Sandy Hook 11/5--Lots of Sparrows, But Not the One We Wanted

We traveled up to Sandy Hook this morning in hopes of getting the Harris's Sparrow that's been reported there the last couple of days. It would have been a life bird, but we along with about 30 or 40 other birders had no luck finding it. We did get to explore an area of the Hook we'd never gone to--the field west of K Lot that borders the Coast Guard Base; and in that field we had some interesting birds including a Cedar Waxwing, my first ever NJ Blue-headed Vireo and a Swamp Sparrow that was mixed in with a large mixed flock of sparrows that everyone focused upon, hoping the Harris's would make an appearance. In that flock too were a couple of Chipping Sparrows, which, according to the eBird filter, are a rarity this time of year in Monmouth County--come to think of it, I haven't seen any down here in Ocean County this month--last month they were as common as House Sparrows in Brooklyn.

Also of note: a late Osprey, first of season Common Loon & 2 Horned Grebes and the return of the Brants, my favorite little goofy goose. So while we missed the lifer, it was one of our better days at the Hook, certainly better than last month when the park was so crowded we couldn't even find parking spaces.

39 species there and then, closer to home, a quick look-see at Horicon Lake showed 3 Pied-billed Grebes. I assume they're the same 3 I saw last month. I still have hopes for that lake, especially after a little more exploring of the park revealed a nice swampy area at the back of the lake.

Sandy Hook
Brant  300
Canada Goose  120
American Black Duck  10
Mallard  4
Red-breasted Merganser  8
Ruddy Duck  110
Common Loon  1    Off ferry dock
Horned Grebe  2    Off ferry dock
Double-crested Cormorant  6
Turkey Vulture  6
Osprey  1
Northern Harrier  2
Red-tailed Hawk  1
Ring-billed Gull  50
Herring Gull  2
Great Black-backed Gull  2
Red-bellied Woodpecker  1
Northern Flicker  6
Blue-headed Vireo  1    K Lot
American Crow  6
Black-capped Chickadee  2    Boy Scout Camp
Carolina Wren  1    Spermaceti Cove
Golden-crowned Kinglet  8
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  1    Spermaceti Cove
Hermit Thrush  2
American Robin  4
Gray Catbird  1
Northern Mockingbird  12
European Starling  200
Cedar Waxwing  1    Field west of K Lot
Yellow-rumped Warbler  20
Chipping Sparrow  2    Trail west of K Lot
Savannah Sparrow  3
Song Sparrow  10
Swamp Sparrow  1
White-throated Sparrow  30
Dark-eyed Junco  60
Northern Cardinal  1    Boy Scout Camp
House Sparrow  10