mocosocoBirds

Yellow-breasted Chat, Least Bittern and Alder Flycatcher at Lord Stirling Park

The Yellow-breasted Chat of Lord Stirling Park continues as of this morning. The Chat was strangely quiet uttering a few calls if anything at all. The Chat is in exactly the same location as in 2014, the Bullfrog Pond. 3 White-eyed Vireos are also in the area: 2 at the northwest end of the pond and one called from the southeast. A poor heavily-cropped photo, but the only one we have of the Yellow-breasted Chat, is below.

Document photo of Yellow-breasted Chat, Lord Stirling Park, NJ, May 17, 2015 (photo by Jonathan Klizas)

(Click on the photo or a larger image.)

Not only did Harvey Tomlinson find the Yellow-breasted Chat yesterday, May 16, he also saw a Least Bittern flying around the back marsh by the Boondocks Boardwalk. To top it off, a link to Harvey’s faint but recognizable recording of a very viable Alder Flycatcher is here.

An Alder Flycatcher was recorded at Glenhurst Meadows today by Jeff Ellerbusch. That recording is here.

The Prothonotary Warbler found yesterday at the first brook north of the south gate on Pleasant Plains Rd, Great Swamp NWR showed briefly this morning (Simon Lane). Also present were Bay-breasted, Wilson’s and Canada Warblers.

Blue Grosbeak at Negri-Nepote Grasslands

Blue Grosbeak, Negri-Nepote Grasslands, NJ, May 17, 2015 (photo by Chris Thomas)

A Blue Grosbeak is at Negri-Nepote Native Grassland Preserve in Franklin Township (Zach Batren, Chris Thomas). It was seen northeast of the pond which held 4 Semipalmated Plovers.

Blue Grosbeak, Negri-Nepote Grasslands, NJ, May 17, 2015 (photo by Chris Thomas)

Swainson’s Thrush

Reports from Denville, Chatham Township and Morris Township echoed the same theme today: Swainson’s Thrushes are on the move. They are always a pleasure to hear for the brief time they visit each year. A link to a recording of a Swainson’s Thrush singing today at 5 PM in a backyard on Kemble Mountain, Morris Township is here.

Common Nighthawks before the storm

Depending on one’s location, a violent series of thuderstorms moved through Morris and Somerset Counties yesterday evening. A prelude to this was the sightings of Common Nighthawks with 15 in Rockaway Twp. (Mike Leone) and 58 at Lord Stirling (Jeff Ellerbusch).

Golden-winged Warbler, Somerset County, May 16

Chris Aquila, et al, have highlights from a 10-hour birding excursion in Somerset County yesterday. At Chimney Rock: Bay-breasted Warbler, 2 Tennessee Warblers, Hooded and Canada Warblers, a calling flyover Common Loon; at Scherman Hoffman Sanctuary, a male Golden-winged Warbler next to the main building in the parking area at 3 PM. “It was in view for about 10 seconds before flying off into the nearby trees.” Mike Anderson adds that a Cerulean Warbler was near the main building in the afternoon as well.

These are just some of the reports for today. View local eBird checklists in the mocosocoBirds region via eBird’s Region Explorer. Use the following links:

• Morris County
• Somerset County

The eBird Hotspot Primer is here and can also be accessed via the Hotspot menu item on the mocosocoBirds.com website.

@mocosocoBirds at Twitter is another communications stream. Instant field reports and links of interest are tweeted throughout the day. The latest tweets appear on the sidebar of this page. One can follow mocosocoBirds at Twitter or link to @mocosocoBirds.

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Prothonotary Warbler at Great Swamp NWR

Prothonotary Warbler, Great Swamp NWR, May 16, 2015 (photo by Chris Thomas)

(Click on the photo for a larger image.)

Prothonotary Warbler has not been reported in recent weeks from its usual haunts along the Passaic River from the Lord Stirling Park side. Apparently, that does not mean they are absent from the area.

A Prothonotary Warbler in the Great Swamp NWR was photographed this morning at the bridge crossing the first brook as one enters from the south gate on Pleasant Plains Road (Chris Thomas).

Yellow-breasted Chat at Lord Stirling Park

A Yellow-breasted Chat returned today to the same area of Lord Stirling Park as one did in 2014 – near Bullfrog Pond, which is next to Branta Pond (Harvey Tomlinson).

