July Recap--Birds with Wet Feet

Green Heron, Whitesbog

In the heat of the summer, there aren't many productive places to find birds. I seemed to spend most of the month either circling the dikes at Brig or wandering around Whitesbog. Starting a couple of days ago, the lower bog at Whitesbog started getting drawn down and yesterday was my official start of shorebird season there. I had 9 species of shorebirds, with the Least Sandpipers and Semipalmated Sandpipers in good numbers. It is amazing, to me, how quickly birds turn up if you provide habitat. 

Yesterday and today I saw the superintendent of Whitesbog who does us the favor drawing down the water and he asked me how it looked. I told him it was very good already and we talked about how much water he'd let out and when. I told him it was good to have some pools of water for the rare birds like phalaropes. He's not sure what a phalarope is, but he agreed to keep the water at a level where some pools remain. Imagine having that conversation at Brig!

July started out fine for me with a White Ibis & a Royal Tern in Waretown, while Whitesbog and Brig provided the other 5 new species for the year. 

One disappointment this month: our Whippoorwill has ceased to sing. Last year at the end of July we were away out west and didn't hear it in August, but this year I haven't heard the bird since the 15th. Previously I'd hear one singing, intermittently up through the early part of September. I don't know why; maybe they're getting lucky the last couple of years.  

For the month I listed 128 species, a much lower number than usual, which is the story of the year. Next year, I hope I'll be able to pad my lists. 

