Greater White-fronted Goose in North Plainfield

North Plainfield has the second Greater White-fronted Goose in Somerset County this past weekend (the other was at Duke Island park on March 15). It is a bi-county goose. Green Brook Park is a Union County Park but the Green Brook that runs through the park is the town and county border for North Plainfield in Somerset County and Plainfield in Union County. Walter Blenderman’s account follows: “A Greater White-fronted Goose has been in Green Brook Park on the Plainfield/North Plainfield border for the last three days (3/14-3/16). (Technically Union County, but N. Plainfield is Somerset.) [Editor’s note: Walter also saw the goose today, March 17] Over that time, it has been seen with Canada Geese on soccer fields near West End Ave. in North Plainfield and further west in the park near the basketball court. On Saturday, it was actually on the North Plainfield/Somerset Co. side of the Green Brook, although it still labeled as a Union County Park. Photos from March 14 are posted here.

Sandhill Cranes – no reports

There are no reports today of the Sandhill Cranes seen yesterday at the Great Swamp. Yesterday’s report is here.

Northern Rough-winged Swallows

Lost in the shuffle of yesterday’s lengthy post was the sighting of a Northern Rough-winged Swallow at Osborn Pond by Randy Little. This was duplicated again today by Frank Sencher, Jr. at the Three Bridges Rd. section of Hillsborough Township and is a bi-county sighting being on the border of Readington Twp., in Hunterdon County. These are noteworthy reports because they are the only Northern Rough-winged Swallows listed in New Jersey for 2014 according to the eBird database.

Peregrine Falcons

Jason Denesevich saw a Peregrine Falcon at the Great Swamp NWR this evening. He also reports American Woodcock from the Bluebird Lot area at 7:15 p.m.

Chuck Hantis saw the Peregrine Falcon of Hanover again today at Melanie Lane Wetlands. Any guesses as to the duck in its talons?

Peregrine Falcon, Hanover Twp., NJ, Mar. 17, 2014 (photo by Chuck Hantis).

Other Field Notes

An Osprey was near the Basilone Bridge in Raritan this morning (Frank Sencher, Jr.).

11 Red-breasted Mergansers were seen on the Raritan River from the Delaware and Raritan Canal Towpath (Jeff Ellerbusch). This sets another record for this species in Somerset County according to eBird data. If you have not seen a Red-breasted Merganser in Morris or Somerset Counties this winter, you are not looking. Also in the Raritan were 73 Common Goldeneye and other typical species.

From Brian Clough:
Amy Manning and I had a few interesting sightings around our neck of the woods today.
Van Cleef Rd, Franklin Twp.:
2 drake Redheads in the eastern pond

Colonial Park:
Lesser Scaup (1)
Northern Pintail (3)
Am. Wigeon (4)
Hooded Merganser (6)
Am. Black Duck (1)

Ring-necked Ducks were well represented at both locations.

We also spotted one of the continuing Red-Headed Woodpeckers from the nature trail adjacent to the southern pond.

Best – Brian Clough