Sandy Hook 9/16--Purple Finch

The best thing about fall* (and early winter) birding is that you get a second chance at birds you missed in the winter & spring. Red-breasted Nuthatches, which were non-existent the first 3 or 4 months of the year, are now a ho-hum bird this season. Another bird I missed earlier in the year appeared today at Sandy Hook, where Shari & I went for Scott's field trip--a Purple Finch seen in a tree next to a Scarlet Tanager. The tanager was seen well, eating a dragonfly-type insect; the Purple Finch was not seen so well by me, the tail feathers at first, then a brief silhouette, then a flying away bird. If I hadn't heard it call (a funny little warble) I probably wouldn't have even counted the bird.

Scarlet Tanager (male in basic plumage) eating an insect

While the warbler situation wasn't as dire as it had been on Friday, they were still scarce. More frustrating than anything was the report of a Connecticut Warbler which we got when we were close by the location. These warblers are hard to find under the best of circumstances--I didn't like the chances of 15 birds bushwhacking through dense shrubbery to find the bird and I was right. A few of our group saw movement, or a piece of the bird, but despite sitting there for what seemed a very long time, I didn't even see that. 

Still, a fun day with my wife and friends and a few new month and county birds for the obsessive lister aspect of my personality.

46 species
Canada Goose 43
Rock Pigeon 2
Mourning Dove 4
American Oystercatcher 7 Spermaceti Cove
Black-bellied Plover 10 Spermaceti Cove
Whimbrel 1 Spermaceti Cove
Spotted Sandpiper 1 Plum Island
Greater Yellowlegs 4 Spermaceti Cove flyover
Willet 2 Spermaceti Cove
Laughing Gull 20
Herring Gull 25
Great Black-backed Gull 10
Double-crested Cormorant 13
Great Blue Heron 3
Great Egret 2 Spermaceti Cove
Snowy Egret 3 Spermaceti Cove
Turkey Vulture 1
Osprey 1 Spermaceti Cove
Belted Kingfisher 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 1
American Kestrel 1 Spermaceti Cove
White-eyed Vireo 2 Heard
Tree Swallow 1
Black-capped Chickadee 1
Red-breasted Nuthatch 6
House Wren 1
Carolina Wren 1 Heard
Veery 1 Tennis Courts
Gray Catbird 2
Northern Mockingbird 2
European Starling 1
House Finch 9
Purple Finch 1 Officer's Club with SCTA
American Goldfinch 2
Chipping Sparrow 1
Field Sparrow 2
Seaside Sparrow 1 Plum Island
Song Sparrow 2
Eastern Towhee 1 Heard
Red-winged Blackbird 10 Plum Island
Common Yellowthroat 2
American Redstart 1 Officer's Club
Scarlet Tanager 1 Officer's Club
Northern Cardinal 1
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 1 Female, briefly seen, heard call.

*I know that technically it is still summer, but once that calendar flips over to September, it is fall to me.