Little Blue Heron, Virginia Rail, Aug. 4, 2013

Posted on August 4, 2013 by Jonathan Klizas

Little Blue Heron at Negri-Nepote

Little Blue Heron
Little Blue Heron, Negri-Nepote, Franklin Twp., NJ, Aug. 4, 2013.
(Photo by Jeff Ellerbusch).

As originally reported on JerseyBirds, Vince Capp found a juvenile Little Blue Heron (LBHE) this morning at Negri-Nepote Native Grassland Preserve, Franklin Twp. The LBHE stayed throughout the early afternoon at least.

Selody Sod Farm

Here are some recent shorebird results from Selody Sod Farm, Montgomery Twp. compiled by Jeff Ellerbusch:

Aug. 1, 2013

Killdeer- 68
Semipalmated Sandpiper- 6
Least Sandpiper- 13
Pectoral Sandpiper- 3

Aug. 3, 2013

Semipalmated Plover- 2
Killdeer- 140
Least Sandpiper- 4

Other Field Notes

A Virginia Rail was seen briefly in flight this morning at Mt. Hope Lake, Rockaway Twp. A paltry 90 Mute Swans were present, down from 185 on June 8, 2013. No Bald Eagles were seen.

A minimum of 15 Purple Martins were casually seen on the wires on Koclas Drive at Lake Musconetcong. There are probably more as this is one of the known Purple Martin colonies in Morris County.

11 Cliff Swallows were tallied at the Boonton Reservoir representing the highest count in 2013 at this nesting location. An unusual site was two motorboats cruising in the reservoir. The passenger’s life jackets read L.H.F.D., which probably refers to Lake Hopatcong Fire Department. Perhaps they were performing an exercise.

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Common Gallinule; Newark Watershed news, Aug. 3, 2013

Posted on August 3, 2013 by Jonathan Klizas

Roger Johnson and I visited the eastern side of Deerhaven Lake this rainy morning. Great Blue Herons have dispersed from the heronry except for three lingerers. A Great Egret fed in the marsh. Belted Kingfishers flew from one side of the lake to the other. A Red-shouldered Hawk called nearby. Swallows are almost absent save for a few Tree and Barn Swallows. The many Wood Ducks are in eclipse plumage. An Eastern Wood-Pewee made numerous circuits of the snags, flycatching along the way. The species we came to find was amazingly cooperative and found immediately upon our arrival. A Common Gallinule was active in the same area as on June 22, 2013, assuming it is the same individual. It was not as photogenic today as in June. The arrow in the photo below will help you locate the Common Gallinule. Nonetheless, it was out in the open for most of the time we were there.

Common Galinule, Deerhaven Lake, NJ, Aug. 3, 2013 (digiscoped by Jonathan Klizas).

Common Galinule, Deerhaven Lake, NJ, Aug. 3, 2013 (digiscoped by Jonathan Klizas).

David Bernstein sent an interesting note yesterday, informing me that the Newark Watershed office on Echo Lake Road had a sign on the door reading: Closed until further notice. A search on the Internet shows that the Watershed commission is disbanded as of May, 2013. Here is a NJ.com link from May 2013. Politicos applaud this move citing issues with the improper utilization of funds, etc. The city of Newark runs the watershed now. What does this mean about accessing the Watershed property, all 35,000 acres of it? Will the city of Newark take over the issuing of permits for hiking, fishing, hunting, etc.? Will the property be off limits, as I understand it was prior to the 1970s? Does the Highlands Council have any authority over any possible development the city of Newark may want to initiate to raise revenues? There are no answers yet. Please comment if you know of any additional information. mocosocoBirds will relay updates about the situation as it unfolds.

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Shorebirds in Somerset County, July 23, 2013

Posted on July 23, 2013 by Jonathan Klizas

mocosocoBirds posts will be sporadic over the next two weeks. This post catches up on reports from the last few days.

The following photo is of a juvenile Black-crowned Night-Heron in Hillsborough Twp., July 23, 2013 (photo by Jeff Ellerbusch).
Black-crowned Night-Heron

Here is a recent account of shorebirds, et al, at the Hillsborough Promenade, Hillsborough Twp. by Jeff Ellerbusch.

7/21

Killdeer- 14
Spotted Sandpiper- 3
Solitary Sandpiper- 3
Semipalmated Sandpiper- 3
Least Sandpiper- 57

7/22

Killdeer- 16
Spotted Sandpiper- 3
Solitary Sandpiper- 4
Semipalmated Sandpiper- 3
Least Sandpiper- 86

7/23

Black-crowned Night Heron (juv)
Killdeer- 8
Spotted Sandpiper- 2
Semipalmated Sandpiper- 1
Least Sandpiper- 23

Selody Sod Farm, Montgomery Twp. (J. Ellerbusch)

7/23

Killdeer- 62
Spotted Sandpiper- 1
Least sandpiper- 38

Charles Martin captured the following image of an Osprey at the towpath of the D&R Canal, south of the South Bound Brook spillway on July 20.

