White-eyed Vireos (WEVI) are not common in Morris Township in recent memory. eBird (see eBird.org) lists only a handful of reports for the entirety of Morris County in the last few years. The following numbers are individual sightings of WEVI in May in Morris County from the eBird database.

2011 – 6 (3 are related to this post; the 1st bird recorded 2 days in a row)
2010 – 1
2009 – 1
2008 – 2
2007 – 1

Finding two individuals in Washington Valley in Morris Township warrants some interest, especially since another WEVI has been down the road at Scherman-Hoffman Sanctuary in Bernardsville for most of May. One of the Morris Township birds was at the paved part of Patriot’s Path on Washington Valley Rd. This bird sang two different songs. Here is the first song recorded today as well as a sonogram rendering: Click here to play Song No. 1

And here is the second song. In the field I thought I was hearing a distant Blue Jay or a Catbird until I realized it was the second note of this song by WEVI: Click here to play Song No. 2

This is a brief excerpt of the second WEVI on Whitehead Rd. Its song is similar in gesture to Bird No. 1’s 1st song Click here to play Bird No. 2’s song

Washington Valley 5/29/2011
Canada Goose
Mallard
Great Blue Heron
Mourning Dove
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Willow Flycatcher
Great Crested Flycatcher
White-eyed Vireo – 2
Blue Jay
American Crow
Tree Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
House Wren
Eastern Bluebird
Veery
Wood Thrush
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
Brown Thrasher
Blue-winged Warbler – 4
Yellow Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Ovenbird
Common Yellowthroat
Song Sparrow
Scarlet Tanager
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Baltimore Oriole
American Goldfinch

Submitted by Jonathan Klizas