mocosocoBirds

Jamie Glydon found an immature Glossy Ibis at Melanie Lane Pond in Hanover Township this morning. This is only the second sighting of this species in Morris and Somerset Counties in 2012, both occurring at Melanie Lane. As the Purple Loosestrife gets higher, the shorebird numbers are diminishing with a Lesser Yellowlegs, a few Least Sandpipers and a handful of Killdeer present. More earthmoving equipment is in the parking lot. The reality is that the countdown has begun for the final days of Melanie Lane as we know it. See this post.

Glossy Ibis, Melanie Lane, Hanover Township, NJ, August 5, 2012 (photo by J. Glydon).

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At least 4 Cliff Swallows remain at the Rt. 202 overpass at Boonton Reservoir. The high count was 20 in July. 125 Double-crested Cormorants were also loafing at the Reservoir.
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The Beaver Swamp at the Tourne County Park in Boonton Township had 30 Wood Ducks, 10 Green Herons, 5 Great Blue Herons and 2 Great Egrets.

The Melanie Lane wetland has been known to very few local Morris County birders for decades. It remained obscure until this year when Jamie Glydon investigated the area and saw a lot of habitat and birding potential. He and this writer as well as other birders have visited what we call Melanie Lane Pond almost daily since March of 2012. Simply, there is no other known, accessible and as productive a shorebird and wading bird location in Morris County, the Great Swamp notwithstanding. Mocosocobirds has documented the sightings throughout 2012. Jamie and I diligently record our findings on eBird and the complete list as of today is here (numbers in parenthesis are number of sightings; numbers above these are high counts). This does not include any autumn or wintering waterfowl and passerine numbers, which will boost the total species count further. Species include: Glossy Ibis, Yellow-crowned and Black-crowned Night-Herons, Green and Great Blue Herons, a county record number of Great Egrets, Cattle Egret, shorebirds including Pectoral, Least, Semipalmated, Spotted and Solitary Sandpipers, Dunlin, Red-necked Phalarope, both Yellowlegs, Killdeer and Semipalmated Plover, Wilson’s Snipe, etc., N. Rough-winged, Cliff, Bank, Barn and Tree Swallows, Purple Martins and Chimney Swifts, and wintering waterfowl. The soon-to-be former grassland had Bobolinks and Savannah Sparrows in abundance this spring before it was mowed. The list goes on…but not for long.

Pectoral Sandpiper, Melanie Lane Pond, Hanover Township, NJ, August 3, 2012 (photo by J. Klizas)

This weekend the following vehicles were seen in the parking area:

The future of Melanie Lane in Hanover Township, NJ. (photo by J. Klizas)

I spoke with a surveyor who was on site doing work in the grassy area north of the wetland. He informed me that playing fields are being developed on the site. Horrified, I made phone calls to the Hanover Township offices. The receptionist at the engineering department was helpful and pleasant although clueless about a wetland in the area. Unfortunately, the news about Melanie Lane Pond is depressing. Hartz Mountain owns the 45 acres of the Melanie Lane grass and wetland area. 16.2 of those acres are leased to the Red Bull professional soccer team (whoever they are). The Red Bulls are developing their offices and practice facilities on the site. Here is a news article. Hanover’s office person and the article disagree with some specifics, but basically, the plan is:

• 1-2 grass playing field
• 1 artificial turf playing field with bleachers to seat 360-700 people
• An 8700 square foot indoor training facility and team offices.

Of course, parking lots and other asphalt amenities are sure to be included.
As the receptionist I spoke with said: “It’s going to be nice”.

Although the wetland will not be destroyed directly, the immediate surrounding area, currently a mowed grassy expanse, will create runoff and pollution degrading an already fragile and Purple Loosestife-overrun ecosystem.

In other words, the wetland and the birds are screwed. It is time to become active.

Submitted by Jonathan Klizas

Various birders including Jeff Ellerbusch, Jamie Glydon and Mike Hiotis reported today from Melanie Lane Pond in Hanover Township. Geographically, Melanie Lane and its wetland are in Hanover Township’s eastern most extremity and should not be confused with East Hanover which is a different municipality in Morris County. The bulk of the swallow count, and what is undoubtedly a record Purple Martin count for Morris County (as far as is known), was tallied by Jeff in the late afternoon. Here are the numbers:

17 Killdeer
3 Spotted Sandpiper
3 Solitary Sandpiper
2 Greater Yellowlegs
2 Lesser Yellowlegs
3 Semipalmated Sandpiper
18 Least Sandpiper
1 Pectoral Sandpiper
2 Belted Kingfisher
208 Purple Martin
15 Tree Swallow
2 Bank Swallow
25 Barn Swallow
1 Cliff Swallow

Jamie Glydon found a Pectoral Sandpiper today at Melanie Lane Pond in Hanover Township to add to a continuing Semipalmated Sandpiper. Also present were 3 Lesser Yellowlegs, 14 Least, 1 Solitary and 2 Spotted Sandpipers, 15 Killdeer, 12 Great Egrets and 2 Green Herons. Simon Lane adds 7 to the Lesser Yellowlegs and 5 Greater Yellowlegs.

ID Photo of Pectoral Sandpiper by Jamie Glydon.

A yellow-tagged Great Egret was found at Melanie Lane Pond in Hanover Township on the afternoon of July 17 (click on photo for larger image).

(Photo by Jonathan Klizas)

A sighting report was filed with the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center Bird Banding Laboratory at www.reportband.gov. Today, less than two days later, a correspondence received from Susan Elbin, the Director of Conservation and Science at New York City Audubon states that the Egret: “was banded (tagged) on Elder’s Point Marsh East in Jamaica Bay as a young of the year on 11 June 2012”. Another New York expatriate in New Jersey! The tagged Egret was not seen before or after July 17 as far as is known. It could still be in the area. Jamie Glydon reports a Morris County record of 21 Great Egrets this morning at Melanie Lane. The dynamics of the Egrets (and Herons) are intriguing. This writer was at the pond at 7:30 p.m. July 18 and saw three flyover Great Egrets only – none at the pond. Less than 12 hours later, there are 21 at the pond (most will usually leave shortly thereafter in the morning.) Where do they roost at night? Or do they fly in at night to roost?

Least Sandpiper numbers peaked at 58 on July 18 at Melanie Lane. Approximately 20 Killdeer are omnipresent. As many as 4 Spotted and 5 Solitary Sandpipers are in the area.