Jeff Ellerbusch and I surveyed a number of Morris County Lakes Saturday morning 3-12-2011 from 7:00-10:00 a.m. The same places were visited seven days ago with the major difference being that all of the lakes are now completely thawed.  See Morris County Lakes from 3-5-2011

Highlights include 8 Horned Grebes, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Greater Scaup and Red-breasted Merganser.

Speedwell Lake, Morristown, NJ
Has been disappointing so far this year with a lack of birds.

• Mute Swan – 2
• Canada Goose -2
• Bufflehead – 2
• Common Merganser – 2

Budd Lake, Mt. Olive Township

• Horned Grebe – 1
• Canada Goose – 25
• Wood Duck – 4
• Mallard – 10
• American Black Duck – 2
• Ring-necked Duck – 4
• Common Goldeneye – 2
• Bufflehead – 8
• Hooded Merganser – 1
• Common Merganser – 28
• Ring-billed Gull – 40
• Great Black-backed Gull – 3
• Herring Gull – 2
• Lesser Black-backed Gull – 2 (adult and 2nd cycle) were near the beach at the southern end of the lake along Rt. 46.

Lake Musconetcong, from the Port Morris area (Washington St.) of Roxbury Township.

• Canada Goose –  25
• Mute Swan –  4
• American Black Duck – 2
• Mallard – 2
• Bufflehead -10
• Hooded Merganser – 14
• Common Merganser – 58
• Red-breasted Merganser – 2   females
• Horned Grebe –  4
• Double-crested Cormorant – 1
• Ring-billed Gulls – 30
• Bald Eagle – 1 adult
• Fish Crow – 3

Mt. Hope Lake, Rockaway Township

• Canada Goose – 50
• Mute Swan – 15
• American Black Duck – 11
• Ring-necked Duck – 1
• Greater Scaup – 1 drake
• Bufflehead – 15
• Common Goldeneye – 1
• Hooded Merganser – 6
• Common Merganser – 3
• Horned Grebe – 1

Boonton Reservoir – from the walkway on Parsippany Blvd./Washington St., Boonton

• Bufflehead – 2
• Common Merganser – 5
• Double-crested Cormorant – 5
• Ring-billed Gull – 15
• Great Black-backed Gull – 1

Lake Parsippany, Parsippany-Troy Hills Township

• Canada Goose – 35
• Bufflehead – 7
• Common Merganser – 160 (down from 500 two days ago in the storm)
• Ruddy Duck – 14
• Horned Grebe – 2
• Ring-billed Gull – 30
• Herring Gull -2
• Great Black-backed Gull – 1