Island Beach SP 9/24--Lincoln's Sparrow

Sparrows, particularly winter sparrows, seemed to be the theme of the day at Island Beach today. I don't know what it portends for the autumn and winter, but 3 sparrows I found today were "rare" this time of year according to eBird. It actually got a little tiresome. Last week when I was there on Scott's field trip, I dumped all my species into one list for Island Beach SP even though right there on the hot spot it says "please consider using a more specific location." It's too hard to make a list for every location when you're trying to keep up with a group. But today, as I usually do, I did make a list for each of my 5 stops, and by the time I got down to Spizzle Creek, I was sick of describing White-throated Sparrows and Dark-eyed Juncos. They're everywhere in the park. They may be early, but they're not rare. Then, along the entrance path to Spizzle, I saw a juvenile White-crowned Sparrow, also, you guessed it, rare. I saw as many sparrows species today as I did warbler species. Migration is shifting and/or I'm lousy at finding warblers. With Red-breasted Nuthatches abundant again this year, after a hiatus last year, it looks like it might be an interesting during the cold weather. 

Dark-eyed Junco and White-throated Sparrows, Spizzle Creek

I also found Savannah Sparrows in the dump and, most interesting to me, a Lincoln's Sparrow popped up in the reeds along the muddy path to the blind at Spizzle Creek. I've seen one there in the past. I knew immediately it wasn't a Song Sparrow when I saw the creamy, striped chest. 

Northern Waterthrush with Snickers Wrapper, Reed's Road

I started the day before the park officially opened birding along the alley between the park and the houses on 24th street. It wasn't as busy as on Saturday but still good. Reed's Road was pretty quiet until I hit the beach where at least there were Northern Waterthrushes and sparrows to watch. Judging from other lists I saw from there contemporaneous with my walk, I didn't do very well--they listed about twice what I found. I didn't feel like spending more time there then I did because I was having one of those "where I am, I should be somewhere else" days and I was anxious to hit as many trails as I could looking for something "good." 

The Tidal Pond Trail had 3 Black-throated Blue Warblers on it, two gorgeous males and a female and Johnny Allen's Cove Trail had Swamp Sparrow. Spizzle was the only spot I saw any waders and I recorded no shorebirds today at all. My last stop was going to be the Winter Anchorage, but the parking lot was full. If the parking lot was full, I reasoned, then there were probably too many crabbers and kayakers out there discouraging any birds from hanging out on the sandbars--which, from Spizzle Creek, didn't look like they were exposed very much anyway he said munching on sour grapes. 

For the 5 stops I managed 46 species. Not much compared to last Saturday, but it was like a rehearsal for fall birding. 

Species   Location

Mute Swan   Reed's Road

Mallard   Reed's Road

Mourning Dove   IBSP Alley

Laughing Gull   Reed's Road

Herring Gull   Reed's Road

Great Black-backed Gull   Tidal Pond Trail & Dump

Double-crested Cormorant   Reed's Road

Great Egret   Spizzle Creek Blind Trail

Tricolored Heron   Spizzle Creek Blind Trail

Black-crowned Night-Heron   Spizzle Creek Blind Trail

Osprey   Tidal Pond Trail & Dump

Belted Kingfisher   Reed's Road

Northern Flicker   IBSP Alley

Merlin   Spizzle Creek Blind Trail

Least Flycatcher   Johnny Allen's Cove Trail

Eastern Phoebe   Reed's Road

Red-eyed Vireo   Tidal Pond Trail & Dump

Blue Jay   Reed's Road

Red-breasted Nuthatch   IBSP Alley

Marsh Wren   Johnny Allen's Cove Trail

Carolina Wren   Tidal Pond Trail & Dump

Gray Catbird   IBSP Alley

Brown Thrasher   Reed's Road

Northern Mockingbird   Tidal Pond Trail & Dump

American Robin   Reed's Road

House Sparrow   IBSP Alley

Chipping Sparrow   Tidal Pond Trail & Dump

Dark-eyed Junco   Reed's Road

White-crowned Sparrow   Spizzle Creek Blind Trail

White-throated Sparrow   Reed's Road

Savannah Sparrow   Tidal Pond Trail & Dump

Song Sparrow   IBSP Alley

Lincoln's Sparrow   Spizzle Creek Blind Trail

Swamp Sparrow   Johnny Allen's Cove Trail

Eastern Towhee   Reed's Road

Red-winged Blackbird   IBSP Alley

Northern Waterthrush   Reed's Road

Nashville Warbler   Reed's Road

Common Yellowthroat   IBSP Alley

American Redstart   IBSP Alley

Northern Parula   IBSP Alley

Magnolia Warbler   Spizzle Creek Blind Trail

Black-throated Blue Warbler   Tidal Pond Trail & Dump

Palm Warbler   Johnny Allen's Cove Trail

Yellow-rumped Warbler   Reed's Road

Northern Cardinal   IBSP Alley