mocosocoBirds

Common Loons at Boonton Reservoir

Below: The typical distant view at Boonton Reservoir of Common Loons, today.

Common Loons at Boonton Reservoir, NJ, Mar. 28, 2014 (photo by Jonathan Klizas)

Things are heating up, both with the temperature and migration. 19 Common Loons were at the north end of Boonton Reservoir this afternoon. All were in complete, or near complete, alternate plumage. Most were in one group of 12-14 individuals with the others in smaller groups or singles. 11 Green-winged Teal were in the middle of the reservoir with 80+ Ring-billed Gulls and the dwindling number of Common Mergansers, Hooded Mergansers, Ring-necked Ducks and Buffleheads.

Raptors and Tundra Swan at Great Swamp NWR

Jim Mulvey spotted a light morph Rough-legged Hawk today along Pleasant Plains Road near the 90-degree turn. What is probably the same Rough-legged Hawk was seen later by Simon Lane at the overlook where a movement of birds was witnessed including 3 Osprey, 3 Northern Harriers (2 “Gray Ghosts”), Sharp-shinned Hawks, Fish Crows, Great Egret, etc.

Jim Gilbert found the following Tundra Swan in the Headquarters Pond on Pleasant Plains Road earlier in the day. It was still there towards dusk.

Tundra Swan at Great Swamp NWR, NJ, Mar. 28, 2014 (photo by Jim Gilbert).

Elsewhere

Along the Delaware and Raritan Canal Towpath, Jeff Ellerbusch found the following: 58 Ring-necked Ducks, 27 Bufflehead, 11 Common Goldeneye, 2 Hooded, 16 Common and 7 Red-breasted Mergansers, 3 Osprey, 1 American Kestrel and 2 Peregrine Falcons, etc.

Blue-winged Teal, Branchburg Twp., NJ, Mar. 27, 2014 (photo by Jonathan Klizas).

(Click on the photos for a larger image.)

5 Blue-winged Teal have been roadside occasionally at the flooded field on Opie Road, Branchburg for the past few days. A Cackling Goose was with Canada Geese further up the road.

Cackling Goose, Branchburg Twp., NJ, Mar. 27, 2014 (photo by J. Klizas).

Boonton Reservoir continues expanding its thawed section of water. 3 Common Loons in alternate plumage and 100+ Common Mergansers were highlights this afternoon.

Lake Parsippany has 550 Common Mergansers, counted in ones, fives and tens, spread over the surface of the lake. 48 Ring-necked Ducks, 3 Lesser Scaup, 11 Hooded Mergansers, 1 Pied-billed Grebe and 2 American Coot were almost lost in the Common Merganser crowd.

The Red-necked Grebe of Mendham spent day no. 34 at Clyde Potts Reservoir.

Lake Hopatcong is thawing ever so slowly. Alan Boyd eBirded 5 Common Goldeneye from Nolan’s Point along with the 2 resident Bald Eagles. Other areas had small amounts of Ring-necked Ducks, Bufflehead, Common Mergansers, etc.

At Lake Musconetcong, Alan had a Canvasback, Redhead, 2 Common Goldeneye, 2 Horned Grebes and a collection of Ring-necked Ducks, Buffleheads, Hooded and Common Mergansers.

Canvasback at Lake Musconetcong (photo by Alan Boyd).

In Chatham Township, Simon Lane had 3 flyover Tundra Swans and 2 Bald Eagles as yard birds today, viewed from his deck.

Waterfowl at Duke Farms included: 28 Wood Ducks, 2 Gadwall, 14 American Wigeon, 29 Am. Black Ducks, 2 Blue-winged Teal, 2 Northern Pintail, 12 Green-winged Teal, 127 Ring-necked Ducks, 7 Hooded Mergansers and 16 Common Mergansers. A Red-headed Woodpecker was heard near Otter Lake (Jeff Ellerbusch).

Remember how bitterly cold and windy yesterday afternoon was? Jeff Ellerbusch conservatively counted (his terminlogy) 400 Tree Swallows over the Raritan River along the Delaware and Raritan Canal Towpath.

Below is a photo by Dave Blinder of two Wilson’s Snipe from Green Pond Road, Rockaway Twp.

Wilson’s Snipe, Rockaway Twp., NJ, Mar. 26, 2014 (photo by Dave Blinder)

Great Egret in Hanover Township

Great Egret, Hanover Twp., NJ, Mar. 22, 2014 (photo by Jonathan Klizas).

The chance of a snowstorm this coming Tuesday into Wednesday be damned, a Great Egret is in town. One showed up at Melanie Lane Wetlands today, a welcome show of white other than snow. This is the first Great Egret of 2014 seen in the mocosocoBirds region. 3 Gadwall, 4 Northern Pintail, 30 Green-winged Teal, 3 Ring-necked Ducks, 5 Hooded Mergansers, 2 Wilson’s Snipe, Canada Geese and Mallards were in the recently thawed wetlands.

Eurasian Wigeon – Day 3 at Finderne Wetlands

The Eurasian Wigeon drake of Finderne Wetlands was observed pre-dawn this morning (Mike Almendinger, Jeff Ellerbusch, Simon Lane). This is the 3rd morning in a row for this species at Finderne. It has a pattern of going elsewhere after dawn so plan an earlier arrival (pre-7:00 a.m.) if you want to see it. It is usually in the company of a drake American Wigeon.

