72 Species at Big Sit at Great Swamp NWR, Oct. 12, 2014

Posted on October 15, 2014 by Jonathan Klizas
Pre-dawn, Great Swamp NWR, NJ, Oct. 12, 2014 (iPhone photo by Jonathan Klizas)

Pre-dawn, Great Swamp NWR, NJ, Oct. 12, 2014 (iPhone photo by Jonathan Klizas)

The Swamp Sitters and the Friends of the Great Swamp held their annual Big Sit at the overlook on Pleasant Plains Road in the Great Swamp NWR on Sunday, October 12.

From Karen English:
Our final tally was 72 species over the 16 hours. Posted on eBird and on the Birders Digest web site. The afternoon was very quiet for birds but a steady stream of visitors kept us awake. The clear blue sky made it difficult to pick up on any high flyers. We were unable to woo those White-crowned Sparrows to come down the road. Simon found a Blue-headed Vireo late in the day and our last flyover was a Merlin.

Cheerio
Karen

Species:
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)
American Black Duck (Anas rubripes)
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca)
Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus)
American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus)
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)
Great Egret (Ardea alba)
Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus)
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)
Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus)
Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus)
Cooper’s Hawk (Accipiter cooperii)
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)
Sora (Porzana carolina)
Wilson’s Snipe (Gallinago delicata)
American Woodcock (Scolopax minor)
Herring Gull (Larus argentatus)
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)
Eastern Screech-Owl (Megascops asio)
Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus)
Barred Owl (Strix varia)
Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon)
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)
Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens)
Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides villosus)
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)
American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)
Merlin (Falco columbarius)
Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)
Blue-headed Vireo (Vireo solitarius)
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)
Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor)
White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)
House Wren (Troglodytes aedon)
Winter Wren (Troglodytes hiemalis)
Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa)
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Regulus calendula)
Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis)
Swainson’s Thrush (Catharus ustulatus)
Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus)
American Robin (Turdus migratorius)
Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis)
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
American Pipit (Anthus rubescens)
Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum)
Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas)
Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum)
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) (Setophaga coronata coronata)
Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus)
Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla)
Vesper Sparrow (Pooecetes gramineus)
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)
Lincoln’s Sparrow (Melospiza lincolnii)
Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana)
White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)
Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis)
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)
Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna)
Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus)
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula)
House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus)
Purple Finch (Haemorhous purpureus)
Pine Siskin (Spinus pinus)
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)

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83 Raptors at Chimney Rock, Martinsville, NJ, Oct. 14, 2014

Posted on October 15, 2014 by Jonathan Klizas

Chimney Rock
Martinsville, NJ, USA
Daily Raptor Counts : 10/14/2014

Species Day’s Count Month Total Season Total
BV 0 0 0
TV 0 0 0
OS 5 71 305
BE 1 28 136
NH 5 22 54
SS 41 365 1085
CH 8 34 106
NG 0 0 0
RS 7 19 32
BW 2 184 6469
RT 0 0 0
RL 0 0 0
GE 0 4 5
AK 7 150 700
ML 7 49 173
PG 0 0 3
UI 0 5 24
Total 83 931 9092
Hours 7.0 105.0 360.0

Notes : Surprising number of raptors given the South wind. Monarch
butterflies still coming through with 17 on the day. Also had a
Mourning Cloak. The resident adult Peregrines were actively
harassing the juvenile.

John Kee

Daily Totals
Bird Checklist Query
2014 Summary (standard)
Species Checklist for Oct 14, 2014
Hourly Stats Report

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21 Raptors at Wildcat Ridge, Hibernia, NJ, Oct. 13, 2014

Posted on October 13, 2014 by Jonathan Klizas

Wildcat Ridge
Hibernia, New Jersey, USA

Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 13, 2014
Species Day’s Count Month Total Season Total
Black Vulture 0 0 0
Turkey Vulture 0 0 0
Osprey 0 8 71
Bald Eagle 1 11 58
Northern Harrier 2 3 16
Sharp-shinned Hawk 15 105 271
Cooper’s Hawk 1 33 103
Northern Goshawk 0 1 1
Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 4
Broad-winged Hawk 0 2 6465
Red-tailed Hawk 0 6 15
Golden Eagle 0 0 0
American Kestrel 1 37 73
Merlin 1 2 7
Peregrine Falcon 0 2 4
Unknown Raptor 0 1 16
Total: 21 211 7104


Observation start time: 08:00:00
Observation end time: 14:00:00
Total observation time: 6 hours
Official Counter Frank Budney
Observers: Fred V.

