Reeves Bogs 5/16--Solitary Sandpiper, American Redstart, Blackpoll Warbler

Solitary Sandpiper

I did well at Reeves Bogs today, finding a couple of year birds in spots that I don't normally visit. It is hard to get around there on my usual route because one of the paths has tree across it, a couple of the rudimentary bridges are gone and parts of the bogs are overflowing the dams making walking treacherous if not impossible. At one point today I realized that I knew where I was, I just couldn't remember exactly how I got there!

I started off looking for one species I'm not at liberty to name because we don't want to disturb possible breeding with a lot of onlookers (how would you like it?). I found them right away, so I considered the day a success. My walk was uneventful, if slippery, until I got way back on a trail that led around one of the remoter bogs. There were a few Prairie Warblers, including one with a white feather in its mouth that I assume it would use for a nest. I'd seen one Black-and-white Warbler earlier; at first I thought I had #2, but it conveniently flew right in front of me and turned out to be a Blackpoll Warbler, a bird I don't see that much, partially because it's song is out of my hearing range.

What is it about intersections and birds. I've noticed that where two trails intersect, it is often a good place to find birds. The Blackpoll was at one. At the next crossing of the trail I was on I came upon my first American Redstart of the year and then, as I turned the corner, there was a mudflat with 2 sandpipers on it. They were distant and in glare, but one was clearly bobbing its tail and when it came to the edge of the water I got glimpse of its breast, so I knew it was a Spotted Sandpiper. I assumed the other bird was too, though it wasn't bobbing and I couldn't find any spots. It wasn't until I got home and looked at my pictures that I realized I finally seen my year Solitary Sandpiper. The big eye ring I could see when I blew the photo up was the clincher.

Red-breasted Merganser

I had one oddity while there. I flushed a duck from the shore of one of the bogs and saw that it was a hen merganser. I assumed Red-breasted from the  size impression I got, but RBME would be rare, while Common Merganser would be just odd. The shagginess of the crest looks better, to me, for Common, so until someone tells me different, that's how it's listed.

Actually, after review by a number of birders and the reviewer for Burlington County, it was a Red-breasted Merganser, a rarity for date & place.

I didn't really feel like doubling back the way I'd come to get back to my car, especially since I was fairly close where I was--the only problem was another Crazy Crossing. Sometimes I make it, sometimes I figure, no way. Today I made it. The water didn't look too high and the bridge looked almost sturdy.

I was happy to see pitcher plants on my walk. This is a carnivorous plant--sarracenia purpurea--its pitchers have a scent that attracts insects. They fly in, but due to the structure of thin filaments in the pitcher, cannot climb back out. They eventually fall into the bottom are absorbed by the plant for their nitrogen. Feed Me Seymour!

I had 36 species on my walk. Other places are recording big numbers, but I'm happy (or at least at peace with) finding a couple of new birds every day.

I spoke to a friend today who was at Sandy Hook today: Great birds, but a mob scene. Not where I want to be. I'll stick to my quiet places.

Canada Goose  23

Mallard  15

Red-breasted Merganser  1    

Mourning Dove  4

Spotted Sandpiper  1

Solitary Sandpiper  1

Laughing Gull  10    Flyover

Herring Gull  5    Flyover

Great Blue Heron  1

Turkey Vulture  2

Red-bellied Woodpecker  1    Heard

Northern Flicker  1    Heard

Eastern Wood-Pewee  2    Heard

Eastern Kingbird  8

White-eyed Vireo  2    Heard

Red-eyed Vireo  2    Heard

crow sp.  1

Tufted Titmouse  1    Heard

Tree Swallow  5

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  6

Gray Catbird  25

Brown Thrasher  1

American Robin  1

White-throated Sparrow  1    Late

Song Sparrow  2

Swamp Sparrow  1    Singing

Eastern Towhee  5    Heard

Red-winged Blackbird  25

Common Grackle  7

Ovenbird  5    Heard

Black-and-white Warbler  1

Common Yellowthroat  25

American Redstart  1

Yellow Warbler  2

Blackpoll Warbler  1

Pine Warbler  1    Heard

Prairie Warbler  5