Jim Gilbert reports that 3 Sandhill Cranes flew west past the overlook on Pleasant Plains Road, Great Swamp NWR at 11:00 a.m. Also, there was an influx of Palm Warblers, Eastern Towhees, Brown Thrashers, Field and Swamp Sparrows, etc. plus one hovering Osprey and one Purple Martin.

6 Black-crowned Night-Herons were counted on the island at Jefferson Road Pond, Parsippany by Matthew Skalla.

2 Black-crowned Night-Herons were at Green Brook Park, North Plainfield (Walter Blenderman).

Jim Mulvey found the first Blue-gray Gnatcatcher in the mocosocoBirds region for 2014 today at Passaic River County Park, River Road, Chatham Township.

A Greater Yellowlegs, either the same individual or another, has been present at the private, fenced-in pond at Loantaka Brook Reservation since April 3. Shorebirds should be arriving soon, but the Loantaka Yellowlegs is the only one on the radar in Morris County at the present time.

From Tim Vogel:
Split Rock Reservoir – The dam is closed due to construction. You can get to the parking lot from the Boonton Township side. There won’t be any swallows nesting on the dam this year! Lots of Bluebird boxes along the “new and improved” power lines. Also an Osprey platform between the woods and the lake and under the power line. Good luck!
1 Common Loon. Lack of waterfowl probably due to weekend boating.

Green Pond on Green Pond Road, Rockaway Twp., had 1 Common Loon, 4 Horned Grebe.

Jacob’s Road pond (off Green Pond Rd.) had 75 Ring-necked Ducks.

Lake Denmark: 1 Common Loon; Bald Eagle, 1 adult (on nest).

Mt. Hope Lake: Bald Eagle 2 adult (1 on nest); Mute Swan 75; Swallows – lots.

Mt. Hope Pond (the other one across the street)
15 Double-crested Cormorant competing with the fishermen.

Lake Parsippany – 15 Common Mergansers.

Jefferson Road Pond, Parsippany
Black-crowned Night-Heron 5 (roosting on the island).

Boonton Reservoir (Rt. 202 north side) – 2 Common Loons.

Tim Vogel, Denville

Delaware and Raritan Canal Towpath has the same species that have been on the Raritan River this season (Jeff Ellerbusch): 8 Ring-necked Ducks, 2 Greater Scaup, 23 Bufflehead, 9 Common Goldeneye, 24 Common Mergansers, 13 Red-breasted Mergansers (1 drake and 12 hens, a remarkable number for an unusually widespread species this past winter and spring), 60 Northern Rough-winged Swallows and 500 Tree Swallows.

From Chris Duffek, Sun. Apr. 6:
Managed a few hours today at Griggstown Grasslands. Short list includes:
Palm Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Field Sparrow
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Tree Swallows