Year-end Lists Links

December Month List
Ocean County Year List
2015 Year List

And it all starts anew tomorrow!

Cooper's Hawk, New Egypt cattle pastures, Feb 2015

Birds of 2015--353 Species

GREAT GRAY OWL, Zax-Sim Bog, MN
Photo: Shari Zirlin

I easily surpassed my personal record for most birds in a year. All the traveling we did was the reason. Had we made it down to Florida in December, I'd probably be pushing 400 species for the year but I'm satisfied with what I saw.

We added 19 life birds to our list (though they weren't all the same birds). We started the year out in Minnesota where we put 7 species on the list, although there is a very good chance we'll lose one of those when HOARY REDPOLL is merged into Common Redpoll. Apparently, despite their different appearances, the DNA of the two redpolls is virtually identical.

During spring migration we drove out to Magee Marsh in Ohio for the 2nd time and enjoyed ourselves immensely, totally 150 species for the week we were there and adding the very hard to find HENSLOW'S SPARROW as a lifer.

In late July we went on an NJ Audubon field trip to Utah & Nevada, where we had 10 species. (Shari had 11 with this species:)

CASSIN'S FINCH, Lamoille Canyon, NV

Other highlights of that trip were

LEWIS'S WOODPECKER, Lamoille Canyon, NV
&

DUSKY GROUSE, Lamoille Canyon, NV

The only lifer for NJ was a KING RAIL that I heard (finally), at Brig with Mike. 

I also participated in my first World Series of Birding. But probably my proudest moment was convincing one of my friends (he knows who he is) to come over to the dark side and count bird that he only heard instead of insisting on seeing them. A singing but invisible Chuck's-Will-Widow in Barnegat flipped him. Of course, he finished way ahead of me in the NJ rankings on eBird. No good deed, etc...

And now, for those who have come this far, the list:

