Red-necked Grebe, Lake Parsippany, NJ, Nov. 30, 2013 (photo by Jamie Glydon)

Another Red-necked Grebe appeared in Morris County today, this time at Lake Parsippany (Jamie Glydon). The Grebe was literally making the rounds as it was diving and motoring around the circumference of the lake. Also present were a Bald Eagle, a few Gadwall, 3 Ring-necked Ducks, 12 Common and 31 Hooded Mergansers, 22 Ruddy Ducks, a growing number of Mute Swans and the typical Mallards and Canada Geese of the lake.

Red-necked Grebe, Lake Parsippany, NJ, Nov. 30, 2013 (photo by Jill Homcy)

This is the third positive sighting of Red-necked Grebe in Morris County in the past two weeks:

1. Lake Hopatcong, Nov. 14
2. 2 at Budd Lake, Nov. 25
3. Lake Parsippany, Nov. 30

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If you do not think the temperature has been cold lately, look at the lakes of north and western Morris County and you may form a different opinion. It is only November 30 with the beginning of Christmas Bird Count season two weeks away and this is the status of a sampling of Morris County lakes.

Budd Lake: frozen, 2 Ring-billed Gulls sitting on the ice this morning – nothing else.

Lake Musconetcong: 99% frozen: 1 female Lesser Scaup, 2 Hooded Mergansers, gulls, Mute Swans and Canada Geese. Nearby Furnace Pond, frequently ice-free when Lake Musconetcong is frozen, is birdless.

Lake Hopatcong: frozen north of Nolan’s Point and south of Bertrand’s Island. 1 Tundra Swan was visible among the 100+ Mute Swans in the only open portion of water in the area. Other Tundra Swans are probably here but were resting with heads tucked in. Over 600 Gulls are in and around the lake, Ring-billeds outnumbering Herring. 91 Buffleheads, a small group of Ruddy Ducks and a flyover adult Bald Eagle were all that can be considered highlights.

Mt. Hope Lake: frozen except for a very thin sliver that held 3 Ruddy Ducks, two Mute Swans and 6 Ring-billed Gulls.

Lake Parsippany: both the north end and south end have paper-thin ice. See above for the avian contents of the lake. The assumption is that the many ponds and lakes of northern Morris County are becoming frozen if not in that state already.

Boonton Reservoir remains unfrozen with the following species: 1 Common Loon, 3 Gadwall, 2 Ring-necked Ducks, 2 Lesser Scaup, 8 Bufflehead, 26 Hooded and 12 Common Mergansers, 15 Ruddy Ducks with most seen from the north end of the reservoir. A possible Red-necked Grebe was viewed but was too distant for a 100% positive identification.