Yellow-breasted Chat, Least Bittern and Alder Flycatcher at Lord Stirling Park
The Yellow-breasted Chat of Lord Stirling Park continues as of this morning. The Chat was strangely quiet uttering a few calls if anything at all. The Chat is in exactly the same location as in 2014, the Bullfrog Pond. 3 White-eyed Vireos are also in the area: 2 at the northwest end of the pond and one called from the southeast. A poor heavily-cropped photo, but the only one we have of the Yellow-breasted Chat, is below.
Document photo of Yellow-breasted Chat, Lord Stirling Park, NJ, May 17, 2015 (photo by Jonathan Klizas)
(Click on the photo or a larger image.)
Not only did Harvey Tomlinson find the Yellow-breasted Chat yesterday, May 16, he also saw a Least Bittern flying around the back marsh by the Boondocks Boardwalk. To top it off, a link to Harvey’s faint but recognizable recording of a very viable Alder Flycatcher is here.
An Alder Flycatcher was recorded at Glenhurst Meadows today by Jeff Ellerbusch. That recording is here.
The Prothonotary Warbler found yesterday at the first brook north of the south gate on Pleasant Plains Rd, Great Swamp NWR showed briefly this morning (Simon Lane). Also present were Bay-breasted, Wilson’s and Canada Warblers.
Blue Grosbeak at Negri-Nepote Grasslands
Blue Grosbeak, Negri-Nepote Grasslands, NJ, May 17, 2015 (photo by Chris Thomas)
A Blue Grosbeak is at Negri-Nepote Native Grassland Preserve in Franklin Township (Zach Batren, Chris Thomas). It was seen northeast of the pond which held 4 Semipalmated Plovers.
Blue Grosbeak, Negri-Nepote Grasslands, NJ, May 17, 2015 (photo by Chris Thomas)
Swainson’s Thrush
Reports from Denville, Chatham Township and Morris Township echoed the same theme today: Swainson’s Thrushes are on the move. They are always a pleasure to hear for the brief time they visit each year. A link to a recording of a Swainson’s Thrush singing today at 5 PM in a backyard on Kemble Mountain, Morris Township is here.
Common Nighthawks before the storm
Depending on one’s location, a violent series of thuderstorms moved through Morris and Somerset Counties yesterday evening. A prelude to this was the sightings of Common Nighthawks with 15 in Rockaway Twp. (Mike Leone) and 58 at Lord Stirling (Jeff Ellerbusch).
Golden-winged Warbler, Somerset County, May 16
Chris Aquila, et al, have highlights from a 10-hour birding excursion in Somerset County yesterday. At Chimney Rock: Bay-breasted Warbler, 2 Tennessee Warblers, Hooded and Canada Warblers, a calling flyover Common Loon; at Scherman Hoffman Sanctuary, a male Golden-winged Warbler next to the main building in the parking area at 3 PM. “It was in view for about 10 seconds before flying off into the nearby trees.” Mike Anderson adds that a Cerulean Warbler was near the main building in the afternoon as well.
These are just some of the reports for today. View local eBird checklists in the mocosocoBirds region via eBird’s Region Explorer. Use the following links:
The eBird Hotspot Primer is here and can also be accessed via the Hotspot menu item on the mocosocoBirds.com website.
@mocosocoBirds at Twitter is another communications stream. Instant field reports and links of interest are tweeted throughout the day. The latest tweets appear on the sidebar of this page. One can follow mocosocoBirds at Twitter or link to @mocosocoBirds.
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