Osprey, D&R Canal Towpath, Somerset Co., July 20, 2013 (photo by Charles Martin).

Osprey, D&R Canal Towpath, Somerset Co., July 20, 2013 (photo by Charles Martin).

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Shorebirds and Cormorants, July 18, 2013

Posted on July 18, 2013 by Jonathan Klizas
Lesser Yellowlegs, Melanie Lane Wetlands, Hanover, NJ, July 18, 2013 (photo by Jonathan Klizas).

Lesser Yellowlegs, Melanie Lane Wetlands, Hanover, NJ, July 18, 2013 (photo by Jonathan Klizas).

(Click on the photo for a larger image.)

Little by little, the summer shorebird migration is entering the mocosocoBirds region. The first two Lesser Yellowlegs of the summer in Morris and Somerset Counties were seen this afternoon at Melanie Lane Wetlands. 11 Least Sandpipers and the usual 10 Killdeer were also present. The temperature was at least 97 Fahrenheit degrees.

Along path to the shorebirds, Melanie Lane Wetlands, Hanover, NJ, July 18, 2013 (photo by Jonathan Klizas).

Along path to the shorebirds, Melanie Lane Wetlands, Hanover, NJ, July 18, 2013 (photo by Jonathan Klizas).

Afternoon and early evening offer the best lighting conditions at Boonton Reservoir. Yesterday’s heat at 6:30 p.m. turned the Reservoir into a Cormorant swim club. 435 Double-crested Cormorants were counted representing a new Morris County record. The previous known record was 300 at the same location on July 15, 2012. The Cormorants were easy to count from the south end of the reservoir because most were in three sizable groups. One raft of 200 was to the west of the island; at least 100 were at the base of the island; another 135 were in a raft near the dam. 435 is a conservative number. There were other Cormorants in the trees on the island that were too difficult to see. Also, Boonton Reservoir is the Grand Central Terminal of Morris County with Cormorants constantly coming and going so getting an exact count is challenging. The highest count of the summer for Ring-billed Gulls was also tallied: 90, at least.

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A Few Sunday Field Notes, July 14, 2013

Posted on July 14, 2013 by Jonathan Klizas

From Susan Treesh:
I posted earlier to JerseyBirds about the very good thrush habitat at Bamboo Brook County Park in Morris County. There were no surprises, but good numbers of all the “summer birds,” though I saw no grassland species in the meadows except for some field sparrows and tree swallows. Bluebirds were everywhere – this has been a bluebird summer for me in Central Jersey.

The interconnecting trails between Bamboo Brook and other parks are very intriguing. I’d like to solicit further information and discussion from the Mocosoco readership on the trails and the bird life. In particular I could not find any trails linking these parks to the SOUTHERN section of Hacklebarney (there are linking trails in the north), and would be interested if anyone knows of some. There seem to be a lot of unmarked trails! I’m not sure how often these parks are birded, though I think more often than is reported.

Editor’s Note: I can’t help with the trails. The Chester Township area is on my target list of places to explore more (as are countless other places in Morris and Somerset Counties, as well as the entire world). One part of Hacklebarney that is productive in spring is Black River Road along the Lamington River. This a very pretty spot with a nice density of Louisiana Waterthrushes as well as other typical species.
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At the Great Swamp NWR, Jim Mulvey reports seeing: “a group of 8-10 young Wild Turkeys right near the entrance to the refuge near White Bridge Road. They were observed about 20 feet off of the road through some thicket, so I wasn’t able to get a precise count. Mom was with them as well…a nice start to my afternoon visit.”
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Nothing more has developed at Melanie Lane Wetlands regarding shorebirds. The same Spotted Sandpiper, the few Least Sandpipers and the regular band of Killdeer were present today. In July 2012, there were up to 21 Great Egrets and 3 Black-crowned Night-Herons seen at Melanie. This year: none.

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Friday Field Notes, July 12, 2013

Posted on July 12, 2013 by Jonathan Klizas

More on the Hanover/Morris Plains Ravens

Common Raven, Hanover Twp., NJ, July 10, 2013 (photo by Chuck Hantis).

Common Raven, Hanover Twp., NJ, July 10, 2013 (photo by Chuck Hantis).

(Click on the photo for a larger image).

See yesterday’s post for more information about the Hanover/Morris Plains Ravens.

From Margo D. Beller:
This morning a Common Raven was being chased by a flock of American Crows overhead in what I now know is the Raven capital of Morris County, Morris Plains. This Raven was not making the usual deep grunts but an almost human-like yelp – it flew over my head as I was approaching Styles Ave. from Hawthorne, after a walk through the former Greystone property – where I have heard Ravens call before both this year and last. (It was much larger than the posse chasing it.) At the other end of Hawthorne I had seen and heard a Fish Crow, making this a 3-corvid day.

