The Fork-Tailed Flycatcher which had been found late on Saturday afternoon at the Assunpink Wildlife Management Area. This WMA is located near Millstone, NJ in the southwestern part of Monmouth County.
I arrived at the stakeout spot just past 9 a.m, and met fellow birder Simon Lane. We walked into the large field and immediately Simon was on the bird ! Initially we were both put off for just a moment as the bird was showing it's yellow crown-stripe in a manner I had never seen before. Perhaps it had something to do with the rain ?
Nevertheless we were not far form the bird and binoculars were all that was needed to get nice views of this beauty from Central America.
Here's some shots by friend Larry Scacchetti which were taken yesterday before the rain came in.
Click to enlarge:
I had last seen this species back in 2013, and prior to that back in 2010. Oddly both of those records are from Connecticut, so this sighting becomes my 380th bird seen within New Jersey !