 

Visitors:
Visitors = 2

Weather:
Overcast with 100% cloud cover and misty haze at 5 miles. Temperature range, 51º F to 60º F. Wind, SE 5 mph and variable. Visibility, 7 miles.

Raptor Observations:
NH was first bird at 0951 in front of ledge just above tree top level. A BE arrived over Parsippany Water Tower with a TV at 1027. Lots of SS throughout the day and naked eye visible. Final bird , AK, arrived at 1400.

Non-raptor Observations:
American Crow, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Tufted Titmouse, Black-capped Chickadee, White-breasted Nuthatch, and 3 large flocks of Blue Jays with 10 to 15 individuals each flying low toward the SW.

Report submitted by Frank Budney
Wildcat Ridge information may be found at: http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/wldcthwk.htm

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Sunday Bird Notes, Oct. 12, 2014

Posted on October 12, 2014 by Jonathan Klizas

Vesper Sparrow

Vesper Sparrow, Troy Meadows, NJ, Oct. 12, 2014 (Chris Thomas)

Three Vesper Sparrows are the highlight of a late afternoon visit to Troy Meadows (Chris Thomas). The Vesper Sparrows were at the end of Troy Meadows Road.

A Big Sit was held today at the Overlook on Pleasant Plains Road, Great Swamp NWR and sponsored by the Friends of the Great Swamp. A final roundup will be posted when available. Early morning observations were Sora, American Bittern, Great Horned Owl, Barred Owl, Eastern Screech-Owl, Swainson’s Thrushes, Hermit Thrush, Purple Finches, Pine Siskins, American Pipits, Vesper Sparrow, Bald Eagle, Rusty Blackbirds, Wilson’s Snipe, American Woodcock, Lincoln’s Sparrow, etc.

The juvenile Great Cormorant found yesterday at Mt. Hope Lake (Mill Pond) continues today (Alan Boyd, Tom Halliwell). Waterfowl at the lake includes 3 Gadwall, 6 American Wigeon, 4 Am. Black Duck, 17 Northern Shoveler, 5 Green-winged Teal, 40 Ring-necked Duck, 250 Ruddy Duck, 5 Pied-billed Grebe, along with 30 Double-crested Cormorants, 1 Great Cormorant, 1 Great Egret, 2 Bald Eagles and 11 American Coot.

eBird checklists and other data can be viewed at the following links:
Morris
Somerset

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60 Raptors at Wildcat Ridge, Hibernia, NJ, Oct. 12, 2014

Posted on October 12, 2014 by Jonathan Klizas

Wildcat Ridge
Hibernia, New Jersey, USA

Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 12, 2014
Species Day’s Count Month Total Season Total
Black Vulture 0 0 0
Turkey Vulture 0 0 0
Osprey 5 8 71
Bald Eagle 3 10 57
Northern Harrier 1 1 14
Sharp-shinned Hawk 23 90 256
Cooper’s Hawk 18 32 102
Northern Goshawk 0 1 1
Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 4
Broad-winged Hawk 0 2 6465
Red-tailed Hawk 3 6 15
Golden Eagle 0 0 0
American Kestrel 4 36 72
Merlin 1 1 6
Peregrine Falcon 2 2 4
Unknown Raptor 0 1 16
Total: 60 190 7083


Observation start time: 08:00:00
Observation end time: 17:30:00
Total observation time: 9.5 hours
Official Counter Tom Gorman
Observers: Harold L., Mary C., Nora O., Mike L.

