February Summary--Rarities

Sandhill Cranes in Ditch Meadow

For a dreary month with under a hundred species I am pretty happy with my February birding mainly because of the three rarities on the list (chronicled here, here, & here). Two of them I found on my own, always more exciting than chasing after a bird, and the Sandhill Cranes at Whitesbog that I found have always been my dream bird for that spot. Although my listing is the first for Whitesbog that record has to have an asterisk attached since my informant, who does not list, has seen them there previously. 

Rome Pond

I was glad to get them on both sides of the county line and I was also happy this week to get close enough to them in Ditch Meadow to get decent photos. Yesterday I searched Ditch Meadow again, twice, and didn't find them, but when I was driving out on the road along Rome Pond I scanned for waterfowl and found them feeding there. Whitesbog is big and these birds seem determined to use as much of it as they can. 

Greater White-fronted Goose, Lake Carasaljo

A couple of days after I found the Greater White-fronted Goose at Lake Carasaljo I got a text from Steve that there were three of them at Shelter Cove, no, make that 10, then another text that there were over 20. He and some other birders finally settled on 24, which is a record flock for New Jersey. I didn't make the drive to Toms River for this spectacle because "you only need one." Steve's amusing tale of the rapidly expanding flock can be found here.

Today I ended my birding activities for the month at the Manasquan Reservoir. I still needed Pied-billed Grebe for the year and that's usually a reliable spot to get one or two. I got two. It has been a long time since I tallied under a 100 species for a month but sometimes weather and life work against you. 95 species this month but the list is sprinkled with year birds, including a backyard Pine Siskin and the rare goose, gull, and cranes.

Species                                       First Sighting
Greater White-fronted Goose   Lake Carasaljo
Brant   Manasquan Inlet
Canada Goose   Whitesbog
Mute Swan   Lake of the Lilies
Tundra Swan   Whitesbog
Wood Duck   Lake Carasaljo
Gadwall   Lake of the Lilies
Mallard   Country Lake Estates
American Black Duck   Whitesbog
Northern Pintail   Double Trouble SP
Green-winged Teal   Lake Carasaljo
Canvasback   Lake of the Lilies
Redhead   Lake of the Lilies
Ring-necked Duck   Country Lake Estates
Greater Scaup   Manasquan Inlet
Lesser Scaup   Double Trouble SP
Surf Scoter   Holgate
Black Scoter   Manasquan Inlet
Long-tailed Duck   Manasquan Inlet
Bufflehead   Double Trouble SP
Common Goldeneye   Hideaway Cove
Hooded Merganser   Double Trouble SP
Common Merganser   Lake Carasaljo
Red-breasted Merganser   Manasquan Inlet
Ruddy Duck   Lake of the Lilies
Wild Turkey   35 Sunset Rd
Rock Pigeon   Manasquan Reservoir IBA
Mourning Dove   35 Sunset Rd
American Coot   Lake of the Lilies
Sandhill Crane   Whitesbog
American Oystercatcher   Holgate
Killdeer   Whitesbog
Wilson's Snipe   Cranberry Bogs
Greater Yellowlegs   Bayview Ave Marshes
Sanderling   Manasquan Inlet
Purple Sandpiper   Manasquan Inlet
Black-headed Gull   Bayview Ave Marshes
Ring-billed Gull   Country Lake Estates
American Herring Gull   Whitesbog
Great Black-backed Gull   Lake of the Lilies
Pied-billed Grebe   Manasquan Reservoir IBA
Horned Grebe   Berkeley Island County Park
Red-throated Loon   Manasquan Inlet
Common Loon   Manasquan Inlet
Double-crested Cormorant   Lake of the Lilies
Great Egret   Lake of the Lilies
Great Blue Heron   Whitesbog
Black Vulture   Winding River Park
Turkey Vulture   35 Sunset Rd
Sharp-shinned Hawk   Whitesbog
Cooper's Hawk   Whitesbog
Northern Harrier   Double Trouble SP
Bald Eagle   Lake Carasaljo
Red-tailed Hawk   Pemberton
Eastern Screech-Owl   Whitesbog
Great Horned Owl   Whitesbog
Belted Kingfisher   Waretown
Red-headed Woodpecker   Colliers Mills WMA
Red-bellied Woodpecker   Whitesbog
Downy Woodpecker   35 Sunset Rd
Hairy Woodpecker   Whitesbog
Northern Flicker   Cranberry Bogs
American Kestrel   Pasadena Road
Blue Jay   Whitesbog
American Crow   35 Sunset Rd
Common Raven   Whitesbog
Carolina Chickadee   35 Sunset Rd
Tufted Titmouse   Whitesbog
Horned Lark   Jackson Liberty HS
Tree Swallow   Great Bay Blvd
Golden-crowned Kinglet   Cranberry Bogs
White-breasted Nuthatch   Whitesbog
Red-breasted Nuthatch   Whitesbog Road
Brown Creeper   Winding River Park
Carolina Wren   35 Sunset Rd
European Starling   35 Sunset Rd
Northern Mockingbird   Whitesbog
Eastern Bluebird   35 Sunset Rd
Hermit Thrush   Whitesbog
American Robin   Whitesbog
House Sparrow   Lake of the Lilies
House Finch   35 Sunset Rd
Pine Siskin   35 Sunset Rd
American Goldfinch   Whitesbog
Fox Sparrow   Whitesbog
Dark-eyed Junco   Whitesbog
White-throated Sparrow   Lake Carasaljo
Song Sparrow   Whitesbog
Swamp Sparrow   Double Trouble SP
Red-winged Blackbird   Lake of the Lilies
Common Grackle   Lake Carasaljo
Boat-tailed Grackle   Great Bay Bvld
Pine Warbler   35 Sunset Rd
Yellow-rumped Warbler   Union Transportation Trail
Northern Cardinal   Whitesbog