Click on thumbnails for more photos
9/29/08 Overpeck Park, Leonia, NJ
Overpeck had some nice warblers today: Northern Parula, Yellow-rumped, Magnolia, Palm, as well as some late hangers-on: Black-and-White, Yellow, and Redstart. Many Blue Jays were on the move overhead. Sparrows were predominantly Song, but 1 White-throated was seen, along with a female Eastern Towhee. A Rose-breasted Grosbeak flew directly overhead, and a Swainson's Thrush lurked in the low trees and shrubs. The coolest sight was 8 MONK PARAKEETS cruising through, heard long before I could actually see them. A (probable) Cooper's Hawk chased down a couple squirrels but never did catch one. Other cool birds: Great Blue Heron, Eastern Phoebe, Northern Flicker, Double-crested Cormorants, House Wren, and the other usual suspects.
8/30/08 Brigantine (Forsythe NWR), NJ
Brigantine was fantastic, with many special birds seen today. I got five lifers today: American White Pelican, Red-necked Phalarope (4 birds - a very high count all in one group!), Stilt Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper, and Buff-breasted Sandpiper. My species total was 67, with great highlights like Caspian and Forster's Terns, Ruddy Turnstone, Cattle Egret, Western Sandpiper, Whimbrel, Black Skimmer, Glossy Ibis, Yellowlegs, Short-billed Dowitcher, Bald Eagle (adult), Bobolink, N. Harrier, Pine, Blue-winged, and Yellow Warblers, White-eyed Vireo, E. Kingbird, Phoebe, and so much more.
8/23/08 Sandy Hook, Highlands, NJ
Great day at the Hook! My favorite sight was the thousands upon thousands of Tree Swallows staging by the beach. Check out the photos - words are hard to describe it. Also, there were at least 600 Common Terns at the beach too, with a few Black and Forster's Terns mixed in with them. Two flyover Least Terns and 2 Royal Terns in Spermacetti Cove made a grand total of 5 tern species today. Nice shorebirds: 1 Piping Plover, some Semipalmated Plovers and Semiplamated Sandpipers, 2 Oystercatchers, Least Sandpipers, Sanderlings, Black-bellied Plovers, Ruddy Turnstones, and Western Willets. It was slow warbler-wise, but we still saw an Ovenbird, a male American Redstart, a Common Yellowthroat, and others saw a Black and White Warbler. Ospreys ruled the skies, and we also saw 2 Turkey Vultures, a Red-tailed Hawk, a probable Sharpie, and a raggedy female Northern Harrier. Herons included Great Blue, Green, Black-crowned Night, and Egrets were Great and Snowy. Other nice birds: Baltimore Orioles, Carolina and House Wrens, Field Sparrows, Eastern Kingbirds, Eastern Phoebes, a Great-crested Flycatcher, Red-eyed Vireo, White-eyed Vireo (heard only), Eastern Towhee, Cedar Waxwings, and some other usual suspects.
7/12/08 Upper Freehold Township, NJ, and Assunpink NWR, NJ
Four of us took a trip to look for Dickcissels today, and although we didn't see any of those, we still did well! In Upper Freehold, Jim and I lifed GRASSHOPPER SPARROW. We were fortunate to see and hear the bird singing from a wire above us. Check out the photos! We got good looks at Bobolink, Eastern Meadowlark, Blue Grosbeak, Indigo Bunting, Field and Chipping Sparrow, American Goldfinch, Carolina Wren, and MANY Mockingbirds!. Three Great Blue Herons flew over us, as well as many Turkey Vultures and a couple Red-tails (the others also saw Black Vultures). Two American Kestrels flew by us too. When we made our way to Assunpink (looking for the YB Chat that we did not see!), we saw a pair of Orchard Orioles in a low shrub, and also many Common Yellowthroats (a few juvies), Cedar Waxwing, Eastern Phoebe, Barn Swallows, and Eastern Towhee.
7/4/08 Sterling Forest, Tuxedo, NY
Our goal bird was GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER today, and we lucked out with a total of three birds, all females! The weather was rainy during our first hour, and the lack of bird song was not promising. As we walked along the trail, our fears began to subside as we picked up Blue-winged Warbler, American Redstart, Indigo Bunting, Yellow-throated Vireo, and then heard a singing Cerulean Warbler! Later we would have great views of a male Cerulean low in a tree, and we had a total of four for the day. Then one of my friends said, "Golden-wing!" and I got to see my lifer with excellent views. She was a beautiful bird. Other birds today: Hooded Warbler, Ovenbird, Yellow Warbler, Scarlet Tanager, Pileated Woodpecker (these were all heard only), Common Yellowthroat, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Cedar Waxwing, Great-crested Flycatcher, Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Tree Swallow, Red-eyed Vireo, Chimney Swift, WB Nuthatch, Goldfinches, and many other common birds, like Gray Catbird. I do not have pictures because of the rain, but at the very end of our walk it stopped, and I took this awesome damselfly photo.
