mocosocoBirds

The first Mourning Warbler (MOWA) of 2012 in either Morris or Somerset County was at Sourland Mountain Preserve this morning accessed from East Mountain Road in Hillsborough Township. The male was heard and seen amongst the Multiflora Rose along the wood’s edge in the field west of, or up the slope from, the pond. After singing repeatedly, the MOWA popped up on a tree branch posed for a few seconds and was quickly chased to another corner of the field by a male Common Yellowthroat. Other than that, a quick trip around the parking area produced the typical species of the area.

As the comment below states:
Correction! This is not the 1st Mourning Warbler for Somerset County in 2012. Mike Hiotis had one at Chimney Rock on May 11 as reported on…mocosocobirds.com on May 12.

Submitted by Jonathan Klizas.

Bernardsville will never be confused as being a shorebird hotspot, nor will any location in Morris or Somerset Counties. There are marshes, flooded fields, and an occasional mudflat that may hold a few shorebird gems but the Bernardsville Quarry on Old Quarry Road may be the least likely spot one could think of to find shorebirds. Yet, this afternoon, Joe Pescatore texted me that he had flushed 3 White-rumped Sandpipers in the rocky confines of the Quarry. We were unable to relocate them finding only 2 Spotted Sandpipers. In the early evening, Simon Lane visited the Quarry. Not only did he find the 3 White-rumped Sandpipers but 17 Semipalmated Sandpipers to boot! Who needs mudflats? Earlier, Joe also saw a Cliff Swallow amongst the Northern Rough-winged, Tree and Barn Swallows. Later, Simon added Common Nighhawk to the Quarry’s day list.

Tom Ostrand generously sent mocosocoBirds the pictures at the bottom of this web page of the 5 Red-necked Phalaropes at Negri-Nepote Grasslands in Franklin Township on May 21, 2012.

Here is Tom’s account:
“I got there about 6:05pm. There were two birds present; a few minutes later another 3 flew in. Arlene (Oley) arrived at 6:20, and we both watched all 5 until 7:00.”

Here is a link to Tom’s video of the Phalaropes feeding. Also in his gallery are photos of one of the Red-necked Phalaropes encounter with an alleged Snapping Turtle.

Andrew Lucas and this writer were at the Negri-Nepote pond at 6:30 this morning, Tuesday, May 22. Only a Greater Yellowlegs and Spotted Sandpiper were present. As expected, the Phalaropes have moved on.

Photos by Tom Ostrand – Click on the photo for a larger image.

This news did not reach a wide audience. Today, Jim Hayes eBirded 3 Red-necked Phalaropes seen at approximately 4 p.m. on May 21 at the pond at Negri-Nepote Grasslands in Franklin Township. Arlene Oley heard the news while observing the continuing Scissor-tailed Flycatcher at Schoolhouse Road in Franklin Township. She visited Negri-Nepote and found 5 Red-necked Phalaropes: 3 females and 2 males. Arlene announced these via text to KEEKEEKERR at 6:45. Here is Arlene’s description as she posted it on the New Jersey Birders page on Facebook: “Five Red-necked Phalropes seen this afternoon at Negri-Nepote, 3 females, 2 males. One got pulled down by a snapper but was able to escape as the snapper started swimming across the water, seemingly unharmed as it joined the four who had flown during the episode – it was a WOW observation.” Upon reading the KEEKEEKERR announcement, Simon Lane raced down to Negri-Nepote at dusk, but alas, the Phalaropes were gone.

On May 1 of this year, Jimmy Lee found and Jeff Ellerbusch witnessed a Red-necked Phalarope in the same pond at Negri-Nepote. Here is the post. Unfortunately, that individual flew before others could see it (this writer was screaming down I-287 when the text came that the Phalarope was seen flying south, non-stop).

And so it goes; and so they went. Again.

John J. Collins reports on JerseyBirds that the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (STFL) is hunting low over the field along Schoolhouse Road at 7:00 a.m. Apparently the STFL is a late riser because it wasn’t seen between 6:15 and 6:40.