Rough-legged Hawk, Black Meadows, NJ, Jan. 6, 2013 (digiscoped by Jonathan Klizas)

Two light-phase Rough-legged Hawks were viewed at Black Meadows this afternoon. This is an attractive hunting area for raptors, but how they tolerate the noise from Morristown Airport is a mystery, especially when a corporate jet loudly revs its engines for takeoff.
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A male Common Redpoll (CORE) highlighted the morning at Troy Meadows in Parsippany. The CORE was found with a small mixed sparrow flock along the powerline cut in the South Beverwyck Road section of Troy Meadows (kiosk parking lot). Other species at Troy Meadows included: Northern Harrier, Pileated Woodpecker, Brown Creeper, Golden-crowned Kinglet, a wandering group of 50 American Tree Sparrows, Swamp Sparrows and other typical species of the area.

One of many American Tree Sparrows at Troy Meadows, NJ, Jan. 6, 2013 (digiscoped by Jonathan Klizas)

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A light-phase Rough-legged Hawk continues on Pleasant Plains Road in the Great Swamp N.W.R. and was seen by many today.

Rough-legged Hawk, Pleasant Plains Rd., Great Swamp N.W.R., Jan. 6, 2013 (photo by Simon Lane).

The Eastern Phoebe of Pleasant Plains Road was seen Saturday and has been present since mid-December, at least. Other than a single report in Massachusetts on January 2, this is the only Eastern Phoebe reported to eBird in January 2013 that is north of Forsythe N.W.R. in Atlantic County in the entirety of northeastern North America. This map is eBird’s current representation of the data.
– Select the Show Points Sooner checkbox on the right side of the screen.
– Use the Zoom Control (+ and -) on the left of the map to zoom into New Jersey.
– The map can be re-positioned by grabbing it with your cursor and dragging it.
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From Mike Hiotis:
Hey Jonathan, Due to northern lakes in the state freezing up I stopped by the Bernardsville Quarry to find 9 Lesser Scaup with 4 male Ring-necked Ducks. Among the 90 or so Canadas was a small individual leaning toward Cackling Goose,
Richardson’s variety but I did not like the bill even though it was a smaller, grayer goose than the others.
– Mike Hiotis
[Editor’s note: Lesser Scaup is an infrequently reported duck in Somerset County.]
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If you need Fish Crow for your Morris County list, drive to the rear of the Shop-Rite in the shopping plaza at the intersection of Routes 202 and 10 in Morris Plains. There are at least 20 Fish Crows, calling continuously, feasting on the delicacies of the dumpster and thereabouts.
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From Ken Hart:
Jonathan,
Since mid-November I’ve had 2 Red-Breasted Nuthatches visit my feeder every single day at 239 Black River Rd in Long Valley, which is 22 wooded acres, surrounded by many more. I don’t know enough about their winter population in NJ, so I don’t know how much of an “event” this is. But since I saw that you posted today that two were just viewed at Jonathan’s Woods, I thought I’d share in case they are indeed rarities in these parts. Thanks. – Ken Hart
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On Saturday, the Greater White-fronted Goose was seen at the VA Hospital in Lyons by Brendan Fogarty and Ben Barkley.