mocosocoBirds

The radar looked outstanding last night for an invasion of migrating birds (woodcreeper.com). Ground truthing showed otherwise, at least where the individual writing this was. Others fared better apparently.

Morris County

The Glossy Ibis continues at Melanie Lane Wetlands. It was seen this morning as it flew to its favored, and hidden, southwest corner of the wetlands. 1 Greater Yellowlegs, 2 Least Sandpipers, 4 Great Egrets, 2 Great Blue Herons, 6 Green-winged Teal, Warbling Vireos and Yellow Warblers were some of the observed species.

A Horned Grebe attaining alternate plumage was on Mt. Hope Lake. It has been there for the past two weeks assuming it is the same individual. 28 Ruddy Ducks continue on the lake.

Red-eyed Vireo, Veery, Wood Thrush, Ovenbird, Worm-eating Warbler, Louisiana Waterthrush, Blue-winged Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, American Redstart, Yellow Warbler, Pine Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler and Baltimore Orioles were tallied in the Green Pond Road area of Rockaway Township (Simon Lane).

Jim Mulvey photographed the Northern Rough-winged nest site at Loantaka Brook Reservation. The swallows are using the fallen base of a tree for their nest. Jim’s 11 year-old daughter,Fiona, photographed the Red-winged Blackbird.

Nest of N. Rough-winged Swallow, Loantaka Brook Res., Apr. 28, 2013 (photo by Jim Mulvey).

Red-winged Blackbird, Loantaka Brook Res., Apr. 28, 2013 (photo by Fiona Mulvey).

Somerset County

Similar species to the list above were at Scherman Hoffman Sanctuary in Bernardsville with the addition of Hooded Warbler (Jeff Ellerbusch).

From Jennifer Books:
This morning my sister and I went birding at Lord Stirling Park. Highlights including seeing several life birds including a male Prothonotary Warbler building a nest near the observation tower, (look for him near where the tree with the three large main trunks sticks out of the water), and a Rusty Blackbird. In addition, we spotted numerous Yellow-rumped Warblers, several Black-and-white, a few Palm, and a Great Egret. We also heard a Red-shouldered Hawk and a Great-crested Flycatcher.

A day like today is why we do what we do.

Wood Duck at the Tourne, NJ, Apr. 27, 2013 (photo by Jonathan Klizas).

Was it a short time ago, birders were bemoaning the scant migration of 2013 and wondering if winter would ever release its hold on us? Last night’s migration flight was non-existent but at this time of year, birds are moving no matter what the radar says. There are too many FOY (first-of-year) species today in the mocosocoBirds region to list them all. Some of the highlights are below.

Morris County

A Glossy Ibis hid well in the southwest portion of the Melanie Lane Wetlands today giving two observers a view as it jumped to an even more hidden location. 2 Lesser Yelowlegs and 1 Greater Yellowlegs were on the east shore while ~20 Wilson’s Snipe favored the south end. The photo of the Greater Yellowlegs and one of the Lesser Yellowlegs has them at attention because a female Merlin was cruising over the marsh. Notice the blur of Green-winged Teal in the background as the falcon spooked them. 3 Great Egrets, a Green Heron, 2 Great Blue Herons, 2 Warbling Vireos and Orchard Oriole are some of the other highlights today at Melanie Lane.

Greater and Lesser Yelowlegs at Melanie lane Wetlands, NJ, Apr. 27, 2013 (digiscoped by Jonathan Klizas).

Turkey Vulture at Melanie lane Wetlands, NJ, Apr. 27, 2013 (photo by Jonathan Klizas).

At least 7 Cliff Swallows returned to the Rt. 202 bridge at Boonton Reservoir. Assuming they nest, this will be the 2nd known year they are at this location.

The Tourne in Boonton/Denville Townships had Morris County’s 1st Ovenbird of 2013.

The first Great Crested Flycatcher of 2013 in Morris County was at Troy Meadows .

From Ken Hart:
Leaving my house early yesterday and today, I heard my first Ovenbird of the year both days, getting a glimpse of it today. This was on my property at Black River Road in Long Valley.

Margo D. Beller reports an American Redstart from the Great Swamp.

