August Review--Heavy on the Oregon

Brandt's Cormorant, Haystack Rock

Spending the first 9 days of the month in Oregon obviously gives the month list a western tilt, with 93 LIFE and/or year birds. The rest of the month was a challenge. I have, for the last few years, spent almost every day of August at Whitesbog, which, when the bogs are drawn down, becomes a shorebird refuge, with many (oxymoronically) rarities regularly showing up. Whitesbog's proprietor does this either as a kindness when he doesn't need the water in those reservoirs, or, like last year, when he desperately needs it. This year, alas, he is holding the water in reserve for the harvest. Thus, no shorebirds. Or more precisely, few shorebirds. I've seen some yellowlegs and sandpipers flying over, looking forlornly for a place to set down. Yesterday on the Ocean County side, at Big Tank which is very low for this time, I had 4 species wandering around on the mud flats. But unlike last year, it doesn't look like I'm going to get a Buff-breasted Sandpiper there.  

Common  Murre, Yaquina

So, for the remaining 3 weeks of the month, I only added 5 new birds to the list--I could have had more but I deliberately stayed away from the ocean and bay hot spots except for one excursion to Brig, because I didn't want to deal with all the annoyances both vertebrate and invertebrate. The last new bird for the year came this morning while I was slogging (literally) through Jumping Brook Preserve--the beavers there have transformed the trails into rivers--when, way in the back, near the Ft Dix border, I found my first Least Flycatcher of the year. I also heard an Upland Sandpiper flush from somewhere and fly overhead--not entirely surprising given the proximity to Lakehurst. Not a year bird since I went up to Monmouth county to see one, but a good county bird, as the only reliable place in OC to see them, the aforementioned Lakehurst, is a spot I no longer get to. 

For the month, I had 248 species, the first 185 coming in Oregon. The Least Flycatcher brought the year total up to exactly 350.

Counties birded:

New Jersey: Atlantic, Burlington, Monmouth, Ocean

Oregon: Benton, Clatsop, Crook, Deschutes, Harney, Hood River, Lake, Lane, Lincoln, Linn,                                 Multnomah, Tillamook, Washington

