American Woodcock, Great Swamp NWR, Mar. 13, 2014 (photo by Jonathan Klizas).

(Click on the photo for a larger image.)

The obliging American Woodcock in the photo above was feeding and wobble-walking on the edge of Pleasant Plains Road in the Great Swamp this afternoon, regardless of the vicious wind and chilly temperature. As most birders in the mocosocoBirds area know, American Woodcock have returned en masse in the past few days. Killdeer were also present along the road in the Swamp today. 2 Wilson’s Snipe were reported (Simon Lane).

Slowly, the frozen ponds, lakes and reservoirs are opening up. And if it is thawed, even a little, almost any body of water has waterfowl in it.

A pair of Redheads was in Osborne Pond along Lee’s Hill Road along with Ring-necked Ducks and Hooded and Common Mergansers.

The Red-necked Grebe is at Clyde Potts Reservoir, Mendham Twp. for a 20th day (eBirded by David Bernstein).