January Wrap-up

Northern Cardinal, backyard

Severe cold, a bad cold during that severe cold, doctor appointments, minor, yet irritating motor vehicle problems, and a pussycat vet visit--which are all filed under the rubric "Life," limited my birding time this month. Looking at last January's list, there probably aren't any species on it that I won't get sometime this year although Dickcissel in January was a good one to check off early. That's one I'm unlikely to just stumble across.

I did have rarities for the month--mostly waterfowl (underlined on the list below); a couple of oxymoronic common rarities, like Snowy Owl and Common Raven, hardly count.

Long-tailed Duck (hen), Island Beach SP

One theory I've heard bandied about is that a lot of birds--ranging from gannets to Killdeer--cleared out during the cold snap and are further south where both the water and ground are warmer making feeding easier. That could explain the long walks I've taken both on beaches and in woods where my list comes up as paltry.

For the month I've come up with 108 species, 15 less than last year's list. Looking for both warmer weather and few distractions in February.
Counties birded:
NJ: Atlantic, Burlington, Mercer, Monmouth, Ocean
NY: Nassau, New York

Species                  First Sighting

Snow Goose   Conine’s Millpond

Greater White-fronted Goose   Conine’s Millpond

Brant   Island Beach SP

Cackling Goose   Assunpink WMA

Canada Goose   Riverfront Landing

Mute Swan   Tunney Bridge

Trumpeter Swan   Assunpink WMA

Tundra Swan   Whitesbog

Wood Duck   Central Park

Northern Shoveler   Central Park

Gadwall   Brig

American Wigeon   Brig

Mallard   Riverfront Landing

American Black Duck   Island Beach SP

Northern Pintail   Brig

Canvasback   Riverfront Landing

Redhead   Mathis Park

Ring-necked Duck   Riverfront Landing

Tufted Duck   Shark River Inlet

Greater Scaup   Shark River Inlet

Lesser Scaup   Sands Point

Common Eider   Barnegat Lighthouse SP

Harlequin Duck   Shark River Inlet

Surf Scoter   Spring Lake

White-winged Scoter   Sandy Hook

Black Scoter   Shark River Inlet

Long-tailed Duck   Island Beach SP

Bufflehead   Island Beach SP

Common Goldeneye   Island Beach SP

Hooded Merganser   Mathis Park

Common Merganser   Mathis Park

Red-breasted Merganser   Sands Point Preserve

Ruddy Duck   Riverfront Landing

Wild Turkey   35 Sunset Rd

Common Loon   Island Beach SP

Pied-billed Grebe   Bamber Lake

Horned Grebe   Allenhurst

Great Cormorant   Barnegat Lighthouse SP

Double-crested Cormorant  Berkeley

American Bittern   Brig

Great Blue Heron   Cattus Island County Park

Black Vulture   Brig

Turkey Vulture   Toms River

Northern Harrier   Great Bay Bvld.

Cooper's Hawk   35 Sunset Rd

Bald Eagle   Brig

Red-tailed Hawk   Brig

American Coot   Lake Takanassee

Black-bellied Plover   Island Beach SP

Ruddy Turnstone   Barnegat Lighthouse SP

Sanderling   Island Beach SP

Dunlin   Island Beach SP

Purple Sandpiper   Barnegat Lighthouse SP

Western Sandpiper   Brigantine Island

Bonaparte's Gull   Seven Presidents Park

Ring-billed Gull   Island Beach SP

Herring Gull   Island Beach SP

Iceland Gull   Clark T. Carey Park

Lesser Black-backed Gull   Clark T. Carey Park

Great Black-backed Gull   Island Beach SP

Rock Pigeon   New Egypt

Mourning Dove   Malverne

Snowy Owl   Island Beach SP

Red-bellied Woodpecker   35 Sunset Rd

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker   35 Sunset Rd

Downy Woodpecker   35 Sunset Rd

Hairy Woodpecker   35 Sunset Rd

Northern Flicker   Sandy Hook

American Kestrel   W Colliers Mill Rd

Merlin   Marsha Dr & Rt 72

Blue Jay   Whiting

American Crow   35 Sunset Rd

Fish Crow   Bayview Marina

Common Raven   Whitesbog

Carolina Chickadee   35 Sunset Rd

Tufted Titmouse   35 Sunset Rd

White-breasted Nuthatch   35 Sunset Rd

Brown Creeper   35 Sunset Rd

Carolina Wren   35 Sunset Rd

Golden-crowned Kinglet   Horicon Lake

Ruby-crowned Kinglet   Trenton Sewage Ponds

Eastern Bluebird   Brig

American Robin   Forked River

Gray Catbird   Seven Presidents Park

Northern Mockingbird   Sandy Hook

European Starling   GSP MM 107

Cedar Waxwing   Sandy Hook

Snow Bunting   Sandy Hook

Yellow-rumped Warbler   Island Beach SP

American Tree Sparrow   Sandy Hook

Chipping Sparrow   Bamber Lake

Field Sparrow   Assunpink WMA

Fox Sparrow   Bamber Lake

Dark-eyed Junco   35 Sunset Rd

White-crowned Sparrow   Sandy Hook

White-throated Sparrow   Malverne

Savannah Sparrow   Barnegat Lighthouse SP

Song Sparrow   Malverne

Swamp Sparrow   Island Beach SP

Northern Cardinal   Malverne

Eastern Meadowlark   Mercer Sod Farm IBA

Red-winged Blackbird   Cattus Island County Park

Brown-headed Cowbird   New Egypt

Common Grackle   Central Park

Boat-tailed Grackle   Great Bay Bvld.

House Finch   35 Sunset Rd

American Goldfinch   35 Sunset Rd

House Sparrow   Malverne Ring-necked Duck, Marshall's Pond