Species               First Sighting Canada Goose   Cascade Locks Mute Swan   Brig Trumpeter Swan   Summer Lake Wildlife Area Wood Duck   Philomath Sewage Ponds Cinnamon Teal   Philomath Sewage Ponds Northern Shoveler   Philomath Sewage Ponds Gadwall   Philomath Sewage Ponds American Wigeon   Summer Lake Wildlife Area Mallard   Radisson Hotel Lake Northern Pintail   Philomath Sewage Ponds Redhead   Riley Pond Ring-necked Duck   Philomath Sewage Ponds Harlequin Duck   Haystack Rock Surf Scoter   Necanicum Estuary White-winged Scoter   Necanicum Estuary Black Scoter   Yachats SP Hooded Merganser   Brig Ruddy Duck   Riley Pond California Quail   Philomath Sewage Ponds Wild Turkey   35 Sunset Rd Pied-billed Grebe   Philomath Sewage Ponds Eared Grebe   Summer Lake Wildlife Area Western Grebe   Summer Lake Wildlife Area Clark's Grebe   Summer Lake Wildlife Area Rock Pigeon    Seaside Band-tailed Pigeon   Reeher CCC Camp Eurasian Collared-Dove   NW Salzwedel Rd Mourning Dove   NW Salzwedel Rd Yellow-billed Cuckoo   Reeves Bogs Common Nighthawk   Sisters Chimney Swift   Whitesbog Vaux's Swift   Country Inn White-throated Swift   Fort Rock SP Ruby-throated Hummingbird   35 Sunset Rd Black-chinned Hummingbird   Summer Lake Rest Area Anna's Hummingbird   Summer Lake Rest Area Rufous Hummingbird   Reeher CCC Camp Virginia Rail   Summer Lake Wildlife Area Sora   Summer Lake Wildlife Area American Coot   Summer Lake Wildlife Area Sandhill Crane   Cascade Lakes Hwy Black-necked Stilt   Summer Lake Wildlife Area American Avocet   Summer Lake Wildlife Area Black Oystercatcher   Haystack Rock Black-bellied Plover   Summer Lake Wildlife Area Snowy Plover   Summer Lake Wildlife Area Semipalmated Plover   Bay City Oyster Company Killdeer   Bay City Oyster Company Upland Sandpiper   Reed Sod Farm Whimbrel   Brig BLACK TURNSTONE   Seaside Cove SURFBIRD   Seaside Cove Stilt Sandpiper   Brig Baird's Sandpiper   Summer Lake Wildlife Area Least Sandpiper   Bay City Oyster Company White-rumped Sandpiper   Brig Buff-breasted Sandpiper   Reed Sod Farm Pectoral Sandpiper   Brig Semipalmated Sandpiper   Brig Western Sandpiper   Necanicum Estuary Short-billed Dowitcher   Brig Long-billed Dowitcher   Mark Hatfield Trail Wilson's Phalarope   Summer Lake Wildlife Area Red-necked Phalarope   Philomath Sewage Ponds Spotted Sandpiper   Philomath Sewage Ponds Solitary Sandpiper   Palmyra Cove Nature Park Greater Yellowlegs   Philomath Sewage Ponds Willet   Lake Abert Lesser Yellowlegs   Summer Lake Wildlife Area Common Murre   Necanicum Estuary Pigeon Guillemot   Haystack Rock Marbled Murrelet   Seal Rock Rhinoceros Auklet   Seal Rock Tufted Puffin   Haystack Rock Bonaparte's Gull   Mark Hatfield Trail Laughing Gull   Wawa Parking lot Franklin's Gull   Summer Lake Wildlife Area Heermann's Gull   Seaside Cove Ring-billed Gull   Philomath Sewage Ponds Western Gull   Necanicum Estuary California Gull   Cascade Locks Herring Gull   Brig Glaucous-winged Gull   Cascade Locks Least Tern   Brig Gull-billed Tern   Brig Caspian Tern   Necanicum Estuary Black Tern   Pitcher Rd Common Tern   Brig Forster's Tern   Summer Lake Wildlife Area Black Skimmer   Brig Red-throated Loon   Seaside Cove Pacific Loon   Seal Rock Brandt's Cormorant   Haystack Rock Pelagic Cormorant   Seaside Cove Double-crested Cormorant   Country Inn American White Pelican   Summer Lake Wildlife Area Brown Pelican   Necanicum Estuary Great Blue Heron   Radisson Hotel Lake Great Egret   Country Inn Snowy Egret   Brig Little Blue Heron   Brig Tricolored Heron   Cattus Island County Park Green Heron   Whitesbog Black-crowned Night-Heron   Summer Lake Wildlife Area Glossy Ibis   Brig White-faced Ibis   Summer Lake Wildlife Area Black Vulture   Wawa South Toms River Turkey Vulture   Radisson Hotel Lake Osprey   Cascade Locks Golden Eagle   E Hwy 20 Northern Harrier   Cummins Peak Rd, Yachats Cooper's Hawk   Pitcher Rd, Fort Rock Bald Eagle   Necanicum Estuary Red-shouldered Hawk   Philomath Sewage Ponds Swainson's Hawk   CR-5-10 Red-tailed Hawk   Country Inn Ferruginous Hawk   Pitcher Rd Belted Kingfisher   Radisson Hotel Lake Red-breasted Sapsucker   Marys River Park Lewis's Woodpecker   Whispering Pine Campground Red-headed Woodpecker   Colliers Mills WMA Acorn Woodpecker   NW Salzwedel Rd Red-bellied Woodpecker   Whitesbog BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER   McKenzie Hwy Downy Woodpecker   Ona Beach SP Hairy Woodpecker   Sisters Tie Trail WHITE-HEADED WOODPECKER   Sisters Tie Trail Northern Flicker   Country Inn American Kestrel   Banks Peregrine Falcon   Palmyra Cove Nature Park Olive-sided Flycatcher   Reeher CCC Camp Western Wood-Pewee   NW Salzwedel Rd Eastern Wood-Pewee   Whitesbog Willow Flycatcher   Reeher CCC Camp Least Flycatcher   Jumping Brook Preserve Hammond's Flycatcher   Forest Service Road 5590 Gray Flycatcher   Cabin Lake Dusky Flycatcher   Santiam Hwy Western Flycatcher   Reeher CCC Camp Black Phoebe   Philomath Sewage Ponds Eastern Phoebe   Whitesbog Great Crested Flycatcher   Colliers Mills WMA Western Kingbird   McKenzie Hwy Eastern Kingbird   Whitesbog White-eyed Vireo   Whitesbog Hutton's Vireo   Reeher CCC Camp CASSIN'S VIREO   Marys River Park Warbling Vireo   Reeher CCC Camp Red-eyed Vireo   Reeves Bogs Loggerhead Shrike   Fort Rock SP Canada Jay   NW Cochran Rd Pinyon Jay   Cabin Lake Steller's Jay   NW Cochran Rd Blue Jay   Whitesbog California Scrub-Jay   Radisson Hotel Lake Black-billed Magpie   Three Sisters Viewpoint Clark's Nutcracker   McKenzie Hwy American Crow   Country Inn Fish Crow   Brig Common Raven   Reeher CCC Camp Carolina Chickadee   35 Sunset Rd Black-capped Chickadee   Country Inn Mountain Chickadee   Best Western Lot Chestnut-backed Chickadee   Reeher CCC Camp Tufted Titmouse   Whitesbog Horned Lark   Rest Stop US395 Highway  Northern Rough-winged Swallow   Philomath Sewage Ponds Purple Martin   Bay City Oyster Company Tree Swallow   Philomath Sewage Ponds Violet-green Swallow   Radisson Hotel Lake Bank Swallow   Summer Lake Wildlife Area Barn Swallow   Cascade Locks Cliff Swallow   Cascade Locks Wrentit   Cummins Peak Rd Red-breasted Nuthatch   Banks White-breasted Nuthatch   Best Western Lot Pygmy Nuthatch   Best Western Lot Brown Creeper   Marys River Park Blue-gray Gnatcatcher   Whitesbog Rock Wren   Picture Rock Pass Canyon Wren   Picture Rock Pass House Wren   Whitesbog PACIFIC WREN   Ellmaker SP Marsh Wren   Summer Lake Wildlife Area Carolina Wren   Whitesbog Bewick's Wren   Cummins Peak Rd American Dipper   NW Cochran Rd European Starling   Cascade Locks Gray Catbird   Whitesbog Brown Thrasher   Whitesbog Sage Thrasher   Fort Rock SP Northern Mockingbird   Colliers Mills WMA Eastern Bluebird   35 Sunset Rd Western Bluebird   Round Top summit Mountain Bluebird   Fremont Hwy Townsend's Solitaire   Round Top summit Varied Thrush   Forest Service Road 5500 Swainson's Thrush   NW Cochran Rd American Robin   Cascade Locks Cedar Waxwing   Reeher CCC Camp House Sparrow   Cascade Locks Evening Grosbeak   NW Cochran Rd House Finch   Sisters Cassin's Finch   McKenzie Hwy Red Crossbill   Ross Lane Pine Siskin   Cascade Lakes Hwy Lesser Goldfinch   Best Western Lot American Goldfinch   Philomath Sewage Ponds Chipping Sparrow   Trout Creek Butte Rd Field Sparrow   Cranberry Bogs Brewer's Sparrow   Fort Rock SP Fox Sparrow   Forest Service Road 2690 Dark-eyed Junco   Round Top summit White-crowned Sparrow   Country Inn SAGEBRUSH SPARROW   Pitcher Rd Vesper Sparrow   Fort Rock SP Savannah Sparrow   Philomath Sewage Ponds Song Sparrow   NW Cochran Rd Green-tailed Towhee   Trout Creek Butte Rd Spotted Towhee   Reeher CCC Camp Eastern Towhee   Whitesbog Yellow-headed Blackbird   Summer Lake Wildlife Area Western Meadowlark   Pitcher Rd Orchard Oriole   Whitesbog Baltimore Oriole   Cranberry Bogs Red-winged Blackbird   Seaside Cove Brown-headed Cowbird   Summer Lake Wildlife Area Brewer's Blackbird   Cascade Locks Common Grackle   Palmyra Cove Nature Park Ovenbird   Whitesbog Black-and-white Warbler   Palmyra Cove Nature Park Orange-crowned Warbler   Forest Service Road 2690 Nashville Warbler   Reeves Bogs MacGillivray's Warbler   Reeher CCC Camp Common Yellowthroat   Ona Beach SP Northern Parula   Palmyra Cove Nature Park Blackburnian Warbler   Palmyra Cove Nature Park Yellow Warbler   Summer Lake Rest Area Pine Warbler   Whitesbog Yellow-rumped Warbler   Santiam Hwy Prairie Warbler   Reeves Bogs Hermit Warbler   Reeher CCC Camp Wilson's Warbler   NW Cochran Rd Western Tanager   Reeher CCC Camp Northern Cardinal   Whitesbog Black-headed Grosbeak   Reeher CCC Camp Blue Grosbeak   Colliers Mills WMA Indigo Bunting   Colliers Mills WMA Pygmy Nuthatch, Sisters