Species                                       First Sighting

Waterfowl

Greater White-fronted Goose     Mercer Corporate Park

Snow Goose     Harry Wright Lake

Ross's Goose     Marshall's Pond

Brant     Sandy Hook

Cackling Goose     Marshall's Pond

Canada Goose     Crestwood Village

Mute Swan     Sandy Hook

Trumpeter Swan     Assunpink WMA

Tundra Swan     Cape May Point SP

Wood Duck     Whitesbog

Gadwall     Marshall's Pond

Eurasian Wigeon     Sylvan Lake

American Wigeon     Cape May Point SP

American Black Duck     Sandy Hook

Mallard     Lake Takanassee

Blue-winged Teal     Brig

Cinnamon Teal     Ruby Lake NWR

Northern Shoveler     Cape May Point SP

Northern Pintail     Cape May Point SP

Green-winged Teal     Marshall's Pond

Canvasback     Riverfront Landing

Redhead     Cape May Meadows

Ring-necked Duck     Cape May Point SP

Greater Scaup     Barnegat Lighthouse SP

Lesser Scaup     Riverfront Landing

Common Eider     Sunset Beach/Concrete Ship

Harlequin Duck     Barnegat Lighthouse SP

Surf Scoter     Monmouth Beach

White-winged Scoter     Manasquan Inlet

Black Scoter     Sandy Hook

Long-tailed Duck     Sandy Hook

Bufflehead     Cape May Point SP

Common Goldeneye     Duluth--Canal Park

Hooded Merganser     Lake Takanassee

Common Merganser     Manasquan Reservoir IBA

Red-breasted Merganser     Sandy Hook

Ruddy Duck     Cape May Point SP

Grouse, Quail, & Allies

Ring-necked Pheasant     Bear River MBR

Ruffed Grouse     Highway 7, St Louis County

DUSKY GROUSE     Lamoille Canyon

Wild Turkey     Assunpink WMA

Loons & Grebes

Red-throated Loon     Sandy Hook

Common Loon     Sandy Hook

Pied-billed Grebe     Lake Takanassee

Horned Grebe     Barnegat Lighthouse SP

Red-necked Grebe     Sandy Hook

Eared Grebe     Antelope Island SP

Western Grebe     Bear River MBR

Clark's Grebe     Bear River MBR

Gannets

Northern Gannet     Sandy Hook

Cormorants & Pelicans 

Neotropic Cormorant     Demott Pond

Double-crested Cormorant     Lake Takanassee

Great Cormorant     Sandy Hook

American White Pelican     Brig

Brown Pelican     Island Beach SP

Herons, Ibis, & Allies

American Bittern     Whitesbog

Least Bittern     Brig

Great Blue Heron     Crestwood Village

Great Egret     Lake of the Lilies

Snowy Egret     Forsythe-Barnegat

Little Blue Heron     Island Beach SP

Tricolored Heron     Cattus Island County Park

Cattle Egret     Meadowedge Park

Green Heron     Bunker Hill Bogs

Black-crowned Night-Heron     Brig

Yellow-crowned Night-Heron     Great Bay Bvld. WMA

White Ibis     Ocean City Welcome Center

Glossy Ibis     Brig

White-faced Ibis     Forsythe-Barnegat

Vultures, Hawks, & Allies 

Black Vulture     Berkeley

Turkey Vulture     Sandy Hook

Osprey     Cape May Pt

Golden Eagle     Brig

Mississippi Kite     Waretown

Northern Harrier     Brig

Sharp-shinned Hawk     Marshall's Pond

Cooper's Hawk     Cape May Point SP

Bald Eagle     Sandy Hook

Red-shouldered Hawk     Brig

Broad-winged Hawk     Belleplain State Forest

SWAINSON'S HAWK     W. Forest Rd

Red-tailed Hawk     Sandy Hook

Rough-legged Hawk     Sax-Zim Bog

FERRUGINOUS HAWK     South of Jiggs

Rails, Gallinules & Allies

KING RAIL     Brig

Clapper Rail     Heislerville WMA

Virginia Rail     Maumee Bay SP

Sora     Sandy Hook

Common Gallinule     Ottawa NWR

American Coot     Lake Takanassee

Cranes

Sandhill Crane     Ottawa NWR

Shorebirds

Black-necked Stilt     Antelope Island SP

American Avocet     Bombay Hook

American Oystercatcher     Brigantine Island

Black-bellied Plover     Manasquan Inlet

American Golden-Plover     Bombay Hook

Semipalmated Plover     Heislerville WMA

Piping Plover     Barnegat Lighthouse SP

Killdeer     Sands Point Preserve

Spotted Sandpiper     Colliers Mills WMA

Solitary Sandpiper     Pine Park

Greater Yellowlegs     Eno’s Pond

Willet     Brigantine Island

Lesser Yellowlegs     Prime Hook NWR

Upland Sandpiper     Lakehurst NAES

Whimbrel     Brig

Long-billed Curlew     Antelope Island SP

Hudsonian Godwit     Brig

Bar-tailed Godwit     Brig

Marbled Godwit     Island Beach SP

Ruddy Turnstone     Cape May Meadows

Red Knot     Brig

Stilt Sandpiper     Brig

Curlew Sandpiper     Brig

Sanderling     Sandy Hook

Dunlin     Maclearie Park

Purple Sandpiper     Barnegat Lighthouse SP

Baird's Sandpiper     Gordon Road Reed's Sod Farm

Least Sandpiper     Brig

White-rumped Sandpiper     Brig

Buff-breasted Sandpiper     Gordon Road Reed's Sod Farm

Pectoral Sandpiper     White's Bogs

Semipalmated Sandpiper     Brig

Western Sandpiper     Brig

Short-billed Dowitcher     Brig

Long-billed Dowitcher     Antelope Island SP

Wilson's Snipe     Brig

American Woodcock     Crestwood Community Gardens

Wilson's Phalarope     Brig