Other Field Notes

Continuing the theme of spring 2015, the radar looked promising this morning but if any migrants were putting down, it was not in Morris and Somerset Counties. A few singing Swainson’s Thrushes, a Lincoln’s Sparrow at Wildcat Ridge and Troy Meadows and a handful of warblers here and there was the extent of it.

12 warbler species, including Northern Waterthrush, Magnolia, Northern Parula, Blackpoll, Yellow-rumped and Canada were at Troy Meadows this morning (Roger Johnson). A Lincoln’s Sparrow, Willow Flycatcher, Blue-headed Vireo and 3 Bobolinks are other highlights.

A Yellow-throated Warbler is reported from Glenhurst Meadows (Vicki Schwartz). From Vicki: it was “singing at the oak grove in the sort of open area just before the shady woodland pond.” Red-headed Woodpecker continues near the Passaic River.

An Acadian Flycatcher returns to a familiar site just east of White Bridge in the Great Swamp NWR (Simon Lane). The Swamp also had Swainson’s Thrush, 4 Northern Waterthrushes, Magnolia and Chestnut-sided Warblers.

Eastern Whip-poor-wills are in the usual locations in the Morris Highlands.

There are no further reports of yesterday’s Eastern Meadowlark at Florham Park Fields. Below is a flight photo from yesterday by Chris Thomas.

Eastern Meadowlark, Florham Park, NJ, May 15, 2015 (photo by Chris Thomas)

These are just some of the reports for today. View local eBird checklists in the mocosocoBirds region via eBird’s Region Explorer. Use the following links:

• Morris County
• Somerset County

The eBird Hotspot Primer is here and can also be accessed via the Hotspot menu item on the mocosocoBirds.com website.

@mocosocoBirds at Twitter is another communications stream. Instant field reports and links of interest are tweeted throughout the day. The latest tweets appear on the sidebar of this page. One can follow mocosocoBirds at Twitter or link to @mocosocoBirds.

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Eastern Meadowlark in Florham Park

On June 1, 2014, Chris Thomas found an Eastern Meadowlark at the Florham Park Fields. The bird stayed for one day.

On May 15, 2015, Chris Thomas found an Eastern Meadowlark at the Florham Park Fields. Some people have the right touch.

Eastern Meadowlark is a species of special concern in New Jersey and is practically absent from Morris County with no known breeding locations any longer. Other than the June 1 sighting last year, the only other reports of Eastern Meadowlark in Morris County in 2014 were April 24 and October 12 in the Great Swamp NWR, October 3 at Troy Meadows and October 19 at Frelighuysen Fields in Harding Twp.

Be aware that since last year, numerous No Trespassing signs and parking barricades are in place at Florham Park Fields, which is private property. That has not deterred anglers from fishing as witnessed this evening.

Least and Acadian Flycatchers at Mahlon Dickerson Reservation

Wood Thrush, Mahlon Dickerson Reservation, NJ, May 15, 2015 (photo by Jonathan Klizas)

(Click on the photo for a larger image.)

Least and Acadian Flycatchers have returned to Mahlon Dickerson Reservation. One Least Flycatcher is in its usual location along the Ogden Mine Railroad Trail. This trail has numerous American Redstarts, Yellow Warblers, Warbling Vireos, two singing Cerulean Warblers, etc.

The Acadian Flycatcher was near the Black Spruce bog, which is labeled The Pine Swamp Trail.

Two Least Flycatchers are also at the Saffin Rock-Rill Area just as they were in 2014. You can hear one of them singing here.

14 species of warblers were observed today including Blackburnian, Magnolia, Canada, Hooded and Cerulian Warblers, Northern Waterthrush, etc.

Spotted Sandpiper, Mahlon Dickerson Reservation, NJ, May 15, 2015 (photo by Jonathan Klizas)

Other Field Notes

Spring migration of 2015 may be categorized as mediocre – at best. Migrants are in short supply. Every hoped for favorable weather condition has flopped. Tomorrow, Saturday, may be the last southerly flow for a while.

13 species of warblers were tallied at Chimney Rock this morning (Jeff Ellerbusch). 15 Black-throated Blue Warblers, 3 Swainson’s Thrushes, Magnolia, Blackburnian, Canada and Blackpoll Warblers are some of the highlights.

Robert Gallucci sent the following two photos taken at Glenhurst Meadows. The first is a genuine Blue-winged Warbler. The second is a “Brewster’s” Warbler (Blue-winged x Golden-winged hybrid).