Reed's Sod Farm 8/29--Upland Sandpiper, Buff-breasted Sandpiper

Upland Sandpiper

I can think of a few ways of birding (pelagics, sea-watching in winter, birding by helicopter) that I like less than "sod-farming," but I would never consider doing them, whereas, occasionally, I just have to grit my teeth, gird my loins, summon up what little patience I have, and stand on a busy road, scoping dirt for an hour or two. 

Late August into September are when the "grasspipers" tend to show up on the sod farms that are sprinkled around Upper Freehold. Usually I don't bother going up there because almost all of the rarities you'll find there show up at Whitesbog, too. However, this year, due to the dry conditions, the bogs there remain full, in reserve (they are reservoirs) for the cranberry harvest. Hence, no shorebird season there. 

Even still, I wouldn't necessarily go up there. I dislike standing on the side of a road as cars and big trucks zoom by a couple of feet away from me, disrupting my scope view and my so-called concentration. I dislike standing still waiting for a rarity to climb up out of a little depression in the dirt (it is amazing how hilly these supposedly flat sod farms are when you're looking for a small bird). And they're always far away. And they tend to be skittish. And the landmarks you're given by other birders usually make no sense. But Upland Sandpiper drew me to the sod farm on York Road. Since I don't go onto the naval base in Lakehurst anymore, my only chance to see an uppie is when they decide to migrate and sporadically show up in odd places. 

I got up to Herbert Road fairly early this morning and parked in the Union Transportation Trail lot--that's another problem with sod farming, parking is usually difficult. I walked down Herbert about 4/10 of a mile to a field on the north side of the road, one that I'd never seen stripped of grass. A couple of other birders were already there and fairly quickly they got me on the 4 Buff-breasted Sandpipers that were in the field. Those, for some reason, I figured would stay. The uppie I had few expectations of seeing, since they tend to be a bit more flighty, but you definitely won't see one if you don't go. Before long, one of the birders found the uppie. A couple of other birders came along, and they too found the uppie. Eventually, everyone found the uppie, either flying with the buffies or standing in the grass beyond the dirt. Everyone but me. No matter where I looked, the bird had just moved. No matter what landmarks I was given (dark trunk, tall blade of grass, blue box), I couldn't find the bird. And since I am a believer that effort expended is in inverse proportion to value, I gave up. I walked up and down the UTT, just to get my steps in. Nothing very interesting bird-wise was going on.

I went back to the same spot on Herbert Road. A fresh set of birders were there. They excitedly told me about the buffies. Then someone found the Upland Sandpiper. Here we go again. A guy next to me had the bird in his scope. I looked at it (yay) then tried to find it in my scope, because you know, it isn't official until you see it in your own scope. I scanned back and forth on the edge where the dirt dipped down to grass and could not find the bird. Checked his scope again. Scanned back and forth until I determined I hadn't gone far enough right. Found the damn bird. Took a lousy digiscope of it. Left.

Three American Golden-Plovers were reported a different field about 3 miles away. I thought about it. Nah.