6/7/08 Doodletown Road, Bear Mountain Park, NY
CERULEAN WARBLER was my goal bird today, and luckily I succeeded in seeing 2 and hearing 2 or 3 more! Thanks to a lovely group of people taking a tour at Doodletown today, I got my lifer Cerulean. Other goal birds were Worm-eating and Hooded Warblers, and I saw both with fantastic views. The Wormies were calling to each other and then they made an appearance. The Hooded Warblers were in plain sight as I headed toward the Herbert Cemetery. First a female foraged in the trees, and then a singing male popped into view. The throat/hood was just stunning. He flew low to a group of shrubby bushes near the cemetery and continued to sing, although I never saw him again. While he sung, another male started to sing further off in the woods. Two or three Ceruleans were singing at this spot, but I never could find them. Also seen today: Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher, American Redstart (abundant), Yellow Warbler, Great-crested Flycatcher, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Eastern Phoebe, Yellow-throated Vireo, Warbling Vireo, Red-eyed Vireo, Cedar Waxwing, Carolina Wren, Chipping Sparrow, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, many, many Turkey Vultures in kettles, with an occasional Black Vulture or Red-tailed Hawk mixed in with them, Wood Thrush (beautifully singing), American Goldfinch, Black-capped Chickadee, Great Blue Heron, Towhee, and many other common birds such as Cardinal, Catbird, Tufted Titmouse, and Red-winged Blackbird.
5/29/08 Garret Mountain, Paterson, NJ
I got a lifer GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSH this morning: bird #277 for me! Luckily I got some photos too. 8 to 10 male and female Blackpoll Warblers were feeding in a tall spruce tree near Wilson Avenue. Other warblers: 2 singing Northern Parulas, 1 female Magnolia, Common Yellowthroats, and around 10 American Redstarts. Other highlights: 2 Traill's Flycatchers, 1 Great-crested Flycatcher, 3 Eastern Wood-Pewees, 3 Swainson's Thrushes, 2 Veerys, 2 Lincoln Sparrows, an Osprey, a Broad-winged Hawk, Cedar Waxwings, Baltimore Orioles, Northern Rough-winged, Barn, and Tree Swallows, Red-eyed and Warbling Vireos, a Brown Thrasher, and many other good birds!! Also in this group of pictures are some from Garret on May 17, including a female Wilson's Warbler. Click the thumbnail for the album.
5/26/08 Flat Rock Brook Nature Center, Englewood Cliffs, NJ
A singing male Blackburnian Warbler was the highlight of my morning, and it is my 91st bird species seen at Flat Rock. I got a few photos too, although they are backlit. Also, an absolutely stunning Red-tailed Hawk was preening and drying itself after bathing in the brook, while a Grackle and a few other birds nervously gave alarm calls. Other warblers today: Common Yellowthroat, a female Black-throated Blue, and a male American Redstart. Wood Thrushes were singing "ee-oh-lay" and Eastern Wood-Pewees were calling. Red-eyed Vireos were numerous today, and I got several good looks at a few. And in the "very cute" department, the lone female Wild Turkey that I have been seeing regularly has three little babies now! They were foraging around the forest floor while she watched and guarded them.
5/10/08 Sandy Hook, Highlands, NJ, WORLD SERIES OF BIRDING
The World Series of Birding rocked! We saw so many great birds. A day total of 117 species was achieved by the group, although I personally didn't complete the full day and saw 89 species and got one lifer: Surf Scoter. Highlights: hearing the Barred Owl call, seeing a Cape May Warbler close up for a first spring view in gorgeous plumage, many Ospreys in their nests with babies, two first of spring Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, a beautiful White-crowned Sparrow, Black-bellied Plovers, a Bluebird posing on a post, Boat-tailed Grackles, two Oystercatchers, a Swainson's Thrush, and two Foster's Terns, among Common and Least Terns. It was a really awesome day.