Red-necked Phalarope     Antelope Island SP

Red Phalarope     Mercer Corporate Park

Jaegers

Parasitic Jaeger     Avalon Seawatch

Alcids

Razorbill     Manasquan Inlet

Gulls, Terns, & Skimmers

Bonaparte's Gull     Seven Presidents Park

Laughing Gull     Prime Hook NWR

FRANKLIN'S GULL     Antelope Island SP

Ring-billed Gull     Sandy Hook

California Gull     Antelope Island SP

Herring Gull     Sandy Hook

THAYER'S GULL     Duluth--Canal Park

Iceland Gull     Duluth--Canal Park

Lesser Black-backed Gull     Assunpink WMA

Glaucous Gull     Duluth--Canal Park

Great Black-backed Gull     Sandy Hook

Least Tern     Great Bay Bvld. WMA

Gull-billed Tern     Great Bay Bvld. WMA

Caspian Tern     Brig

Black Tern     South Fork State Recreation Area

Common Tern     Great Bay Bvld. WMA

Forster's Tern     Prime Hook NWR

Royal Tern     Island Beach SP

Black Skimmer     Brig

Pigeons & Doves

Rock Pigeon     GSP Exit 0

Eurasian Collared-Dove     Metzger Marsh Wildlife Area

White-winged Dove     Cape May Pt--Coral & Yale

Mourning Dove     35 Sunset Rd

Cuckoos

Yellow-billed Cuckoo     Oak Openings Preserve Metropark

Black-billed Cuckoo     Double Trouble State Park

Owls

Barn Owl     Antelope Island SP

Eastern Screech-Owl     Manahawkin WMA

Great Horned Owl     Bridge to Nowhere

Snowy Owl     Brig

NORTHERN HAWK OWL     Jean Duluth Rd

Burrowing Owl     Antelope Island SP

GREAT GRAY OWL     Sax-Zim Bog

Short-eared Owl     Mercer Sod Farm IBA

Nightjars

Common Nighthawk     Ottawa NWR

Chuck-will's-widow     Bryant Park

Eastern Whip-poor-will     35 Sunset Rd

Swifts

Chimney Swift     Brig

Hummingbirds

Ruby-throated Hummingbird     35 Sunset Rd

Black-chinned Hummingbird     Oasis

Broad-tailed Hummingbird     Wasatch NF Spruce Campground

Rufous Hummingbird     Oasis

Kingfishers

Belted Kingfisher     Cape May Point SP

Woodpeckers

LEWIS'S WOODPECKER     Lamoile Canyon

Red-headed Woodpecker     Oak Openings Preserve Metropark

Red-bellied Woodpecker     Cape May Point SP

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker     35 Sunset Rd

Red-naped Sapsucker     Wasatch NF Spruce Campground

Downy Woodpecker     35 Sunset Rd

Hairy Woodpecker     Sax-Zim Bog

Northern Flicker     Assunpink WMA

Pileated Woodpecker     Old Vermillion Trail

Falcons

American Kestrel     Mercer Sod Farm IBA

Merlin     Great Bay Bvld. WMA

Peregrine Falcon     Seven Presidents Park

Parakeets

Monk Parakeet     Carteret

Tyrant Flycatchers, Pewees, Kingbirds, & Allies

Western Wood-Pewee     Big Cottonwood Canyon

Eastern Wood-Pewee     Wells Mills Park

Acadian Flycatcher     White's Bogs

Alder Flycatcher     McClure's Marsh

Willow Flycatcher     Christy Farm Nature Preserve

Least Flycatcher     Pipe Creek Wildlife Area

Gray Flycatcher     Pequop

Dusky Flycatcher     Harrison Pass Rd

CORDILLERAN FLYCATCHER     Big Cottonwood Canyon

Eastern Phoebe     Whiting WMA

Say's Phoebe     Oasis

Great Crested Flycatcher     Colliers Mills WMA

Western Kingbird     Hampton Inn SLC Airport

Eastern Kingbird     Double Trouble State Park

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher     Brig

Shrikes

Loggerhead Shrike     Antelope Island SP

Northern Shrike     Sax-Zim Bog

Vireos

White-eyed Vireo     Brig

Yellow-throated Vireo     Jackson Memorial HS

Blue-headed Vireo     Central Park

Warbling Vireo     Colliers Mills WMA

Red-eyed Vireo     Bridge to Nowhere

Jays, Magpies, Crows, & Ravens

GRAY JAY     Sax-Zim Bog

Steller's Jay     Big Cottonwood Canyon

Blue Jay     Crestwood Village

Black-billed Magpie     Sax-Zim Bog

CLARK'S NUTCRACKER     Big Cottonwood Canyon

American Crow     Sandy Hook

Fish Crow     Mercer Sod Farm IBA

Common Raven     Sandy Hook

Larks

Horned Lark     Sandy Hook

Swallows

Northern Rough-winged Swallow     Cattus Island County Park

Purple Martin     Brig

Tree Swallow     Sandy Hook

Violet-green Swallow     Big Cottonwood Canyon

Bank Swallow     Pipe Creek Wildlife Area

Barn Swallow     Colliers Mills WMA

Cliff Swallow     Maumee Bay SP

Cave Swallow     The Beanery

Tits, Chickadees & Titmice

Carolina Chickadee     35 Sunset Rd

Black-capped Chickadee     Old Vermillion Trail

Mountain Chickadee     Big Cottonwood Canyon

BOREAL CHICKADEE     Sax-Zim Bog

Tufted Titmouse     35 Sunset Rd

Bushtit     Ruby Lake NWR

Nuthatches

Red-breasted Nuthatch     Old Vermillion Trail

White-breasted Nuthatch     35 Sunset Rd

Treecreepers

Brown Creeper     Manasquan Reservoir IBA

Wrens

Rock Wren     Big Cottonwood Canyon

House Wren     Norbury's Landing

Winter Wren     Bunker Hill Bogs

Marsh Wren     Forsythe-Barnegat

Carolina Wren     Cape May Point SP

Gnatcatchers

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher     Spruce Run Reservoir

