Friday, May 31, 2013

May List

Our best month so far. 179 species. We bracketed our Ohio odyssey with 2 trips to Brigantine before we had to pretty much shut down the birding for some personal stuff. But, even while spending a couple of days mostly waiting at Staten Island University Hospital I did manage to see a few interesting birds, the most amusing being this hen turkey right off the parking lot.
We now enter the summer doldrums. Already the birds seem to have stopped singing, either because of the recent heat or, more likely, because they're nesting.  This makes birds harder to find and of course the migrants have already passed through. I've pretty much "used up" all the birds in the Whiting WMA, our backyard, and Crestwood Village for my Bird A Day contest. I've had to use way too many "reliable" birds this last week. In June I'll be looking and/or listening for thrushes and flycatchers but my real concentration will have to be on shorebirds if I want to continue the challenge. 

For those of you following along at home or those of you studying OCD, here is May's list:
Counties birded:
New Jersey: Atlantic, Burlington, Ocean
New York: Richmond
Ohio: Lucas, Ottawa, Sandusky
Ontario: Essex

Key: First of year, LIFE BIRD, Rare bird
Species      First Sighting
Brant      Brigantine
Canada Goose      Horicon Lake
Mute Swan      Manahawkin WMA
Trumpeter Swan      Ottawa NWR--Estuary Trail
Wood Duck      Ottawa NWR--Boss Unit
Gadwall      Pickerel Creek Wildlife Area
American Wigeon      Pickerel Creek Wildlife Area
American Black Duck      Edwin B. Forsythe NWR--Barnegat
Mallard      Horicon Lake
Blue-winged Teal      Ottawa NWR--Boss Unit
Northern Shoveler      Edwin B. Forsythe NWR--Barnegat
Green-winged Teal      Brigantine
Lesser Scaup      Point Pelee National Park
Hooded Merganser      Pickerel Creek Wildlife Area
Red-breasted Merganser      Leamington--Harbour
Wild Turkey      35 Sunset Rd
Pied-billed Grebe      Metzger Marsh Wildlife Area
Double-crested Cormorant      Manahawkin WMA
American White Pelican      Magee Marsh--Beach East
Great Blue Heron      Horicon Lake
Great Egret      Manahawkin WMA
Snowy Egret      Manahawkin WMA
Little Blue Heron      Manahawkin WMA
Green Heron      Pearson Metropark
Glossy Ibis      Manahawkin WMA
Turkey Vulture      Horicon Lake
Osprey      Brigantine
Northern Harrier      Pickerel Creek Wildlife Area
Cooper's Hawk      Pearson Metropark
Bald Eagle      Brigantine
Red-shouldered Hawk      Ottawa NWR--Boss Unit
Red-tailed Hawk      Horicon Lake
Clapper Rail      Brigantine
Sora      Magee Marsh--Boardwalk
Common Gallinule      Metzger Marsh Wildlife Area
American Coot      Metzger Marsh Wildlife Area
Sandhill Crane      Metzger Marsh Wildlife Area
Black-bellied Plover      Brigantine
Semipalmated Plover      Edwin B. Forsythe NWR--Barnegat
Killdeer      Pearson Metropark
American Oystercatcher      Brigantine
Black-necked Stilt      Manahawkin WMA
Spotted Sandpiper      Pearson Metropark
Solitary Sandpiper      Pearson Metropark
Greater Yellowlegs      Manahawkin WMA
Willet      Manahawkin WMA
Lesser Yellowlegs      Brigantine
Whimbrel      Brigantine
Ruddy Turnstone      Ottawa NWR--Estuary Trail
Semipalmated Sandpiper      Brigantine
Least Sandpiper      Edwin B. Forsythe NWR--Barnegat
White-rumped Sandpiper      Brigantine
Dunlin      Brigantine
Short-billed Dowitcher      Brigantine
American Woodcock      Magee Marsh Parking Lot
Bonaparte's Gull      Point Pelee National Park
Laughing Gull      Brigantine
Ring-billed Gull      Point Pelee National Park
Herring Gull      Manahawkin WMA
Great Black-backed Gull      Manahawkin WMA
Least Tern      Brigantine
Gull-billed Tern      Brigantine
Caspian Tern      Ottawa NWR--Estuary Trail
Black Tern      Point Pelee National Park
Common Tern      Leamington--Harbour
Forster's Tern      Manahawkin WMA
Black Skimmer      Brigantine
Rock Pigeon      Oak Harbor
Mourning Dove      Horicon Lake
Yellow-billed Cuckoo      Colliers Mills WMA
Great Horned Owl      Magee Marsh Parking Lot
Common Nighthawk      Magee Marsh Parking Lot
Eastern Whip-poor-will      Magee Marsh--Boardwalk
Chimney Swift      Oak Harbor
Ruby-throated Hummingbird      35 Sunset Rd
Belted Kingfisher      Horicon Lake
Red-headed Woodpecker      Point Pelee National Park
Red-bellied Woodpecker      Crestwood Village
