Great Egret, Troy Meadows, NJ, Apr. 23, 2017 (photo by Jonathan Klizas)

(Click on the photo to view a larger image)

Morris County is bereft of shorebird habitat, as anyone familiar with the area knows. Suitable sites change season by season, year by year, so when one finds more that two species anywhere in the county during an outing, it is a good day.

Troy Brook coursing through Troy Meadows was busy today near the boardwalk crossing and the old eagle nest. Certainly not with any great numbers, but with Wilson’s Snipe, Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, Solitary Sandpipers and a pair of Great Egrets keeping the brook company on a gorgeous, clear morning.

Greater Yellowlegs, Troy Meadows, NJ, Apr. 23, 2017 (photo by Jonathan Klizas)

Solitary Sandpiper, Troy Meadows, NJ, Apr. 23, 2017 (photo by Jonathan Klizas)

Despite environmental pressures from every side, Troy Meadows continues to be a wildlife oasis. A historically famous wetland to metropolitan ornithologists in the early 20th century, Roger Tory Peterson, Ludlow Griscom and Charles Urner to name a few, the main protector of Troy Meadows today falls under the duty of Wildlife Preserves…and you and me.

Keep Saturday, June 10, 2017, in mind. That is Troy Meadows Trash Clean-up Day from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Set your GPS to 275 Troy Meadows Rd., Parsippany, NJ to join in and participate.

Below is a view of Troy Meadows’ namesake, Troy Brook, with part of the old boardwalk peeking out of the cattails. The stories that boardwalk could tell! Certainly, many Morris old-timers can recall the many marsh birds encountered from there, and the occasional fall through a rotten or missing plank complete with creosote-stained pants, that many, including this writer, endured.

Troy Brook, Troy Meadows, NJ, Apr. 23, 2017 (photo by Jonathan Klizas)

Other Birds

The two Red-necked Grebes found yesterday (see this post) continue to spend some restful time at the north end of Boonton Reservoir. Below is a photo with the typical distant Boonton Reservoir view. The grebes are visible from the footbridge at the north end but a scope is necessary unless you have an active imagination.

Red-necked Grebes, Boonton Reservoir, NJ, Apr. 23, 2017 (photo by Jonathan Klizas)

As much as Melanie Lane Wetlands has been abused and disturbed, it continues to be a magnet for birds. 2 Blue-winged Teal continue as they have the past week as well as 4 Northern Shovelers and 6 Green-winged Teal. 6 Great Egrets were in the water as well as a Great Blue Heron. 5 Greater Yellowlegs were together in a group earlier this morning signaling the beginning of Morris County’s modest spring shorebird season.

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.

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