mocosocoBirds

Last year it took until September for Morris County to have a Semipalmated Plover eBirded. This afternoon, a single Semipalmated Plover was with the other shorebirds at Melanie Lane Pond in Hanover Township. 30 Least Sandpipers is a high count for Morris reported in quite a few years. Other birds included:

1 Semipalmated Plover
2 Spotted Sandpiper
8 Solitary Sandpiper
4 Greater Yellowlegs
10 Lesser Yellowlegs
30 Least Sandpiper
4 Wilson’s Snipe
2 Warbling Vireo
5 Northern Rough-winged Swallow
75 Tree Swallow
5 Barn Swallow
8 Savannah Sparrow
1 Orchard Oriole

A distant Semipalmated Plover.

Least Sandpipers in the rain

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One Grasshopper Sparrow was found at Negri-Nepote Grasslands in Franklin Township this morning in the fields directly north of the pond near the high-tension wires. A female Northern Harrier was coursing the fields as well. Shorebirds at this location:

2 Killdeer
1 Solitary Sandpiper
4 Greater Yellowlegs
2 Lesser Yellowlegs
17 Least Sandpiper

Today, Bee Meadow Park in Hanover Township hosted an Olive-sided Flycatcher (OSFL) for the entire day. Jamie Glydon found it in the early morning. Simon Lane relocated it later in the day in a dead, or at least leafless, tree directly behind and towering over the football field scoreboard in the park. It was at this same location at 6:45 p.m., in the rain, when this writer was able to see it. This is the first Olive-sided Flycatcher in 2012 for the Mocosoco region. There are other records from the state for this species from the last few days. However, as far as is known, this could be the earliest date for OSFL in Morris County history. The earliest known date for Somerset County is May 7, 1986 at Scherman Hoffman in Bernardsville (Rich Kane).
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Elsewhere, Jamie Glydon found yet another White-eyed Vireo at Sayre’s Farm in Morris Township. This gets added to the one at Patriot’s Path in nearby Washington Valley and another at Scherman Hoffman Sanctuary, Bernardsville. Jamie also found a Bay-breasted Warbler along Cozy Lake Road in Jefferson Township, northwest Morris County. This is the same area where Chris Vogel had a Red-breasted Nuthatch, relatively rare in 2012, on May 1.
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Yesterday, Simon Lane had a Cape May Warbler singing for two hours from his neighbor’s pines in Chatham Township.
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Below are two photos taken at Griggstown Grasslands today by Chris Duffek.

Blue-winged Warbler (with a touch of Golden-winged lineage)

Yellow Warbler

There are so many birds in the migration pipe at this time of May. South winds are a desired element this time of year but no matter what the weather, just by stepping out you are going to find interesting avian happenings almost anywhere.
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Common Loons were moving today as they were reported as flyovers from various Somerset County sites and the Great Swamp in Morris County.
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A quick trip through the misty Great Swamp this morning picked up Tennessee, Chestnut-sided, Prairie, Black-throated Green and Blue and other warblers already in place.
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Hooded Warblers were widespread today with individuals reported from Jockey Hollow in Harding Township, the Cross Estate in Bernards Township (both J. Klizas), Little Brook Sanctuary in Bernards Township (J. Pescatore) and Chimney Rock in Martinsville. Simon Lane and Peter Burke had 20 species of Warbler at Chimney Rock as well as Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Scarlet Tanager, Rose-breasted Grosbeak and Indigo Bunting.
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A Tennessee Warbler was at Bee Meadow Park this morning where Jamie Glydon also added Canada, Magnolia, Black-and-white and Nashville Warblers, American Redstart, Orchard Oriole. A Wilson’s Warbler was at Troy Meadows off of Troy Rd.
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At Melanie Lane in Hanover Township, Jamie had 10 Lesser and 4 Greater Yellowlegs, 5 Least Sandpiper and 10 Solitary Sandpipers, 2 Orchard Orioles, a Blackpoll Warbler, 2 pairs of Warbling Vireos collecting nesting material and continuing Bobolinks.
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Jockey Hollow had up to three singing Worm-eating Warblers on the hill behind the Soldier’s Huts. Also present were 10 Ovenbirds, Blue-winged Warbler, 3 Black-and-white Warblers, Blackburnian Warbler, 3 Common Yellowthroats, Hooded Warbler, 9 American Redstarts, Northern Parula, 4 Black-throated Blue and 5 Black-throated Green Warblers, Blue-headed and Red-eyed Vireo, Veery, Wood Thrushes, Scarlet Tanagers and 13 Baltimore Orioles. Except for the Worm-eating Warblers, all of the species were near the auto loop road in the park.
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Jonathan’s Woods in Rockaway Township had 2-3 singing Pine Warblers in the pine grove. Canada Warbler was with the typical species of this area.
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From Tim Vogel:
Tourne county park – beaver swamp
Wood Duck 10
Hooded Merganser 2 – located nest hole -across from usual viewing spot – east side
Tree Swallows- lots
Red-headed Woodpeckers – 2 adults – thanks Jonathan
Warblers 10 species incl. BT Blue and Green, Canada,
Wood thrush
Veery
White-throated Sparrow
Scarlet Tanager
RB Grosbeak
Turkey
Bluebird – 6 on dead snags

