Red Crossbills in Morris County
Red Crossbills, Morris County, NJ, Nov. 14, 2016 (photo by Silas Hernandez)
(Click on the photos for larger images.)
As many as nine Red Crossbills were found two consecutive days, Nov. 13-14, at the old Hewlett-Packard property, formerly the Boonton Radio Company (see a history blurb here), and currently Christ Church, at Green Pond and Meridan Road, Rockaway (Silas Hernandez, photos). This private property straddles Rockaway and Denville Townships in Morris County .
Do not think of visiting the location as you will be asked to leave, if you can get in.
However, Jonathan’s Woods, a Morris County park, borders the property and is very accessible from Old Beech Glen Road. A few pines remain of the so-called Cathedral Pines that formerly graced Jonathan’s Woods. Most of these trees were wiped out during superstorm Sandy (see a post from that time here) and the fallen trunks removed a few years later.
As far as is known, the Red Crossbills were not observed today despite observers searching for them.
Snow Bunting at Glenhurst Meadows
Snow Bunting, Glenhurst Meadows, NJ, Nov. 14, 2016 (photo by Jeff Ellerbusch)
Mike Hiotis located a Snow Bunting at the community garden parking lot of Wagner’s Arboretum, Glenhurst Meadows, Nov. 14. The bunting was present this morning (David Bernstein). A Snow Bunting was also photographed by a non-eBirder at this location on November 8.
Spackling Goose, R.I.P.
Spackling Goose at Duke Farms, Jan. 29, 2013 (photo by Jim Mulvey).
It is brought to mocosocoBirds attention that the famed Spackling Goose of Somerset County was hunted and killed recently, most likely in Hillsborough Twp. Birders will miss this beloved goose who made an appearance each fall and winter in Somerset County since at least 2012 and probably much longer than that.
An older post on the history of the goose is here.
The Greater White-Fronted Goose and the Spackling Goose at Duke Island Park, Jan. 2, 2013 (Photo by Zach Batren).
Other birds
Most of the Red-headed Woodpeckers (RHWO) reported from Glenhurst Meadows are actually north of the Passaic River in Morris County. A walk at the Long Hill Wetlands last Sunday produced nine RHWOs.
With the 12+ RHWOs at Troy Meadows, a few at the Lord Stirling Park/Great Swamp NWR border and the RHWOs at Long Hill Wetlands and Glenhurst Meadows, the mocosocoBirds region is easily the Red-headed Woodpecker capital of New Jersey.
Below is a Red-headed Woodpecker with an acorn stash at the Long Hill Wetlands. Be aware that the Long Hill Wetlands, while being part of the Morris County Parks System according to the placards on trees, has no trails, poison ivy is abundant in summer and it floods very easily and frequently.
Red-headed Woodpecker, Long Hill Twp., NJ, Nov. 13, 2016 (photo by Jonathan Klizas)
Photos
Fox Sparrow, Long Hill Twp., NJ, Nov. 13, 2016 (photo by Jonathan Klizas)
Supermoon, Morris Twp., NJ, Nov. 13, 2016 (photo by Jonathan Klizas)
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.
The mocosocoBirds Facebook page is located here and also posts timely information not found on the mocosocoBirds web site.
@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.
Finis
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