The first Mourning Warbler (MOWA) of 2012 in either Morris or Somerset County was at Sourland Mountain Preserve this morning accessed from East Mountain Road in Hillsborough Township. The male was heard and seen amongst the Multiflora Rose along the wood’s edge in the field west of, or up the slope from, the pond. After singing repeatedly, the MOWA popped up on a tree branch posed for a few seconds and was quickly chased to another corner of the field by a male Common Yellowthroat. Other than that, a quick trip around the parking area produced the typical species of the area.

As the comment below states:
Correction! This is not the 1st Mourning Warbler for Somerset County in 2012. Mike Hiotis had one at Chimney Rock on May 11 as reported on…mocosocobirds.com on May 12.

Submitted by Jonathan Klizas.