mocosocoBirds

In case you missed Scott Barnes’ announcement on JerseyBirds, the New Jersey Audubon eBird Portal has published an article about the Finderne Wetlands in Bridgewater, NJ. NJ Audubon’s eBird Portal is here: ebird.org/content/nj. The article may be directly linked to from here: ebird.org/content/nj/news/finderne-wetlands-site-guide.

From Susan Treesh:
Does anyone know what is going on with all the roadwork along Amwell Road just to the east of Hillsborough? It looks like another flood control project. I stopped there and birded all the way down to Royce Brook, and had a dozen turkeys.

I also went over to Duke Estates and birded the restored wetlands area and farm fields. Not too birdy, but I was impressed by the restoration work and it looks to be a great place this fall and winter. I had a juvenile wood thrush, and five kestrels, among the usual birds.

[Editor’s note: Susan is referring to the Hillsborough Rt. 206 bypass project. The construction work you see on Amwell road east of Rt. 206 is the future Rt. 206. This is part of the Hillsborough Town Center project to be completed later this decade. It affects Amwell, Homestead and Hillsborough Roads at least. Here is a link to the Hillsborough Patch’s series of articles on the development]

Here is a strategy for viewing the Stilt Sandpiper of Schoolhouse Road in Franklin Township, from Jeff Ellerbusch:

This bird is gettable if you park on Schoolhouse Rd., next to the west most tip of the dirt mound they’ve made. Step over the small black fence thing, climb the dirt mound maybe 15 feet, and scope the largest puddle…it’s a great bird and the habitat is short term.

Stilt Sandpiper at Schoolhouse Road construction site, Franklin Township, NJ, Aug. 18, 2012 (digi-phone-scoped by J. Ellerbusch)

Jeff Ellerbusch and Pete Burke found an Upland Sandpiper (UPSA) at the Weston Cross Way this morning. This is also known as the Manville Causeway. Park on the side of the road and scan the grassy area. At Schoolhouse Rd. in Franklin Township, Jeff and Pete located an adult Stilt Sandpiper (STSA). The UPSA is chaseable; the STSA is not. Schoolhouse Rd. is noteworthy for the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher that was there in May of 2012 and for the Sandhill Cranes that have frequented the area the past few years. Unfortunately, the former Schoolhouse Rd. field is under development and birdable only at your own risk.

Chimney Rock Hawkwatch, Martinsville, N.J. hosted a few migrants this morning. Jeff Ellerbusch tallied an immature Mourning Warbler, Blue-winged Warbler, 2 Common Yellowthroats,3 American Redstarts, 1 Black-throated Green Warbler and 1 Canada Warbler. The warbler activity occurred on the west side of the parking lot.

From Mike Newlon:
Visited the Stahl Natural Area this morning, 8/15 – only a single migrant warbler, a Connecticut. Seemed a bit early. Heavy-set warbler, olive above, paler yellow below, no wingbars, full gray hood, complete white eyering.

[Editor’s note: the pinpoint on the map is misleading. The Stahl Natural Area comprises the fields on the north side of River Rd. Also, based on eBird data, there are a handful of August records of Connecticut Warbler in the northeast. Mike’s is the earliest of them all.]