Raptors, Blackbirds and Geese, Feb. 13, 2013

Posted on February 13, 2013 by Jonathan Klizas

From Mike Britt:
Jonathan – This morning, I watched a ground-hunting Northern Harrier (immature) get pirated by the continuing dark morph Rough-legged Hawk (juvenile), which in turn was pirated by one of the 14 Red-tailed Hawks (in one scan) in the Lana Labell/Rattlesnake Bridge/Burnt Mills area in Bedminster. There are probably another 3-5 Red-tailed Hawks present that I could not see from my vantage point. – Mike Britt
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A huge, mixed blackbird flock invaded Hillsborough Township today in the area of River Road and South Branch Road. A very rough guesstimate of 2,000+ birds included Red-winged Blackbirds in the majority, Common Grackles close behind and Brown-headed Cowbirds and European Starlings to round out the total. A Peregrine Falcon flew over the mass at one point, probably the same individual that has been in the area for the past few days. It is the Hillsborough/Branchburg area, so you know there were hundreds, if not thousands, of geese overhead at any one time. A Snow Goose and a Cackling Goose were the only other species noted besides the multitude of Canada Geese. One can turn in almost any direction in this part of Hillsborough and find Red-tailed Hawks roosting in trees –  there are that many.

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Greater White-fronted Goose, Rough-legged Hawk, etc., Feb. 12, 2013

Posted on February 12, 2013 by Jonathan Klizas

Wilson's Snipe, Branchburg, NJ, Feb. 12, 2013 (photo by Holly Ellerbusch).

Wilson’s Snipe, Branchburg, NJ, Feb. 12, 2013 (photo by Holly Ellerbusch).


Holly Ellerbusch and Zach Batren photographed the continuing Wilson’s Snipe on Opie Road in Branchburg today.

Jeff Ellerbusch found a Greater White-fronted Goose this afternoon on River Road on the Norz Farm property in Hillsborough Township. Jeff assumes this is the same goose that has been hanging out in the Raritan River opposite Duke Island Park for the last few days. In this winter of geese, it will be interesting to see how long they stick around.

A belated report from Mike Britt from the same area: “Sunday, February 10th, I observed an adult Peregrine Falcon perched on a transmission tower at the power line cut along River Road, not far from the intersection of South Branch Road in Hillsborough.”

The light morph Rough-legged Hawk was eBirded by Jim Gilbert and David Bernstein today from Pleasant Plains Road in the Great Swamp NWR. This is another species to watch for departure dates.

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Shorebirds, Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Lapland Longspur in Somerset Co., Feb. 11, 2013

Posted on February 11, 2013 by Jonathan Klizas
Wilson's Snipe, Opie Road, Branchburg, NJ, Feb. 11, 2013 (digi-binned photo by Jonathan Klizas).

Wilson’s Snipe, Opie Road, Branchburg, NJ, Feb. 11, 2013 (photo digi-binned by Jonathan Klizas).

(Click on the photo for a larger image)

Kudos to Jeff Ellerbusch for finding a very well-hidden Wilson’s Snipe on Opie Road in Branchburg Township this afternoon. With the thick fog and poor visibility, I could easily have passed it off as a blob of mud without knowing it was there. A Killdeer was also in the vicinity. Two shorebird species in one plot of grass – the 2013 mocosocoBirds shorebird season is officially open!
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From Mike Hiotis:
Hey Jonathan – Letting you know among the flock of 170 +/- Gulls flying in and out from the pond on Old Quarry Rd. in Bernardsville were 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls. The winter adults stood out even in the foggy conditions . From what I could make out the flock had at least 50+ Herring Gulls.The numbers of gulls was changing constantly as the birds were coming and going. Also present were 3 Mute Swans , a few Canadas and a lone Ruddy Duck which has been here a while.

A thank-you and congrats goes out to the finders of the Lapland Longspur seen on Hillsborough Rd. this AM when the flock of Horned Larks(25ish) landed briefly across from the Geese on the south side of the road.