Editor’s Note: The Hanover/Morris Plains Ravens are in a relatively well-populated section of Morris County, but there are known nesting Ravens in Jefferson and Rockaway Townships and probably other locations in Morris, as well.

Cliff Swallows at Boonton Resevoir

From Tim Vogel:
Boonton Reservoir – Rt. 202 Bridge over Rockaway
11:30AM – July 12, 2013

6 Cliff Swallows

Tim Vogel
Denville

Grasshopper Sparrows in Franklin Township

Here are some recent reports on Grasshopper Sparrows in Franklin Township courtesy of eBird and the JerseyBirds mailing list:

  • 11 at Negri-Nepote (Jeff Ellerbusch, July 12).
  • 5 at Jaques Lane, Franklin Twp. (J. Ellerbusch, July 12).
  • 7 at Cortelyou Lane, Franklin Twp. (Theodore Chase, July 8)
  • 1 at Griggstown Grasslands (T. Chase, July 12)
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Common Ravens in Hanover Twp., July 11, 2013

Posted on July 11, 2013 by Jonathan Klizas
Common Raven, Hanover Twp., NJ, July 10, 2013 (photo by Chuck Hantis).

Common Raven, Hanover Twp., NJ, July 10, 2013 (photo by Chuck Hantis).

Today’s subject is similar to a post from 2012: Common Ravens in Morris Plains, July 13, 2012. Chuck Hantis photographed the Common Ravens shown on this page near a work site at the corner of Hanover Avenue and Horse Hill Road in Hanover Township on July 10, 2013. Chuck reports three Ravens are seen in the area. Occasionally, they are roosting on the odd concrete radio tower structure on Horse Hill Road across from the YMCA. This is two summers in a row that a probable family group of Common Ravens has been seen in the Morris Plains/Hanover Twp. area. In the summer of 2012, there were sightings of a single Raven on Horse Hill Road and another of four Ravens in the Norway Spruce in front of St. Virgils on Speedwell Avenue, Morris Plains. Those four eventually flew towards Greystone Park. It is too coincidental to think these are different individuals or just wanderers, but who really knows.

Common Raven, Hanover Twp., NJ, July 10, 2013 (photo by Chuck Hantis).

Common Raven, Hanover Twp., NJ, July 10, 2013 (photo by Chuck Hantis).

Common Raven, Hanover Twp., NJ, July 10, 2013 (photo by Chuck Hantis).

Common Raven, Hanover Twp., NJ, July 10, 2013 (photo by Chuck Hantis).

Horse Hill has a historical significance in Morris County bird lore. In the late 1800’s Horse Hill was one of many small villages in the Hanover area. On September 18, 1887, L.P. Scherrer and Geo. Hild reported two Swallow-tailed Kites near Horse Hill. This is an accepted historical record by the New Jersey Bird Record Committee. This would be the last Swallow-tailed Kite reported in Morris County until May 21, 2011 when Mike Anderson saw and photographed one flying over the Friends Blind at the Great Swamp NWR – almost a full 124 years later!

The following amuses me. A text alert was received this evening from the Morris Township Police: There is a Black Bear wandering through Spring Brook Country Club. It was last seen on the 17th hole.

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Shorebirds in Morris Co., July 10, 2013

Posted on July 10, 2013 by Jonathan Klizas
Least Sandpiper, Melanie Lane Wetlands, NJ, July 10, 2013 (digiscoped by Jonathan Klizas).

Least Sandpiper, Melanie Lane Wetlands, NJ, July 10, 2013 (digiscoped by Jonathan Klizas).

As inferred in yesterday’s post, we are a humble lot in Morris County when it comes to shorebirds and their habitat as there is little of either. Melanie Lane Wetlands has potential to be a productive location due to its close proximity. Note that close proximity is not the same as ease of access. That is another topic entirely. This evening, 8 Least Sandpipers signaled the beginning of the summer shorebird season in Morris County. A juvenile Spotted Sandpiper and 6 Killdeer were also present. Only one Great Egret was seen unlike the summer of 2012 when 21 Great Egrets at Melanie Lane were the high count for Morris on July 21. What was as much fun as watching shorebirds was the swallow show. The numbers were modest but it is always a treat to see Tree, Barn, N. Rough-winged and Bank Swallows along with Purple Martins and Chimney Swifts in the airspace at the same time.

