Migrant songbirds were evident this morning following a night of northerly winds. Chimney Rock had Blue-headed, Philadelphia and Red-eyed Vireos, 2 Winter Wrens calling simultaneously, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Swainson’s Thrush, Purple Finches and 15 warbler species including Black-and-white, Tennessee, Nashville, Common Yellowthroat, American Redstart, Northern Parula, Magnolia, Bay-breasted, Blackburnian, Chestnut-sided, Blackpoll, Black-throated Blue, Palm, Yellow-rumped and Black-throated Green (Jeff Ellerbusch).

Glenhurst Meadows adds Wilson’s Warbler, Cape May Warbler and Lincoln’s Sparrow (Steve Albert via eBird, Vince Capp via JerseyBirds).

The Tourne County Park in Morris had Yellow-throated, Blue-headed and Red-eyed Vireo, Black-and white Warbler, Northern Parula, American Redstart, Magnolia, Bay-breasted, Blackburnian, Chestnut-sided and Black-throated Green Warblers (Julie Buechner via eBird).

Drought Status

Boonton Reservoir, Sep. 21, 2014 (iPhone photo by Jonathan Klizas)

The section of Boonton Reservoir in the above photo is usually submerged under normal conditions. Not so this year.

The Asbury Park Press published a story on September 22 describing minor drought conditions in northern New Jersey. The article is here.

NOAA graphs show that in Morris and Somerset Counties only 20% of the average precipitation has occurred in the past 30 days, 40% in the past 60 days. Morris has 65% in the past 90 days and 70% in the past 120 days. Somerset hovers in the 80% range for those same time periods.

Click on the following links to view the NOAA graphs illustrating actual and normal precipitation during the past 365 days for Morris and Somerset Counties.