A Long-tailed Duck was present this morning at Lake Musconetcong along with Horned Grebe, Osprey, Barn Swallow, Purple Martins and 53 (at least) Double-crested Cormorants. Today is the first day of trout-fishing season. Keeping a lookout for Bonaparte’s Gulls proved fruitless as the only gulls seen were single Ring-billeds at Lake Parsippany and Mt. Hope Lake. The list for Lake Musconetcong:

Ring-necked Duck – 16
Lesser Scaup – 8
Long-tailed Duck – 16
Bufflehead – 28
Common Merganser – 1
Ruddy Duck – 45
Horned Grebe – 1
Double-crested Cormorant – 53
Osprey
Bald Eagle – adult
Northern Rough-winged Swallow – 5
Purple Martin – 2
Tree Swallow – 20
Barn Swallow – 2
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Lake Parsippany

Ruddy Duck – 120 (high count for Morris County in 2012)
Common Merganser – 1
Common Loon
American Coot – 20

Common Loon at Lake Parsippany (Photo by J. Klizas)

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Mt. Hope Lake, Rockaway Township

Canada Goose – 20
Mute Swan – 99
Wood Duck – 5
Gadwall – 1
American Wigeon – 2 drakes
Mallard – 8
Northern Shoveler – 2 (drake and hen)
Ring-necked Duck – 20
Pied-billed Grebe – 1
Double-crested Cormorant – 2
Bald Eagle – 2
American Coot – 13
Belted Kingfisher – 1
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Budd Lake, Mt. Olive Township

Lesser Scaup – 14
Bufflehead – 15
Common Merganser – 2
Ruddy Duck – 22
Pied-billed Grebe – 1
American Coot – 5