Duke Farms

From Kristi Reed:
With friend, Laura Comroe, on an “Up with Birds” walk.
BOBOLINKS: At Farm Barn Meadow there is at least one nesting pair. We were looking out into the meadow from around the number 6 path marker. In the same vicinity we saw nesting KINGBIRD, ORCHARD ORIOLES, WARBLING VIREO, and more all in the same tree.
Off of Habitat Lane on the south side of Duke Parkway we saw GREAT-CRESTED FLYCATCHER and CEDAR WAXWINGS. Saw another G-C Flycatcher in the core of the park.
Saw several INDIGO BUNTING in the core of the park as well as an EASTERN WOOD PEEWEE, BALTIMORE ORIOLE and plenty of others.

Negri-Nepote and Griggstown Native Grassland Preserves

From Margo D. Beller:
At Negri-Nepote there were at least 2 male Dickcissels on the wires in the area where the purple and yellow trails cross. One of them stayed just long enough for me to see it, then it went to ground. The other sang for a long time. A life bird for my husband and me. There were also several Grasshopper Sparrows, including one that sang from the sign post of these two trails. Once again there is a Red-tailed Hawk nest and once again the adults were very vigilant and calling. There was a Great Egret on the pond and Great Blue and Green Herons flying over. At least one Barn Swallow flew with the Tree Swallows and Chimney Swifts. I heard two Prairie, one Yellow Warbler and 2 Common Yellowthroats. There were many singing Field Sparrows, Chipping Sparrows and a couple of Song Sparrows. The grass paths were wet but not as bad as we feared. We also hit Griggstown Grasslands, which (except for a couple of spots) was even drier. The dominant bird was Red-winged Blackbird of both sexes. The best sightings: Baltimore and Orchard Orioles in the same tree, a Rose-breasted Grosbeak found as I was looking for a singing Brown Thrasher, and the immature Red-shouldered Hawk being chased by a posse of Tree Swallows and Red-wingeds. We were on Rte. 287 south of Morristown but if there was a Mississippi Kite anywhere we missed it.