Beaver Brook Trail – Lost Lake

Lost Lake, Jefferson Twp., NJ, June 14, 2015 (iPhone photo by Jonathan Klizas)

(Click on the photo for a larger image.)

A Beaver (Castor candensis) was one of the highlights during a birding hike this morning from Saffin Rock Rill at Mahlon Dickerson Reservation to the powerline south of Lost Lake along the rugged Beaver Brook Trail in the Rockaway River WMA.

A similar hike took place on almost the same date last year. That post is here.

Here is the Beaver swimming at the southern end of the lake .

Beaver, Lost Lake, Jefferson Twp. NJ, June 14, 2015 (photo by Jonathan Klizas)

The Beaver swam back and forth for 20 minutes not far from this observer, repeatedly slapping its tail on the water before diving, as beavers do. Whether the slap was sounding an alarm at the presence of another mammal with binoculars and a camera slung over its shoulders, or simply playing, is up to the Beaver to decide.

Beaver, Lost Lake, Jefferson Twp. NJ, June 14, 2015 (photo by Jonathan Klizas)

The Beaver dives under the water and forms the beginning of a spray of water.

Beaver, Lost Lake, Jefferson Twp. NJ, June 14, 2015 (photo by Jonathan Klizas)

This motion creates an impressive volume of water to project into the air with a sound reminiscent of a Homo sapiens performing a cannonball at a swimming hole.

Beaver, Lost Lake, Jefferson Twp. NJ, June 14, 2015 (photo by Jonathan Klizas)

A well-established Beaver lodge occupies the center of the lake. Sweet-scented Water Lily (Nymphaea odorata) covers a large portion of the water. Mountain Laurel, currently in peak bloom, lines the shore. With the 3,000 acres of Mahlon Dickerson Reservation adjacent to the 3,600 acres of the Rockaway River WMA where Lost Lake lies, this is as remote as it gets in Morris County.

Ovenbirds, Worm-eating Warblers, American Redstarts, Wood Thrushes, Veerys, Scarlet Tanagers are some of the many expected species found in this highlands habitat. The powerline cut holds only legitimate Blue-winged Warblers. Chestnut-sided, Prairie and Yellow Warblers are among the typical species found at this cut through the forest.

Least Flycatcher continues at Saffin Rock Rill but was not found in a Mountain Laurel stand in the WMA as it was last year. A Cerulean Warbler sang in the woods east of the the pond at Saffin Rock Rill.

Other Bird Notes

A Blue-headed Vireo was seen at the Black Spruce Bog area (labeled as Pine Swamp Trail on signs and maps) of Mahlon Dickerson Reservation this morning (Simon Lane). This species has been found through the years at this location along with other northern breeders such as Black-throated Blue Warbler and Hermit Thrush.

4 Common Ravens flew over a private residence near Veterans Park in Roxbury Twp. (Alan Boyd).

Saturday Bird Notes

A vocal Alder Flycatcher and a Cerulean Warbler continue at Tilcon Lake and Waterloo Valley Road respectively in Mt. Olive (Chris Thomas).

A Dickcissel was reported from Negri-Nepote Native Grassland Preserve on Saturday. No other sightings are reported yesterday and today despite people searching for it.

Also at Negri-Nepote Native Grassland Preserve yesterday is a well-described report of a Mississippi Kite seen flying towards S. Middlebush Rd. (Kirsten Abildskov, Piper Weldy).

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:

• Morris County
• Somerset County

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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