Jim Mulvey captured the above image of one of the pair of Yellow-billed Cuckoos at the overlook on Pleasant Plains Road, Great Swamp NWR on Saturday, June 8, 2013.

Birding in Mendham Township took a second seat to the Brood II Cicadas. The sound at the Ledell Pond trail in Lewis Morris Park was as loud as I have ever heard these creatures. Songs of Scarlet Tanagers and Wood Thrushes were drowned out. My scope turned into a portal viewing the Cicada activity in the canopy of the forest. The recording below was made with an iPhone 5 and is solely meant as a brief sample. The sound as it appeared in nature cannot be replicated.

Field Notes

Part two of the Burnt Mills Rd. Grassland Breeding Bird Survey took place this morning. Nothing changed from the first survey two weeks ago. Bobolinks are at two of the farms along the road and an Eastern Meadowlark was heard at another. Cicadas were also present in large numbers in the Branchburg Township area.

A Cerulean Warbler continues on Waterloo Valley Road in Mt. Olive Township (Simon Lane). Simon also found a singing Winter Wren on Snake Hill Road in Rockaway Township.

None of the Empids found previously were located today in the Great Swamp NWR but the Yellow-breasted Chat was on Pleasant Plains Road (Jamie Glydon).

2-3 Acadian Flycatchers are on the West Morris Greenway in the vicinity of the 1 mile marker at Black River WMA in Chester Township.