 

Visitors:
169, including Barbara & Jim, Mary and Gary who were very helpful in pulling raptors from a total blue sky. We thank all of the visitors who were all quite helpful in finding raptors today.

Weather:
Initial 30% light cloud cover that changed to 0% coverage by 1030 hrs and remained same throughout the day. Winds 0-3 MPH from s/se with a temp range of 41F-54F. Visibility in early morning hours ~10 miles and increased to 30 by days end.

Raptor Observations:
Majority of raptors were at high and distant elevations with a handful of exceptions being much closer. The 1st bird of the day was an imm. Bald Eagle @ 0832 hours but remained to the left and north of the watch, not to be seen again. 2 Adult Bald Eagles (1423 hrs) passed at ridge level in front of the watch, soared and did aerial battles when a 3rd adult Bald Eagle joined the other pair @ 1426 hrs. The aerial show went to a higher elevation and lasted for about 15 minutes when the first pair split off and went south. Ten minutes later the third adult also went south and out of sight. The accipiters all followed the same flight path through out the day. The Red-tailed hawks were at very high elevation and were non-stop south. All Osprey were mid elevation except for the last one at day’s end came down into the valley below. The Kestrels were all overhead and just above treetop level. At 1625 hours a visitor spotted what turned out to be a Peregrine Falcon speeding south over the “Guns of Navarone” condos. Prior to the end of the watch @ approx 1815 hours another Peregrine Falcon came down into the valley in front of the Pillar Drive ball fields. It appeared to be landing for the night.

Non-raptor Observations:
Normal TV’s and BV’s and local adult and imm. Red-tailed hawks treated the visitors to lengthy aerobatics above us. Monarchs: 37 Skeins of Canada Geese: 26 w/an average of 70+ members each. At 1620 hours another skein of 9 Geese were observed and seen immediately to be Snow Geese, which are a bit early in arriving. DC Cormorants: 7 Other regular locals: Raven, B.C. Chickadees, Blue Jays,N. Cardinal and T.Titmouse.

Predictions:
Overnight to be in the 50’s with partly cloudy and temps in 60’s….chance of showers late day.

 

Report submitted by Fred Vanderburgh
Wildcat Ridge information may be found at: http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/wldcthwk.htm

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Big Songbird Flight, 88 Raptors at Chimney Rock, Martinsville, NJ, Oct. 12, 2014

Posted on October 12, 2014 by Jonathan Klizas

Chimney Rock
Martinsville, NJ, USA
Daily Raptor Counts : 10/12/2014

Species Day’s Count Month Total Season Total
BV 0 0 0
TV 0 0 0
OS 1 66 300
BE 7 27 135
NH 2 17 49
SS 39 322 1042
CH 14 26 98
NG 0 0 0
RS 4 12 25
BW 13 182 6467
RT 0 0 0
RL 0 0 0
GE 0 4 5
AK 7 143 693
ML 1 42 166
PG 0 0 3
UI 0 5 24
Total 88 846 9007
Hours 9.5 91.0 346.0

Notes : Good raptor flight on variable winds. 7 Bald Eagles. Spectacular songbird migration this morning with 16 warbler species including 1st of season Connecticut Warbler. This many warblers may be unprecedented for this late date. 1st of season Hermit Thrush, Pine Siskins and Black Duck. In the mix were 10 Red-breasted Nuthatches, 10 Eastern Towhees, 12 Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, 10 Swamp Sparrows, Winter Wren, Indigo Bunting and Scarlet Tanager. This is truly an amazing list for Chimney Rock on October 12th. There were lines of migrant Flickers and Blue Jays and also 40+ Chimney Swifts.

