September 26 - Meadowlands

I made the short trip to the DeKorte Park in the Meadowlands to see the Sora rail, which I had not seen since 2007. There were at least 3 of these seen today, and two were incredibly close.

Photo by Michael L. Baird

Also seen today was Least Bittern. Blue-Winged Teal, Northern Pintail, Northern Shoveler. Pectoral Sandpiper, Western Sandpiper, Dunlin, Long-Billed Dowitcher and both Yellowlegs species

September 14 --> 18 - Cape May visit

A week long trip here with my wife had nice weather and great birds, highlighted by the very rare sighting for New Jersey of a Cinnamon Teal. This is only the 4th ever record of this species in NJ.
credit: Michael O'Brien


credit: Mike Crewe

Besides time in Cape May, I also visited Stone Harbor and Brigantine NWR.

Here is the full trip list of 140 species:
Cackling Goose
Canada Goose
Mute Swan
American Wigeon
American Black Duck
Mallard
Blue-winged Teal
Green-winged Teal
Cinnamon Teal
Surf Scoter
Black Scoter
Common Loon
Pied-billed Grebe
Brown Pelican
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Snowy Egret
Little Blue Heron
Tricolored Heron
Green Heron
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Glossy Ibis
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Osprey
Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Cooper's Hawk
Broad-winged Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
American Kestrel
Merlin
Peregrine Falcon
Common Moorhen
Semipalmated Plover
Piping Plover
Killdeer
American Oystercatcher
Spotted Sandpiper
Solitary Sandpiper
Greater Yellowlegs
Willet
Lesser Yellowlegs
Whimbrel
Ruddy Turnstone
Sanderling
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper
Pectoral Sandpiper
Stilt Sandpiper
Short-billed Dowitcher
Long-billed Dowitcher
Laughing Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Caspian Tern
Common Tern
Forster's Tern
Royal Tern
Black Skimmer
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Chimney Swift
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
Alder Flycatcher
Least Flycatcher
Eastern Phoebe
Eastern Kingbird
White-eyed Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Fish Crow
Purple Martin
Tree Swallow
Barn Swallow
Carolina Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
House Wren
Marsh Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
Northern Parula
Yellow Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Cape May Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Palm Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
American Redstart
Worm-eating Warbler
Northern Waterthrush
Common Yellowthroat
Eastern Towhee
Savannah Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Blue Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting
Bobolink
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Baltimore Oriole
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow
Roseate Spoonbill
Snow Goose
Northern Shoveler
Northern Pintail
Black-bellied Plover
American Golden-Plover
American Avocet
Marbled Godwit
Western Sandpiper
White-rumped Sandpiper
Dunlin
Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow
Seaside Sparrow
Boat-tailed Grackle

September 6 - Brigantine

A return trip here was done today, thanks to my friend John who came to my house after I was initially going to drive, but last night found a nail in my tire. And I'm glad I did not miss this trip as we had very nice views of a trio of Hudsonian Godwits

We also had terrific flight views of the Roseate Spoonbill as this bird continues its long stay here.

Here is today's list:

Canada Goose
American Wigeon
American Black Duck
Mallard
Blue-winged Teal
Northern Shoveler
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Snowy Egret
Little Blue Heron
Tricolored Heron
Green Heron
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Glossy Ibis
Roseate Spoonbill
Turkey Vulture
Osprey
Northern Harrier
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Merlin
Peregrine Falcon
Clapper Rail
Black-bellied Plover
Semipalmated Plover
American Oystercatcher
Spotted Sandpiper
Greater Yellowlegs
Willet
Lesser Yellowlegs
Whimbrel
Hudsonian Godwit
Marbled Godwit
Ruddy Turnstone
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Western Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper
White-rumped Sandpiper
Buff-breasted Sandpiper
Short-billed Dowitcher
Long-billed Dowitcher
Laughing Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Caspian Tern
Black Tern
Common Tern
Forster's Tern
Royal Tern
Black Skimmer
Mourning Dove
Eastern Kingbird
White-eyed Vireo
American Crow
Tree Swallow
Barn Swallow
Savannah Sparrow
Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow
Seaside Sparrow
Bobolink
Red-winged Blackbird
American Goldfinch