An Inauspicious Start to the Year

House Finches & American Goldfinch

Normally, Shari & I would do a Kick Off The New Year trip up at Sandy Hook with Scott, but this year, due to a conflict with the Long Branch CBC, they're kicking off the year a day late, when I'm birding Manahawkin with Mike for the Barnegat CBC.  It was just as well because the weather was miserable today--a persistent rain ranging from drizzle to showers. 

So I thought I'd stay home and bird from the back windows. For the record, my first bird of 2022 was a House Finch. Better than a starling, I suppose. But by around 9:30, when there looked like there might be a brief break in the weather, I got in the car and drove over to my reliable spot, Whitesbog. The Burlco side yielded a few Canada Geese in Rome Pond and nothing in Union Pond where I would expect to find the Tundra Swans.  I was going to drive up to the Upper Reservoir where they sometimes relocate, when I saw my friend and his dog walking right by "my" parking spot. So instead, I walked with him over to Little Tank, which is partially drained, and helped me reorient one of his Wood Duck boxes. He thought it wasn't used this year because it wasn't facing a good landing spot for the ducklings which jump out of the nest to start their independent lives. I'd never walked that spot before, and he told me that the trail continued for about a mile and that in spring it is a pretty good warbler spot. The more you walk Whitesbog, the bigger it gets. 

We parted and despite the rain I decided to walk up to the reservoir, even though he'd told me no swans were about. They could always fly in I thought. But no, it was sparrows that were prevalent on the trails, a large flock of juncos, quite a few Song Sparrows, and the bird of the day for me, a pair of American Tree Sparrows on the reservoir road. 

Finally, as I was driving out on Rome Road, two Tundra Swans flew overhead. There should be dozens there by now, so that bodes ill to me. All in all, an inauspicious start to the year with only 21 species tallied, but tomorrow should improve, both weather and bird wise. 

Species                First Sighting
Canada Goose   Whitesbog
Tundra Swan   Whitesbog
Hooded Merganser   Whitesbog
Mourning Dove   35 Sunset Rd
Belted Kingfisher   Whitesbog
Downy Woodpecker   35 Sunset Rd
Hairy Woodpecker   35 Sunset Rd
Blue Jay   35 Sunset Rd
American Crow   Whitesbog
Carolina Chickadee   35 Sunset Rd
Tufted Titmouse   35 Sunset Rd
Golden-crowned Kinglet   Whitesbog
White-breasted Nuthatch   35 Sunset Rd
Northern Mockingbird   35 Sunset Rd
Hermit Thrush   Whitesbog
House Finch   35 Sunset Rd
American Goldfinch   35 Sunset Rd
American Tree Sparrow   Whitesbog
Dark-eyed Junco   35 Sunset Rd
White-throated Sparrow   35 Sunset Rd
Song Sparrow   Whitesbog