As stated earlier accessing Melanie Lane Wetlands is not easy. You can view a small portion of the southern section from the fitness center property on Rt. 10 West, west of Ridgedale Avenue. At this time of year, the vegetation obliterates most of the view. Besides, most of the shorebird habitat is only visible from the north end. Entering from the north has become problematical now that a professional soccer team has built their practice facility on what was once a productive and birdy field. The soccer area is private and you WILL be told to leave if you try to enter through the gate where birders and other people using the area used to park. The only option is to park at FedEx, walk across the street, go to the point where the corner of the recycling yard meets the wetland property, crawl through a small gap in the trees and schlep through the tall grass to the pond. At the pond you will be presented with a whole series of other obstacles which is beyond the scope of the current article. This is not a drive up location; this is not for the feint of heart or for those with wobbly ankles. However, it is the best shorebird location known in Morris County.

Wood Ducks, Melanie Lane Wetlands, NJ, July 10, 2013 (digiscoped by Jonathan Klizas).

Wood Ducks, Melanie Lane Wetlands, NJ, July 10, 2013 (digiscoped by Jonathan Klizas).

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Shorebirds are coming, July 9, 2013

Posted on July 9, 2013 by Jonathan Klizas

If one Least Sandpiper on a rocky section of the Raritan River near Duke Island Park signals the beginning of the summer shorebird season in the land of mocosocoBirds, then so be it. Yes, coastal areas are getting them in the hundreds, if not more, but every single calidrid, tringa and their relatives is a precious commodity to the birders of Morris and Somerset Counties. Three Killdeer and two adult Spotted Sandpipers joined the migrant Least in the Raritan River.

The number of Ring-billed Gulls at Boonton Reservoir is growing with at least 40 tallied this afternoon. Double-crested Cormorants rule the waters of the reservoir with 180 counted. Curiously, the Cliff Swallows were not seen near their nesting location on the Route 202 bridge.

The Wild Indigo Duskywing pictured below was on Crown Vetch at the north end of Boonton Reservoir.

Wild Indigo Duskywing, Boonton Reservoir, MJ, July 9, 2013 (photo by Jonathan Klizas).

Wild Indigo Duskywing, Boonton Reservoir, MJ, July 9, 2013 (photo by Jonathan Klizas).

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Great Swamp Butterflies, July 6, 2013

Posted on July 6, 2013 by Jonathan Klizas
Delaware Skipper, Great Swamp NWR, July 6, 2013 (photo by Jonathan Klizas).

Delaware Skipper, Great Swamp NWR, July 6, 2013 (photo by Jonathan Klizas).

The annual Great Swamp Butterfly Count took place today in shirt-soaking heat. The list below is not of the entire count, but only of the area covered by this writer. This includes part of the Great Swamp Wildlife Observation Center (WOC) on Long Hill Road in Harding Township and properties of the Harding Land Trust. Other observers at the WOC included Jim Springer, Tom Halliwell, Fred Pfeifer and Tom from Monroe Twp. Chris Williams is the compiler of the entire count. A highlight of the morning was the 20 Horace’s Duskywings found at the WOC. Monarchs and Hairstreaks were completely absent. Some of the birds observed were Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Red-shouldered Hawk, Pileated Woodpecker, Green Heron and Great Blue Heron and the typical species of the area in July. An abundance of Swallows, mostly Barn, and Red-winged Blackbirds are at Margetts Field in Harding Twp.

Margetts Field, Harding Twp., NJ, July 6, 2013 (photo by Jonathan Klizas).

Margetts Field, Harding Twp., NJ, July 6, 2013 (photo by Jonathan Klizas).

The Great Swamp Butterfly Count is run by the North Jersey Butterfly Club, a chapter of the North American Butterfly Association (NABA). The club lists some of the finest naturalists in the state of New Jersey as its members. The chapter recently updated its web site, and is an invaluable resource for butterflies and locations in the state of New Jersey.

Here is the list from the Great Swamp WOC and properties of the Harding Land Trust. A complete list of the count will be published when available:

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Cabbage White
Clouded Sulfur
Orange Sulfur
Eastern Tailed-Blue
Summer Azure
Great Spangled Fritillary
Pearl Crescent
Mourning Cloak
Red Admiral
Viceroy
Little Wood Satyr
Common Wood-Nymph
Silver-spotted Skipper
Horace’s Duskywing
Wild Indigo Duskywing
Least Skipper
Northern Broken Dash
Little Glassywing
Delaware Skipper
Mulberry Wing
Broad-winged Skipper
Dion Skipper
Black Dash
Dun Skipper

Summer Azure, Great Swamp NWR, July 6, 2013 (photo by Jonathan Klizas).

Summer Azure, Great Swamp NWR, July 6, 2013 (photo by Jonathan Klizas).

Mulberry Wing, Great Swamp NWR, July 6, 2013 (best-I-could-get photo by Jonathan Klizas).

Mulberry Wing, Great Swamp NWR, July 6, 2013 (best-I-could-get photo by Jonathan Klizas).

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