Blue-winged Warbler, Glenhurst Meadows, NJ, May 14, 2015 (photo by Robert Gallucci)

“Brewster’s” Warbler (hybrid), Glenhurst Meadows, NJ, May 14, 2015 (photo by Robert Gallucci)

Tom Ostrand photographed these amorous Yellow-billed Cuckoos in the Great Swamp NWR, May 14.

Yellow-billed Cuckoos, Great Swamp NWR, NJ, May 14 2015 (photo by Tom Ostrand)

These are just some of the reports for today. View local eBird checklists in the mocosocoBirds region via eBird’s Region Explorer. Use the following links:

• Morris County
• Somerset County

The eBird Hotspot Primer is here and can also be accessed via the Hotspot menu item on the mocosocoBirds.com website.

@mocosocoBirds at Twitter is another communications stream. Instant field reports and links of interest are tweeted throughout the day. The latest tweets appear on the sidebar of this page. One can follow mocosocoBirds at Twitter or link to @mocosocoBirds.

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A Lincoln’s Sparrow, the first for 2015 in Morris County, was found today along the Rockaway River section of The Tourne (Julie Buechner).

Both Swainson’s Thrush and Gray-cheeked Thrush were observed today at Scherman Hoffman Sanctuary in Bernardsville (Michael Adams). 11 species of warblers were also present.

2 Spotted Sandpipers, 1 Solitary Sandpiper, 1 Greater Yellowlegs and 33 Least Sandpipers were at Melanie Lane Wetlands this afternoon.

Eastern Kingbird, Melanie Lane Wetlands, NJ, May 14, 2015 (photo by Jonathan Klizas)

Below is a photograph by Vicki Schwartz’s husband of two Semipalmated Plovers at Negri-Nepote Native Grassland Preserve on May 13.

Semipalmated Plovers, Negri-Nepote Grassland, NJ, May 13, 2015 (photo by Schwartz)

The weather forecast for the nest two days may result in a positive spin being put on the paltry spring migration in the area.

These are just some of the reports for today. View local eBird checklists in the mocosocoBirds region via eBird’s Region Explorer. Use the following links:

• Morris County
• Somerset County

The eBird Hotspot Primer is here and can also be accessed via the Hotspot menu item on the mocosocoBirds.com website.

@mocosocoBirds at Twitter is another communications stream. Instant field reports and links of interest are tweeted throughout the day. The latest tweets appear on the sidebar of this page. One can follow mocosocoBirds at Twitter or link to @mocosocoBirds.

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Semipalmated Plover, Hanover Twp., NJ, May 13, 2015 (document photo by Jonathan Klizas)

Not rare, but always nice to see in shorebird-starved Morris County, a Semipalmated Plover was with 10 Least Sandpipers and 4 Killdeer this afternoon at Melanie Lane Wetlands in Hanover Twp.

John J. Collins reported a flyover Mississippi Kite this morning from Negri-Nepote Native Grassland Preserve. Blue Grosbeak is also reported.

Following are several images by Robert Gallucci from Glenhurst Meadows today.

Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Glenhurst Meadows, NJ, May 13, 2015 (photo by Robert Gallucci)

Canada Warbler, Glenhurst Meadows, NJ, May 13, 2015 (photo by Robert Gallucci)

Magnolia Warbler, Glenhurst Meadows, NJ, May 13, 2015 (photo by Robert Gallucci)

These are just some of the reports for today. View local eBird checklists in the mocosocoBirds region via eBird’s Region Explorer. Use the following links:

• Morris County
• Somerset County

The eBird Hotspot Primer is here and can also be accessed via the Hotspot menu item on the mocosocoBirds.com website.

@mocosocoBirds at Twitter is another communications stream. Instant field reports and links of interest are tweeted throughout the day. The latest tweets appear on the sidebar of this page. One can follow mocosocoBirds at Twitter or link to @mocosocoBirds.

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Little Blue Heron, Negri-Nepote Grasslands, NJ, May 11, 2015 (photo by Ernest Hahn)

Ernie Hahn found and photographed an adult Little Blue Heron today at Negri-Nepote Native Grassland Preserve. The Heron stayed into the afternoon, at least.

Few Little Blue Herons make an appearance in the mocosocoBirds region in any given year. 2014 was an anomaly with seven at Melanie Lane Wetlands in East Hanover and four at the Lincoln Park Gravel Pits – all in the summer and all of them juveniles. An adult spent part of April 2014 at Loantaka Brook Reservation.

