Chimney Rock
Martinsville, NJ, USA
Daily Raptor Counts : 11/12/2012
| Species | Day’s Count | Month Total | Season Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| BV | 1 | 21 | 21 |
| TV | 0 | 0 | 89 |
| OS | 0 | 2 | 547 |
| BE | 0 | 12 | 308 |
| NH | 1 | 14 | 137 |
| SS | 0 | 168 | 2392 |
| CH | 0 | 40 | 401 |
| NG | 0 | 3 | 5 |
| RS | 0 | 244 | 431 |
| BW | 0 | 0 | 16392 |
| RT | 1 | 372 | 449 |
| RL | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| GE | 0 | 7 | 12 |
| AK | 0 | 4 | 740 |
| ML | 0 | 10 | 236 |
| PG | 0 | 3 | 55 |
| UI | 1 | 2 | 24 |
| Total | 4 | 902 | 22239 |
| Hours | 5.8 | 77.3 | 542.0 |
Notes : Hazy and warm, wind from the south.Grackles, Red-admiral, and
Red Bat kind of day.
John Kee
Chimney Rock
Martinsville, NJ, USA
Daily Raptor Counts : 11/11/2012
| Species | Day’s Count | Month Total | Season Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| BV | 1 | 20 | 20 |
| TV | 0 | 0 | 89 |
| OS | 0 | 2 | 547 |
| BE | 0 | 12 | 308 |
| NH | 1 | 13 | 136 |
| SS | 1 | 168 | 2392 |
| CH | 0 | 40 | 401 |
| NG | 0 | 3 | 5 |
| RS | 1 | 244 | 431 |
| BW | 0 | 0 | 16392 |
| RT | 4 | 371 | 448 |
| RL | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| GE | 1 | 7 | 12 |
| AK | 0 | 4 | 740 |
| ML | 1 | 10 | 236 |
| PG | 0 | 3 | 55 |
| UI | 0 | 1 | 23 |
| Total | 10 | 898 | 22235 |
| Hours | 7.3 | 71.5 | 536.3 |
Notes : Slow day on winds out of the South. Juvenile Golden Eagle.
John Kee
Click on the following link to open the file in a separate window.
Hourly Stats Report
This may not be the most compelling subject based on the species mentioned until you read the numbers that Jeff Ellerbusch had in the vicinity of Hillsborough Road, Hillsborough Township. The comments are Jeff’s unless noted otherwise:
700 Fish Crows (FICR) – “Amazing, and conservative- over triple the number I have had here in the past. A single flyover (relocating) flock of over 300 didn’t even represent half of the FICR on Hillsborough Rd., this in addition to the few hundred crows on Homestead Rd., viewable from Hillsborough Rd and later confirmed as mostly FICR, makes 700 a very conservative estimate.”
8,000 European Starlings (EUST) – [Editor: – If you are familiar with this area you will appreciate this number. Jeff is not exaggerating in any way. EUST cover the entire area attracted as they are to a nearby pig farm.
Other species in the area were 1,000 Canada Geese, 50 Turkey Vultures, 75 Black Vultures [Editor: I once had approximately 75 Black Vultures in one kettle in this area], 350 Ring-billed Gulls as well as 2 Common Ravens, 2 Horned Lark and 9 American Pipits. The Horned Larks represent the second record for Somerset County this season. The first was on Nov. 7, same place, same reporter.
Studying basic plumaged Dowitchers is either stimulating, entertaining, head-scratching, exasperating or all of the previous. Tom Smith found a presumed Long-billed Dowitcher (LBDO) at Kitchell Lake, Loantaka Brook Reservation in Harding/Morris Townships on Saturday, Nov. 10. It has been many years, if not decades, since a LBDO has been reported in Morris County. The LBDO was viewed again this morning, Sunday, Nov. 11 by this author, Simon Lane and Jamie Glydon. All concurred that it is probably a LBDO. Using all available resources but especially the American Birding Association’s Birding article located at http://www.aba.org/birding/v38n5p34.pdf reinforces this conclusion
This is a brief summary of identification features. Any more detail and this post may not see the Internet until much later.
