Whitesbog | Colliers Mills | Backyard 4/28--Great Crested Flycatcher, Eastern Kingbird, Warbling Vireo, House Wren, Hooded Warbler

Great Crested Flycatcher, Whitesbog

Despite hundreds of trips to Brig, I always feel like it's not my territory, that I'm just a visitor there, whereas at Whitesbog, I always feel at home. So after yesterday's trip, I went to Whitesbog this morning, despite it probably not being the best place to be on a good migration day.  Not that I did badly there, but I could have done better in any number of other spots, but they aren't "my" spots. To quote Firesign Theatre (really dating myself here), "How can you be two places at once when you're not anywhere at all?" 

Eastern Kingbird, Whitesbog

After checking out the Lower Bog on the Burlington side and seeing that it was already filled past shorebird interest, I parked at "my" spot by the county line and walked into Ocean, doing a route that took me past most of the birdy spots there, including the dogleg, Big Tank, Upper Reservoir, and some obscure bogs along Antrim Creek. At the corner of Big Tank and the cross dike I finally saw my first Gray Catbird of the month and for the county. A few overwintered in Monmouth County this year, but it took this look to tick the bird down here. Of course, after seeing the first one, the floodgates opened and they were all over today. Then, by the Upper Reservoir, I saw my first Eastern Kingbirds of the year hunting in the marsh and posing on branches and bushes. 

Wood Ducks, Whitesbog

I walked out to the Antrim Creek bogs which haven't been used in 50 or 60 years. If you think the bogs along Cranberry Run look abandoned, you should see these. They're more like swamps than bogs now. I flushed a couple of Wood Ducks back there and while I was admiring them out of the corner of my ear I heard a familiar song. I had to hear it a few times to be certain and the bird was very obliging in that regard. It was calling from the other side of the bog and there was no way I could search for it due to a breach there, but it was my first Whitesbog Hooded Warbler, not to mention my FOY. 

Walking back to to the car on "main road" I heard a "weep" then a few seconds the same call again. Uncharacteristically, for me, I stood in one spot for a few minutes until the bird appeared so I could be certain that it was a Great Crested Flycatcher I'd heard; and, it was. 

It was only around 11 by the time I'd done my 3 1/2 mile ambulation; I thought going to Colliers Mills might be worth a trip. By the time I got there the day had turned hot for the first time this year. I saw Greg & Jeanine there and they'd had a fabulous morning, but they were leaving and told me it was getting quiet. I did however first hear, then in another spot, see, the year's first Warbling Vireo. Colliers Mills is the easiest place around for them and didn't disappoint this year. I was trying to bird Hawkin Road where it was shady and the trees were just leafing out, but I discovered that you cannot bird and talk to a car salesman at the same time. After a half hour on the phone I didn't feel like walking the rest of the way up the road, so I quit for the day with only a puny 16 species observed. 

Mike texted me that he'd had a Rose-breasted Grosbeak at his feeder this morning. We get them annually, but when I got home and saw mostly empty feeders, I knew we wouldn't attract one with that stingy buffet. As I was filling up the squirrel buster feeders I heard a bird scolding, maybe it was me it was scolding, or maybe, being a House Wren, it was just in a mood, but looking up I saw it perched on a broken branch. House Wren is an annual yard bird for us (and everyone else I suppose). We've never had a bluebird in the box we set up, but the House Wrens have made it a false nest a few times. 

All in all a decent day. As I said, I could've done better elsewhere, but every morning I ask myself where do I want to be instead of where should I be. 

Tree Swallow investigating a nest hole, Whitesbog