Common Tern, Brig

Counties birded: Atlantic, Burlington, Monmouth, Ocean

Species                  First Sighting

Canada Goose   Assunpink WMA

Mute Swan   Waretown

Wood Duck   Whitesbog

Mallard   Manahawkin WMA

American Black Duck   Manahawkin WMA

Wild Turkey   35 Sunset Rd

Rock Pigeon   Great Bay Bvld. WMA

Mourning Dove   35 Sunset Rd

Yellow-billed Cuckoo   Whitesbog

Common Nighthawk   Whitesbog

Eastern Whip-poor-will   35 Sunset Rd

Ruby-throated Hummingbird  Eno's Pond

Clapper Rail   Manahawkin WMA

Virginia Rail  Reeves Bogs

American Avocet   Brig

American Oystercatcher   Waretown

Black-bellied Plover   Brig

Semipalmated Plover   Brig

Piping Plover   Island Beach SP

Killdeer   Waretown

Whimbrel   Brig

Ruddy Turnstone   Brig

Stilt Sandpiper   Brig

Least Sandpiper   Brig

White-rumped Sandpiper   Brig

Pectoral Sandpiper   Brig

Semipalmated Sandpiper   Brig

Western Sandpiper   Brig

Short-billed Dowitcher   Brig

Long-billed Dowitcher   Brig

Spotted Sandpiper   Brig

Solitary Sandpiper   Whitesbog

Greater Yellowlegs   Brig

Willet   Waretown

Lesser Yellowlegs   Brig

Laughing Gull   Waretown

Ring-billed Gull   Brig

Herring Gull   Waretown

Lesser Black-backed Gull   Island Beach SP

Great Black-backed Gull   Waretown

Least Tern   Brig

Gull-billed Tern   Brig

Caspian Tern   Brig

Black Tern   Brig

Common Tern   Island Beach SP

Forster's Tern   Manahawkin WMA

Royal Tern   Waretown

Black Skimmer   Brig

Double-crested Cormorant   Waretown

Least Bittern   Brig

Great Blue Heron   Waretown

Great Egret   Waretown

Snowy Egret   Waretown

Little Blue Heron   Island Beach SP

Tricolored Heron   Waretown

Green Heron   Reeves Bogs

Black-crowned Night-Heron   Brig

Yellow-crowned Night-Heron   Brig

White Ibis   Waretown

Glossy Ibis   Manahawkin WMA

Turkey Vulture   Assunpink WMA

Osprey   Waretown

Cooper's Hawk   Reeves Bogs

Bald Eagle   Brig

Red-tailed Hawk   Assunpink WMA

Belted Kingfisher   Franklin Parker Preserve

Red-headed Woodpecker   Colliers Mills WMA

Red-bellied Woodpecker   Meadow View Ln

Downy Woodpecker   35 Sunset Rd

Hairy Woodpecker   Whitesbog

Northern Flicker   Whitesbog

Eastern Wood-Pewee   Whitesbog

Willow Flycatcher   Brig

Eastern Phoebe   Whitesbog

Great Crested Flycatcher   Assunpink WMA

Eastern Kingbird   Whitesbog

White-eyed Vireo   Assunpink WMA

Warbling Vireo   Assunpink WMA

Red-eyed Vireo   Assunpink WMA

Blue Jay   35 Sunset Rd

American Crow  Eno's Pond

Fish Crow   35 Sunset Rd

Common Raven   Colliers Mills WMA

Carolina Chickadee   35 Sunset Rd

Tufted Titmouse  Eno's Pond

Northern Rough-winged Swallow   Colliers Mills

Purple Martin   Brig

Tree Swallow  Eno's Pond

Barn Swallow   Waretown

White-breasted Nuthatch   Whitesbog

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher   Whitesbog

House Wren  Eno's Pond

Marsh Wren  Eno's Pond

Carolina Wren   35 Sunset Rd

European Starling   Waretown

Gray Catbird  Eno's Pond

Brown Thrasher   Whitesbog

Northern Mockingbird   Waretown

Eastern Bluebird   Whitesbog

Wood Thrush   Assunpink WMA

American Robin  Eno's Pond

Cedar Waxwing   Assunpink WMA

House Sparrow   Waretown

House Finch   35 Sunset Rd

American Goldfinch   35 Sunset Rd

Grasshopper Sparrow   Assunpink WMA

Chipping Sparrow  Eno's Pond

Field Sparrow   Assunpink WMA

Seaside Sparrow   Manahawkin WMA

Saltmarsh Sparrow   Manahawkin WMA

Song Sparrow   Waretown

Swamp Sparrow   Whitesbog

Eastern Towhee   Whitesbog

Yellow-breasted Chat   Assunpink WMA

Orchard Oriole   Assunpink WMA

Red-winged Blackbird   Waretown

Brown-headed Cowbird   Assunpink WMA

Common Grackle   Whitesbog

Boat-tailed Grackle   Waretown

Ovenbird  Eno's Pond

Black-and-white Warbler   Whitesbog

Common Yellowthroat   Waretown

Yellow Warbler   Whitesbog

Pine Warbler   Whitesbog

Prairie Warbler   Whitesbog

Northern Cardinal   Crestwood Village

Blue Grosbeak   Colliers Mills WMA

Indigo Bunting   Assunpink WMA Red-headed Woodpecker, Colliers Mills

Brig 7/26--Long-billed Dowitcher, Least Bittern

As the saying goes, "Fourteenth time's the charm." At least it seems like fourteen times this year that I've

American Avocet

walked or driven by marker 4 on the Wildlife Drive looking for a bird that everyone else seems to have no problem finding. Today, I was there early and, as has become my custom, I started out walking from the parking out to along the start of the drive. Today I got as far as marker 5 where I met a few birders I know. We stood around a bit, admiring the long-staying American Avocets--now no longer considered "rare" at Brig, but still flagged because of the high number (8)--until I turned around because I wanted to get down to the Gull Pond before I was due to meet Bob Auster at the lot. So, I was not really looking anymore for the bird that has eluded me, when, what should pop out of the reeds by the canal, fly across the road, and land once again in the reed, disappearing immediately, but the Least Bittern I'd been seeking all those times these last few months.  Most of my sightings of Least Bittern have been like that--one flushes, I see it fly, I see where it goes, it vanishes, and that's it for the day, I won't find it again. 