Downy Woodpecker      Crestwood Village
Hairy Woodpecker      Colliers Mills WMA
Northern Flicker      Horicon Lake
Olive-sided Flycatcher      Magee Marsh--Boardwalk
Eastern Wood-Pewee      Magee Marsh--Boardwalk
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher      Ottawa NWR--Estuary Trail
Least Flycatcher      Pearson Metropark
Eastern Phoebe      Horicon Lake
Great Crested Flycatcher      Crestwood Village
Eastern Kingbird      Metzger Marsh Wildlife Area
Yellow-throated Vireo      Magee Marsh--Boardwalk
Warbling Vireo      Point Pelee National Park
Red-eyed Vireo      Magee Marsh--Boardwalk
Blue Jay      Horicon Lake
American Crow      Crestwood Village
Fish Crow      Horicon Lake
Northern Rough-winged Swallow      Horicon Lake
Purple Martin      Horicon Lake
Tree Swallow      Horicon Lake
Barn Swallow      Horicon Lake
Cliff Swallow      Port Clinton--Put in Bay Ferry
Carolina Chickadee      Horicon Lake
Black-capped Chickadee      Pearson Metropark
Tufted Titmouse      Horicon Lake
Red-breasted Nuthatch      Pearson Metropark
White-breasted Nuthatch      35 Sunset Rd
House Wren      Whiting WMA
Marsh Wren      Pickerel Creek Wildlife Area
Carolina Wren      Horicon Lake
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher      Horicon Lake
Golden-crowned Kinglet      Magee Marsh--Boardwalk
Ruby-crowned Kinglet      Point Pelee National Park
Eastern Bluebird      Whiting WMA
Veery      Ottawa NWR--Estuary Trail
Swainson's Thrush      Ottawa NWR--Estuary Trail
Hermit Thrush      Point Pelee National Park
Wood Thrush      Pearson Metropark
American Robin      Horicon Lake
Gray Catbird      Horicon Lake
Northern Mockingbird      Horicon Lake
Brown Thrasher      Horicon Lake
European Starling      Horicon Lake
American Pipit      Metzger Marsh Wildlife Area
Cedar Waxwing      Magee Marsh--Boardwalk
Ovenbird      Horicon Lake
Louisiana Waterthrush      Magee Marsh--Boardwalk
Northern Waterthrush      Ottawa NWR--Estuary Trail
Blue-winged Warbler      Point Pelee National Park
GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER      Oak Openings Preserve Metropark
Black-and-white Warbler      Horicon Lake
Prothonotary Warbler      Metzger Marsh Wildlife Area
TENNESSEE WARBLER      Pearson Metropark
Nashville Warbler      Pearson Metropark
Mourning Warbler      Magee Marsh--Boardwalk
Common Yellowthroat      Horicon Lake
American Redstart      Ottawa NWR--Estuary Trail
êKIRTLAND'S WARBLER      Magee Marsh--Beach East
Cape May Warbler      Ottawa NWR--Estuary Trail
Northern Parula      Ottawa NWR--Estuary Trail
Magnolia Warbler      Pearson Metropark
Bay-breasted Warbler      Magee Marsh--Boardwalk
Blackburnian Warbler      Point Pelee National Park
Yellow Warbler      Brigantine
Chestnut-sided Warbler      Magee Marsh--Boardwalk
Blackpoll Warbler      Magee Marsh--Boardwalk
Black-throated Blue Warbler      Pearson Metropark
Palm Warbler      Ottawa NWR--Estuary Trail
Pine Warbler      Horicon Lake
Yellow-rumped Warbler      Metzger Marsh Wildlife Area
Yellow-throated Warbler      Magee Marsh--Boardwalk
Prairie Warbler      Crestwood Village
Black-throated Green Warbler      Point Pelee National Park
Wilson's Warbler      Magee Marsh--Boardwalk
Eastern Towhee      Horicon Lake
Chipping Sparrow      Horicon Lake
CLAY-COLORED SPARROW      Ottawa NWR--Estuary Trail
Field Sparrow      Brigantine
Lark Sparrow      Oak Openings Preserve Metropark
Savannah Sparrow      Pearson Metropark
Seaside Sparrow      Cattus Island County Park
Song Sparrow      Horicon Lake
Lincoln's Sparrow      Magee Marsh--Boardwalk
White-throated Sparrow      35 Sunset Rd
White-crowned Sparrow      Maumee Bay SP
Scarlet Tanager      Magee Marsh Parking Lot
Northern Cardinal      Horicon Lake
Rose-breasted Grosbeak      Point Pelee National Park
Indigo Bunting      Pearson Metropark
Bobolink      Harder grasslands
Red-winged Blackbird      Horicon Lake
Eastern Meadowlark      Harder grasslands
Common Grackle      Horicon Lake
Boat-tailed Grackle      Brigantine
Brown-headed Cowbird      Horicon Lake
Orchard Oriole      Point Pelee National Park
Baltimore Oriole      Point Pelee National Park
Purple Finch      Oak Openings Preserve Metropark
House Finch      35 Sunset Rd
Pine Siskin      Oak Openings Preserve Metropark
American Goldfinch      35 Sunset Rd
House Sparrow      35 Sunset Rd