Dippers

American Dipper     Wasatch NF Spruce Campground

Kinglets

Golden-crowned Kinglet     Double Trouble State Park

Ruby-crowned Kinglet     Cape May Point SP

Thrushes

Eastern Bluebird     Double Trouble State Park

Mountain Bluebird     Big Cottonwood Canyon

Veery     Stafford Avenue

Gray-cheeked Thrush     Ottawa NWR

Swainson's Thrush     Oak Openings Preserve Metropark

Hermit Thrush     Manahawkin WMA

Wood Thrush     Belleplain State Forest

American Robin     Cape May Point SP

Catbirds, Mockingbirds, & Thrashers

Gray Catbird     Brig

Brown Thrasher     Villas WMA

SAGE THRASHER     Antelope Island SP

Northern Mockingbird     Sandy Hook

Starlings

European Starling     Cape May Point SP

Pipits

American Pipit     Sands Point Preserve

Waxwings

Bohemian Waxwing     1740 W Knife River Road

Cedar Waxwing     Island Beach SP

Buntings

Snow Bunting     Highway 7, St Louis County

Wood Warblers

Ovenbird     Belleplain State Forest

Worm-eating Warbler     Dot and Brooks Evert Memorial Nature Trail

Louisiana Waterthrush     Belleplain State Forest

Northern Waterthrush     Pipe Creek Wildlife Area

Blue-winged Warbler     Oak Openings Preserve Metropark

Black-and-white Warbler     Central Park

Prothonotary Warbler     Belleplain State Forest

Tennessee Warbler     Sheldon Marsh State Nature Preserve

Orange-crowned Warbler     Big Cottonwood Canyon

Nashville Warbler     Oak Openings Preserve Metropark

Connecticut Warbler     Sheldon Marsh State Nature Preserve

Mourning Warbler     Oak Openings Preserve Metropark

Common Yellowthroat     Brig

Hooded Warbler     Dot and Brooks Evert Memorial Nature Trail

American Redstart     Island Beach SP

Cape May Warbler     Magee Marsh Wildlife Area

Cerulean Warbler     Old Mine Road IBA

Northern Parula     Colliers Mills WMA

Magnolia Warbler     Bunker Hill Bogs

Bay-breasted Warbler     Magee Marsh Wildlife Area

Blackburnian Warbler     Magee Marsh Wildlife Area

Yellow Warbler     Belleplain State Forest

Chestnut-sided Warbler     Oak Openings Preserve Metropark

Blackpoll Warbler     Oak Openings Preserve Metropark

Black-throated Blue Warbler     Collinstown Rd

Palm Warbler     Colliers Mills WMA

Pine Warbler     35 Sunset Rd

Yellow-rumped Warbler     Cape May Point SP

Yellow-throated Warbler     Belleplain State Forest

Prairie Warbler     Heislerville WMA

Black-throated Gray Warbler     Ruby Lake NWR

Black-throated Green Warbler     Island Beach SP

Canada Warbler     Island Beach SP

Wilson's Warbler     Oak Openings Preserve Metropark

Yellow-breasted Chat     Assunpink WMA

Sparrows

Grasshopper Sparrow     Colliers Mills WMA

HENSLOW'S SPARROW     Oak Openings Preserve Metropark

Nelson's Sparrow     Great Bay Bvld. WMA

Saltmarsh Sparrow     Brig

Seaside Sparrow     Great Bay Bvld. WMA

American Tree Sparrow     Assunpink WMA

Chipping Sparrow     35 Sunset Rd

Clay-colored Sparrow     Great Bay Bvld. WMA

Field Sparrow     Brig

BREWER'S SPARROW     Wells - WWTP

Lark Sparrow     Oak Openings Preserve Metropark

Fox Sparrow     Bayview Ave Park

Dark-eyed Junco     35 Sunset Rd

White-crowned Sparrow     Assunpink WMA

White-throated Sparrow     Cape May Point SP

Vesper Sparrow     South Fork State Recreation Area

Savannah Sparrow     Brig

Song Sparrow     Assunpink WMA

Lincoln's Sparrow     Big Cottonwood Canyon

Swamp Sparrow     Bridge to Nowhere

Spotted Towhee     Harrison Pass Rd

Eastern Towhee     Brig

Cardinals, Grosbeaks, & Allies

Scarlet Tanager     Oak Openings Preserve Metropark

Western Tanager     Ruby Lake NWR

Northern Cardinal     35 Sunset Rd

Rose-breasted Grosbeak     35 Sunset Rd

Black-headed Grosbeak     Big Cottonwood Canyon

Blue Grosbeak     35 Sunset Rd

Lazuli Bunting     Big Cottonwood Canyon

Indigo Bunting     Colliers Mills WMA

Dickcissel     Island Beach SP

Blackbirds

Bobolink     Harder grasslands

Red-winged Blackbird     Brig

WESTERN MEADOWLARK     Antelope Island SP

Eastern Meadowlark     Bridge to Nowhere

Yellow-headed Blackbird     Antelope Island SP

Rusty Blackbird     Prime Hook NWR

Brewer's Blackbird     Hampton Inn SLC Airport

Common Grackle     Assunpink WMA

Boat-tailed Grackle     Bridge to Nowhere

Great-tailed Grackle     Hampton Inn SLC Airport

Brown-headed Cowbird     New Egypt

Orchard Oriole     Bunker Hill Bogs

Baltimore Oriole     Lake Enno

Finches

PINE GROSBEAK     Sax-Zim Bog

House Finch     Sandy Hook

Purple Finch     Sax-Zim Bog

Cassin's Finch     Big Cottonwood Canyon

Red Crossbill     Big Cottonwood Canyon

Common Redpoll     Old Vermillion Trail

HOARY REDPOLL     1740 W Knife River Road

Pine Siskin     Old Vermillion Trail

Lesser Goldfinch     Lamoile Canyon

American Goldfinch     35 Sunset Rd

Evening Grosbeak     Sax-Zim Bog

Old World Sparrows

House Sparrow     Cape May Pt

Ocean County Year List

There are lists...and there are lists. Aside from my life list, the list I care most about, for no rational reason, is my home county list. When I lived in Brooklyn, my Kings County list always had priority. Now that I live in Ocean County, a "good" bird is a lot better if I find it with the borders of New Jersey's second largest (by area) county. And then there is the somewhat understated competition that goes on with the other county birders. I used to finish a lot higher in the rankings than I do now that some really good birders in the county have turned their attention to "eBirding." This year I finished 5th. Last year I finished 2nd. Two years ago I was first. But I have a larger list this year, finishing at #5 than I did in 2013, when I was number one. So the competition is tougher.

What is amusing to me about the so-called competition is that, if you were to take a "bird's eye" view of Ocean County, what you would see is 5 or 6 crazy people chasing each other's sightings around the county. Someone lists a Ross's Goose at Marshall's Pond on New Year's Day and we're all there like a shot to see it. I find the first Green Heron of the year at some out of the way park in the northernmost part of the county and the next day, there it is, showing up on everyone else's list. I did have one bird to myself this year--I found the county's only Dickcissel at Island Beach. The teeth-gnashers were missing the Thick-billed Murre at two places (with about 100 miles of driving into the bargain) and whiffing on the Bohemian Waxwing at Island Beach. Those would be great birds for the county and for the county life list (where I stand at #4).

A couple of other rarities that showed up in the county that I did manage to list were

Cattle Egret at Meadowedge Park in Barnegat &

a couple of White-faced Ibises at Forsythe-Barnegat, a much sought after bird that I was finally able to get thanks to my friend Karmela Moneta (who lives nearby & who took the above photo).

234 species for the county. To put it in some perspective: I had 276 species for the entire state.

Species                Location

Snow Goose     Harry Wright Lake

Ross's Goose     Marshall's Pond

Brant     Bridge to Nowhere

Cackling Goose     Marshall's Pond

Canada Goose     Crestwood Village

Mute Swan     Marshall's Pond

Tundra Swan     Double Trouble State Park

Wood Duck     Whitesbog

Gadwall     Marshall's Pond

Eurasian Wigeon     Marshall's Pond

American Wigeon     Marshall's Pond

American Black Duck     Cedar Run Dock Rd.

