 2021 (photo by Jonathan Klizas)
A heronry in Morris County is having a productive season. Incubation in April has led to Great Blue Heron sprouts in May.
Great Blue Herons, Morris Co., NJ, May 16, 2021 (photo by Jonathan Klizas)
In a recent year, a Great Horned Owl had a nest in one of the condominium trees. The Great Blue Herons seemed not to mind and had nests above and near the owl nest. Below is a typical image of the nest arrangements. The snags seem fragile but the Great Blue Herons return every year and rear young.
Great Blue Herons, Morris Co., NJ, May 16, 2021 (photo by Jonathan Klizas)
View local eBird checklists in the mocosocoBirds region via eBird’s Region Explorer. Use the following links:
The eBird Hotspot Primer is here and can also be accessed via the Hotspot menu item on the mocosocoBirds.com website.
The mocosocoBirdsFacebook page is located here and also posts timely information not found on the mocosocoBirds web site.
@mocosocoBirds at Twitter is another communications stream. Instant field reports and links of interest are tweeted as they occur. The latest tweets appear on the sidebar of this page. One can follow mocosocoBirds at Twitter or link to @mocosocoBirds.
The New Jersey Bird Records Committee web site is here and contains the list of accepted records, the list of review species, and annual reports.
Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology’s Birds of the World online encyclopedia is here.
Cattle Egret, near Boonton Reservoir, Morris Co., NJ, May 17, 2021 (photo by Jonathan Klizas)
We’ll never know if it is the same individual roaming parts of Morris County this month but it seems more than likely. After not having a Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) reported in Morris County since 2012, there are three records this month:
May 5 on Chapin Rd., Pine Brook.
May 6 in Troy Meadows.
May 17 near the water treatment plant on Greenbank Drive near Boonton Reservoir.
The distance between these locations is three to six miles.
Cattle Egret, near Boonton Reservoir, Morris Co., NJ, May 17, 2021 (photo by Jonathan Klizas)Cattle Egret, near Boonton Reservoir, Morris Co., NJ, May 17, 2021 (photo by Jonathan Klizas)
Cattle Egret, Pine Brook, Morris Co., NJ, May 5, 2021 Photo by Chuck Hantis
Chuck Hantis found a Cattle Egret today near the pond on Chapin Road in Pine Brook. This is the first Cattle Egret sighting in Morris County since 2012. The Cattle Egret moved from tree to tree eventually settling on a grassy area to feed. Thanks to Chuck for the beautiful photos. His Flickr site can be viewed here.
Cattle Egret, Pine Brook, Morris Co., NJ, May 5, 2021 Photo by Chuck Hantis
Kentucky Warbler at Troy Meadows
Elsewhere, a Kentucky Warbler was found by Roger Johnson at Troy Meadows earlier during a soggy and foggy morning. This species is being found annually in Morris County in recent years.
Evening Grosbeak at Lord Stirling
Later in the day a female Evening Grosbeak visited the Fisherman’s Lot at Lord Stirling Park.
View local eBird checklists in the mocosocoBirds region via eBird’s Region Explorer. Use the following links:
The eBird Hotspot Primer is here and can also be accessed via the Hotspot menu item on the mocosocoBirds.com website.
The mocosocoBirdsFacebook page is located here and also posts timely information not found on the mocosocoBirds web site.
@mocosocoBirds at Twitter is another communications stream. Instant field reports and links of interest are tweeted as they occur. The latest tweets appear on the sidebar of this page. One can follow mocosocoBirds at Twitter or link to @mocosocoBirds.
The New Jersey Bird Records Committee web site is here and contains the list of accepted records, the list of review species, and annual reports.
Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology’s Birds of the World online encyclopedia is here.
mocosocoBirds 