Wednesday’s drenching storm left a widespread collection of interesting bird species in its wake.

A Snowy Egret was found this morning by Dave Blinder at a baseball field at Gardner Field in Denville. It was present this afternoon in left-center field until approximately 3:45 when it left. Snowy Egret is very rare in both Morris and Somerset Counties. The last record in Morris is from May, 2011 in Florham Park.

Snowy Egret, Denville, NJ, May 1, 2014 (photo by Jonathan Klizas)

6 Red-necked Grebes were at Budd Lake with 7 Common Terns (Alan Boyd, Tom Halliwell). 2 basic plumaged Bonaparte’s Gulls and 6 Common Loons were also present. Simon Lane adds 6 Black Scoters later in the early evening.

Finderne Wetlands was a lake this morning. Jeff Ellerbusch observed the following highlights: 1 Common Loon, 21 Great Blue Herons, Spotted, Solitary and Least Sandpipers, Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, 2 Laughing Gulls and 6 Common Terns.

4 Red-necked Grebes were present throughout the day at Lake Parsippany (m.obs.).

Red-necked Grebes, Lake Parsippany, NJ, May 1, 2014 (photo by Jonathan Klizas)

Boonton Reservoir had an alternate plumaged Bonaparte’s Gull and 2 Common Loons. At least 5 Cliff Swallows are active near the Rt. 202 bridge (J. Klizas).

1 Black-crowned Night-Heron continues at Jefferson Road Pond (Julie Buechner).

A Common Tern flew over the floodplain at Duke Farms (Thom Almendinger).

5 Bobolinks were found near the Bluebird lot on Pleasant Plains Road, Great Swamp NWR (Jim Mulvey)

Bobolinks, Great Swamp NWR, May 1, 2014 (photo by Jim Mulvey).

A singing Bobolink and Rose-breasted Grosbeak were found in the parking lot of the municipal complex in Hillsborough Twp.

From Tim Vogel:
Lake Parsippany
Red-necked Grebe 4
DC Cormorant 65 (in a scrum)
Ruddy Duck 4
Common Loon 3

Mt. Hope County Park, Rockaway
Wood Thrush 1
Prairie Warbler 1
Indigo Bunting 1

Mt. Hope Lake
Bald Eagle Nest (no one home)

Tourne County Park
Coyote 1

Gardner Field, Denville
Dave Blinder’s Snowy Egret continues (3:15p)
Also Spotted Sandpiper

Boonton Reservoir
Cliff Swallow 10+

St. Clare’s fields
Completely flooded , next couple of days should be good
Ring-billed Gull 6
Killdeer 2

Tim Vogel – Denville

From Donna Schulman:

Negri-Nepote Native Grassland Preserve was totally delightful on this misty moisty May Day morning, with Tree and Barn Swallow flying over the fields, Eastern Bluebirds perched posts, and Chipping Sparrows and American Goldfinches singing from the tree tops. Grasshopper Sparrows could be heard sporadically from the field to the NW of Hannah Pond.

A NASHVILLE WARBLER was making its way down the tree line along the main path. A lovely male BOBOLINK was perched by the pond, which got busier as the morning cleared up. By mid-morning, a Spotted, a Solitary, and 3 Least Sandpipers joined the continuing Greater Yellow-legs. Two Great Blue Herons and two Killdeer flew overhead. Three American Kestrels were on the wire while a Northern Harrier cruised over the northwest fields. The Cooper’s Hawk was also very busy.

One curious thing–I continuously heard a Ring-necked Pheasant from the private land to the southwest of the grasslands. Then, as I was leaving, I spied a male Ring-necked Pheasant along the bit of woods on the northeast edge. As I was watching it, I again heard the first pheasant from the other direction.

From John J. Collins:

I went to Chimney Rock this afternoon following lunch and had a few “first of the year” birds including: 2 Eastern Kingbirds, Veery, Ovenbird, American Redstart, and Baltimore Oriole. And this morning, in my garden here in Raritan, I heard and then saw my first of the year Great Crested Flycatcher.

From Leslie Webster:

The storm must have carried song birds along last night. A Rose-breasted Grosbeak showed up at my Madison feeder, as well as a House Wren. I’m looking forward to seeing today’s song bird reports!