Bob arrived on time and after we ran into another birding friend of ours (at #5 again, where the elite meet) we made up a mini-caravan and did a socially-distanced turn around the dikes. Lots of shorebirds and not too much shimmer made for some long stops at various points. In all, we had 15 species of shorebirds, not bad, not great. The only new one for me today was Long-billed Dowitcher, which Chris picked out from a big flock of Short-billed Dowitchers (of both subspecies). Once it was pointed out, it seemed pretty obvious, but, not being a patient birder, it is doubtful I'd have ever picked it out myself. I did, however, come up with a White-rumped Sandpiper (rare for the time of year) at that stop, and a Pectoral Sandpiper up at the dogleg. When Bob and I made a second loop, I also managed to find in the heron roost in the big cedars at the dogleg an immature Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, which was a

Yellow-crowned Night-Heron

year bird for Bob. Our only disappointments were that we were unable to come up with an oystercatcher or Stilt Sandpiper. 

I was there for 8 1/2 hours and recorded 68 species. Probably a walk in the woods would have padded the list with some passerines but it would have been an extremely fly-bitten walk. 

Canada Goose  40

Mute Swan  25

Wood Duck  2

Mallard  27

Mourning Dove  4

Clapper Rail  1    Heard

American Avocet  8    Exact count

Black-bellied Plover  3

Semipalmated Plover  4

Ruddy Turnstone  1

Least Sandpiper  6

White-rumped Sandpiper  1    Crossed wings at tail, larger size

Pectoral Sandpiper  1

Semipalmated Sandpiper  200

Western Sandpiper  1

Short-billed Dowitcher  85

Long-billed Dowitcher  1

Spotted Sandpiper  1    Exit Pond

Greater Yellowlegs  8

Willet  2

Lesser Yellowlegs  5

Laughing Gull  200

Ring-billed Gull  2    Dogleg

Herring Gull  60

Great Black-backed Gull  5    Dogleg

Least Tern  5

Gull-billed Tern  25

Caspian Tern  3

Common Tern  3

Forster's Tern  30

Black Skimmer  45

Double-crested Cormorant  100

Least Bittern  1

Great Blue Heron  5

Great Egret  50

Snowy Egret  15

Black-crowned Night-Heron  8    Four in cedar at dogleg

Yellow-crowned Night-Heron  1

Glossy Ibis  80

Turkey Vulture  2

Osprey  15

Bald Eagle  1

Willow Flycatcher  1    Heard Overlook

Eastern Kingbird  2    One at overlook, one at Gull Pond

American Crow  1

Fish Crow  5

Northern Rough-winged Swallow  10

Purple Martin  40

Tree Swallow  10

Barn Swallow  2

House Wren  1    Heard Parking Lot

Marsh Wren  15

Carolina Wren  1    Heard upland

European Starling  30

Gray Catbird  4

Northern Mockingbird  2

American Robin  1    Parking lot

American Goldfinch  3

Chipping Sparrow  2

Field Sparrow  1    Heard

Seaside Sparrow  3

Saltmarsh Sparrow  1

Song Sparrow  4

Eastern Towhee  1    Heard

Red-winged Blackbird  30

Common Yellowthroat  3

Northern Cardinal  1

Blue Grosbeak  1    Singing at intersection of Gull Pond Road and entrance to Wildlife Drive

Brig 7/11--Western Sandpiper, Black Tern

Yesterday I thought I'd go to Brig to try to find the Ruff at the dogleg (actually a Reeve, since it was a female, a much more difficult bird to identify) but a little tropical storm got in the way. On the off chance (there's that phrase again) that the bird would still be hanging out there, and hoping that maybe something else interesting would have been blown in by the storm, I went down early this morning. Of course, I had no luck with the Ruff/Reeve (nor, apparently, did anyone else) but I still had a good day. 

For one thing, I ran into a few birders I hadn't seen in a long time and we spent a while going through the birds at the dogleg. Migration has started, again, and it was good to see Spotted Sandpipers, Short-billed Dowitchers, Semipalmated Plovers, Least Sandpipers, etc, again after a couple months hiatus. There was even a few Western Sandpipers, one of which I was willing to list when it was pointed out to me--it was just on the edge of being a "if you say so" bird but I could see the longer bill, the slightly larger size, and so forth. I didn't realize until I got home that it was my FOY WESA. I assumed I'd had one in the winter, but the winter seems years ago now. 