5/4/08 Flat Rock Brook Nature Center, Englewood Cliffs, NJ
Common Yellowthroats were very common today - hahaha! I also saw Black and White, Nashville, Black-throated Green, Yellow-rumped, and Palm Warblers, Ovenbirds, Northern Parulas, a gorgeous male Scarlet Tanager, Baltimore Orioles, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Northern Flickers (including one mating pair), a female Rose-breasted Grosbeak, a Blue-headed Vireo, and lots more. As I made my way toward McFadden's Pond and crossed over the footbridge, I focused on a male American Redstart. It was my good fortune to look down just when I did, because up the trail coming right for me was a skunk, and he wasn't slowing down. I managed to snap three photos and then ran back across the bridge, which the skunk would not cross. YIKES!
5/3/08 Garret Mountain, West Paterson, NJ
It would be hard to top this day - one of the best in my memory for sheer volume and variety of migrants. Garret was simply swarming with birds. I personally saw 17 warbler species: Hooded, Blackburnian, Nashville, BT Blue, BT Green, Ovenbird, C. Yellowthroat, Chestnut-sided, Prairie, Redstart, Blue-winged, Black & White, Palm, Yellow-rumped, Yellow, Magnolia,and Northern Parula. Not to mention other amazing birds: Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Warbling and Blue-headed Vireos, Eastern Towhee, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Orchard and Baltimore Orioles, Hermit and Wood Thrushes, Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher, Purple Finch, Red-breasted and White-breasted Nuthatches, Common Ravens, Red-tails, Turkey Vultures, Sharp-shinned Hawks, Least and Great-Crested Flycatchers, Brown Thrasher, Swamp & Song & White-throated Sparrows, and much more. What an amazing day!
4/26/08 Flat Rock Brook Nature Center, Englewood Cliffs, NJ
Highlights from today include 2 Blue-headed Vireos, 1 female Purple Finch, about 10 Yellow-rumped Warblers, 4 Black and White Warblers, 3 Palm Warblers, a female and male Wild Turkey (not together), 2 Flickers, 3 Ruby-crowned Kinglets, a very vocal Red-winged Blackbird, 2 Turkey Vultures, Goldfinches and House Finches, 1 Hairy, 2 Downy, and 3 Red-bellied Woodpeckers, plus lots more. The Towhee photos are from two days ago.
4/19/08 Sandy Hook, Highlands, NJ
Sandy Hook was hoppin' today with some great spring birds. An early BALTIMORE ORIOLE was spotted by Rob F. near the SHBO office, and at least 3 Red-breasted Nuthatches were in a pine tree right there too. A beautiful Blue-headed Vireo showed itself, as did Palm, Yellow-rumped, and YELLOW Warblers (others saw Black & White Warblers too). Brown Thrashers and Eastern Towhees were vocalizing, a Hermit Thrush skulked in the cover, a Wilson's Snipe was flushed at K Lot, a Merlin was being mobbed by Fish Crows, DC Cormorant and Great Blue Heron flyovers were numerous (we also saw a pair of Great Egrets), a Common Loon, 3 Gannets, and 8 Glossy Ibisies did some fly-bys, and Savannah and Chipping Sparrows were everywhere. A pair each of Boat-tailed Grackles, Forster's Terns, Greater Yellowlegs, Laughing Gulls, and Blue-Gray Gnatcatchers were highlights as well. We also saw a Kestrel, a Cooper's Hawk, Turkey Vultures, and 3 Sharp-shinned Hawks, and more!
4/16/08 Flat Rock Brook Nature Center, Englewood Cliffs, NJ
Back at my local nature center today! A cute Muskrat made my day. Lots of warblers showed themselves: Yellow-rumped, Pine, and Palm. Also a couple Ruby-crowned Kinglets were flitting about. A Brown Creeper zipped up a tree as two Pine Warblers were singing from the next tree over! I also saw a couple Hermit Thrushes, a Wild Turkey, the first FEMALE Red-winged Blackbird I've seen this spring, many Northern Flickers, Red-bellied and Downy Woodpeckers, 4 White-breasted Nuthatches, Blue Jays and Cardinals, one Hairy Woodpecker, a Red-tailed Hawk, a Turkey Vulture, a Cooper's Hawk, a flyover DC Cormorant, a Carolina Wren, many Titmice, White-throated Sparrows, one Song Sparrow, and Robins.
