mocosocoBirds

From John J. Collins:

Today I went to Duke Island Park, Bridgewater, and saw 5 CACKLING GEESE in the Raritan River along with 1000’s of Canada Geese. The Cacklings were located on the south side of the river just east of the rapids. This area can be accessed by parking in the Jaycee parking area. Also present in the park were at least 2 WINTER WRENS. At the Robert St. parking area there were 6 KILLDEER standing in the small area of the river that wasn’t submerged by the rising waters.

A RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH continues in my yard here in Raritan. It’s been here for 2 months now and obviously plans on staying for the winter as it is stashing peanuts and sunflower seeds from my feeders.

Geese have been in the news lately. A Pink-footed Goose in Hunterdon (and hypothetically in Somerset) and a bi-county Ross’s Goose in Somerset and Hunterdon made the rounds. A Barnacle Goose was reported in Mercer County during the past weekend. What is a birder to do but to check out a flock of geese while driving agricultural roads in Hillsborough Township? This is what Jeff Ellerbusch did this afternoon, but what he found instead is the first known and documented record of a Lark Sparrow in Somerset County. The Lark Sparrow was found near the hedgerow located east of the driveway to Hillsborough Farm on Hillsborough Road in Hillsborough Township. The Lark Sparrow and the many White-crowned and Song Sparrows feed on the ground next to the hedgerow. The farm is private property so please stay off the grounds. The birds can be viewed from the side of the road. The bird was still present when Jeff and I left at 4 p.m. Beware of two things:
1. With the construction of the Hillsborough Town Center, the re-routing of Rt. 206 and the closure of Homestead Rd., Hillsborough Rd. can be very busy with all types of vehicular traffic.
2. There are many (10+) juvenile White-Crowned Sparrows present. Be careful in correctly identifying the Lark Sparrow. A few adult White-crowned Sparrows are also present as well as Song, Savannah, White-throated (1) and House Sparrows. The birds can be maddeningly difficult to see in the grasses and vegetation. Occasionally they flush into the hedgerow for short periods. The white tail feathers of the Lark Sparrow are obvious once they are seen.

A stated previously in this post, this is the first known and documented record of Lark Sparrow in Somerset County as amazing as that reads.

Lark Sparrow, Hillsborough Township, NJ, Dec. 17, 2012. First known Somerset County record. Found and photographed by Jeff Ellerbusch.

Michael Rehman eBirded that at 7:47 this morning the Ross’s Goose lifted off at Cushetunk Lake in Hunterdon County and flew off to the northeast with Canada Geese. After 8:25 a.m., Simon Lane refound the Ross’s Goose in Lamington at the location it was found yesterday: the corn stubble field at the corner of Lamington Rd. and Black River Rd. If yesterday’s pattern is duplicated, the goose will return to Cushetunk Lake sometime in the late afternoon.

Jeff Ellerbusch found a Ross’s Goose this afternoon in Lamington in northwestern Somerset County. The Ross’s Goose, 7 Snow Geese and eventually 3,000 Canada Geese were in the corn stubble field at the corner of Lamington Road and Black River Road. The field is private property but the birds are easily viewable from the sides of the road. This is 2 Decembers in succession for Ross’s Goose in Somerset County. In 2011, a Ross’s Goose spent the day at Duke Island Park in Bridgewater.

Ross’s Goose, Lamington, Somerset Co., Dec. 16, 2012 (Photo by Jeff Ellerbusch)

Ross’s Goose, Lamington, Somerset Co., Dec. 16, 2012 (Photo by Jonathan Klizas)

From Mike Hiotis:

Hey Jonathan,
Letting you know while walking the dog in the yard this morning I watched 7 noisy birds land in my neighbor’s Fir trees. I had time to get to the car for my binoculars and see that 3 of the 7 birds were Red Crossbills. They were in the tree approx. 1 minute before setting off to the west.

Mike Hiotis