Golden Eagles on Watchung Ridges

Golden Eagle, Warren Twp., NJ, Oct 8, 2014 (photo by Steve Byland)

Steve Byland saw the immature Golden Eagle in the heavily cropped photo above fly over his house at 3:30 this afternoon. Steve lives in Warren Twp. on a ridge three miles northeast of Chimney Rock. Interestingly, Chimney Rock Hawkwatch had two Golden Eagles today: one at 1:40, and the other at 6:20. Based on the timings, this means that three Golden Eagles were in the Martinsville/Warren Twp. area today, unless the young Golden above lingered around and took a circuitous route to Chimney Rock.

Clay-colored Sparrow at Troy Meadows

Roger Johnson found a Clay-colored Sparrow at the trap shoot area of Troy Meadows (east end of Troy Meadows Rd.) this morning. It was not relocated late in the afternoon. This is the only known report of this species in the mocosocoBirds region in 2014.

On Oct. 7, Roger had the following species at Troy Meadows – Sparrows: 50 Savannah, 6 Lincoln’s, 12 White-throated, 4 Field, 6 Swamp, 30 Song, 1 immature Chipping Sparrow, 2 Eastern Towhees; 20 Common Yellowthroats and 30 Palm Warblers.

Other Field Notes

Kelly Martin, Oct. 7:
A male Golden-winged Warbler was closely observed at the Great Swamp Watershed Association office on Tempe Wick Road next to Jockey Hollow. It was “Flitting around with a few other warbler species, stayed in view for a few minutes in a low and close branch”.

October 6: Common Nighthawk at Troy Meadows (Mike Ostrow via eBird); American Pipit at Tilcon Pond in the area of Waterloo Valley Road, Mt.Olive Twp. (Alan Boyd via eBird)