Before that, I did a walk I like, from the parking lot to Goose Marker #4 then turn around and walk to the Gull Pond before returning to the parking lot via the fly infested corridor that was once part of a railroad bed. Down at the Gull Pond I was surprised and happy to see a Black Tern fluttering over the water. I was able to follow it as it flew across the path into the next pond, the back again, but lost it long before I could even think about taking a photo. My first thought was, "Great, there's no one else here." However, it turns out that this time of year, Black Tern isn't especially rare, and I was pleased to see that later in the day someone else listed the bird in the same spot. In alternate plumage, not that hard a bird to identify, but still, I doubt myself sometimes. 

American Avocets continue at Brig, in ever increasing numbers. First I saw 3 avocets with my friend, then later, once I was driving around, I had 7 a little farther up the drive. On my second go round I had 10 in once spot (7+3, duh). The avocets and the Black-necked Stilts earlier, take the sting out of not going to Bombay Hook this year. 

7 American Avocets

10 American Avocets

For my 2 trips around in 6 3/4 hours I had 61 species. 

Canada Goose  125

Mute Swan  25

Mallard  20

American Black Duck  4

Mourning Dove  8

Ruby-throated Hummingbird  1

Clapper Rail  4

American Avocet  10    

Semipalmated Plover  2

Least Sandpiper  15

Semipalmated Sandpiper  2

Western Sandpiper  1

Short-billed Dowitcher  3

Spotted Sandpiper  5

Greater Yellowlegs  14

Willet  25

Lesser Yellowlegs  1

Laughing Gull  100

Ring-billed Gull  1

Herring Gull  20

Great Black-backed Gull  5

Least Tern  19

Gull-billed Tern  2

Caspian Tern  6

Black Tern  1    

Common Tern  3

Forster's Tern  30

Black Skimmer  22

Double-crested Cormorant  10

Great Blue Heron  9

Great Egret  16

Snowy Egret  25

Black-crowned Night-Heron  4    Dogleg. 3 in Cedar tree

Glossy Ibis  40

Osprey  17

Downy Woodpecker  1

Willow Flycatcher  1    Heard

Eastern Phoebe  1

Blue Jay  1    Heard

American Crow  1    Heard

Fish Crow  10

Tufted Titmouse  1    Heard

Purple Martin  10

Tree Swallow  30

Barn Swallow  6

House Wren  2    Heard

Marsh Wren  7

Carolina Wren  3    Heard

European Starling  120

Gray Catbird  8

Eastern Bluebird  3

American Robin  1

American Goldfinch  5

Chipping Sparrow  2

Field Sparrow  1    Heard

Seaside Sparrow  3

Eastern Towhee  1

Red-winged Blackbird  100

Boat-tailed Grackle  1    dogleg

Common Yellowthroat  5

Northern Cardinal  1    Parking lot

Common Tern

Whitesbog 7/6--Common Nighthawk

Just after dawn, I was standing on the double-laned road at Whitesbog, which is the marker for the boundary between Burlington and Ocean Counties. (The true boundary line is about 100 feet to the east, but for convenience anything to the west of road is Burlco, anything to the east Ocean.) Looking up there were, as I had hoped there would be if I arrived early enough, 3 Common Nighthawks swooping over the Upper Bog, beautiful birds with the white wing patches on the primaries easily discerned in the brightening sky. I was looking west, into Burlington County. I wanted nighthawks for my Ocean County list.

Now, technically, according to eBird protocols, all I had to do was run north down the road, make a right, run another 100 feet east, turn around and see the birds from Ocean County to put them on my Ocean County list. But that's stupid. The birds would still be in Burlington County. Every birding list is a record of a survey (the level of formality changes with the circumstances) and it is a survey of where the birds are not where the birder's feet are. 

