50 Raptors at Wildcat Ridge, Hibernia, NJ, Oct. 9, 2014

Wildcat Ridge
Hibernia, New Jersey, USA

Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 09, 2014
Species Day’s Count Month Total Season Total
Black Vulture 0 0 0
Turkey Vulture 0 0 0
Osprey 2 3 66
Bald Eagle 2 7 54
Northern Harrier 0 0 13
Sharp-shinned Hawk 24 67 233
Cooper’s Hawk 6 14 84
Northern Goshawk 0 1 1
Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 4
Broad-winged Hawk 0 2 6465
Red-tailed Hawk 1 3 12
Golden Eagle 0 0 0
American Kestrel 15 32 68
Merlin 0 0 5
Peregrine Falcon 0 0 2
Unknown Raptor 0 1 16
Total: 50 130 7023


Observation start time: 08:15:00
Observation end time: 14:30:00
Total observation time: 6.25 hours
Official Counter Kevin McCarthy
Observers:

Visitors:
7

Weather:
Temp, 56 – 66 degrees F. Visibility, 8 – 10 miles with haze beyond. Clouds, 5% increasing to 95% by end of count. Wind from the West at 7 – 10 mph, with gusts to 15 mph.

Raptor Observations:
Adult BE at 9:00 AM and 1:40 PM

Non-raptor Observations:
Many skeins of Canada Geese.


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

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Thursday Bird Notes; Joel Greenberg Lecture Notice, Oct. 9, 2014

From Roger Johnson today at Troy Meadows:
1 Nashville Warbler
40 Palm Warblers
12 Yellow-rumped Warblers
10 Common Yellowthroats
70 Savannah Sparrows
3 Lincoln Sparrows
2 White-crowned Sparrows

From Jose Garcia at Veteran’s Memorial Park in Whippany this evening:
White-crowned Sparrows
American Kestrels (4)
Palm Warblers


Friday, Oct. 10 at Turtle Back Zoo in West Orange:

Special Event

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2 Golden Eagles (95 Raptors) at Chimney Rock, Martinsville, NJ, Oct. 8, 2014

Chimney Rock
Martinsville, NJ, USA
Daily Raptor Counts : 10/8/2014

Species Day’s Count Month Total Season Total
BV 0 0 0
TV 0 0 0
OS 16 60 294
BE 11 20 128
NH 0 10 42
SS 41 204 924
CH 2 10 82
NG 0 0 0
RS 0 7 20
BW 1 169 6454
RT 0 0 0
RL 0 0 0
GE 2 3 4
AK 14 102 652
ML 7 31 155
PG 0 0 3
UI 1 5 24
Total 95 621 8782
Hours 10.8 61.0 316.0

Notes : West to WSW winds. Certainly a day of big raptors, with 2
Golden Eagles, 11 Bald Eagles and 16 Ospreys. The second
Golden set down on the quarry rim at 6:30 PM.

John Kee

Daily Totals
Bird Checklist Query
2014 Summary (standard)
Species Checklist for Oct 8, 2014
Hourly Stats Report

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Golden Eagle, Clay-colored Sparrow, Oct. 8, 2014

Golden Eagles on Watchung Ridges

Golden Eagle, Warren Twp., NJ, Oct 8, 2014 (photo by Steve Byland)

Golden Eagle, Warren Twp., NJ, Oct 8, 2014 (photo by Steve Byland)

Steve Byland saw the immature Golden Eagle in the heavily cropped photo above fly over his house at 3:30 this afternoon. Steve lives in Warren Twp. on a ridge three miles northeast of Chimney Rock. Interestingly, Chimney Rock Hawkwatch had two Golden Eagles today: one at 1:40, and the other at 6:20. Based on the timings, this means that three Golden Eagles were in the Martinsville/Warren Twp. area today, unless the young Golden above lingered around and took a circuitous route to Chimney Rock.