John Kee

Daily Totals
Bird Checklist Query
2014 Summary (standard)
Species Checklist for Oct 12, 2014
Hourly Stats Report

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23 Raptors at Chimney Rock, Martinsville, NJ, Oct. 11, 2014

Posted on October 11, 2014 by Jonathan Klizas

Chimney Rock
Martinsville, NJ, USA
Daily Raptor Counts : 10/11/2014

Species Day’s Count Month Total Season Total
BV 0 0 0
TV 0 0 0
OS 1 65 299
BE 0 20 128
NH 1 15 47
SS 17 283 1003
CH 1 12 84
NG 0 0 0
RS 0 8 21
BW 0 169 6454
RT 0 0 0
RL 0 0 0
GE 0 4 5
AK 2 136 686
ML 1 41 165
PG 0 0 3
UI 0 5 24
Total 23 758 8919
Hours 5.5 81.5 336.5

Notes : North East to North winds following the rain event. An amazing
40 migrant Great Blue herons were recorded today, one group
had 22 in a “V” formation. The season’s first Brant showed today
with 82 nicely documented by Jeff Ellerbusch. 7 species of
warblers.

Brant, Chimney Rock, NJ, Oct. 11, 2014 (photo by Jeff Ellerbusch)

Brant, Chimney Rock, NJ, Oct. 11, 2014 (photo by Jeff Ellerbusch)

John Kee

Daily Totals
Bird Checklist Query
2014 Summary (standard)
Species Checklist for Oct 11, 2014
Hourly Stats Report

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Great Cormorant, Waterfowl, Field Notes, Oct. 11, 2014

Posted on October 11, 2014 by Jonathan Klizas

The following heavily-cropped photo is of a distant juvenile Great Cormorant in the rain at Mt. Hope Lake this morning.

Juvenile Great Cormorant, Mt. Hope lake, NJ, Oct. 11, 2014 (photo by Jonathan Klizas)

Juvenile Great Cormorant, Mt. Hope lake, NJ, Oct. 11, 2014 (photo by Jonathan Klizas)

Waterfowl season is growing in earnest. Mt. Hope Lake in Rockaway Twp. has 9 Northern Shovelers, 42 Ring-necked Ducks, 215 Ruddy Ducks, 2 Pied-billed Grebes, 33 Double-crested Cormorants and 1 juvenile Great Cormorant. The eagle nest at Mt. Hope was apparently abandoned earlier this year although an adult Bald Eagle was in the area this morning.

[Online maps have Mt. Hope Lake labeled as Mill Pond. Mt. Hope Pond is a separate body of water west of Mt. Hope Lake (Mill Pond) – editor]

In Morris County, Double-crested Cormorants are abundant in specific bodies of water (e.g. Boonton Reservoir, Lake Musconectcong, etc.) but Great Cormorant (GRCO) is rare. Today’s GRCO is the only record from Morris and Somerset Counties in 2014.  Other than a record from the Sewaren Marina Park in Middlesex County yesterday, Oct. 10, this is is the first inland New Jersey GRCO reported this season.

Here is a list of GRCO reports from the past five years in Morris and Somerset counties:
2014 – Mt. Hope Lake (Morris), Oct. 11.
2013 – Parsippany (Morris), Sep. 14; Boonton Res. (Morris), Mar. 17.
2012 – Chimney Rock Hawkwatch (Somerset), Nov. 11.
2011 – Mt. Hope Lake (Morris), Nov. 6; Washington Valley Park (Somerset), Oct. 12; Chimney Rock Hawkwatch (Somerset), Oct. 12.
2010 – none

[All data references in this post are from eBird.org  and The Chimney Rock Hawk Watch – editor]

Boonton Reservoir

What Boonton Reservoir lacked in waterbirds this afternoon (2 Lesser Scaup drakes, 21 Ruddy Ducks, 3 Green-winged Teal, 2 Pied-billed Grebes, 1 Great Egret, Mute Swans, Canada Geese) was made up by the number of songbirds found in clustered areas: 6 visual Winter Wrens, 50+ White-throated Sparrows, Song, Swamp and Chipping Sparrows, 8 Eastern Towhees, 1 Lincoln’s and 1 White-crowned Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Palm Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, 10 Northern Flickers, Pileated, Downy, Hairy and Red-bellied Woodpeckers as well as 1 Spotted Sandpiper (the only shorebird found) and 1 Osprey, etc.

