From Glenn Mahler:

Yesterday I made my third attempt at doing a “Century Run” big day in Somerset County. This is part of an attempt I have been working on for quite a number of years to successfully complete a Century Run in each of NJ’s 21 counties. These are done in the old-fashioned big day style of picking a route to follow based on hitting a sufficient number of different habitats – without doing extensive WSB-style scouting of individual locations for practically every species.

Yesterday was my third attempt at Somerset, having been unsuccessful in my two previous attempts – one last year and one earlier this year. I came closer yesterday, but fell short at dusk when with 3 species needed when I went 0 for 4 with Screech, Horned and Barred Owls and Woodcock.

With 16 counties completed (13 on the first attempt), this is the first time I have needed more than 2 tries. Unfortunately, the first attempt this year was a poor warbler migration day and the second attempt yesterday (much later in the month than I would have liked, but the week was too rainy) was even poorer for migrant warblers.

I will plan to try again next year. Having the Mocosoco reports was a big help in alerting me to some of the county hot spots. Many thanks to all of you who have been reporting Somerset sightings and site descriptions. Your info was a big help in acquainting me with locations that I wasn’t familiar with.

A special thanks to Jeff Ellerbusch who I met in the field yesterday and who put me onto a couple of good species that were around.

Appended is my composite list for the 3 tries. As you will see – the combined list for the tree attempts is 120 species – I certainly hope that next year I can pick a day with a good migration – now that I know the Somerset county area better, a good migration day is all I need to put me over the top.

Glenn Mahler
StillwaterNJ