A pair of Cattle Egrets flew south over Duke Farms in Hillsborough Township this morning. They were photographed in flight (Jeff Ellerbusch). This is only the second record for Duke Farms and the third known record in Somerset County. Other highlights at Duke Farms are: 35 Grasshopper Sparrows, Blue Grosbeak, 133 Bobolinks and 21 Eastern Meadowlarks. These reports are on Duke’s private lands, not the core estate open to the public.

The Dickcissels at Negri-Nepote Native Grassland Preserve continue with many reports today.

Fish Tract in Florham Park has 19 Killdeer, 2 Spotted Sandpipers and 10 Least Sandpipers.

Least Sandpiper, Lincoln Park, NJ, July 13, 2014 (photo by Jonathan Klizas)

Lincoln Park Gravel Pits has 4 Great Blue Herons, 12 Great Egrets, 2 Green Herons, Red-shouldered Hawk, 10 Killdeer, 1 Spotted Sandpiper and 1 lone Least Sandpiper. Water levels remain high. The Water Chestnut (Trapa natans) invasion threatens to completely overtake the main body of water in the next few years. Interestingly, the smaller second pond has none (J. Klizas).

Here are two views of the lake at Lincoln Park Gravel Pits with the spreading mat of Water Chestnut: the first looking south, the second looking north.

Water Chestnut, Lincoln Park Gravel Pits, July 13, 2014 (photo by J. Klizas)

Water Chestnut, Lincoln Park Gravel Pits, July 13, 2014 (photo by J. Klizas)