Mt. Hope Lake in Rockaway Township had 9 Blue-winged Teal, 1 Northern Shoveler, 3 Ruddy Ducks, 1 Pied-billed Grebe, 30 Double-crested Cormorants, 4 Great Blue Herons, 2 Great Egrets and 1 American Coot. 41 Mute Swans represents one of the lowest counts at this location since the beginning of the year. The Shoveler, Ruddy Duck and Coot reports are the first records of the Summer/Fall 2012 season in Morris County.

Lake Musconetcong had a Common Gallinule in the northeast corner near Port Morris Park. Other than a May 5 report from the Great Swamp N.W.R. by Simon Lane and Peter Burke, this is the only known record of Common Gallinule in Morris County for 2012. 6 Pied-billed Grebes (they were everywhere today) and 5 fly-by Lesser Yellowlegs were also present.

Distant photo of Common Gallinule, Lake Musconetcong, NJ, Sept. 23, 2012 (Photo by J. Klizas)

Budd Lake was purely recreational with water skiers, sailboats and one lone Ring-billed Gull.

Birds were practically absent from Melanie Lane Pond in Hanover Township.