Cardinal Flower, Beaver Brook, Rockaway Twp., NJ, Aug. 11, 2013 (photo by Jonathan Klizas)

Golden-winged Warbler at Sasso Tract, Rockaway Twp.

An adult male Golden-winged Warbler was seen this morning at the Sasso Tract, Rockaway Twp. The individual had all the proper plumage details and looked as pure as this species can these days. There were no obvious signs of hybridization with Blue-winged Warbler. The warbler was silent. Some of the species present were: Pileated Woodpecker, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Eastern Kingbird, Red-eyed Vireo, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Cedar Waxwing, Blue-winged Warbler, Golden-winged Warbler, American Redstart, Common Yellowthroat, Scarlet Tanager, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks in various plumages, Indigo Bunting and other species typical of the area. A more detailed description of the Oak Meadows/Sasso Tract area is forthcoming in the future. For now, the only sane way to get to Sasso is via the Oak Meadows ball field on Pillar Drive. Walk completely around Pillar Pond until you come to an overgrown opening in the woods and try to follow the path (sometimes it is there; sometimes it is not) for over one mile. Keeping Beaver Brook to your north is a good navigation aid.

Grasshopper Sparrows at Skillman Park, Montgomery Twp.

Grasshopper Sparrow, Montgomery Twp., NJ, Aug. 11, 2013 (Photo by Harvey Tomlinson).

From Harvey Tomlinson in Montgomery Twp.:
Selody Sod Farm had only Killdeer.
Nearby Skillman Park had 4 Am. Kesterl, 4-5 Grasshopper Sparrows, 11-12 Savannah Sparrows, 25+ Chipping Sparrows and 2 Blue Grosbeaks.

Harvey’s photos are on his Flickr photostream.

Other Field Notes

From Susan Treesh:
Had 3 Red-shouldered Hawks calling in Somerset this morning – tracked down one just to be sure. Also a very young Prairie Warbler, still showing some downy feathers, foraging in a family group.

Butterfly Note

On Saturday afternoon, Aug. 10, a White Admiral (Limenitis arthemis arthemis) on Buddleia surprised this writer while looking out the front door of our home. It stayed for ~15 minutes, moving from flower head to flower head, flying to and staying on the roof of the house for a short time before returning to the Buddleia. Eventually, it flew across the street, over our neighbor’s house and out of sight. I was informed by Jim Springer, Vice-president of NABA (North America Butterfly Association), that this is the only reported White Admiral in New Jersey for 2013.

The species account of Red-spotted Admiral for New Jersey (covering Red-spotted Purple and White Admiral) is at the North NJ NABA chapter’s excellent web site: www.naba.org/chapters/nabanj/butterflies/red_spotted_admiral.html.
The North Jersey Butterfly Club’s main page is here.

White Admiral, Morris Twp., NJ, Aug. 10, 2013 (photo by Jonathan Klizas).