May 17 - Garret Mountain

A second consecutive day here produced wonderful results.
17 warbler species were seen, and some great new "year" birds were added to my list.

Today I birded with Rob F. and Bruce McW, and immediately the ridge-top trees were full of birds. Seemingly the most numerous migrants today were Scarlet Tanagers, with many being females. Bay-Breasted warblers were in good numbers with 6+ seen, including 2 in the same view. Others Northern Parula, Yellow, Chestnut-Sided, Magnolia, BT Blue, Yellow-Rumped, BT Green, Blackburnian, Prairie, Blackpoll, Black-and-White, Redstart, Ovenbird, C. Yellowthroat, Wilson's & Canada.

Other specialties seen today were a Black-Billed Cuckoo near the road to the stables, a Yellow-Bellied Flycatcher was nearby as well. Behind the stables we spotted a perched Merlin.

We had an apparent Gray-Cheeked Thrush in the woods behind the typical Louisiana Waterthrush stream, and later a definite one near the Swing Sets area. Lincoln's Sparrows continued with a few late White-Throateds as well. Later I had an adult Bald Eagle flying overhead !


One would be hard-pressed in May to find a better spot in Northern New Jersey to easily see these migrating birds.