mocosocoBirds

The first Northern Rough-winged Swallow of 2012 in the MoCoSoCo region was found this afternoon by Jamie Glydon at the Florham Park Fields on Columbia Turnpike, east of Morristown Airport. It was with 85 Tree Swallows.

At the Melanie Lane Pond in East Hanover Jamie found the first 2 Greater Yellowlegs, or Tringa of any species for that matter, in Morris County in 2012. Also at this pond were 10 Wilson’s Snipe and 7 Green-winged Teal.
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The Palm Warbler invasion of the MoCoSoCo region continues. Jeff Ellerbusch reports 7 “yellow” Palm Warblers, 3 Pine Warblers and a season high 60 Yellow-rumped Warblers at Glenhurst Meadows this afternoon.
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From Chris Duffek:

Amongst the regulars today at Griggstown Grasslands, my son and I spotted a Brown Thrasher while working on his Bird Study merit badge.

Chris

Ed. Note: This is only the second Brown Thrasher reported to eBird from Somerset County in 2012. None have been reported from Morris County.

3-4 Palm Warblers were present along the Passaic River this morning from the area of the “June Beetle Bridge” to the East Observation Tower (EOB). Last evening the earliest recorded Palm Warbler (PAWA) in either Morris or Somerset Counties was found by Simon Lane and Jeff Ellerbusch. Seeing a group of PAWAs on this calendar data at this location is remarkable. Pine Warblers and Golden-crowned Kinglets were also present. Tree Swallows, Wilson’s Snipe and a Northern Harrier could be seen on the management side of the Great Swamp from the EOB. A Chipping Sparrow was heard on the Morris side of White Bridge.

The Overlook on Pleasant Plains Road in the Great Swamp N.W.R. had Wilson’s Snipe and Northern Harrier.

Thanks to Simon Lane, Jeff Ellerbusch, Harvey Tomlinson, et al for the company.

This morning, the earliest arrival date known for Louisiana Waterthrush in Somerset County (or Morris for that matter) was recorded by Joe Pescatore in Bernardsville. That was only the beginning. This evening from the East Observation Tower of Lord Stirling Park in Somerset County along the Passaic River, Jeff Ellerbusch and Simon Lane located the earliest Palm Warbler ever recorded in Morris or Somerset Counties according to the eBird database. The Palm Warbler was actually on the Morris County side of the river which is the Great Swamp N.W.R. eBird lists an “historical” record from March 30, 1997 in the Great Swamp which is the only March record of Palm Warbler for either Morris or Somerset counties. Today’s Palm betters that by one week. MoCoSoCo’s first Osprey of 2012 was also seen on the Morris side of the river. A Pine Warbler was on the Somerset side of the river.

A morning spent at Glenhurst Meadows in Warren Township by Jeff Ellerbusch, Simon Lane and this writer produced the following:

Green-winged Teal – 5
Wood Duck – 20
Killdeer – 4
Wilson’s Snipe – 17
Eastern Phoebe – 3
Golden-crowned Kinglet – 6
Pine Warbler (the same individual seen the previous evening by J.E.)
Yellow-rumped Warbler – 20
Field, Savannah, Fox, Song, Swamp and White-throated Sparrows
Rusty Blackbird – 6
And typical species of the area.
The Blue-winged Teal seen the previous evening was not found.
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From Alan Boyd:

Hi Jonathan,

No sign of Mike’s blue-winged teal this afternoon. There were 8-9 ruddy ducks in the marsh behind the second pond. A dog walker flushed a snipe from the shore of the first Clark Drive pond as we were driving by. – Alan Boyd
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Simon Lane did find a Blue-winged Teal at the bridge on Pleasant Plains Road in the morning along with a Hermit Thrush at the 90-degree turn. A Northern Harrier was seen later in the day at the overlook. Harriers have been virtually absent from Morris County this season but are being seen more frequently of late.
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Lake Parsippany and Mt. Hope Lake held nothing different from what has been there recently. Numbers are diminishing especially at Mt. Hope (except for Mute Swans!). The Horned Grebe flurry of a few days ago seems to have passed for now. Common Loons should be passing through shortly.
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Washington Valley, Morris Township (Patriot’s Path and Sayre’s Farm) late in the afternoon had Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Pileated Woodpecker, Field, White-throated and lots of Song Sparrows.