Sparrow Fields
Brown Thrasher
Nothing else of interest but no sign of mowing, keep your fingers crossed.

Field across from St. Clare’s Hospital
Savannah Sparrow 6
Killdeer 4

Tim Vogel
Denville
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From Chris Duffek:
I birded Griggstown today for a couple hours and was overwhelmed. Left the
camera at home though.

Bobolinks
Northern Waterthrush
Common Yellowthroats
Song Sparrows
Eastern Bluebirds
Tree Swallows
Catbirds
Cardinals
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Black and White Warblers
Yellow-rumped Warblers
Yellow Warblers
Magnolia Warblers
Scarlet Tanager
Baltimore Orioles
Orchard Orioles
Kestrel, nesting in the box
Brown Thrasher
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2 adult Red-headed Woodpeckers were seen this morning in the Beaver Swamp at the Tourne Park in Boonton Township. Green Herons, Wood Ducks, Pileated Woodpecker, Yellow-throated Vireos, Great Crested Flycatchers and numerous Tree Swallows were also in the swamp. On the mountain and at its base were Black-throated Blue, Black Throated Green and Yellow-rumped Warblers, Northern Parula, Louisiana Waterthrush and Morris County’s first Blackpoll Warbler for 2012. Numerous Scarlet Tanagers, Wood Thrushes, Red-eyed Vireos and Baltimore Orioles were singing in the woods.
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Jockey Hollow had an Eastern Wood-Pewee singing near the parking area for the Mt. Kemble Loop, another first of the year for Morris County. Jamie Glydon found Ovenbird, Blackburnian, Magnolia, Chestnut-sided, Yellow-rumped and Black-throated Green Warblers along the autoloop in the park.
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A White-eyed Vireo was found near the parking area for Patriot’s Path on Washington Valley Road in Morris Township for the 2nd year in a row.
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Melanie Lane Pond in Hanover Township continues to have Morris County’s best collection of shorebirds and swallows. Here is the list from today:
2 Green-winged Teal
3 Great Egret
1 Spotted Sandpiper
10 Solitary Sandpiper
5 Greater Yellowlegs
7 Lesser Yellowlegs
8 Least Sandpiper
5 Wilson’s Snipe
2 Chimney Swift
1 Eastern Kingbird
1 Warbling Vireo
5 Northern Rough-winged Swallow
40 Tree Swallow
2 Bank Swallow
10 Barn Swallow
10 Bobolinks

Lesser Yellowlegs at Melanie Lane Pond. Click on photos for larger image (J. Klizas)

Solitary Sandpiper (J. Klizas)

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Another 17 Bobolinks were found by Jamie Glydon on the Florham Park Fields on Columbia Turnpike. 4 Spotted Sandpipers were also present.
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Scherman Hoffman Sanctuary in Bernardsville racked up an impressive number of 20+ warbler species today. Noteworthy is a Cerulean Warbler found by Peter Burke. Other species include Hooded, Bay-breasted, Wilson’s, Magnolia, Chestnut-sided, Blackpoll and Canada Warblers, etc.
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Here are two photos taken today by Jim Mulvey on Pleasant Plains Road, Great Swamp N.W.R., NJ.