4/5/08 Flat Rock Brook Nature Center, Englewood Cliffs, NJ
Golden-crowned Kinglets showed themselves today - check out the photos. Also a beautiful female Wild Turkey was walking around near me. This is the first time this spring I've seen Northern Flickers at Flat Rock. Two Hermit Thrushes were present, and a Sharp-shinned Hawk was making the Red-bellied and Downy Woodpeckers, the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, and the Robins all very nervous. A couple Phoebes were at McFadden's Pond. A large concentration of Black-capped Chickadees was present as well.
3/22/08 Flat Rock Brook Nature Center, Englewood Cliffs, NJ
Flat Rock Brook is my local nature center. It's part of the last remnants of the Palisades Forest, and it is comprised of 150 acres of natural woodland. Today's highlights included a magnificent PINE WARBLER (first of spring) who had the brightest yellow throat I've ever seen on one, 1 BROWN CREEPER, 6 EASTERN PHOEBES, 1 HAIRY WOODPECKER, and lots of other forest regulars. Click the thumbnail for all photos.
3/15/08 Sandy Hook, NJ
Sandy Hook was hoppin' today! I lifed TUNDRA SWANS (3) at the Salt Pond, and saw so many other amazing sights, including the Gannet show (over 50 birds), a flock of 23 Snow Buntings, 4 Eastern Meadowlarks, some Oldsquaw, Bufflehead, Eastern Phoebes, Cedar Waxwings, Red-breasted Mergansers, a Peregrine Falcon, a Northern Flicker, about 50 Tree Swallows, a heard-only Ruby-crowned Kinglet, and more.
2/24/08 Sandy Hook, Highlands, NJ
Today a friend and I went to Sandy Hook and saw some great birds, including many Cedar Waxwings, a small group of Oldsquaw, a Hermit Thrush, Bufflehead, Red-breasted Mergansers, a couple Horned Grebes, and a huge raft of at least 10,000 Scaup - mostly Greater. It was a gorgeous day. Click the thumbnail for the whole album.
1/26/08 Sullivan County, NY
Today we did another spur-of-the-moment winter finch trip, with great success! Our highlights included EVENING GROSBEAKS, PINE GROSBEAKS, one HOARY REDPOLL (in Montgomery, NY, on the way up), COMMON REDPOLLS, three adult BALD EAGLES, a COMMON RAVEN, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Eastern Bluebirds, Cedar Waxwings, Cooper's Hawk, Hairy Woodpecker, and much more. Click the thumbnail for photo album.
1/12/08 Hammonasset State Park, CT
Today my friends and I had another amazing day of winter finches, and other great birds as well. RED CROSSBILLS were the stars of the day, with a flock of approximately 25 birds feeding on pine trees in Hammonasset State Park. We had simply excellent views as the flock came down to the ground for water. They flew around a few times, but they always came back to their favorite pine tree. These birds were a lifer for me. Click the thumbnail for awesome photos.
HORNED LARKS (in the same photo album - click thumbnail) were also a lifer, with 2 flocks of about 75 birds each. We had very good looks at 3 LAPLAND LONGSPURS, which were feeding in a field with one of the flocks of Horned Larks. Two other lifers seen on the jetty at the beach were COMMON GOLDENEYE (male and female) and DUNLIN. Yup, I lifed Red Crossbills before Dunlin - ha ha!
Other great birds today: AMERICAN BITTERN (see same photo album - click thumbnail), Red-breasted Nuthatch, Northern Harrier, Bufflehead, Purple Sandpiper, Ruddy Turnstone, Common Loon, and American Tree Sparrow. My friends saw Red-throated Loon, GOSHAWK, Sanderling, and Black-bellied Plover, but I missed those. It was a fabulous day!
1/5/08 Orange and Sullivan Counties, New York
WINTER FINCH EXTRAVAGANZA! Today two friends and I headed to upstate New York in search of winter finches, and we were not disappointed! I ended up getting five lifers: HOARY REDPOLL (2), COMMON REDPOLL (about 100), BOHEMIAN WAXWING (2), EVENING GROSBEAK (8), and PINE GROSBEAK (24). What an absolutely amazing experience. The biggest thrill was seeing those beautiful Evening Grosbeaks. We stopped at many private feeders (from the roadside, obviously), and a few times we hit spots where other birders have recently seen finches. The photos are a bit blurry because I was shaking with excitement!
Other good birds today: male Pileated Woodpecker, an immature Bald Eagle, a flying (!) Wild Turkey, Cedar Waxwings (the Bohemians were mixed in with the Cedars), a Common Raven (heard only), American Tree Sparrows, a Sharpie and a Cooper's Hawk, and many Red-tailed Hawks. What a great day!