Saturday, May 25, 2013

Brigantine 5/25--White-rumped Sandpiper, Least Tern, Black Skimmer

Black Skimmers are back!
I felt like we were back  in the early days of our Ohio trip as blustery temperatures in the mid-40's settled over New Jersey. We headed down to Brigantine, expecting cool temperatures, which are good to keep the bugs away, but not expecting the wind to be as ferocious as it was. It made the idea of scanning a thousand sandpipers, looking for the oddball, ludicrous. Usually, your car acts as a mobile blind. Today, on the Wildlife Drive, it was more like a shelter. Still, we managed 47 species, including some favorites, like the above Black Skimmers (2nd only to American Oystercatcher in the favorite non-passerine category).                                                                                                                      
Obligatory American Oystercatcher shot.
Photo: Shari Zirlin
The shorebirds numbered in the thousands today. You couldn't drive 50 feet without encounter another pod of Semipalmated Sandpipers--my estimate of 7000 is exactly that. There were so man peeps too far out to scan (especially with the wind) that the number could be twice or thrice that. Mixed in with them were Dunlins, a few Least Sandpipers (probably more, but with all the mud, it was hard to distinguish the easy field mark--yellow legs), a few White-rumped Sandpipers we could i.d. based on their long wings crossing at the tail, and another crowd favorite, Ruddy Turnstones.
Photo: Shari Zirlin
Photo: Shari Zirlin
A good find by Shari was of this Least Tern sitting on the mud flats near one of the sluice gates. Note the white forehead and yellow bill. In the photo, of course, with nothing for comparison, you can't see how tiny this guy is compared to other terns. There were a few other terns around, not as many as one would expect, but we did get a few Gull-billed Terns along with the ever-present Forster's Terns.

Not much in the way of passerines--they were, I suppose, "hunkered down" in the wind. We did manage a Field Sparrow atop a blade of high grass.