Mike Hiotis

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Lapland Longspur; other field notes, Feb. 10, 2013

Posted on February 10, 2013 by Jonathan Klizas
Red-shouldered Hawk, Woodland Road, Great Swamp NWR, NJ, Feb. 10, 2013 (Digi-binned while sitting in an idling Prius by Jonathan Klizas)

Red-shouldered Hawk, Woodland Road, Great Swamp NWR, NJ, Feb. 10, 2013 (Digi-binned while sitting in an idling Prius by Jonathan Klizas)

(Click photo for larger image)

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The Lapland Longspur of Hillsborough continues as of this afternoon. Jeff Ellerbusch found it again today keeping company with Horned Larks in the field opposite Hillsborough Farm, Hillsborough Road, Hillsborough Township. 21 Savannah Sparrows were near the hedgerow on the opposite side of the road.
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At Black Meadows, a light morph Rough-legged Hawk continues. A Yellow-rumped Warbler, rare in Morris County this winter with only two reports, and a Golden-crowned Kinglet were also present.
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At least one of the Rough-legged Hawks on Rattlesnake Bridge Road in Bedminster continues today.

Jim Schlickenrieder and Simon Lane eBirded a Cackling Goose at Amwell Pond in Hillsborough earlier today.
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From Tim Vogel:
Mt. Hope Lake, Rockaway, NJ
Bald Eagle (adult) 1. Perched near nest.
Unable to determine if a bird was on the nest
I noticed new No Trespassing signs with the Tilcon name as well as the sportsmen’s club.

Indian Lake spillway, Denville
Ring necked Duck 5
Buffleheads 3
Great Blue Heron

Rockaway River, Denville
Hooded Merganser 6

Tim Vogel
Denville
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From Jane Flynn:
As of 1:30pm today (Sunday) there were at least 30 Black Vultures sunning themselves on the roof and chimney of both St. Virgil Church and school at the intersection of Route 202 (Speedwell Avenue) and Hanover Avenue on the Morris Plains/Morris Township border. Enter the church parking lot from W. Hanover Avenue. Lately, they have been seen every day but not in this number. The presence of a lot of people doesn’t bother them.

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The Hardy Birds of Troy Meadows, Feb. 10, 2013

Posted on February 10, 2013 by Jonathan Klizas
Troy Meadows, Feb. 10, 2013 - looking north from Troy Meadows Road (photo by Jonathan Klizas).

Troy Meadows, Feb. 10, 2013 – looking north from Troy Meadows Road (photo by Jonathan Klizas).

(Click on the photo for a larger image)

A combination of sub-freezing temperatures the past few weeks and a 10-12 inch snowstorm this past Friday have left only birds resourceful enough to survive. A walk at Troy Meadows today (snow shoes would have been appropriate) brought out the survivors. The granivores were busy gleaning any food they could find from any source not buried by the snow. Ground-feeders became tree climbers with Dark-eyed Juncos and White-throated Sparrows picking at bark and lichens high up in the tree canopy. A pair of Brown Creepers worked different sides of the same tree while American Tree and Song Sparrows picked at anything sticking above the snow. A single Eastern Bluebird found cover in a Virginia Red Cedar. A Swamp Sparrow and Field Sparrow were a duo working the woodland at the edge of the marsh. A Cooper’s Hawk made off with a possible Am. Tree Sparrow in its talons. Four Red-tailed Hawks were scattered throughout the Troy Meadows Road area. A Belted Kingfisher and Great Blue Heron stayed close to Troy Brook, the only open water in Troy Meadows. A highlight of the frigid morning was a light morph Rough-legged Hawk roosting on a snag on the marsh. In 2013, there have been 2 Rough-legged Hawks in Black Meadows, at least one at Troy Meadows, as many as three at one time in the Great Swamp.

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Lapland Longspur in Hillsborough Twp., Rough-legged Hawks in Bedminster, Feb. 9, 2013

Posted on February 9, 2013 by Jonathan Klizas
Lapland Longspur with Horned Larks, Hillsborough, NJ, Feb. 9, 2013 (photo by Jeff Ellerbusch).

Lapland Longspur with Horned Larks, Hillsborough, NJ, Feb. 9, 2013 (photo by Jeff Ellerbusch).

(Click on the photo for a larger image)

Jeff Ellerbusch, et al, found a Lapland Longspur with a flock of 53 Horned Larks in a field opposite Hillsborough Farm, on Hillsborough Road in Hillsborough Township. This is the same location, albeit on the opposite side of the road, that a Lark Sparrow was present in December.
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The light and dark morph Rough-legged Hawks continue on Rattlesnake Bridge Road in Bedminster Township as viewed by multiple observers today.

Dark-morph Rough-legged Hawk, Bedminster, NJ, Feb. 9, 2013 (photo by Holly Ellerbusch).

Dark-morph Rough-legged Hawk, Bedminster, NJ, Feb. 9, 2013 (photo by Holly Ellerbusch).