Click on this link to see a BirdTrax view of eBird checklists for the day in Morris County. There are three tabs on the top of the applet: Sightings, Rarities, Checklists. Checklists may be the most useful for getting a picture of the birding day in Morris County. Once you are in the Checklist view select the pen and paper icon on the left to view the checklist. County bar graphs and a rarities list are also available.

Somerset County

82 Brant flew by the Chimney Rock Hawkwatch this afternoon (Jeff Ellerbusch).

Elsewhere, the theme of the day is that there are lots of birds around. Various eBird reports from around Somerset County show that there are a variety of warblers from Glenhurst Meadows going south including Northern Parula, Common Yellowthroat, Magnolia, Black-throated Blue, Black-throated Green, Palm and Yellow-rumped Warblers plus all of the expected sparrows of the season.

In case you didn’t read this in the section above, click on this link to see a BirdTrax view of eBird checklists for the day in Somerset County. There are three tabs on the top of the applet: Sightings, Rarities, Checklists. Checklists may be the most useful for getting a picture of the birding day in Somerset County. Once you are in the Checklist view select the pen and paper icon on the left to view the checklist. County bar graphs and a rarities list are also available.

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Vesper Sparrows; Friday Bird Notes, Oct. 10, 2014

Posted on October 10, 2014 by Jonathan Klizas

Vesper Sparrow, Glenhurst Meadows, NJ, Oct. 10, 2014 (photo by Jeff Ellerbusch)

Vesper Sparrow, Glenhurst Meadows, NJ, Oct. 10, 2014 (photo by Jeff Ellerbusch)


Early this morning, Glenhurst Meadows had American Woodcock, Common Raven, 3 Swainson’s Thrushes (pre-dawn), 7 American Pipit flyovers, 1 Vesper Sparrow at the community garden, 2 Lincoln’s Sparrows and the typical sparrow species of the season, 2 Eastern Meadowlarks, and the following vocal westbound flyovers: 21 Purple Finches and 15 Pine Siskins (Jeff Ellerbusch).

From Bobby Skrabal:
“I found my first Vesper Sparrow of the season at Finderne Wetlands this morning. It was feeding on the paved path by the athletic fields. There were also 2 White-crowned Sparrows feeding in the same area. There were also plenty of Savannah and Swamp Sparrows there as well.”

The first 4 Ring-necked Ducks of the season in Morris and Somerset Counties are at Budd Lake (Alan Boyd). 86 Ruddy Ducks are there as well.

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Golden Eagle (112 Raptors) at Chimney Rock, Martinsville, NJ, Oct. 9, 2014

Posted on October 10, 2014 by Jonathan Klizas

Chimney Rock
Martinsville, NJ, USA
Daily Raptor Counts : 10/9/2014

Species Day’s Count Month Total Season Total
BV 0 0 0
TV 0 0 0
OS 4 64 298
BE 0 20 128
NH 4 14 46
SS 60 264 984
CH 1 11 83
NG 0 0 0
RS 1 8 21
BW 0 169 6454
RT 0 0 0
RL 0 0 0
GE 1 4 5
AK 32 134 684
ML 9 40 164
PG 0 0 3
UI 0 5 24
Total 112 733 8894
Hours 10.0 71.0 326.0

Notes : Good numbers of Sharp-shinneds and Kestrels on West winds.
Adult Golden Eagle at 1:14 PM. 2 late Common Nighthawks
feeding at the parking lot at dusk. Canada goose migration really
kicking in now with 1150. 60 Double-crested Cormorants.

John Kee

Daily Totals
Bird Checklist Query
2014 Summary (standard)
Species Checklist for Oct 9, 2014
Hourly Stats Report

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