mocosocoBirds

From Alan Boyd:

Hi Jonathan – One or two Rough-winged Swallows were over Lake Musconetcong this morning with a few tree swallows. Also on the lake were three lesser scaup and about a dozen ruddy ducks.

A towhee was calling at Turkey Brook park in Mt Olive this afternoon.

Alan Boyd
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Up to 6 Blue-winged Teal continue with 24 Green-winged Teal at the Skinny Pond at Finderne Wetlands in Bridgewater. 4 Wilson’s Snipe, 3 Killdeer, a Greater Yellowlegs and an American Pipit near the parking area of the Von Veghten house were also present.
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Jamie Glydon reports Ruby-crowned Kinglets and Brown Creeper from Bee Meadow Park in Hanover Township.
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Two of the presumed Bernardsville Trumpeter Swans have made their way to the Bernardsville Quarry. These are the type of swans that come to you as you walk up to them, i.e. they are tame. These are part of the captive pets (reverse the s and t to get pest) of their Lloyd Road owners. One wished they would be tagged or marked in such a way to positively know from where they came. The parents had six offspring two years ago. One of the swans took up residence in the Great Swamp last year and another was floating around the Denville, Lake Parsippany area. As stated here before, get used to them, they will be around the MoCoSoCo area for awhile. And, of course, they don’t count.

Two tame Trumpeter Swans in Bernardsville, March 30, 2012

Photo by J. Klizas

Joe Pescatore found the MoCoSoCo region’s first two Purple Martins of 2012 at Robert J. Stahl Natural Area in Bedminster this afternoon.

A Common Loon in alternate plumage was at the north end of Boonton Reservoir this afternoon along with 3 Pied-billed Grebes and 4 Buffleheads.

On Pleasant Plains Road in the Great Swamp N.W.R. this evening, Simon Lane had Great Egret and Louisiana Waterthrush (both firsts of 2012 for Morris County), 3 Palm, 4 Pine and 1 Yellow-rumped Warblers.

At Finderne Wetlands in Bridgewater, Jeff Ellerbusch had Osprey, American Kestrel, 2 Northern Harriers and 3 Blue-winged Teal mixed in with Green-winged Teal.

Melanie Lane Pond in Hanover Township had Greater Yellowlegs, 4 Killdeer, 35 Wilson’s Snipe, 8 Green-winged Teal, Tree and Northern Rough-winged Swallows.

Lake Parsippany had 55 Ruddy Ducks, 10 Gadwall, 1 Common Merganser and 15 American Coot this afternoon.

From Alan Boyd:

Hi Jonathan,

A pair of chipping sparrows were singing in our yard in Roxbury this morning.

Alan Boyd

Ed. Note: These represent the first Chipping Sparrows reported in the northwestern section of Morris County in 2012.
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This writer spent an hour this afternoon exploring the Central Valley Wetlands in the eastern part of Florham Park. Part of this area is a land trust of the Passaic River Coalition encompassing 35 acres. Sturdy mud-worthy boots with good tread are de rigeur. A flat, partially wooded area drained by the Passaic River, this place, northeast of Route 24, has obviously spent a lot of time submerged under water during the past few years. 3 Wilson’s Snipe, 4 Killdeer, 12 Green-winged Teal and a Great Blue Heron were found in two of the small pools today. 2 Northern Rough-winged Swallows were at the pond by the parking area. This could be a mildly productive shorebird area depending on water levels. Access is from the Sun Valley condominium development on Passaic Avenue in Florham Park. This is almost across the street from the Wilson’s Warbler spot at the Chatham Sewage Ponds this past winter. If you ever decide to visit enter via the one-way Sun Valley Road. Park near the pond west of the tennis courts. Consult a Google Earth map to acquaint yourself with the area. Don’t say you weren’t warned if you get knee-deep in mud in some spots. If it rains substantially, bring a kayak.
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Loantaka Brook Reservation had three Pine Warblers late this afternoon, two of them singing. At one time all three were in a Birch next to the pond. 4 Green-winged Teal remain at the pond.
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In Somerset County:

Harvey Tomlinson reports the first two Blue-gray Gnatcatchers of 2012 in the MoCoSoCo region from Lord Stirling Park today.
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From the Studdiford Bridge area of Branchburg and Hillsborough Townships, there was a report of Osprey, Palm Warbler and Double-crested Cormorant.