Snow Geese and Greater White-fronted Goose in Long Valley

Snow Geese, Long Valley, NJ, Mar. 22, 2014 (photo by J. Klizas)

2,500+ Snow Geese were spilling out of the fenced–in pasture when this observer arrived on Beacon Hill Road, Long Valley at 7:15 a.m. All had flown towards the west by 7:45 making them easy to count as they peeled off in groups of 100-300 individuals. A short time later, the entire flock reversed direction and headed in a northerly direction. It was an impressive sensory experience.

Snow Geese, Long Valley, NJ, Mar. 22, 2014 (photo by J. Klizas)

The Greater White-fronted Goose was forgotten in the Snow Goose spectacle but was seen in the flooded field as it was two days ago. It apparently left with a group of Canada Geese at 7:45 a.m.. Hundreds of Canada Geese ended up foraging in the farm field across from 71 Beacon Hill Road, where Alan Boyd saw the Greater White-fronted Goose yesterday. It may have been hiding there but eluded this viewer. In any case, it is probably in the area.

Morris Lakes

Budd Lake, New Jersey’s largest naturally formed lake, remains completely frozen. 2 Mute Swans, 6 Ring-billed Gulls and a Herring Gull were on the ice this morning.

On the other hand, Lake Musconetcong, a man-made lake, is thawed at its inflow and its outflow. There are approximately 1,000 waterfowl enjoying the open water: 450+ Ring-necked Ducks, 311 Common Mergansers, 50 Bufflehead, 75 Mute Swans and small amounts of Northern Pintail, Lesser Scaup, Common Goldeneye and Hooded Mergansers, etc. One Horned Grebe and one Pied-billed Grebe were also present. The wind was howling at the lake.

Lake Hopatcong, New Jersey’s largest lake, is completely frozen save for some docks that have pumps and the area immediately near the Brady Road Bridge.

Boonton Reservoir is slowly coming back to life. It is thawed from the Rockaway River to beyond the two bridges. Birds at the reservoir include: 14 Northern Pintal, 365 Common Mergansers, 1 Red-breasted Merganser, Hooded Mergansers, Buffleheads, 1 Common Goldeneye, Ring-necked Ducks, Double-crested Cormorants, 150 Ring-billed and 75 Herring Gulls. An adult Bald Eagle was on the ice before taking off, getting all the gulls into the air.

A visit to Lake Parsippanny a few days ago showed that thaw is beginning to take hold at the northern end but most of the lake remains ice.

Other Field Notes

A Greater Yellowlegs was an arrival at Duke Farms this morning, the first of 2014 in the mocosocoBirds region. 2 Red-breasted Mergansers were also at Duke Farms. 300+ Snow Geese were flyovers (Jeff Ellerbusch).

The Redhead drake continues at Osborn Pond (Tom Smith).

Tree Swallows were widely reported today.

From Ken Hart:
An Eastern Phoebe is singing outside my house this morning on Black River Rd. in Long Valley.

Eurasian Wigeon at Finderne Wetlands

The drake Eurasian Wigeon found yesterday, Mar. 20, by Jeff Ellerbusch was at the Van Veghten pond this morning before 7:00 a.m. (J. Klizas). It was not seen later in the day, similar to its behavior yesterday. Caution is required in approaching the pond as the waterfowl will flush easily. Stay in your car, preferably. The Prius is a great stealth vehicle in a situation like this, as this writer can attest to. The following photo illustrates the amount of noise introduced into an image when shooting during pre-sunrise civil twilight .

Eurasian Wigeon, pre-dawn at Finderne Wetlands, NJ, Mar. 21, 2014 (photo attempt by Jonathan Klizas)

(Click on the photo for a larger image.)

Greater White-fronted Goose in Long Valley

The Greater White-fronted Goose of Long Valley, Washington Twp. was present again today on Beacon Hill Road (Alan Boyd). Between 1,000-1,500 Snow Geese descended on the field a short time later (A. Boyd, David Bernstein). Apparently, the Greater White-fronted Goose was not seen after that.

A few words about Washington Township geography: there are 6 municipalities in New Jersey with Washington in their name. Contributing to further confusion with Morris County’s Washington Twp., is that part of the township has a Califon, Hunterdon County zip code according to the national zip code map. The map, here, is correct in illustrating the political borders. mocosocoBirds.com prefers Long Valley as the name for this area. This is how most people label it anyway. The Washington Township designation is confusing (written by someone who grew up in what was then called Passaic Township in Morris County, which later had its name changed to Long Hill Twp. so as not to be confused and associated with the city of Passaic or Passaic County. Is that clear?)

Other Field Notes

The drake Redhead continues at Osborn Pond along with Ring-necked Ducks, Hooded and Common Mergansers (m. obs.).

12 Tree Swallows were listed on eBird at Osborn Pond by Robert Stapperfenne.

Alan Boyd reports the following at Lake Musconetcong:
Mute Swan – 66
Wood Duck – 8
American Wigeon – 3
Ring-necked Duck – 630 (high count so far in 2014 in Morris and Somerset Counties)
Bufflehead – 6
Common Goldeneye – 1
Hooded Merganser – 33
Common Merganser – 215

At Boonton Reservoir, Kevin Browne listed on eBird: 2 Greater Scaup, 9 Bufflehead, 1 Common Goldeneye, and 240 Common Mergansers.

Chris Thomas photographed the following Northern Shoveler in a flooded area not far from the Fenske Visitor Center on Pleasant Plains Road, Great Swamp NWR.

And, yes, the Red-necked Grebe of Mendham spent the 28th day of its residency at Clyde Potts Reservoir (Kevin Browne).