September Wrap-up--6 Year Birds

Marbled Godwits, Island Beach SP

It was a good month, at least in birding terms, with 160 species recorded, 6 year birds and many rarities that were already on the list but are nonetheless always happy sightings. We subtly made the transition from shorebird migration to warbler migration and now it seems that warbler migration is already slowing down. I added a couple of warblers this month (Bay-breasted and Nashville). You get a second chance with the warblers. The shorebirds, like Baird's Sandpiper and Buff-breasted Sandpiper, tend to use a different migration route on their northerly journey, so late summer is usually your only chance to get them.

The two birds I was happiest to get were the Lark Sparrow and Philadelphia Vireo at Island Beach SP last week, both county lifers. The other year bird of the month was actually the first one found, by my sharp-eyed wife--the Common Gallinule at Brig.

As you can see from the list below, I spent most of the month at the big hot spots like Brig, Island Beach and Sandy Hook, birding with friends; however, once in a while I just took off by myself to walk where I like to be, like Whitesbog or South Park Road in Tabernacle, and didn't worry too much about the list, but just enjoyed where I was for what it was. A lot of times I didn't see a lot of birds. With 3 billion fewer in North America than 50 years ago, we better get used to that. I don't have many regrets, but I do wish I was paying more attention to birds in my teens and twenties. That's when there were birds.

The month list:
Counties birded: 
New Jersey: Atlantic, Burlington, Monmouth, Ocean
New York: New York

Species            First Sighting

Black-bellied Whistling-Duck   Brig

Brant   Holgate

Canada Goose   Brig

Mute Swan   Brig

Wood Duck   Reeves Bogs

Blue-winged Teal   Brig

Northern Shoveler   Brig

Gadwall   Brig

American Wigeon   Brig

Mallard   BC Fairgrounds

American Black Duck   Whitesbog

Northern Pintail   Brig

Green-winged Teal   Brig

Surf Scoter   Island Beach SP

Ruddy Duck   Brig

Wild Turkey   35 Sunset Rd

Rock Pigeon   Toms River

Mourning Dove   Reeves Bogs

Yellow-billed Cuckoo   Island Beach SP

Chimney Swift   Brig

Ruby-throated Hummingbird   35 Sunset Rd

Clapper Rail   Brig

Sora   Brig

Common Gallinule   Brig

American Avocet   Brig

American Oystercatcher   Island Beach SP

Black-bellied Plover   Brig

American Golden-Plover   BC Fairgrounds

Semipalmated Plover   Brig

Piping Plover   Sandy Hook

Killdeer   BC Fairgrounds

Whimbrel   Brig

Marbled Godwit   Island Beach SP

Ruddy Turnstone   Holgate

Red Knot   Island Beach SP

Stilt Sandpiper   Brig

Sanderling   Island Beach SP

Dunlin   Island Beach SP

Baird's Sandpiper   Sandy Hook

Least Sandpiper   Whitesbog

White-rumped Sandpiper   Brig

Buff-breasted Sandpiper   Whitesbog

Pectoral Sandpiper   Whitesbog

Semipalmated Sandpiper   Brig

Western Sandpiper   Brig

Short-billed Dowitcher   Brig

Long-billed Dowitcher   Brig

Red-necked Phalarope   Brig

Spotted Sandpiper   Island Beach SP

Greater Yellowlegs   Reeves Bogs

Willet   Holgate

Lesser Yellowlegs   Brig

Laughing Gull   BC Fairgrounds

Ring-billed Gull   Brig

Herring Gull   Brig

Great Black-backed Gull   Brig

Least Tern   Brig

Caspian Tern   Brig

Black Tern   Sandy Hook

Common Tern   Island Beach SP

Forster's Tern   Brig

Royal Tern   Brig

Black Skimmer   Brig

Common Loon   Island Beach SP

Double-crested Cormorant   Brig

Brown Pelican   Island Beach SP

Great Blue Heron   Reeves Bogs

Great Egret   Reeves Bogs

Snowy Egret   Brig

Little Blue Heron   Island Beach SP

Tricolored Heron   Island Beach SP

Green Heron   Reeves Bogs

Black-crowned Night-Heron   Brig

Yellow-crowned Night-Heron   Great Bay Blvd WMA

Glossy Ibis   Brig

White-faced Ibis   Brig

Black Vulture   BC Fairgrounds

Turkey Vulture   S. Park Rd, Tabernacle

Osprey   Brig

Northern Harrier   Brig

Sharp-shinned Hawk   Cedar Bonnet Island

Cooper's Hawk   Reeves Bogs

Bald Eagle   GSP MM 48

Red-tailed Hawk   Amasa Landing Rd.