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Common Redpoll in Raritan, Feb. 8, 2013

Posted on February 8, 2013 by Jonathan Klizas

From John Collins:
A female COMMON REDPOLL is visiting my yard this afternoon (Raritan, NJ). So far, just the one. She has only been eating from the ground, not the feeders. This is a new species for my yard list!

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Ross’s and Greater White-fronted Geese, Rough-legged Hawks, Feb. 6, 2013

Posted on February 6, 2013 by Jonathan Klizas

From Jane Flynn:
There was one Ross’s Goose and two Greater White-fronted Geese at the VA Hospital in Lyons at 2:30pm this afternoon. They were best seen from Valley Road, closer to the SW Entrance than Knollcroft Road.
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Be careful when identifying Snow Geese in the Great Swamp NWR area. Jim Gilbert has photo-documented three Canada x Greylag hybrids that have been seen in the area. Here is a link to one of them at Jim’s Flickr site
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From Mike Britt:
Jonathan – I observed a sub-adult male Northern Harrier ground-hunting at the Florham Park Fields this morning. The bird had adult male underparts but the upperparts still had a brown cast.

One of the light Rough-legged Hawks was observed perched for a few minutes on a snag on the periphery of the (Morristown) airport runway…it disappeared when I looked away…had to fly off low. At Yvette Dr. (Black Meadows), I observed both light Rough-leggeds. Both spent time perched and hover-hunting. The juvenile was favoring the Phragmite/Cattail interface looking straight out. The other bird spent a good amount of time soaring, diving on one of the local Red-tails several times. – Mike

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Rough-legged Hawks in Bedminster Township, Feb. 5, 2013

Posted on February 5, 2013 by Jonathan Klizas

From Mike Newlon:
The dark-morph Rough-legged Hawk was at the intersection of Rattlesnake Bridge/Burnt Mills Rds. this morning – perched on a post in the field west of the intersection. Also in the area: Redtails/Harrier (on the ground amidst Canada Geese)/Kestrel/Cooper’s hawk/both Vultures spp.
[trip extension into Hunterdon County]
Spruce Run was completely frozen and birdless 2-4 PM, not a single gull or waterfowl. Round Valley had a few Buffleheads and Ruddies and about 1000 gulls but so far out I could not pick out much besides the imm Herring Gull.
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From Marc Chelemer:
Both the light morph and dark morph Rough-legged Hawks continue today between 2:00 and 2:45, February 5, at or near the intersection of Rattlesnake Bridge Road and Burnt Mills Road. The light morph was/is about 4/10 of a mile east of the intersection, working the field on the north side of the road. The dark morph was/is perched in the largest tree on the far west side of the open field on the west side of the intersection. Also present in the area were five Red-tails, one Kestrel, one Black and two Turkey Vultures, three Ring-necked Pheasant, and two Carolina Wrens.
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Editor’s Note: The Ring-necked Pheasants in this area are stocked by a local hunting club. The field defined by Rattlesnake Bridge, River East, & Burnt Mills is a heavily hunted semi-wild preserve, where trespassing is strictly forbidden.

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Rough-legged Hawks, Redhead and Waterfowl, Feb. 4, 2013

Posted on February 4, 2013 by Jonathan Klizas

From Mike Britt:
Jonathan – I observed a light morph and the continuing dark morph Rough-legged Hawk along Rattlesnake Bridge Road (Bedminster) late this morning. Both birds were initially observed in flight over the large field complex on the east side of the road…much closer to Burnt Mills. The light morph hovered briefly but then got harassed by two of the eleven Red-tailed Hawks, causing it to climb. I lost it because the dark morph appeared in flight…it took a steady course across Rattlesnake, where it started hovering over Lana Labell. – Mike Britt
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Budd Lake is frozen except for a small section along the southwestern shore. At least 2,000 Canada Geese continue in this tight area. Careful searching will turn up some other waterfowl floating among the goose throng including a drake Redhead, 1 American Coot, ~10 Lesser Scaup, one drake Greater Scaup, 2 Common Mergansers and 2 Bufflehead. An adult Bald Eagle stirred the waterfowl as it landed on the ice before soaring off. Only 15 Ring-billed Gulls were seen.

Redhead at Budd Lake, NJ, Feb. 4, 2013 (photo by Jonathan Klizas)

Redhead at Budd Lake, NJ, Feb. 4, 2013 (photo by Jonathan Klizas)

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