Clay-colored Sparrow at Troy Meadows

Roger Johnson found a Clay-colored Sparrow at the trap shoot area of Troy Meadows (east end of Troy Meadows Rd.) this morning. It was not relocated late in the afternoon. This is the only known report of this species in the mocosocoBirds region in 2014.

On Oct. 7, Roger had the following species at Troy Meadows – Sparrows: 50 Savannah, 6 Lincoln’s, 12 White-throated, 4 Field, 6 Swamp, 30 Song, 1 immature Chipping Sparrow, 2 Eastern Towhees; 20 Common Yellowthroats and 30 Palm Warblers.

Other Field Notes

Kelly Martin, Oct. 7:
A male Golden-winged Warbler was closely observed at the Great Swamp Watershed Association office on Tempe Wick Road next to Jockey Hollow. It was “Flitting around with a few other warbler species, stayed in view for a few minutes in a low and close branch”.

October 6: Common Nighthawk at Troy Meadows (Mike Ostrow via eBird); American Pipit at Tilcon Pond in the area of Waterloo Valley Road, Mt.Olive Twp. (Alan Boyd via eBird)

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6 Raptors at Chimney Rock, Martinsville, NJ, Oct. 7, 2014

Chimney Rock
Martinsville, NJ, USA
Daily Raptor Counts : 10/7/2014

Species Day’s Count Month Total Season Total
BV 0 0 0
TV 0 0 0
OS 2 44 278
BE 0 9 117
NH 0 10 42
SS 1 163 883
CH 0 8 80
NG 0 0 0
RS 0 7 20
BW 0 168 6453
RT 0 0 0
RL 0 0 0
GE 0 1 2
AK 2 88 638
ML 1 24 148
PG 0 0 3
UI 0 4 23
Total 6 526 8687
Hours 4.5 50.3 305.3

Notes : Another slow day on WSW to SW winds and rain.

John Kee

Daily Totals
Bird Checklist Query
2014 Summary (standard)
Species Checklist for Oct 7, 2014
Hourly Stats Report

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59 Raptors at Wildcat Ridge, Hibernia, NJ, Oct. 6, 2014

Wildcat Ridge
Hibernia, New Jersey, USA

Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 06, 2014
Species Day’s Count Month Total Season Total
Black Vulture 0 0 0
Turkey Vulture 0 0 0
Osprey 0 1 64
Bald Eagle 5 5 52
Northern Harrier 0 0 13
Sharp-shinned Hawk 33 43 209
Cooper’s Hawk 4 8 78
Northern Goshawk 0 1 1
Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 4
Broad-winged Hawk 0 2 6465
Red-tailed Hawk 1 2 11
Golden Eagle 0 0 0
American Kestrel 15 17 53
Merlin 0 0 5
Peregrine Falcon 0 0 2
Unknown Raptor 1 1 16
Total: 59 80 6973


Observation start time: 08:00:00
Observation end time: 14:00:00
Total observation time: 6 hours
Official Counter Frank Budney
Observers: Kevin M


Visitors:
Visitors =10

Weather:
Clear blue ski with haze beyond 3 miles to NYC skyline. A few scattered clouds ranging from 0% to 20%. Visibility to 10 miles. Wind S, 10 to 15 mph with occasional gusts to 20 mph. Temperature range from 50º F to 70º F.

Raptor Observations:
A spectacular day even with the blue sky and gusty southerly winds.SS’s and AK’s were the dominate species. An American Kestrel was first to arrive at 0822 followed by two SS’s a few minutes later. The highlight of the day was a “Sub-kettle” of 3 adult Bald Eagles just before 1030 hrs. in front of Marcella Ridge. All sightings were viewed naked eyed as most of the birds were close to the ridge line in front of the ledge. later in the day the birds were high above the ridge line with a few low in the valley. A immature (second or third year bird) BE arrived at 1320 behind the ledge and joined up with two TV’s before gaining altitude and heading SW.

