mocosocoBirds

A Forster’s Tern was viewed at Boonton Reservoir for at least 10 minutes this afternoon at 1:15. It was constantly airborne near the island towards the southern half of the reservoir. It may be viewable from the old Bridge walkway next to Rt. 202 or the Waterview Plaza parking lot at 2001 Rt. 46 East if it is still in the area. After initially seen from the north end of the reservoir, it was not relocated from the aforementioned Waterview Plaza. This is the first record of Forster’s Tern on a Morris Count body of water since 1996. A Forster’s Tern from the Great Swamp N.W.R., dated May 6, 2012 is listed in the eBird database.

Elsewhere, an unexpectedly productive morning, considering the southerly-flavored winds, was had at Sayre’s Farm in Morris Township.
Highlights:
7 Eastern Phoebes
3 Red-eyed Vireos
1 Northern Waterthrush
6 Common Yellowthroats
1 Northern Parula
2 Magnolia Warblers
4 Blackburnian Warblers
2 Chestnut-sided Warblers
6 Black-throated Green Warblers
26 Song Sparrows
4 Lincoln Sparrows
7 Swamp Sparrows
5 White-throated Sparrows
2 Rose-breasted Grosbeaks
1 Indigo Bunting

At Veteran’s Memorial Park in Whippany, Jamie Glydon found a Wilson’s Warbler and 4 Lincoln’s Sparrows.

Wildcat Ridge
Hibernia, New Jersey, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 24, 2012

Observation start time: 08:45:00
Observation end time: 14:45:00
Total observation time: 6 hours

Official Counter: Kevin McCarthy
Observers:
Visitors:
8
Weather:
Temp: 57 – 65 degrees F. Wind initially calm, becoming 5 mph from S to SW,
with 10 mph gusts. Visibility 10 miles with haze beyond. Clouds, 0 to
35%.

Raptor Observations:
3rd year BE at 9:15 am, 1st year BE at 1:00 pm.

Non-raptor Observations: None

Report submitted by Fred Vanderburgh
Wildcat Ridge – New Jersey information may be found at:
http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/wldcthwk.htm

Mt. Hope Lake in Rockaway Township had 9 Blue-winged Teal, 1 Northern Shoveler, 3 Ruddy Ducks, 1 Pied-billed Grebe, 30 Double-crested Cormorants, 4 Great Blue Herons, 2 Great Egrets and 1 American Coot. 41 Mute Swans represents one of the lowest counts at this location since the beginning of the year. The Shoveler, Ruddy Duck and Coot reports are the first records of the Summer/Fall 2012 season in Morris County.

Lake Musconetcong had a Common Gallinule in the northeast corner near Port Morris Park. Other than a May 5 report from the Great Swamp N.W.R. by Simon Lane and Peter Burke, this is the only known record of Common Gallinule in Morris County for 2012. 6 Pied-billed Grebes (they were everywhere today) and 5 fly-by Lesser Yellowlegs were also present.

Distant photo of Common Gallinule, Lake Musconetcong, NJ, Sept. 23, 2012 (Photo by J. Klizas)

Budd Lake was purely recreational with water skiers, sailboats and one lone Ring-billed Gull.

Birds were practically absent from Melanie Lane Pond in Hanover Township.

The Clay-colored Sparrow (CCSP) discovered this afternoon by Jamie Glydon was present as late as 6:00 p.m. The location is the area known as Florham Park Fields on Columbia Turnpike. The CCSP was near the mound by the pond furthest away from Columbia Turnpike. Look for the rusty tractor and that is the general area the CCSP was working. Also, look for the sparrow that doesn’t fly like the Song and Savannah Sparrows it was accompanying. This is the first known record of CCSP in Morris County since the October 2010 record by Simon Lane in the Great Swamp N.W.R. No other records exist for Morris County in the eBird database.

Clay-colored Sparrow, Florham Park, NJ, Sept. 23, 2012. Photo by J. Glydon

Clay-colored Sparrow, Florham Park, NJ, Sept. 23, 2012. Photo by J. Glydon