Upland Sandpiper at Great Swamp NWR

Simon Lane found an Upland Sandpiper on Pleasant Plains Rd., Great Swamp NWR this morning. This is his account: “Flushed from the field with the two small ponds on Pleasant Plains Road as I drove past. Flew off southwards over tree line. A first for me in Morris Co. in 14 years. I got a second glimpse of a largish shorebird flying high over pp road near the HQ entrance road and towards the HQ about an hour later – potentially same bird again.”

Interestingly, on August 13, 2012, an Upland Sandpiper was observed and photographed at the Bluebird Lot nearby on Pleasant Plains Road.

Olive-sided Flycatcher at Sasso Tract, Rockaway Twp.

Olive-sided Flycatcher, Rockaway Twp., NJ, Aug. 17, 2013 (digiscoped by Jonathan Klizas)

(Click on the photo for a larger image).

Last week at Sasso Tract (Sasso for short) there was a Golden-winged Warbler. This morning, there was an Olive-sided Flycatcher (OSFL) among the snags along Beaver Brook. The OSFL was recognized on hearing its signature song: “quick, THREE BEERS!” which it sang numerous times before being seen. Actually, John K. Terres’ mnemonic rendition of “look,THREE DEER!” is more appropriate for the mocosocoBirds area.

This interesting location will be visited and documented as the seasons progress. Other species today were Wood Ducks, Great Blue Heron, Downy, Hairy, Red-bellied and Pileated Woodpeckers, Northern Flicker, numerous Eastern Wood-Pewees, Great Crested Flycatcher, Red-eyed Vireo, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Cedar Waxwing, Blue-winged, and Yellow Warblers, Common Yellowthroat, American Redstart, Scarlet Tanager, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Baltimore Oriole and other typical species of the area.

Olive-sided Flycatcher, Rockaway Twp., NJ, Aug. 17, 2013 (digiscoped by Jonathan Klizas)

Olive-sided Flycatcher, Rockaway Twp., NJ, Aug. 17, 2013 (digiscoped by Jonathan Klizas)