At the exit ponds, a drake Wood Duck was a good capper for the day. The weather didn't look like it was going to improve (in fact, it was deteriorating) so we only did one circuit of the drive whereas usually we feel we haven't really completed the day without at least two. But that's the good thing about living so close to Brig now--we don't feel we have to torture ourselves to justify the trip.
47 species
Canada Goose  50
Wood Duck  1    Exit Pond on left
Mallard  6
Double-crested Cormorant  2
Great Egret  25
Snowy Egret  5
Glossy Ibis  4    f/o
Osprey  3
Black-bellied Plover  25
Semipalmated Plover  10
American Oystercatcher  2
Greater Yellowlegs  8
Willet  20
Whimbrel  4
Ruddy Turnstone  50
Semipalmated Sandpiper  7000
Least Sandpiper  50
White-rumped Sandpiper  5
Dunlin  200
Short-billed Dowitcher  4
Laughing Gull  300
Herring Gull  50
Great Black-backed Gull  5
Least Tern  1
Gull-billed Tern  4
Forster's Tern  10
Black Skimmer  55
Eastern Phoebe  1    Picnic tables
American Crow  1    Heard
Fish Crow  2    Parking lot
Northern Rough-winged Swallow  3    Gull Pond
Purple Martin  10
Tree Swallow  15
Barn Swallow  100
Tufted Titmouse  1    Heard
American Robin  2    Picnic tables
Gray Catbird  2
Common Yellowthroat  2    Heard Gull Pond road
Yellow Warbler
  2    Heard upland part of trail
Chipping Sparrow  2
Field Sparrow  1    Across from Jen's Trail
Seaside Sparrow  1    Heard
Song Sparrow  2    Heard
Northern Cardinal  1    Heard picnic tables
Red-winged Blackbird  100
Brown-headed Cowbird  1    Upland part of trail
House Finch  1    Heard, picnic tables.
 

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Colliers Mills WMA 5/22--Yellow-billed Cuckoo

Colliers Mills WMA is a 13,000 acre site in the northeast corner of the Pine Barrens, about 15 miles from here. It isn't far from the farm where we found the lapwings, but the habitat couldn't be more different--many lakes, a huge pine & oak forest, grasslands, cedars swamps, and a long sand road that connect Route 539 to Route 571 about 5 miles away. I went there this morning because there are birds there that are hard to find in other places in the Pine Barrens.

The problem with the place is that it is so huge and has such varied habitat, that no matter where I am I always think I should be somewhere else. (This is not a problem restricted to birding for me) Today, I decided to stay "local." I didn't want to travel up the sand road in my two-wheel drive vehicle. So I parked  near the entrance and walked a few roads nearby for a couple of hours. In that time I found 2 new birds for my Ocean County life list--Baltimore Oriole and Indigo Bunting--and a couple of other surprises, the biggest being seeing three Yellow-billed Cuckoos within about 3 minutes. Two of them were chasing one another around in the tree tops. I've seen cuckoos in the past, but never more than one at a time. The Indigo Bunting I found atop a snag at the edge of the grasslands--I first saw a bird with the proper profile but color was  hard to determine in the morning overcast verging on fog. I lost the bird for a minute, but heard a "song" that went roughly "ti ti whee whee zeer zeer" and discovered the bird a little lower in the tangle where I was able to look at it for a long time and definitely confirm that it wasn't a Blue Grosbeak (not that that would have been bad.)

I feel that with better light and more time I could have scanned the fields and come up with Grasshopper Sparrow, meadowlarks, who knows, maybe even a Bobolink, but life was calling me away this morning, so I settled for 34 species. I'm going to try to make this a more regular stop on my birding circuit.

Canada Goose  7
Mallard  3
Great Blue Heron  1
Osprey  1
Killdeer  2
Yellow-billed Cuckoo  3
Red-bellied Woodpecker  3
Downy Woodpecker  1
Hairy Woodpecker  1
Northern Flicker  2
Eastern Wood-Pewee  5
Great Crested Flycatcher  6
Eastern Kingbird  1
Warbling Vireo  1
Blue Jay  1    Heard
American Crow  1    Heard
Purple Martin  2
Tree Swallow  3
Carolina Chickadee  2    Heard
Tufted Titmouse  1    Heard
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  1
American Robin  9
Gray Catbird  15
Brown Thrasher  3
Ovenbird  1    Heard
Yellow Warbler  2
Eastern Towhee  1    Heard
Chipping Sparrow  3
Northern Cardinal  2    Heard
Indigo Bunting  1
Red-winged Blackbird  25
Common Grackle  5
Brown-headed Cowbird  2
Baltimore Oriole  4