An adult Lesser Black-backed Gull was at the southwestern end of the completely frozen Budd Lake this afternoon in Mt. Olive Township. This is probably the same individual seen at the lake on January 6, 2012. Even more impressive were the 800 Herring Gulls present on the ice. Whether this amount is a Morris County record is yet to be determined. 50 Ring-billed Gulls and 1 Great Black-backed Gull complete the gull totals. At one point all of the gulls lifted off the ice at once and spent a few minutes swirling over the frozen lake before settling down closer to the south end by the beach. There were no white-winged gulls observed on the lake today.

Lake Parsippany is frozen except for a tiny puddle near the middle. 180 Ring-billed Gulls, 10 Herring Gulls and an adult Great Black-backed Gull were there with three lingering Mute Swans.

According to eBird, Jim Mulvey relocated the indestructible Wilson’s Warbler in Chatham today. A Wilson’s Warbler this late into the winter must be unprecedented for the northeast let alone New Jersey. This warbler was discovered on December 17 during the Great Swamp CBC.

Lesser Black-backed Gull with 100s of Herring Gulls at Budd Lake, NJ, Jan. 19, 2012

A portion of the 800 Herring Gulls and other Gull sp. at Budd Lake, Jan. 19, 2012

Photos by J. Klizas