Belted Kingfisher   Island Beach SP

Red-headed Woodpecker   S. Park Rd, Tabernacle

Red-bellied Woodpecker   S. Park Rd, Tabernacle

Downy Woodpecker   Reeves Bogs

Hairy Woodpecker   S. Park Rd, Tabernacle

Northern Flicker   Island Beach SP

American Kestrel   Great Bay Blvd WMA

Merlin   Island Beach SP

Peregrine Falcon   Reeves Bogs

Eastern Wood-Pewee   Reeves Bogs

Eastern Phoebe   Island Beach SP

Great Crested Flycatcher   Manasquan River WMA

Eastern Kingbird   Brig

White-eyed Vireo   Whitesbog

Philadelphia Vireo   Island Beach SP

Red-eyed Vireo   Island Beach SP

Blue Jay   Reeves Bogs

American Crow   35 Sunset Rd

Fish Crow   Island Beach SP

Common Raven   Sandy Hook

Carolina Chickadee   Reeves Bogs

Black-capped Chickadee   Sandy Hook

Tufted Titmouse   Whitesbog

Purple Martin   Reeves Bogs

Tree Swallow   Reeves Bogs

Barn Swallow   BC Fairgrounds

Ruby-crowned Kinglet   Sandy Hook

White-breasted Nuthatch   S. Park Rd, Tabernacle

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher   Brig

House Wren   Manasquan River WMA

Marsh Wren   Island Beach SP

Carolina Wren   S. Park Rd, Tabernacle

European Starling   Whitesbog

Gray Catbird   Reeves Bogs

Brown Thrasher   Island Beach SP

Northern Mockingbird   Cedar Bonnet Island

Eastern Bluebird   Whiting WMA

Veery   Central Park

American Robin   Reeves Bogs

Cedar Waxwing   Island Beach SP

House Sparrow   Ocean Gate

House Finch   35 Sunset Rd

American Goldfinch   Reeves Bogs

Chipping Sparrow   Reeves Bogs

Clay-colored Sparrow   Island Beach SP

Lark Sparrow   Island Beach SP

White-throated Sparrow   Sandy Hook

Seaside Sparrow   Brig

Saltmarsh Sparrow   Brig

Savannah Sparrow   Great Bay Blvd WMA

Song Sparrow   Ocean Gate

Eastern Towhee   Reeves Bogs

Yellow-breasted Chat   Island Beach SP

Yellow-headed Blackbird   Island Beach SP

Bobolink   Brig

Baltimore Oriole   Island Beach SP

Red-winged Blackbird   Brig

Boat-tailed Grackle   Brig

Ovenbird   Island Beach SP

Blue-winged Warbler   IBSP--Blind Trail

Black-and-white Warbler   Manasquan River WMA

Nashville Warbler   Island Beach SP

Common Yellowthroat   Reeves Bogs

American Redstart   Island Beach SP

Cape May Warbler   Island Beach SP

Northern Parula   Island Beach SP

Magnolia Warbler   Island Beach SP

Bay-breasted Warbler   Sandy Hook

Yellow Warbler   Cedar Bonnet Island

Black-throated Blue Warbler   Sandy Hook

Palm Warbler   Sandy Hook

Pine Warbler   Reeves Bogs

Prairie Warbler   Cedar Bonnet Island

Black-throated Green Warbler   Island Beach SP

Northern Cardinal   Central Park

Rose-breasted Grosbeak   Island Beach SP

Dunlin, Island Beach SP The winter shorebirds are returning.