Mallard     Marshall's Pond

Blue-winged Teal     Colliers Mills WMA

Northern Shoveler     Forsythe--Barnegat

Northern Pintail     Bayview Ave Park

Green-winged Teal     Marshall's Pond

Canvasback     Riverfront Landing

Redhead     Riverfront Landing

Ring-necked Duck     Riverfront Landing

Greater Scaup     Barnegat Lighthouse SP

Lesser Scaup     Riverfront Landing

Common Eider     Barnegat Lighthouse SP

Harlequin Duck     Barnegat Lighthouse SP

Surf Scoter     Barnegat Lighthouse SP

White-winged Scoter     Manasquan Inlet

Black Scoter     Barnegat Lighthouse SP

Long-tailed Duck     Barnegat Lighthouse SP

Bufflehead     Little Silver Lake

Common Goldeneye     Harvey Cedars--Sunset Park

Hooded Merganser     Marshall's Pond

Common Merganser     Poplar St Boat Launch

Red-breasted Merganser     Barnegat Lighthouse SP

Ruddy Duck     Riverfront Landing

Wild Turkey     35 Sunset Rd

Red-throated Loon     Barnegat Lighthouse SP

Common Loon     Barnegat Lighthouse SP

Pied-billed Grebe     Marshall's Pond

Horned Grebe     Barnegat Lighthouse SP

Red-necked Grebe     Manasquan Inlet

Northern Gannet     Barnegat Lighthouse SP

Double-crested Cormorant     Barnegat Lighthouse SP

Great Cormorant     Barnegat Lighthouse SP

Brown Pelican     Island Beach SP

American Bittern     Whitesbog

Great Blue Heron     Crestwood Village

Great Egret     Lake of the Lilies

Snowy Egret     Forsythe--Barnegat

Little Blue Heron     Island Beach SP

Tricolored Heron     Cattus Island County Park

Cattle Egret     Meadowedge Park

Green Heron     Bunker Hill Bogs

Black-crowned Night-Heron     Bayview Ave Park

Yellow-crowned Night-Heron     Great Bay Blvd WMA

Glossy Ibis     Bridge to Nowhere

White-faced Ibis     Forsythe--Barnegat

Black Vulture     Dover Road, Berkeley

Turkey Vulture     Toms River

Osprey     Seaside Heights

Mississippi Kite     Waretown

Northern Harrier     Cedar Run Dock Rd.

Sharp-shinned Hawk     Marshall's Pond

Cooper's Hawk     35 Sunset Rd

Bald Eagle     Stafford--Hilliard & Route 9

Red-shouldered Hawk     Colliers Mills WMA

Broad-winged Hawk     Lakehurst NAES

Red-tailed Hawk     Bridge to Nowhere

Rough-legged Hawk     Eno’s Pond

Clapper Rail     Great Bay Blvd WMA

American Coot     Lake of the Lilies

American Avocet     Forsythe--Barnegat

American Oystercatcher     Gull Island Park

Black-bellied Plover     Manasquan Inlet

Semipalmated Plover     Great Bay Blvd WMA

Piping Plover     Barnegat Lighthouse SP

Killdeer     Sands Point Preserve (Bay Pkwy)