Yellow-throated Vireo

Warbling Vireo

From Terry Carruthers (9:28 p.m.):
Great Swamp: Just heard a Whip-poor-will behind my house, calling for a few minutes, before moving off west along Whitebridge Rd. I subsequently went searching for it but could not locate it again. – Terry

Editor’s Note: This is the second Whip-poor-will recorded in the Great Swamp in 2012, the first on April 11.
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The heavy migration forecast at Dave La Puma’s Woodcreeper.com site was accurate on a localized basis. Birds were spread out over the Morris/Somerset area creating another interesting day of birding.
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Bee Meadow Park in Hanover Township continues to be a productive migrant trap. Jamie Glydon had another good morning and evening of warbler activity including Chestnut-sided, Prairie, Black-and-white, Black-throated Blue and Black-throated Green Warblers, Northern Parula as well as Scarlet Tanager and Wood Thrush.
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In the morning, Sourland Mountain Preserve in Hillsborough Township had Yellow-throated, Warbling and Red-eyed Vireos, Ovenbird, Black-and-white Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, American Redstart, Northern Parula, Yellow, Black-throated Blue, and Yellow-rumped Warblers, Scarlet Tanager, Rose-breasted Grosbeak and Wood Thrush. Chris Duffek adds Magnolia and Canada Warblers, Indigo Bunting and Black-billed Cuckoo. The last three species are all firsts for the MoCoSoCo region in 2012. All photos are by Chris Duffek. Click on the photo for a larger image.

Black-billed Cuckoo

Indigo Bunting

Solitary Sandpiper

Common Yellowthroat

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A Hooded Warbler was at Jockey Hollow this afternoon along with Scarlet Tanager and numerous Wood Thrushes.
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A scouting romp in the Great Swamp produced 3 American Bitterns, Virginia Rail, Great Horned and Barred Owls and a lot of calling frogs.
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Harvey Tomlinson posted on the JerseyBirds listserv of having 20 species of warblers between Lord Stirling Park and Pleasant Plains Rd. in the Great Swamp. Of special note is an Alder Flycatcher that called near the bridge.

Birds are present in the best numbers and diversity seen in 2012 in the MoCoSoCo region. This day begged birders to get out and enjoy the spectacle of May.

A Sora was heard at 6:37 this morning from the closed bridge on Pleasant Plains Road.

This morning at Bee Meadow Park, Hanover Township, Jamie Glydon had Common Yellowthroat, Black-throated Green, Black-throated Blue, Chestnut-sided, Prairie, Black-and-white, Magnolia, Yellow, and Yellow-rumped Warblers. As far as is known, the Chestnut-sided and Magnolia Warblers are firsts in 2012 for Morris County.

Sourland Mountain Preserve in Hillsborough Township hosted 12 species of warbler detected in a 30-minute romp this morning. The species count would be higher if time allowed: Ovenbird, Common Yellowthroat, American Redstart, Northern Parula, Blue-winged, Black-and-white, Nashville, Magnolia, Yellow, Black-throated Blue, Yellow-rumped and Black-throated Green Warblers. Warbling and Yellow-throated Vireos were also present.

A Hooded Warbler was reported on Montgomery Rd. in Hillsborough this afternoon.

Jeff Ellerbusch happened upon a group of 9 warbler species on Milltown Rd. in Bridgewater, which included similar species to those mentioned earlier with the addition of Blackpoll Warbler, the first for the MoCoSoCo area in 2012.

Melanie Lane Pond continues to be loaded with swallows. Today, Simon Lane picked up the same 5 species seen yesterday: Northern Rough-winged, Tree, Bank, Cliff and Barn.

