The species of the day are American Pipits, Purple Finches and Sparrow spp. Jamie Glydon found a flock of 50 American Pipits (AMPI) in a private field at the corner of Faber Hill Rd. and Rockaway Valley Rd. in Denville Township. The AMPI were visible from the road. Jamie also found an adult White-crowned Sparrow along with 9 Savannah Sparrows and 4 Am. Kestrels at Florham Fields. 4 Golden-crowned Kinglets, a Black-and-white Warbler, 6 Yellow-rumped Warblers and continuing Red-breasted Nuthatches were at Jonathan’s Woods in Denville Township.

Dawn at the top of the Tourne in Boonton Township didn’t create the mini-fallout that was hoped for. Red-breasted Nuthatches, a Golden-crowned Kinglet, Blackpoll and Yellow-rumped Warblers were the only identified species coming onto the mountain at daybreak. The beaver swamp had 20 Green-winged Teal and at least 25 Wood Ducks.

Dawn at the top of the Tourne, Boonton Township, Oct. 7, 2012 (iPhone photo by J. Klizas)

Sayre’s Farm in Morris Township had foraging Purple Finches seemingly everywhere one looked. The count was 25 but easily could have been more. Also present were a singing Winter Wren, Red-eyed Vireo, Nashville Warbler, Common Yellowthroats, Northern Parula, Magnolia, Palm and Yellow-rumped Warblers. 3 Lincoln’s Sparrows and numerous Song, Swamp, White-throated and Chipping Sparrows joined an immature White-crowned Sparrow.

Purple Finch, Sayre’s Farm, Morris Township, Oct. 7, 2012 (photo by J. Klizas)

Jeff Ellerbusch and Mike Newlon worked Glenhurst Meadows in Warren Township this morning. Vesper Sparrow was a highlight as well as a continuing Grasshopper Sparrow, 21 American Pipts, 68 Purple Finches and 5 Pine Siskins. 110 Cedar Waxwings, 35 Yellow-rumped Warblers, 18 Palm Warblers, 80 Blue Jays, 50 Am. Robins, 5 raptor species, 7 Great Blue Hearons, etc. illustrate that there were impressive numbers of individuals at Glenhurst Meadows today.

From Vicki Schwartz:
I had a good variety of birds at Ann Van Middlesworth Park in Hillsborough this morning (10/7): 10+ warblers, including Tennessee, Nashville, Blackpoll, Pine, Palm, Magnolia, bt-green, bt-blue, yellow-rumped and prairie; also purple finches (4 females), red-breasted nuthatch, both kinglets, ravens, black ducks, and the usual residents.