Glossy Ibis in Whippany
Glossy Ibis, Whippany, NJ, Apr. 5, 2014 (photo by Jonathan Klizas).
(Click on the photo for a larger image.)
The Glossy Ibis found late yesterday by Jamie Glydon at the north field of Birchwood Manor on Jefferson Road in Whippany, returned to the same field sometime after 6:30 this morning. It obligingly posed for countless pictures, occasionaly lifting off and flying around, always returning to the same patch of field. At one point it stood on the driveway 15 feet in front of my car for minutes until another car came by and flushed it to the field.
Glossy Ibis, Whippany, NJ, Apr. 5, 2014 (photo by Jonathan Klizas).
Long-tailed Ducks at Lake Parsippany
Long-tailed Ducks Lake Parsippany, NJ, Apr. 5, 2014 (photo by J. Klizas)
What were 4 Long-tailed Ducks yesterday became 22 today, give or take 1 or 2. Also on Lake Parsippany were a Common Loon, 2 Pied-billed Grebes, Horned Grebe, 60 Common Mergansers, 20+ Ruddy Ducks and Ring-necked Ducks (many observers).
Loons at Boonton Reservoir
A Red-throated Loon was at Boonton Reservoir early this morning until it flew up and away and out of the reservoir soon after being sighted. 4 Common Loons, a Horned Grebe, 5 Long-tailed Ducks and small amounts of Buffleheads and Common Mergansers were at the reservoir. A Common Goldeneye drake continues where the Rockaway River feeds into the reservoir. Approximately 27 Great Blue Herons and 45 Double-crested Cormorants were busy on the island (J. Klizas, Simon Lane).
Black-crowned Night-Herons in Parsippany
(Black-crowned Night-Herons, photo by Chris Thomas)
Two adult yellow-legged Black-crowned Night-Herons continue at Jefferson Road Pond, Parsippany (many observers). David Bernstein points out that a previously seen Night-Heron had pinkish legs meaning there have been three Black-crowned Night-Herons at this spot.
Purple Martins in Morris Township
(Purple Martin Photos by Jonathan Klizas. If you are reading this via email, a slide show appears on the mocosocoBirds.com web site)
Early? Not for Spring Brook Country Club in Morris Township. Today is the first report in 2014 for Purple Martins (PUMA) in Morris County but they may have come sooner. In 2013, PUMA were recorded at Spring Brook CC on April 2. According to eBird data for 2013, PUMA arrived in New Jersey on April 1. Spring Brook was the earliest location north of Forsythe NWR (AKA Brig) in 2013. This year? It is the same story. As of today, only Cape May and Forsythe NWR have eBird records for Purple Martin in NJ – except Spring Brook CC. 4 were seen flying near the clubhouse this afternoon. What is the early attraction? There is a Martin house next to the pond in front of the clubhouse. It is a very comfortable, affluent neighborhood. Who really knows. 30 Tree Swallows were also active along with 23 Ring-necked Ducks and 5 Bufflehead.
Other Field Notes
From Tom Halliwell:
There were ca. 10 Long-tailed Ducks (oh how I hate writing that name) on Budd Lake this morning. Also identifiable in the rough seas were several Common Loons and Horned Grebes among the usual suspects. I did have a possible Red-throated Loon (RTLO), but it was all the way at the back of the lake in wind-whipped water and I wasn’t certain of the ID. Interestingly I later found 4 RTLOs on Swartswood Lake (Sussex County) that were more easily studied. No Bonaparte’s Gulls were noticed, but again there were a few on Swartswood.
From Ken Hart:
More Eastern Meadowlarks and an American Kestrel at Black River and Lamington Roads in Bedminster today. Another Kestrel, Northern Flicker, and Black Vultures at the Robert Stahl Natural Area this afternoon in Bedminster.
Jamie Glydon reports a Horned Grebe in the ADP corporate pond on Hanover Road in Florham Park. Also, Florham Park Fields had 2 American Kestrels.
Wildcat Ridge Hawkwatch had 2 Osprey, 2 Bald Eagles and 5 Sharp-shinned Hawks today (HMANA report by Tom Gorman, et al).
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