June 9 - Cape May rarities

Today I spent some time at the Meadows hoping for a Roseate Tern.  While this bird did not show, a nice Black Tern did !  It was nice to see it in full plumage.

 

Little did I know that the bigger surprise would come a bit later. While scanning the sky for Mississippi Kites, I saw a Wood Stork. This species is quite rare in New Jersey, with one being seen last fall. As far as I know the last prior record was in 2001 !

The last time I saw this species was in Florida back in 2001, so this certainly made my day.  Fortunately for others the bird was re-found on Saturday & Sunday mornings. So some friends got to see this bird, which always makes the sighting even more special.  Thanks Lisa, for the photo.

Credit: Lisa Ann Malandrino

June 6 - Cumberland County rarities

This morning I was able to see the singing Lark Sparrow on Ackley Road.

Credit: Glen Tepke

Later on Strawberry Avenue I was able to view a male and a female Dickcissel
On the end at James Moore Road I had nice views of Yellow-Breasted Chat.

Credit: Wikipedia

In Wildwood, in a park across from the Bowling Alley, I saw several pairs of nesting Yellow-Crowned Night-Herons.

May 24 - Orange County's Black-Bellied Ducks

Working a half-day, I was able to have friend Bill E.  join me in heading north to the NJ/NY Stateline. Here we stopped at Oil City Road's Liberty Loop and were able to see the five Black-Bellied Whistling Ducks which had been found the day before.

While enjoying these birds and hearing a Sora calling in the marsh, we also heard & then saw a Sandhill Crane fly overhead !

Other species seen here today were Orchard Orioles, Willow & Alder Flycatchers, and a Black Bear !

May 22 - Tri-County Birding

Today saw a loop through the three NY counties that are just north of where I live.  First up was Orange County and it's Sterling Forest area near Harriman State Park.  The targets today were Golden-Winged Warbler and Cerulean Warbler with both being seen well.  Also seen were warblers of Hooded, Yellow, Chestnut-Sided, Prairie, B & W, Redstart, Ovenbird, C. Yellowthroat, and Louisiana Waterthrush.  A nice surprise was a Great Horned Owl.

The next stops was a quick one at the Blue Chip Farms in Ulster County for the Upland Sandpipers that breed here.  Fortunately I was able to spot them upon arriving.

Lastly I visited the Bashakill Wetlands in Sullivan County.  Here I had quick views of Common Moorhen, and also Canada Warbler & Northern Parula. Three species of Swallow were seen, thise being Barn, Tree, and Bank.  Three species of Vireo were Red-Eyed, Warbling, and Yellow-Throated, and three species of Flycatcher in Least, Alder, and Pewee.  The Bald Eagle nest has produced some young this year too !

May 19 - Liberty Loop

I went up north after work today in hopes of seeing the breeding Red-Necked Phalarope which had been reported earlier in the day. Unfortunately the Phalarope was not found again. However while searching I did come across a very unusual bird for this inland habitat, a Piping Plover.  This species is almost exclusively seen along the beaches. Perhaps this bird was blown inland after a week of easterly winds, otherwise could it be from the Great Lakes population of this species ?

 

Credit: David Baker 

credit: South Dakota Birds & Birding

May 14 - Southern NJ specialties

With friends of Andy and Jennifer today and our goal was the birds of southern NJ.  The first stop was at Heislerville WMA where Andy was able to locate the Curlew Sandpipers that had been reported there recently. It had been 4 years since I last saw this species, which is a rare visitor from Eurasia.  Here we also had a Yellow-Throated Warbler. Next at nearby Thompson's Beach we heard and ultimately saw a King Rail.  This was my first record in New Jersey !

We then headed up to Belleplain State Forest and here Jennifer was able to find a Kentucky Warbler for the group to enjoy. In addition to more Yellow-Throated Warblers, we also saw Worm-Eating Warbler.

Finally on the way home we stopped in at Brigantine NWR and saw some of the regularly occurring birds here. Swallows of  Tree, Barn, Bank, and Purple Martin and Chimney Swift. Plus the terns of Forster's, Gull-Billed, and Caspian.  Both species of Dowitcher were seen too.

May 8 - Garret Mountain