February 23 - Boreal Chickadee in New Jersey !

This morning began at Long Island New York's Jones Beach.  We took the long walk from the West End 2 lot toward the jetty at Jones Inlet.  Our walk was worth it as we enjoyed the three Harlequin Ducks from very close range.  A surprise seen upon the jetty amongst the many Dunlin was a Red Knot, and it was in very nice plumage for a winter bird.
A stop at the Coast Guard Station yielded news of a nearby Northern Saw-Whet Owl that we viewed while eating a vole.  We weren't eating the vole the Owl was !

On the way home we stopped at Orchard Beach. Here we saw lots of evidence of other owls but we could not locate any here today.  Noteworthy here was a confiding male Pileated Woodpecker that gave very long looks as he searched for insects in a tree along the path by the beach.

Once home there was a report of a Boreal Chickadee being seen in New Jersey, something that hasn't occurred in about 35 years !  My wife was generous and took the ride out west one hour to the Merrill Creek Reservoir's Visitor Center. Alas, the bird had last been seen about 20 minutes before I arrived.
While others stood around looking at the feeders where it was most frequently being seen, I decided to watch the pines and brush about 150 feet away. After about 45 minutes I was able to get a couple of brief looks at the Boreal Chickadee ! 

click to enlarge

credit: Chuck H.

 

February 17 - Coastal Connecticut

With not many rare birds being present in New Jersey this weekend we decided to head 2.5 hours north along the coast of Connecticut. Our first destination was in New London's Ocean Beach Park.
Here a long-staying King Eider has been present since December.  The bird was seen eating lots of mussels and was incredibly close and on very calm water.

click to enlarge.  Credit: Unknown

We then headed back towards home, with the first stop being at Madison's Hammonasset State Park.
Here we had great looks at a nicely plumaged Lapland Longspur. In most years this species can be seen in good numbers out at New York's Jones Beach and other coastal beaches.  However this year has been bitterly cold but without much snow cover making this Lapland the only one I have seen at all.

Our final stop was at Greenwich Point Park, a return trip for me as I has been out here just 2 weeks ago.  We easily found the Black-Headed Gull, and also the pair of Great_Horned Owls in the Holly Grove.  Nearby we check some other  pines and  Andy was able to spot a Northern Saw-Whet Owl !

February 10 - Townsend's Warbler

Today we went out southwest to Trenton to visit it's Sewage Treatment Plant.  I'm not kidding !
Attracted to the continually flowing water and the insects that thrive here all winter long was a western vagrant in the form of Townsend's Warbler.
This is my first east coast sighting of this species, and it is quite the beauty:

Afterward we went to Assunpink Wildlife Management Area to see the pair of Trumpeter Swans.
On our way back home we spotted a large flock of over 5,000 Snow Geese.  We scanned the flock for a bit and Andy was able to locate a Ross' Goose within the flock.