Tom Smith’s photos taken yesterday are here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tsmzth/8173674747
Following are photos taken this morning.
Long-billed Dowitcher, Loantaka Brook Reservation, Morris County, Nov. 11, 2012 (Photo by Jonathan Klizas)
Long-billed Dowitcher, Loantaka Brook Reservation, Morris County, Nov. 11, 2012 (Photo by Jonathan Klizas)
Long-billed Dowitcher, Loantaka Brook Reservation, Morris County, Nov. 11, 2012 (Photo by Jonathan Klizas)
Long-billed Dowitcher, Loantaka Brook Reservation, Morris County, Nov. 11, 2012 (Photo by Jonathan Klizas)
Seen by Simon Lane and Jeff Ellerbusch: 3 White-winged Crossbills, 1 Evening Grosbeak (S. Lane), 5 Am. Pipits, 19 Purple Finches, 60 Pine Siskins, etc.
Chimney Rock
Martinsville, NJ, USA
Daily Raptor Counts : 11/10/2012
| Species | Day’s Count | Month Total | Season Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| BV | 19 | 19 | 19 |
| TV | 0 | 0 | 89 |
| OS | 0 | 2 | 547 |
| BE | 1 | 12 | 308 |
| NH | 0 | 12 | 135 |
| SS | 0 | 167 | 2391 |
| CH | 0 | 40 | 401 |
| NG | 0 | 3 | 5 |
| RS | 1 | 243 | 430 |
| BW | 0 | 0 | 16392 |
| RT | 0 | 367 | 444 |
| RL | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| GE | 0 | 6 | 11 |
| AK | 0 | 4 | 740 |
| ML | 0 | 9 | 235 |
| PG | 0 | 3 | 55 |
| UI | 1 | 1 | 23 |
| Total | 22 | 888 | 22225 |
| Hours | 6.0 | 64.3 | 529.0 |
Notes : SW wind pretty much shut down the flight. 1 Bald Eagle, 1 Red-
shouldered Hawk. Continuing Evening Grosbeaks and White-
winged Crossbills
John Kee
Click on the following links to open the files in separate windows.
Hourly Stats Report
Bird Checklist Query
From Tom Smith:
Today, while on a futile chase for winter finches, I was surprised to find a DOWITCHER on the pond at Loantaka Park. It looks like it is most likely a Long-billed. I put some pictures up at http://www.flickr.com/photos/tsmzth/8173674747.
Other than that (and a large flock of ~10-12 bluebirds) there was not much about.
=======================================
This morning, Melanie Lane Wetlands had 14 Gadwall, 1 Northern Shoveler, 10 Northern Pintail, 20 Green-winged teal, 6 Ruddy Ducks, 1 Great Blue Heron along with Canada Geese, Mallards and American Black Ducks.
=======================================
Troy Meadows in the fields by the power lines along South Beverwyck Rd. had Sparrows: 10 Am. Tree, 5 Savannah, 7 Fox, 17 Song, 22 White-throated, 1 White-crowned and some Dark-eyed Juncos.
Fox Sparrow at Troy Meadows, Nov. 10, 2012 (Photo by Jonathan Klizas)
Jeff Ellerbusch reported 2 Evening Grosbeaks and 8 White-winged Crossbills over the parking lot early this morning. Another adult male White-winged Crossbill was observed at the Hawkwatch later in the day. The hawkwatch totals are below.