The Negri-Nepote Little Blue Heron is the only one reported in Morris and Somerset Counties in 2015 and only one of two in the northern interior of New Jersey this year.

Little Blue Heron, Negri-Nepote Grasslands, NJ, May 11, 2015 (photo by Ernest Hahn)

Migration continues to crawl with scattered reports of Blackpoll Warblers, Black-throated Blue Warblers and arriving nesting species. The Birdcast forecast does not bode well for the remainder of the week. It will be mid-May by week’s end.

These are just some of the reports for today. View local eBird checklists in the mocosocoBirds region via eBird’s Region Explorer. Use the following links:

• Morris County
• Somerset County

The eBird Hotspot Primer is here and can also be accessed via the Hotspot menu item on the mocosocoBirds.com website.

@mocosocoBirds at Twitter is another communications stream. Instant field reports and links of interest are tweeted throughout the day. The latest tweets appear on the sidebar of this page. One can follow mocosocoBirds at Twitter or link to @mocosocoBirds.

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Kentucky Warbler, Morris County, NJ, May 9, 2015 – photo by Chris Thomas.

In most cases, mocosocoBirds shies away from publicizing sensitive species that are acting territorial. As the NJ Breeding Bird Atlas from twenty years ago illustrates, Kentucky Warbler was a breeding species in scattered parts of Morris and Somerset counties through the 1980’s and into the ’90’s. It is an annual but scarce visitor by 2015.

With regards to the current Kentucky Warbler in Morris County, the reality is that Hacklebarney is a State Park, the Kentucky Warbler is along an easily accessible main path, and from what this observer saw on Sunday morning, the number of birders, many with cameras, were very respectful of the situation and acted admirably by practicing patience to view the bird.

Kudos to John J. Collins as well for finding this warbler creating much needed publicity for this beautiful park. Hacklebarney is neglected by birders for the most part but is a location in southwest Morris County worthy of more attention. Be aware that Hacklebarney is a popular destination on weekends for families, picnickers, dog walkers, anglers and the like. Bird often, but bird early.

There has yet to be a genuine push of migrants through New Jersey in recent weeks. Birds are seeping through and breeding birds are getting in place. Blackpoll Warblers are becoming a daily sighting. Both Yellow-billed and Black-billed Cuckoos are reported. Eastern Wood-Pewees have arrived in force the past few days. Willow Flycatcher is in the Great Swamp NWR. The consensus of yesterday’s World Series of Birding and Big Day in general was that species numbers were low. It is a slow spring.

These are just some of the reports for today. View local eBird checklists in the mocosocoBirds region via eBird’s Region Explorer. Use the following links:

• Morris County
• Somerset County

The eBird Hotspot Primer is here and can also be accessed via the Hotspot menu item on the mocosocoBirds.com website.

@mocosocoBirds at Twitter is another communications stream. Instant field reports and links of interest are tweeted throughout the day. The latest tweets appear on the sidebar of this page. One can follow mocosocoBirds at Twitter or link to @mocosocoBirds.

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Bobolink, Duke Farms, Hillsborough Twp., NJ, May 9, 2015 (photo by Jonathan Klizas)

Migrants were a difficult find today as the damp, northeasterly breeeze kept the day wrapped in an unexpected chill. Many birders participated in the World Series of Birding.

Four birders representing Morris and Somerset Counties (Jeff Ellerbusch, Roger Johnson, Simon Lane and this writer) executed a Big Day in those two aforementioned counties.

Highlights include:

Mahlon Dickerson Reservation – 14 warbler species including 4 singing Cerulean Warblers at Saffin Pond and Odgen Trail, Cape May Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler, Canada Warbler, Eastern Wood Pewee, 4 Vireo species, Purple Finch.

Boonton Reservoir: Common Loon, Horned Grebe, 18 Cliff Swallows.

Rockaway Township: Northern Waterthrush, Magnolia, Hooded, and Prairie Warblers.

Tilcon Lake: Bank Swallow, Broad-winged Hawk.

Duke Farms: Grasshopper and Savannah Sparrows, Bobolink, Eastern Meadowlark.

Glenhurst Meadows: Hooded Merganser, Red-headed Woodpecker and Yellow-billed Cuckoo.

Great Swamp NWR: 6 Common Nighthawks, American Woodcock.

Sleep beckons.