Somerset County

11 species of warblers were at Lord Stirling Park today. 2013’s first Prothonotary Warbler in the region was found along the Passaic River between the beaver dam and the East Observation Tower (Jeff Ellerbusch, Zach Batren). Remarkably, 2012’s first regional Prothonotary Warbler was on the same date by Jeff. Some of the highlights:
Blue-headed Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Winter Wren – singing
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher – 27
Ruby-crowned Kinglet – 15
Veery
Ovenbird – 2
Northern Parula – 1
Black-and-white Warbler – 2
Prothonotary Warbler
Common Yellowthroat – 3
Yellow Warbler – 22
Palm Warbler (Western) – 1
Palm Warbler (Yellow) – 30
Pine Warbler – 7
Yellow-rumped Warbler – 350
Black-throated Green Warbler – 1
Rose-breasted Grosbeak – 2

It is a great time of year.

American Bittern, Great Swamp NWR, NJ, Apr. 26, 2013 (photo by Simon Lane).

Yesterday, April 25

Virginial Rail and Veery were heard at LordStirling Park the night of Apr. 25 (Jeff Ellerbusch).

On April 25, Robert Skrabal found a Yellow-throated Warbler at Duke Farm in Hillsborough Twp. The warbler was not relocated today, Apr. 26.

Today

A Sora called this evening near the Headquarters pond on Pleasant Plains Road in the Great Swamp NWR (Simon Lane).

Amother Sora was heard this evening at Lord Stirling Park (Jeff Ellerbusch, Zach Batren, Holly Ellerbusch).

Two American Bitterns are frequenting the area near the short blind at the Wildlife Observation Center of the Great Swamp NWR.

American Bitterns, Great Swamp NWR, NJ, Apr. 26, 2013 (photo by Simon Lane).

Yellow Warblers and Blue-gray Gnatcatchers are everywhere.

A Wood Thrush was seen at Sourland Mountain Preserve this morning, the first in the mocosocoBirds region in 2013.

The first Warbling Vireo of 2013 in Morris County was at Melanie Lane Wetlands today. A pair of Least Sandpipers and 3 Wilson’s Snipe and 3 Killdeer were the only shorebirds.

From Vicki Schwartz in Hillsborough this morning:
I just saw a Raven carrying nesting material. It was flying north on Beekman Lane in Hillsborough, a little south of the railroad tracks. I also saw a Kestrel perching on the telephone wires on Beekman, north of the railroad tracks.

From Leslie Webster:
New arrivals spotted by Leslie, Jennifer Books, and her sister to the Kitchell Pond area of the Loantaka Brook Reservation as of this morning: 1 Green Heron, 2 Chimney Swifts, a displaying American Redstart, a Great Egret, and a Baltimore Oriole. The Yellow Warbler population is increasing, Northern Rough-winged Swallows are nesting in the muddy bank created by an overturned tree on the west side of the pond, and Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Palm Warblers, and Myrtle Warblers continue to glean the trees in the area.
[Editor’s note: add a Spotted and a Solitary Sandpiper in the fenced pond as well as a gigantic snapping turtle]

Least Sandpipers, Hanover Twp., NJ, Apr. 25, 2013 (photo by Jonathan Klizas)

Peep, at last! 4 Least Sandpipers at Melanie Lane Wetlands late this afternoon represent the first peep in the mocosocoBirds region in 2013. A Spotted Sandpiper, 5 Wilson’s Snipe and 2 resident Killdeer were also at the wetlands.

Another 2013 first of the region was a Rose-breasted Grosbeak found early this morning along Pleasant Plains Road, Great Swamp NWR. Also arriving were the first two Common Yellowthroats this spring in Morris County.

From Marc Chelemer at Negri-Nepote Grassland Preserve:
1 Glossy Ibis flyover.
1 Little Blue Heron in the pond (previously reported, apparently).
At least 2 singing Grasshopper Sparrows.
2 Vesper Sparrows on the path between the parking lot and the pond (previously reported by Vince Capp a couple weeks ago…still there, apparently).
3 male Bobolink in the northwest corner of the preserve, singing mid-air and landing on private property.

From Randy Little:
Six (3 male & 3 female) PURPLE FINCHES at our backyard feeders in Basking Ridge this morning. Have had just one male off and on during the past week, so this morning marks some sort of an influx.I much prefer them to the local HOUSE FINCHES. Also, our daily AMERICAN GOLDFINCH flock has grown from about 6 during March to at least 20 in recent days. Those who can’t secure a perch on one of the thistle or black-oil feeders spend their time twittering in the canopy among the red maple buds or in nearby red cedars.

From Robert Gallucci: A photograph of a Pine Warbler at Lord Stirling Park near the beaver dam.