Spotted Sandpiper     Colliers Mills WMA

Solitary Sandpiper     Pine Park

Greater Yellowlegs     Eno’s Pond

Willet     Great Bay Blvd WMA

Lesser Yellowlegs     Forsythe--Barnegat

Upland Sandpiper     Lakehurst NAES

Whimbrel     Bayview Marina

Marbled Godwit     Island Beach SP

Ruddy Turnstone     Barnegat Lighthouse SP

Red Knot     Island Beach SP

Sanderling     Barnegat Lighthouse SP

Dunlin     Barnegat Lighthouse SP

Purple Sandpiper     Barnegat Lighthouse SP

Least Sandpiper     Forsythe--Barnegat

Pectoral Sandpiper     Island Beach SP

Semipalmated Sandpiper     Great Bay Blvd WMA

Short-billed Dowitcher     Great Bay Blvd WMA

Long-billed Dowitcher     Great Bay Blvd WMA

American Woodcock     Crestwood Community Gardens

Parasitic Jaeger     Island Beach SP

Razorbill     Manasquan Inlet

Bonaparte's Gull     Barnegat Lighthouse SP

Laughing Gull     Brick

Ring-billed Gull     Marshall's Pond

Herring Gull     Lake of the Lilies

Great Black-backed Gull     Lake of the Lilies

Least Tern     Great Bay Blvd WMA

Gull-billed Tern     Great Bay Blvd WMA

Caspian Tern     Island Beach SP

Common Tern     Great Bay Blvd WMA

Forster's Tern     Great Bay Blvd WMA

Royal Tern     Island Beach SP

Black Skimmer     Great Bay Blvd WMA

Rock Pigeon     Lake of the Lilies

Mourning Dove     35 Sunset Rd

Yellow-billed Cuckoo     Double Trouble State Park

Black-billed Cuckoo     Double Trouble State Park

Eastern Screech-Owl     Manahawkin WMA

Great Horned Owl     Bridge to Nowhere

Snowy Owl     Barnegat Lighthouse SP

Common Nighthawk     Lakehurst NAES

Chuck-will's-widow     Collinstown Rd

Eastern Whip-poor-will     35 Sunset Rd

Chimney Swift     Butterfly Bogs

Ruby-throated Hummingbird     35 Sunset Rd

Belted Kingfisher     Bridge to Nowhere

Red-headed Woodpecker     Colliers Mills WMA

Red-bellied Woodpecker     35 Sunset Rd

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker     35 Sunset Rd

Downy Woodpecker     35 Sunset Rd

Hairy Woodpecker     Double Trouble State Park

Northern Flicker     Barnegat Lighthouse SP

American Kestrel     Whitesbog

Merlin     Great Bay Blvd WMA

Peregrine Falcon     Barnegat Lighthouse SP

Eastern Wood-Pewee     Wells Mills Park

Acadian Flycatcher     Double Trouble State Park

Alder Flycatcher     Bridge to Nowhere

Willow Flycatcher     Cattus Island County Park

Eastern Phoebe     Whiting WMA

Great Crested Flycatcher     Colliers Mills WMA

Eastern Kingbird     Double Trouble State Park

White-eyed Vireo     Island Beach SP

Yellow-throated Vireo     Jackson Memorial HS

Blue-headed Vireo     Collinstown Rd

Warbling Vireo     Colliers Mills WMA

Red-eyed Vireo     Bridge to Nowhere

Blue Jay     Crestwood Village

American Crow     Whiting

Fish Crow      Schoolhouse Rd.

Common Raven     Double Trouble State Park

Horned Lark     Lakehurst NAES

Northern Rough-winged Swallow     Cattus Island County Park

Purple Martin     Manchester Blvd

Tree Swallow     Crestwood Village

Bank Swallow     Cattus Island County Park

Barn Swallow     Colliers Mills WMA

Carolina Chickadee     35 Sunset Rd

Black-capped Chickadee     Jackson

Tufted Titmouse     35 Sunset Rd

Red-breasted Nuthatch     35 Sunset Rd

White-breasted Nuthatch     35 Sunset Rd

Brown Creeper     Eno’s Pond

House Wren     Island Beach SP

Winter Wren     Bunker Hill Bogs

Marsh Wren     Forsythe--Barnegat

Carolina Wren     35 Sunset Rd

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher     Colliers Mills WMA

Golden-crowned Kinglet     Double Trouble State Park

Ruby-crowned Kinglet     Double Trouble State Park

Eastern Bluebird     Double Trouble State Park

Veery     Stafford Avenue

Hermit Thrush     Manahawkin WMA

Wood Thrush     FREC

American Robin     Crestwood Village

Gray Catbird     Colliers Mills WMA

Brown Thrasher     Whitesbog

Northern Mockingbird     Barnegat Lighthouse SP

European Starling     35 Sunset Rd

American Pipit     Sands Point Preserve

Cedar Waxwing     Island Beach SP

Snow Bunting     Barnegat Lighthouse SP

Ovenbird     Double Trouble State Park

Louisiana Waterthrush     Double Trouble State Park

Northern Waterthrush     Bunker Hill Bogs

Black-and-white Warbler     Double Trouble State Park

Prothonotary Warbler     Lakehurst Railroad Tracks

Common Yellowthroat     Double Trouble State Park

Hooded Warbler     Double Trouble State Park

American Redstart     Island Beach SP

Northern Parula     Colliers Mills WMA

Magnolia Warbler     Bunker Hill Bogs

Yellow Warbler     Double Trouble State Park

Black-throated Blue Warbler     Collinstown Rd

Palm Warbler     Colliers Mills WMA

Pine Warbler     35 Sunset Rd

Yellow-rumped Warbler     Marshall's Pond

Yellow-throated Warbler     Colliers Mills WMA

Prairie Warbler     Bunker Hill Bogs

Black-throated Green Warbler     Island Beach SP

Canada Warbler     Island Beach SP

Grasshopper Sparrow     Colliers Mills WMA

Nelson's Sparrow     Great Bay Blvd WMA

Saltmarsh Sparrow     Cattus Island County Park

Seaside Sparrow     Great Bay Blvd WMA

American Tree Sparrow     Barnegat Lighthouse SP

Chipping Sparrow     35 Sunset Rd

Clay-colored Sparrow     Great Bay Blvd WMA

Field Sparrow     Colliers Mills WMA

Fox Sparrow     Bayview Ave Park

Dark-eyed Junco     35 Sunset Rd

White-crowned Sparrow     Cattus Island County Park

White-throated Sparrow     35 Sunset Rd

Vesper Sparrow     Great Bay Blvd WMA

Savannah Sparrow     Barnegat Lighthouse SP

Song Sparrow     35 Sunset Rd

Swamp Sparrow     Bridge to Nowhere

Eastern Towhee     Double Trouble State Park

Scarlet Tanager     Bunker Hill Bogs

Northern Cardinal     35 Sunset Rd

Rose-breasted Grosbeak     35 Sunset Rd

Blue Grosbeak     35 Sunset Rd

Indigo Bunting     Colliers Mills WMA

Dickcissel     Island Beach SP

Red-winged Blackbird     Marsha Dr & Rt 72

Eastern Meadowlark     Bridge to Nowhere

Rusty Blackbird     Whitesbog

Common Grackle     New Egypt

Boat-tailed Grackle     Bridge to Nowhere

Brown-headed Cowbird     New Egypt

Orchard Oriole     Bunker Hill Bogs

Baltimore Oriole     Lake Enno

House Finch     35 Sunset Rd

Purple Finch     35 Sunset Rd

Common Redpoll     Barnegat Lighthouse SP

Pine Siskin     35 Sunset Rd

American Goldfinch     35 Sunset Rd

House Sparrow     Riverfront Landing

December's List

It wasn't a particularly exciting month of birding. The warm weather seems to have kept the ducks up north--they move when they have to, unlike the passerines and shorebirds that move according to day length and other cues. I added no year birds. By the middle of December I was happy to find month birds. The only rarity I came across was the American Avocet at Brig. This is not to say that I had a lousy time birding. Almost each day brought birds I enjoy and I wandered around places like Whitesbog, Assunpink, and the cranberry bogs in South Toms River-- all places I find agreeable. I just had to forget about my lists and enjoy the birding, which, of course, is what it's really about anyway. Plus, I practiced. I practiced identifying quick flying birds. I practiced pishing out stubborn birds. I practiced "ducks at a distance." And I think I got better. I know I'm a better birder this year than I was last year. And I plan to apply all I learned next year. Before the list, some pictures of birds I found this month:

