mocosocoBirds

Simon Lane reports a Solitary Sandpiper and American Bittern from Glenhurst this morning. A few Yellow-rumped and Palm Warblers were also present.
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Troy Meadows has 3 Rusty Blackbirds remaining. Swamp Sparrows fill the cattail marsh with every imaginable trill they are capable of producing. A few Palm and Yellow-rumped Warblers (sound familiar?), Brown Creeper, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, and 40+ White-throated Sparrows are also in the Meadows.
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Yesterday, Chris Duffek visited the Sourlands Preserve in Hillsborough Township. While there were no migrants to speak of, he was able to capture the following photo of an Eastern Towhee.

The Bonaparte’s Gulls (BOGU) continue to stage in the Raritan River and are viewable from the Delaware and Raritan Canal towpath in Franklin Township, Somerset County. Some were visible today from the base of the I-287 Bridge near exit 10 (Easton Ave.). Walking approximately one mile south on the towpath to a gas pipeline crossing the river gave one the view depicted in the pictures below. There were 85 BOGUs at this spot. Since the towpath is four miles long from the I-287 Bridge to Landing Lane, most of the BOGUs were probably south of this spot meaning that the full contingent of over 300 gulls found yesterday are still present.

Bonaparte’s Gulls in the Raritan River, one mile south of the I-287 bridge by exit 10.

(Photos by J. Klizas)

Considering the numbers of Bonaparte’s Gulls in the Raritan and also Spruce Run in Hunterdon County, a trip was made to survey Morris County lakes in search of BOGUs. None were found. Budd Lake had 2 Common Loons and a Horned Grebe. Lake Musconetcong had 2 Lesser Scaup, 2 Ring-Necked Ducks, Ruddy Ducks and lots of Double-crested Cormorants. Mt. Hope Lake has Mute Swans and more Mute Swans. Splitrock Reservoir had a rowboat on it and nothing else.
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Migration has been light this week because of constant northerly-flavored winds. Birds migrate nonetheless. A case in point is a slightly early House Wren singing loudly in Washington Valley in Morris Township this morning. This is the first record of this species in 2012 in either Morris or Somerset Counties. Scant Palm and Pine Warblers, Ruby-crowned Kinglets and Blue-gray Gnatcatchers are being reported. Sunday morning holds the promise of the bird spigots opening up as southwest winds finally visit our region.

From Harvey Tomlinson:

Hi Jonathan,
Found 2 pair of Red-headed Woodpeckers at Stirling today, but they are probably Morris county birds. Still MocosocoBirds. I really think they are going to nest. Both pair were fairly faithful to a specific cavity and what I think they are doing is tidying up the hole.
I don’t see any little heads poking out.
I also had a stunning Eastern-tailed Blue at Stirling. Early for this neck of the woods.

Good Birding
Harvey
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Jamie Glydon reports the following from Bee Meadow Parkway in Hanover Township:
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Brown Thrasher, Field Sparrow, 5 Palm Warblers and 5 Rusty Blackbirds.

From John J. Collins:

I saw my FOY Osprey and at least 3 Northern Rough-winged Swallows yesterday morning at Duke Island Park by the weir on the Raritan between the Hibernia Mine Bridge and Robert St. Hope to go back today as it will be a lot less windy.
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From Jonathan Klizas:

If there were any migrants over northern New Jersey last night, they passed over Morris County. A scant few Palm Warblers were at various sites. Winter Wren, Hermit Thrushes and Ruby-crowned Kinglet were at Jockey Hollow. A healthy count of 45 Wilson’s Snipe were visble from the Friends Blind at the Great Swamp Wildlife Observation Center. The two Bald Eagles looked like prom dates (i.e. youthful) sitting on the snag in the marsh.

Two of the Bernardsville Trumpeter Swans have traveled down Jockey Hollow/Ledell Road and ended up at Ledell Pond on Tempe Wick Road in Mendham. As usual, you can walk up to these honkers and they barely move. Remember, they are basically captive bred. 30 Wood Duck and 18 Green-winged Teal were the wild component of the pond.

(Photos by J. Klizas)