Thursday, December 31, 2015

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.

Monday, December 28, 2015

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

Thursday, December 24, 2015

Brig 12/24--Warm, Wet, Windy

Goose Cozy
Pete Dunne has oft propounded the maxim "Bad-weather birding is the best birding," to which I have never subscribed; however, facing a third day staying inside due to rain, Shari & I decided to test the theory by driving down to Brig. The temperatures here in the east are ludicrously warm--as I type it is 70 degrees--but with the gloomy forecast of rain and wind we figured we'd be in the car the whole 8 mile loop. Driving down on the Parkway the conditions were not propitious as sheets of rain had the windshield wipers swiping away at maximum speed. I was doubtful we'd even be able to see out the car windows. However, as soon as we pulled into Brig's parking lot, the sun emerged and for the first half hour we were looking at winter birds in conditions more like Easter than Christmas.

Someone at the refuge wanted to make certain we knew it really was winter--all the goose markers but one had a knitted scarf and cap. We found 17 species of waterfowl (geese, swans, ducks, grebes, coots) and most of the other expected birds. Nothing rare for the day which quickly deteriorated once we started driving around the impoundments--a constant drizzle and a strong gusty wind discouraged us from scoping a lot of the duck flocks for anything "rare" like a Eurasian Wigeon. Shari found the best bird of the day--a Clapper Rail at the start of the drive; unfortunately, I missed that one.

Altogether we managed 36 species in one loop around the dikes. Not great, but better than staying at home looking at the umpteenth goldfinch at the thistle feeder.

Snow Goose  215
Brant  210
Canada Goose  125
Mute Swan  3
Tundra Swan  30
Gadwall  8
American Wigeon  10
American Black Duck  115
Mallard  20
Northern Shoveler  14
Northern Pintail  60
Green-winged Teal  10
Bufflehead  6
Hooded Merganser  8
Red-breasted Merganser  12
Ruddy Duck  25
Pied-billed Grebe  1     Experimental Pool
Double-crested Cormorant  1
Great Blue Heron  3
Turkey Vulture  1
Northern Harrier  5
Bald Eagle  1

Clapper Rail
American Coot  8
Ring-billed Gull  5
Great Black-backed Gull  3
Red-bellied Woodpecker  2
Peregrine Falcon  1
Blue Jay  5
Carolina Chickadee  1     Heard upland portion
Carolina Wren  1     Heard, HQ
American Robin  5
Yellow-rumped Warbler  2
White-throated Sparrow  1     Heard, Purple Martin field
Red-winged Blackbird  25
American Goldfinch  1     Heard, parking lot