Cooper's Hawk in the backyard

Fox Sparrow at Double Trouble

Hermit Thrush at the cranberry bogs

American Tree Sparrow at the cranberry bogs

Eastern Bluebirds at Cattus Island

Tundra Swans at the cranberry bogs

The list for the month, 106 species:
Counties birded: Atlantic, Burlington, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Somerset, Ocean

Species                  Location

Snow Goose     Brig

Brant     Great Bay Blvd WMA

Canada Goose     Rt. 70--Manchester

Mute Swan     Marshall's Pond

Tundra Swan     Whitesbog

Wood Duck     Brig

Gadwall     Brig

American Wigeon     Brig

American Black Duck     Butterfly Bogs

Mallard     Bunker Hill Bogs

Northern Shoveler     Brig

Northern Pintail     Brig

Green-winged Teal     Brig

Redhead     Assunpink WMA

Ring-necked Duck     Bunker Hill Bogs

Common Eider     Barnegat Lighthouse SP

Harlequin Duck     Barnegat Lighthouse SP

Surf Scoter     Barnegat Lighthouse SP

White-winged Scoter     Sandy Hook

Black Scoter     Sandy Hook

Long-tailed Duck     Sandy Hook

Bufflehead     Great Bay Blvd WMA

Common Goldeneye     Sandy Hook

Hooded Merganser     Brig

Red-breasted Merganser     Sandy Hook

Ruddy Duck     Cattus Island County Park

Wild Turkey     35 Sunset Rd

Red-throated Loon     Sandy Hook

Common Loon     Sandy Hook

Pied-billed Grebe     Double Trouble State Park

Horned Grebe     Sandy Hook

Northern Gannet     Barnegat Lighthouse SP

Double-crested Cormorant     Great Bay Blvd WMA

Great Blue Heron     Cattus Island County Park

Great Egret     Brig

Black Vulture     Union Transportation Trail

Turkey Vulture     Crestwood Village

Northern Harrier     Great Bay Blvd WMA

Sharp-shinned Hawk     Cranberry Bogs--Dover Rd

Cooper's Hawk     35 Sunset Rd

Bald Eagle     Great Bay Blvd WMA

Red-tailed Hawk     Cranberry Bogs--Dover Rd

Virginia Rail     Brig

American Coot     Brig

American Avocet     Brig

American Oystercatcher     Great Bay Blvd WMA

Black-bellied Plover     Great Bay Blvd WMA

Killdeer     Bunker Hill Bogs

Sanderling     Barnegat Lighthouse SP

Dunlin     Great Bay Blvd WMA

Bonaparte's Gull     Sandy Hook

Ring-billed Gull     Great Bay Blvd WMA

Herring Gull     Great Bay Blvd WMA

Glaucous Gull     Sandy Hook

Great Black-backed Gull     Great Bay Blvd WMA

Rock Pigeon     Manasquan Inlet

Mourning Dove     35 Sunset Rd

Belted Kingfisher     Cattus Island County Park

Red-bellied Woodpecker     Bunker Hill Bogs

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker     Assunpink WMA

Downy Woodpecker     35 Sunset Rd

Hairy Woodpecker     Assunpink WMA

Northern Flicker     Union Transportation Trail

Peregrine Falcon     Brig

Blue Jay     35 Sunset Rd

American Crow     35 Sunset Rd

Fish Crow     Union Transportation Trail

Horned Lark     Sandy Hook

Carolina Chickadee     35 Sunset Rd

Black-capped Chickadee     Sandy Hook

Tufted Titmouse     35 Sunset Rd

Red-breasted Nuthatch     Cranberry Bogs--Dover Rd

White-breasted Nuthatch     35 Sunset Rd

Brown Creeper     Whitesbog

Winter Wren     Sandy Hook

Carolina Wren     35 Sunset Rd

Golden-crowned Kinglet     Bunker Hill Bogs

Ruby-crowned Kinglet     Whitesbog

Eastern Bluebird     Cattus Island County Park

Hermit Thrush     Double Trouble State Park

American Robin     Great Bay Blvd WMA

Gray Catbird     Assunpink WMA

Northern Mockingbird     Sandy Hook

European Starling     Great Bay Blvd WMA

Cedar Waxwing     Sandy Hook

Snow Bunting     Sandy Hook

Yellow-rumped Warbler     35 Sunset Rd

American Tree Sparrow     Double Trouble State Park

Chipping Sparrow     35 Sunset Rd

Field Sparrow     Assunpink WMA

Fox Sparrow     Double Trouble State Park

Dark-eyed Junco     35 Sunset Rd

White-crowned Sparrow     Assunpink WMA

White-throated Sparrow     35 Sunset Rd

Savannah Sparrow     Double Trouble State Park

Song Sparrow     Bunker Hill Bogs

Swamp Sparrow     Bunker Hill Bogs

Eastern Towhee     Brig

Northern Cardinal     35 Sunset Rd

Red-winged Blackbird     Great Bay Blvd WMA

Common Grackle     Whitesbog

Boat-tailed Grackle     Great Bay Blvd WMA

House Finch     35 Sunset Rd

Pine Siskin     Double Trouble State Park

American Goldfinch     35 Sunset Rd

House Sparrow     Barnegat Lighthouse SP

Last Birds of the Year

Pine Siskins

The first birds of the last day of the year were the best birds--7 Pine Siskins on our thistle feeder, a record for our backyard. A few years ago we had to drive all the way up to Somerset County to get Shari some siskins for the year and now we're lucky enough to have them regularly outside the bedroom window.

