mocosocoBirds

Frank Sencher, Jr. reports an immature Little Blue Heron at Ann Van Middlesworth Park in Hillsborough, Saturday, August 20, 2011. The park is on Pleasant View Road in Hillsborough, west of the High School (Raider Blvd.) and south of Amwell Rd.

From Jeff Ellerbusch:

4 Bank Swallows
2 Cliff Swallows (1 juvenile)
4 Purple Martins
80+ Barn and Tree Swallows (mostly Barn)
The swallows were in the area of the garden at Wagner Arboretum, congregating on the barn.

Canada Warbler along brookside trail. The back of Glenhurst is flooded out.

From Harvey Tomlinson:

Ben Barkley and I had a SINGING Philadelphia Vireo at Lord Stirling this morning along the river. Too high in the trees for a photo.

Harvey Tomlinson
Basking Ridge

From Vince Capp:

This morning there were at least 5 calling, not singing- Meadowlarks, making themselves quite visible and sounding off from the Mullein stalks and Pokeweed tops in between multiple feeding trips to the area right behind the hay barn. This area was mowed around the third week of June, and must now be serving as a nursery area of sorts, as I also flushed 2 fledglings from almost underfoot on the tractor track that I was walking in. In that same area there were at least 6 grasshoper sparrows together in the thicket edge right next to the barn, with 2 additional males posted on their milkweed stations, singing constantly.

I also had 2 male Blue Grosbeaks foraging in a field just past the first building on the right as you go straight up the paved road. They were silent. There was a female Blue Grosbeak in the Pokeweed behind the hay barn, chipping quite a bit. She was sharing this little clump of real estate with, at one point- 2 female Orchards, an Indigo pair, and one of the adult Meadowlarks. The Grosbeak was the only one to refuse to leave. I spotted a good sized, hard to ID brown, motley looking fledgling with her briefly. Hers? I can’t say.

The areas with the young groves of Honey Locust trees just off the paved trails’ western edge were extremly busy with activity by many other birds as well, including;
-Orchard and Baltimore Orioles, all ages of both
-Phoebes, Willow and Great Crested FCs
-Indigoes, Goldfinches, Bluebirds, Downy WPs, and all the rest.

This spot is also where one of the male Blue Grosbeaks came up with a huge adult Katydid in his beak. Nice.

This property is about 1/3 in Somerset County, and 2/3 in Hunterdon County. The parking area in on Hillsborough Rd. in Hillsbourough Twp., so I guess my report is appropriate for this blog. No, I’m not trying to turn this into mocosocohuco birds.

This place is a gem, and it needs to be birded my more keen observers. I have never seen another pair of binoculars out there other than my own. A trail map is available here:
http://www.co.hunterdon.nj.us/depts/parks/ParkAreas/CloverHill/info.htm#trails

From Vince Capp:

There were 14 Great Egrets and 7 Great Blue Herons at the man-made pond this morning at 8 AM. The birds were all in the water, except for 3 GEs and 1 GBH which were roosting in the dead tree at the ponds’ north end. I checked all the legs I could, and I’m fairly certain all the white birds were indeed GEs. The group was rounded out by 3 Spotted Sandpipers, as well as a Black Duck with 2 youngsters. Walking the rest of the property yielded all the usual suspects. Family groups included; Blue Gray Gnatcatchers, Willow Flycatchers, Phoebes, and the local flock of about 35 House Finches. Of course the juvenile Red-Tailed hawk and 1 parent were almost always seen and heard. The BG Gnats were being constantly chased and harrased by a pair of RT Hummers. This little drama occured by the big cement “tank” at the southernmost portion, near the river. This went on for about 5 minutes and was fun to watch.

The Blue Grosbeaks were a no-show, and no song or calling from them was heard.

From Jeff Ellerbusch:

Bank Swallow and 13-17 Purple Martins at Lord Stirling this morning. Also, while not in large groups yet, Bobolinks seem to be everywhere.