These are just some of the reports for today. View local eBird checklists in the mocosocoBirds region via eBird’s Region Explorer. Use the following links:

• Morris County
• Somerset County

The eBird Hotspot Primer is here and can also be accessed via the Hotspot menu item on the mocosocoBirds.com website.

@mocosocoBirds at Twitter is another communications stream. Instant field reports and links of interest are tweeted throughout the day. The latest tweets appear on the sidebar of this page. One can follow mocosocoBirds at Twitter or link to @mocosocoBirds.

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A silent Prothonotary Warbler (PROW) was found at Loantaka Brook Reservation this afternoon by Julie Buechner. It was near the bridge approximately .3 mile on the bike path south of Kitchell Road. The PROW was favoring Loantaka Brook and was moving slightly south along the brook in the late afternoon.

Black-billed Cuckoo and Indigo Buntings are reported from the Rockaway River section of The Tourne (Julie Buechner).

Roger Johnson reports the following:
At the Fish Tract, Florham Park:
8 Greater Yellowlegs, 10 Least Sandpipers, 1 Spotted Sandiper, 4 Solitary Sandpipers, 1 Wilson’s Snipe, 1 Yellow-rumped Warbler, 3 Savannah Sparrows.

At Melanie Lane Wetlands:
3 Greater Yellowlegs, 3 Least Sandpipers, 1 Great Egret.

Virginia Rail and Marsh Wrens were reported from Pleasant Plains Rd. Great Swamp NWR (Randy Little).

Solitary Sandpiper, Greater Yellowlegs, 4 Least Sandpipers and 7 Grasshopper Sparrows were tallied at Negri-Nepote Native Grassland Preserve (Todd Frantz).

Boonton Resevoir has 1 Common Loon at the north end and at least 4 Cliff Swallows are in residence.

Good luck to all of the World Series of Birding participants on Saturday, May 9.

These are just some of the reports for today. View local eBird checklists in the mocosocoBirds region via eBird’s Region Explorer. Use the following links:

• Morris County
• Somerset County

The eBird Hotspot Primer is here and can also be accessed via the Hotspot menu item on the mocosocoBirds.com website.

@mocosocoBirds at Twitter is another communications stream. Instant field reports and links of interest are tweeted throughout the day. The latest tweets appear on the sidebar of this page. One can follow mocosocoBirds at Twitter or link to @mocosocoBirds.

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Semipalmated Plover in the Raritan

1 Semipalmated Plover, 5 Least Sandpipers, 1 Solitary Sandpiper and 2 Killdeer were on the bar in the Raritan River off of Roberts Street near Duke Island Park this afternoon (Jeff Ellerbusch).

Least Sandpiper at rest in the following photo.

Least Sandpiper, Bridgewater, NJ, May 7, 2015 (photo by Jonathan Klizas)

(Click on the photo for a larger image.)

Lawrence’s Warbler and Red-headed Woodpeckers at Glenhurst Meadows

Lawrence’s Warbler, Glenhurst Meadows, NJ, May 7, 2015 (photo by Robert Gallucci)

A Lawrence’s Warbler (Blue-winged Warbler x Golden-winged Warbler hybrid) continues at Glenhurst Meadows assuming it is the same individual reported on May 5.  4 Red-headed Woodpeckers were near the Passaic River (Robert Gallucci).

Red-headed Woodpecker, Glenhurst Meadows, NJ, May 7, 2015 (photo by Robert Gallucci)

Yellow-throated Vireo, Glenhurst Meadows, NJ, May 7, 2015 (photo by Robert Gallucci)

Other Field Notes

2 Black-billed Cuckoos visited Steve Byland’s yard in Warren Twp. today.

Black-billed Cuckoo, warren Twp., NJ, May 7, 2015 (photo by Steve Byland)

15 warbler species and Yellow-billed Cuckoo are some of the highlights from Chimney Rock this morning (Jeff Ellerbusch).

Kentucky Warblers continue in southwest Morris County.

Kentucky Warbler, Long Valley, NJ, May 7, 2015 (photo by Robert Gallucci)

These are many reports this time of the year. View local eBird checklists in the mocosocoBirds region via eBird’s Region Explorer. Use the following links:

• Morris County
• Somerset County

The eBird Hotspot Primer is here and can also be accessed via the Hotspot menu item on the mocosocoBirds.com website.

@mocosocoBirds at Twitter is another communications stream. Instant field reports and links of interest are tweeted throughout the day. The latest tweets appear on the sidebar of this page. One can follow mocosocoBirds at Twitter or link to @mocosocoBirds.

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