Somerset County was also our destination for our last day of 2015 birding. We were hoping for some unusual birds that had been reported up there but came away empty on all counts. It's a circuitous route up there from Whiting and on the way, in Monmouth County, we were amused to find a gigantic flock of Snow Geese in a corn stubble field outside Allentown. Our first stop in Somerset County, about an hour later, was another corn stubble field where we hoped to find Sandhill Cranes. Of course, we didn't. Shari & I don't even know why we bother trying to find these birds up there--this is the 4th or 5th time in the last few years that we've struck out searching for them. The only good thing that has ever come of our looking for those cranes was finding the Northern Lapwings almost 3 years ago because we were so sick of traipsing up north that we looked for them closer to home in New Egypt and serendipitously stumbled on the lapwings. (And later, we did find the cranes, the only place in NJ that we've seen them).

It was on to Duke Island Park after that fruitless stop. In the fields were hundreds of Canada Geese. We looked carefully, but we couldn't find one Cackling Goose among them, despite a large number being listed recently. Nor could we find anything else unusual there--everything was what we could find in our own backyard.

Afterwards we stopped at nearby Duke Farms, the old Doris (Poor Little Rich Girl) Duke estate, that has been converted to an enormous nature reserve. They have a decent cafe where we had lunch. The cafe is located in the converted horse & cow barn.

This is Doris Duke's old barn:

I can only imagine what her house looked like. It is some place on the estate, but we haven't found it yet.

When we lived in Brooklyn, it always used to put money in perspective to me when I looked at the wealthy residents of Brooklyn Heights who were living in the renovated stables and carriage houses once owned by the wealthy residents of the 18th and 19th century. But this old barn beats all by an order of magnitude.

And so the year ended quietly. The lists will follow later.

Assunpink 12/28--A Few More "Good" Birds

White-crowned Sparrows with Mourning Doves

It's getting pretty late in the month and the year to add anything new to either list, but I thought, correctely, a trip to Assunpink might reward me with a month bird. Just before you enter the WMA proper, along Imlaystown Road, there is a farm with a gravel driveway, on which, for reasons unknown, White-crowned Sparrows congregate reliably,starting in late fall and continuing through the early spring. Perhaps it is the hedges on either side of the driveway that gives them cover and from which they fly down to peck among the pebbles that makes it so attractive to them. I didn't see any on my last foray up there a couple of weeks ago, but today there were 7 of them feeding there. This number, according to eBird's filter, is a high count for the species at this date and location; they require more information. So my notes read: Exact count, along with the above picture of 4 sparrows. They'll have to take it on faith that there were 3 more that I couldn't fit into the frame.

I was hoping for waterfowl, but duck hunters put the kibosh on that idea. All I was able to come up with were about 20 ruddies, a couple of swans, and some flyover geese. The duck hunters didn't look like they were having any more luck than me.

I left the parking lot and started my walk, first up and around the road to the northern side of the lake, hoping against hope that I would find a Northern Shrike in the same area where one was a couple of years ago (and, of course, didn't), then back and along the semi-circular road that runs along the lake's southern shore where I did pick up another month bird--Field Sparrow, a species that amuses me because their eye-ring always gives them a startled look.

Instead of backtracking to the parking lot after checking the eastern end of the lake (here hoping that the Trumpeter Swans of the last two winters would again appear (and, of course, they didn't), I walked up the road to the site of old HQ, torn down this year. Here I came across the proverbial mixed flock of passerines, with Yellow-rumped Warblers being predominate. I did, though, spot a Ruby-crowned Kinglet, another favorite, especially compared to what I was used to in Brooklyn where RCKIs were much more common than Golden-crowned Kinglets, while here in NJ the situation is reversed and I see at least 10 kinglets with golden spots for every one I see with a ruby cap.

Once the day got a tad warmer--today is one of the few December days to actually feel like winter--vultures were up in the thermals and high above the common Turkey Vultures I spotted 4 Black Vultures, easy to pick out just by shape, though I did get to confirm them by the white ends of their wings. Returning along the main road to the parking lot I pished out a couple of flocks of White-throated Sparrows and in among the first flock what I took at first to be a Hermit Thrush but then, once it stood out on a twig, I quickly realized was a very handsome Fox Sparrow.

So the year kind of dwindles away. There are some rarities in the state but not in places I feel like chasing so I just wander around my familiar spots looking find anything I can that is out of place.

For the day I ticked off 25 species, herewith:
Canada Goose  27     two f/o flocks.
Mute Swan  2
Ruddy Duck  20
Black Vulture  4
Turkey Vulture  8
Northern Harrier  2
Red-tailed Hawk  1
Ring-billed Gull  3
Mourning Dove  10
Red-bellied Woodpecker  3
Downy Woodpecker  1
Blue Jay  10
Fish Crow  1     Heard
Carolina Chickadee  6
Tufted Titmouse  2     Heard
Carolina Wren  1     Heard, old HQ site
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  1
Yellow-rumped Warbler  15
Field Sparrow  4
Fox Sparrow  1
Dark-eyed Junco  5
White-crowned Sparrow  7     
White-throated Sparrow  15
Song Sparrow  4
American Goldfinch  1