==================================
Chimney Rock
Martinsville, NJ, USA
Daily Raptor Counts : 11/9/2012
| Species | Day’s Count | Month Total | Season Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| BV | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| TV | 0 | 0 | 89 |
| OS | 0 | 2 | 547 |
| BE | 3 | 11 | 307 |
| NH | 0 | 12 | 135 |
| SS | 2 | 167 | 2391 |
| CH | 5 | 40 | 401 |
| NG | 0 | 3 | 5 |
| RS | 12 | 242 | 429 |
| BW | 0 | 0 | 16392 |
| RT | 20 | 367 | 444 |
| RL | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| GE | 0 | 6 | 11 |
| AK | 0 | 4 | 740 |
| ML | 0 | 9 | 235 |
| PG | 0 | 3 | 55 |
| UI | 0 | 0 | 22 |
| Total | 42 | 866 | 22203 |
| Hours | 7.7 | 58.3 | 523.0 |
Notes: Finally caught up after a week without power and longer without
internet. The watch continued nearly uninterupted however and all
data is complete. Extraordinary flights of red-shouldereds and
red-taileds over the last weeks. An amazing 866 raptors since 11/1
John Kee
Click on the following links to open the files in separate windows.
Hourly Stats Report
Bird Checklist Query
Daily Total Scr
2012 Summary(Standard)
This afternoon, Jeff Ellerbusch found a Greater White-fronted Goose at Selody Sod Farm in Montgomery Township. Jeff also had a Cackling Goose along with at least 75 American Pipits along Hillsborough Road in Hillsborough Township.
Greater White-fronted Goose, Selody Sod Farm, Montgomery Township, NJ, Nov. 7, 2012 (Photo by Jeff Ellerbusch)
Jamie Glydon found a drake Common Goldeneye on Lake Parsippany this morning. This is an uncommon species in Morris County. The only other reports in 2012 are of a group of 7 Common Goldeneye at Lake Musconetcong in February. They are slightly more common in Somerset County apparently wintering in the Raritan River along the D&R Towpath in Franklin Township. Jeff Ellerbusch had a high count of 34 there in January, 2012.
550 Ruddy Ducks were at Mt. Hope Lake in Rockaway Township this afternoon. That is a conservative number as certainly more were missed. For those not familiar with Mt. Hope Lake, it requires a spotting scope preferably with a zoom eyepiece. I am frequently maxed out to 60x when viewing this lake. The waterfowl like to congregate in the far northeast corner of the lake and also at the north end towards the entrance road to the Tilcon plant. The only viewing spot is at the end of Everment Road. Keep in mind that the lake and the entire perimeter of the lake is administered by the Rockaway Township Sportsmen Club. Unless you are a member, access to any of the trails around the lake is verboten. Please be respectful of that. We do not want to jeopardize access to what is the most productive body of water in Morris County.
550 Ruddys smashes the previous known Morris County eBird record of 330 set on October 27, 2012 at the same place. The Ruddys were certainly not lonely. Accompanying the Ruddys were 180 Ring-necked Ducks (RNDU). Again, this is a conservative, probable-undercount. While most of the RNDUs were in one manageable raft, others were resting, scattered among the distant Ruddys and difficult to get an exact count. 55 American Coot were easier to spot as they kept to themselves in the north end near the Phragmites stand. Here are the numbers:
Mute Swan – 21 (where have they all gone? 149 was the high count on June 3.)
Wood Duck – 2
Gadwall – 20
American Wigeon – 3
Mallard – 14
Green-winged Teal – 2
Ring-necked Duck – 180, at least
Lesser Scaup – 14
Bufflehead – 2
Ruddy Duck – 550, at least
Pied-billed Grebe – 3
Horned Grebe – 2
Double-crested Cormorant – 1
American Coot – 55
Mt. Hope must be a duck magnet because there sure was a paucity of waterfowl in other bodies of water in Morris County. Lake Musconetcong had 1 Common Merganser and 4 Bufflehead besides Ring-billed Gulls, 1 Herring Gull and the usual Mute Swans. Budd Lake had a Horned Grebe, 4 Lesser Scaup and 8 Ring-billed Gulls. Lake Parsippany had 3 Hooded Mergansers, Gulls, Geese and Swans. That is all.
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From Mike Newlon at Glenhurst Meadows:
Quiet. One Vesper Sparrow with Savannahs on the mound by the Silos. 1 Red-shouldered Hawk, 3 Hermit Thrushes in the hedgerows along the Passaic River. Only a few Swamps/Songs in the ‘sparrow swale’. Remarkably little tree damage.
Best – Mike Newlon
mocosocoBirds 