Non-raptor Observations:
Raven, Black-capped Chickadee, Cedar Waxwing, American Crow, Blue Jay.


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

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4 Raptors at Chimney Rock, Martinsville, NJ, Oct. 6, 2014

Chimney Rock
Martinsville, NJ, USA
Daily Raptor Counts : 10/6/2014

Species Day’s Count Month Total Season Total
BV 0 0 0
TV 0 0 0
OS 0 42 276
BE 0 9 117
NH 0 10 42
SS 3 162 882
CH 1 8 80
NG 0 0 0
RS 0 7 20
BW 0 168 6453
RT 0 0 0
RL 0 0 0
GE 0 1 2
AK 0 86 636
ML 0 23 147
PG 0 0 3
UI 0 4 23
Total 4 520 8681
Hours 8.0 45.8 300.8

Notes : South wind. If you counted with one hand, you still had one
finger left. 1 plastic shopping bag was reported today, first of
season.

John Kee

Daily Totals
Bird Checklist Query
2014 Summary (standard)
Species Checklist for Oct 6, 2014
Hourly Stats Report

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Big Sit at Great Swamp NWR this Sunday, Oct. 12, 2014

2014 Big Sit at Great Swamp NWR

2014 Big Sit at Great Swamp NWR

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Golden Eagle, 221 Raptors at Chimney Rock, Martinsville, NJ, Oct. 5, 2014

Chimney Rock
Martinsville, NJ, USA
Daily Raptor Counts : 10/5/2014

Species Day’s Count Month Total Season Total
BV 0 0 0
TV 0 0 0
OS 14 42 276
BE 8 9 117
NH 2 10 42
SS 102 159 879
CH 3 7 79
NG 0 0 0
RS 2 7 20
BW 23 168 6453
RT 0 0 0
RL 0 0 0
GE 1 1 2
AK 53 86 636
ML 10 23 147
PG 0 0 3
UI 3 4 23
Total 221 516 8677
Hours 10.3 37.8 292.8

Notes : Great day with chilly west winds. Sharp-shinneds and Kestrels
moving in numbers. 8 Bald Eagles. Adult Golden Eagle straight
overhead. 6 Common Ravens. First of season Wood Duck,
Dark-eyed Junco, Swamp Sparrow and brown Creeper.

John Kee

Daily Totals
Bird Checklist Query
2014 Summary (standard)
Species Checklist for Oct 5, 2014
Hourly Stats Report

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Northern Goshawk, 21 raptors at Wildcat Ridge, Hibernia, NJ, Oct. 5, 2014

Wildcat Ridge
Hibernia, New Jersey, USA

Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 05, 2014
Species Day’s Count Month Total Season Total
Black Vulture 0 0 0
Turkey Vulture 0 0 0
Osprey 1 1 64
Bald Eagle 0 0 47
Northern Harrier 0 0 13
Sharp-shinned Hawk 10 10 176
Cooper’s Hawk 4 4 74
Northern Goshawk 1 1 1
Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 4
Broad-winged Hawk 2 2 6465
Red-tailed Hawk 1 1 10
Golden Eagle 0 0 0
American Kestrel 2 2 38
Merlin 0 0 5
Peregrine Falcon 0 0 2
Unknown Raptor 0 0 15
Total: 21 21 6914


Observation start time: 08:30:00
Observation end time: 14:30:00
Total observation time: 6 hours
Official Counter Fred Vanderburgh
Observers: Mike L., Tom G.


Visitors:
Visitors = 51 including Barbara Davis and associates from the NJLC.

Weather:
Temperature 46-56F, almost a cloudless blue sky with 1%cloud cover, wind from the N-NW 5-10 MPH, visibility 7 miles.

Raptor Observations:
A surprise close over head naked eye Northern Goshawk! Very rarely observed at this watch site.

Non-raptor Observations:
Several skeins of geese, Raven, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Eastern Phoebe.


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

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