Pine Warbler, Lord Stirling Park, NJ, Apr. 25, 2013 (photo by Robert Gallucci).

The first Northern Waterthrush of 2013 in the mocosocoBirds region was found early this morning along Pleasant Plains Road, Great Swamp NWR. There was an apparent movement of this species overnight. eBird reports from Glenhurst Meadows (David Bernstein), Scherman Hoffman Sanctuary in Bernardsville and scattered others in New Jersey bear this out.

A Prairie Warbler was singing in the cedars of Ann Van Mittlesworth Park, Hillsborough Twp.

From Ken Hart:
Black-and-white Warbler spotted along Black River Rd. in Long Valley this morning, along with Blue-headed Vireo and continuing Louisiana Waterthrush and Red-breasted Nuthatch.

From Leslie Webster:
The beautiful morning in Loantaka Brook Reservation woods brought to song a small group of Black-throated Green Warblers, along with at least three Black-and-white Warblers. Palms, Yellow-rumped and a Louisiana Waterthrush were also present. At Kitchell Pond, some Yellow Warblers had arrived. A Gray Catbird was meowing in the nearby woods, a harbinger of more to come, undoubtedly. Two Green-winged Teal and two Wood Ducks were on the water.

Negri-Nepote Grasslands Preserve had numerous Greater Yellowlegs, a Solitary Sandpiper and Eastern Kingbird as well as the typical species of the area.

Susan Treesh adds the following: Negri-Nepote had Prairie Warbler at the parking lot, Grasshopper Sparrows in the fields, a Brown Thrasher, and Gnatcatchers. The Jacques Lane access area of Six Mile Run had a flight of Palm and Yellow-rumped Warblers, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, and a pair of nesting Gnatcatchers (actually on the HQ side). They must have just arrived and immediately set about their business!

From Andrew Lucas:
Finderne Wetlands had all of the usual suspects this morning. The highlights were the first Gray Catbird I have seen this year and a flyover Glossy Ibis headed NW. It was low enough I though it could circle back and land, but alas, it kept going.

Troy Meadows had a Virginia Rail, Greater Yellowlegs, 1 Rusty Blackbird, Marsh Wren, House Wren and raptors including 2 Northern Harriers, Red-shouldered Hawk and 2 Broad-winged Hawks (Mike Britt).

3 Purple Finches were at Scherman Hoffman Wildlife Sanctuary (Jeff Ellerbusch).

From Leslie Webster:
Some new arrivals were noted at the Loantaka Brook Reservation, in spite of the chill: a Black and White Warbler, a Blue-headed Vireo, and half a dozen or more Barn Swallows. Also observed were several groups of Palm Warblers and Ruby-crowned Kinglets, as well as a few Pine Warblers. A second pair of Blue-winged Teal has joined the small duck group at Kitchell Pond.

Morris Lakes

Last night’s storm and passing front did not create any significant events in the mocosocoBirds region. Boonton Reservoir had a Red-throated Loon (Simon Lane) and 7 Common Loons besides the typical species. 70 Double-crested Cormorants were counted, but many more are in the area.

Mt. Hope Lake continues to have Ruddy Ducks in triple digits, 150 today. 1 Horned Grebe and 4 Pied-billed Grebes joined the two resident Bald Eagles and 2 Bufflehead. A Trumpeter Swan kept its distance from the 62 Mute Swans. Eventually, it flew out of view behind a patch of Phragmites. One of the Bernadsville Trumpeters?

Raritan Flyway

The Raritan Flyway was active today on the Delaware and Raritan Canal Towpath in Franklin Township. A flight of at least 100 Chimney Swifts, 40 Northern Rough-winged Swallows, 150 Tree Swallows, the mocosocoBirds region’s first Bank Swallow of 2013, 15 Barn Swallows, 1 Northern Parula (also a 2013 first for mocosoco) 9 Palm Warblers, 5 Pine Warblers and 230 Yellow-rumped Warblers were the highlight of the morning.

Other notes

Purple Finches continue to be reported from feeders (Alan Boyd, Jamie Glydon).

From Leslie Webster:
No Yellow Warblers yet at Loantaka Brook Reservation yesterday, but it’s good to know they are on their way! There were numbers of Yellow-rumped Warblers, a couple of Pine Warblers, and some Palm Warblers. Three Eastern Towhees were counted, one singing and the others calling. A Louisiana Waterthrush was singing–a new species for me in LBR.

A Pine Siskin continues to appear at a feeder in Basking Ridge (Jennifer Books).