Instead, I rooted for the birds to turn around and fly toward me. They were stubborn for a few minutes, but finally one flew above me, then, as I turned around I saw it flying over the water in Ocean County. I had my check mark even if I was still standing in Burlington County. 

And that's how I started my day--with unmitigated silliness. 

The rest of the morning was spent walking my usual routes--along the eastern edge of Union Pond, around Ditch Meadow (Wood Duck) in Burlington County, then going into Ocean County up along the road past the dogleg, over to Big Tank, the Upper Reservoir (a big flock of Tree Swallows, + Brown Thrasher, Orchard Oriole), west along the woods, turn south  and over the dike between the old reservoirs (lots of Eastern Kingbirds), west past the flooded blueberry field and then north along the double-laned road to where I have been parking lately.

In all 34 species for the morning, respectable for a hot, summer morning in the Pine Barrens.

Wood Duck

Mourning Dove

Yellow-billed Cuckoo

Common Nighthawk

Great Blue Heron

Hairy Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Eastern Wood-Pewee

Eastern Phoebe

Great Crested Flycatcher

Eastern Kingbird

American Crow

Fish Crow

Tufted Titmouse

Tree Swallow

White-breasted Nuthatch

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

Carolina Wren

Gray Catbird

Brown Thrasher

Northern Mockingbird

Eastern Bluebird

American Robin

Cedar Waxwing

Field Sparrow

Song Sparrow

Swamp Sparrow

Eastern Towhee

Orchard Oriole

Red-winged Blackbird

Common Grackle

Ovenbird

Common Yellowthroat

Pine Warbler

Waretown 7/1--Royal Tern, White Ibis

White Ibis

I had a mid-morning appointment which didn't leave me enough time to do any serious birding beforehand, so instead I did a little bit of chasing for a county rarity. I headed down to Bay Parkway in Waretown, which splits the Sands Point Preserve, a nice marsh which fronts onto Barnegat Bay. This is usually a winter spot--a good place to scope waterfowl--but obviously marshes attract waders and shorebirds in the summer. 

Unfortunately, it was high tide when I got there around 8 and the only two waders in the marsh were the Greats: Great Blue Heron (atop a tree), & a Great Egret. A few oystercatchers and Willets were chasing around the marsh, and of course lots of Laughing Gulls. Then I heard a screech, what Scott Barnes describes as paper being torn in half, and I looked up to find my FOY Royal Tern flying north up the bay. Not the bird I wanted, but at least a new bird for the year.

I took a short, uneventful walk around nearby Eno's Pond, went to my appointment, then home, by which time we were having a heavy thunderstorm, so I figured that killed the birding opportunities for the day. But about an hour later, the skies were sunny and an eBird alert came in that now, presumably at a lower tide, the bird I wanted--a White Ibis--was feeding in the marsh. It is about a half hour drive from here to Waretown depending on how many stop lights you hit on Lacey Road and Rte 9, and I was a little hesitant to make a 2nd trip, but I really like White Ibises and though they seem to be something of a New Jersey common rarity to make an oxymoron, they are still rare enough, so I put my shoes on and drove back down where I immediately found the two Greats again along with 3 Snow Egrets and no ibis. The rain had started again and I was not wearing rain gear so was I happy when another white wader deep in the high grass turned out to have a big, curved, red bill. 

I spent about 8 minutes there, which breaks the rule I adopted from another birder that you should stay in a place at least as long as it takes you to make the round trip, but the rain was heavier and the target bird checked off. 

For my two trips to Waretown I noted 20 species:

Mute Swan

American Oystercatcher

Willet

Laughing Gull

Herring Gull

Royal Tern

Double-crested Cormorant

Great Blue Heron

Great Egret

Snowy Egret

White Ibis

Osprey

Barn Swallow

European Starling

Northern Mockingbird

House Sparrow

Song Sparrow

Red-winged Blackbird

Boat-tailed Grackle

Common Yellowthroat