Jockey Hollow in Harding Township was quieter than other places but a quick late afternoon drive around the auto loop produced the first Swainson’s Thrush for Morris/Somerset in 2012 as well as Veery, Wood Thrush, Blue-headed Vireo, American Redstart, and Baltimore Orioles.

In summary, approximately 17 species of warblers were in the MoCoSoCo area today. Baltimore Orioles are seemingly everywhere. Rose-breasted Grosbeaks and Great Crested Flycatchers are more numerous every day. Eastern Kingbirds and Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are making their mark and on it goes.

We await the Empids.

Melanie Lane Pond in Hanover Township had five species of swallows this afternoon: Northern Rough-winged (NWRS), Barn, Bank, Tree and Cliff. Jamie Glydon, who witnessed the climax of this event, counted 110 Tree, 30 Barn, 15 Bank, 10 NRWS and 1 Cliff. 2 Least Sandpipers (at least) were there as well as Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, Solitary Sandpiper, and lots of Savannah Sparrows.

Photos of Bank/Tree Swallows and Cliff/Tree Swallows by Jamie Glydon.

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Some new arrivals and augmentation of existing species’ numbers were widespread in the Morris/Somerset region today. This was a long-awaited push of migrants and nesting birds. Nashville Warblers were at Great Swamp N.W.R. (J. Klizas) and Glenhurst Meadows (J. Ellerbusch) which also had Magnolia, Northern Parula, Blue-headed Vireo and Eastern Kingbird. Later in the day Simon Lane found an American Redstart on Pleasant Plains Road, Great Swamp N.W.R.
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From Daniel R. Albohn:
Well it’s not often that I’m home sick for a couple days, so I’ve had time to monitor activities outside my windows in Convent Station. Today, May 1st, I’ve been watching constant activity of at least one pair of Myrtle Warblers and during the midst of all this, a male American Redstart foraged and shortly thereafter, a Black & White entered the picture…they all seem to especially enjoy the massive spreading Yew that we have. I guess they’re rather common species, but they were special for me. I remember growing up when my father’s two apples trees were busy with a mix of springtime warblers.
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And yesterday from Terry Carruthers:
April 30th: – Finderne wetlands. 2 Rough-winged swallows, a kingbird, warbling vireo, 1 spotted sandpiper and a green heron. My first rubythroat at our feeder today, May 1st.

A singing Blue Grosbeak was at the right-angle bend of East Mountain Rd. in Montgomery Township, south of the Sourland Mountain Preserve entrance. This is the same place a Blue Grosbeak was found in the spring of 2011.
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2 Bobolinks were at the grass field of Melanie Lane Pond this afternoon. Jamie Glydon adds an Eastern Kingbird to the list. The decreasing number of shorebirds included:
2 Killdeer
1 Spotted Sandpiper
1 Solitary Sandpiper
1 Greater Yellowlegs
5 Lesser Yellowlegs
10 Wilson’s Snipe
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From Harvey Tomlinson:
The Red-headed Woodpecker count by the beaver dam is up to/back to 4 Adults. One bird was directly overhead on the Somerset County side for a Minute!
No sign/ or sounds from the Prothonotary Warblers previously reported.
Had a Blue-winged warbler doing what Sibley calls a “dawn song”, recording #3 on the iPhone app.
I had never heard this before and couldn’t imagine what is was. Finally found him in the field behind the East tower.
Ruby-crowned Kinglets and Yellow-rumps dominated the afternoon songs.
N Parula, N Waterthrush, Ovenbird, B&W, and Palm were the only other warblers I found.
Red-eyed and Yellow-throated Vireo were near the E tower also.
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Besides the Red-necked Phalarope at Negri-Nepote Grasslands found by Jimmy Lee this afternoon, Jeff Ellerbusch reports 6 Grasshopper Sparrows at the same place.
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Jim Mulvey found the following Bobolink in the field behind the community garden at Wagner’s Arboretum (next to Glenhurst Meadows) in Warren Township.