‘”Chickadee Bowl 1″ (Black-Capped vs. Carolina) – The greatest battle of North vs. South in 150 years was a blast.
Recently, Rob and I created this competition as a part of our “Big Day” series.
Chickadee Bowl 1 played out in 2 parts – Bergen Cty last week, and Monmouth Cty. this past Saturday.

As you may remember, Bergen cty yielded 100 species – this year’s Monmouth County day yielded 102 cumulative (100 that we both observed.) And so we are calling it a tie (since the rules state both parties must observe each bird.)

Monmouth’s day was a peculiar one – big misses with the basics – Tree Swallow, Mute Swan, Flicker *yet again* and Fish crows that just would NOT call!  (despite standing in the parking lot of McDonald’s as four birds circled us, and I believe snickered at us under their breath.)   We had also set out uber early to target Whips and Owls with no luck!!! 

Highlights were OF COURSE – the Arctic Tern found by Scott Barnes and a possible Mississippi Kite (which we recorded as hawk sp.) flying over my township where rte. 520 intersects route 18.
I was also very pleasantly surprised when we explored Turkey Swamp Park in Freehold – We had Scarlet Tanager and Acadian Flycatcher, prompting RF to dub this spot “The Belleplain of the North”  :)

While we only focused on two main spots, and “knocked off” early, rewarding our efforts with Surf Taco in Red Bank, a fun time was had by all!  :)

And special thanks go to Team Monmouth’s own Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth, Scott Barnes and Linda Mack! Team Monmouth definitely got to play with corked bats!   HAHAHAH.

Complete Lists as follows:
MONMOUTH COUNTY May 26, 2012
Locations Freehold : Long Branch : Marlboro : Rumson : Sandy Hook : Turkey Swamp Park Total Number of Checklists

Brant
Canada Goose
American Black Duck
Mallard
Long-tailed Duck
Red-breasted Merganser
Common Loon
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Snowy Egret
Little Blue Heron
Green Heron
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Glossy Ibis
Turkey Vulture
Osprey
Broad-winged Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
hawk sp.
Peregrine Falcon
Clapper Rail
Black-bellied Plover
Semipalmated Plover
Piping Plover
Killdeer
American Oystercatcher
Spotted Sandpiper
Greater Yellowlegs
Willet
Ruddy Turnstone
Red Knot
Sanderling
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Dunlin
Laughing Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Least Tern
Gull-billed Tern
Common Tern
Arctic Tern
Forster’s Tern
Royal Tern
Black Skimmer
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Black-billed Cuckoo
Chimney Swift
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Acadian Flycatcher
Willow Flycatcher
Eastern Phoebe
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Fish Crow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Barn Swallow
Carolina Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
House Wren
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Veery
Wood Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
Ovenbird
Black-and-white Warbler
Mourning Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
American Redstart
Northern Parula
Yellow Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
Pine Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Canada Warbler
Eastern Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Scarlet Tanager
Northern Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Boat-tailed Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Baltimore Oriole
House Finch
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow

BERGEN COUNTY: May 16, 2012

Locations Allendale : Bergen : Campgaw Reservation : Darlington Park, Mahwah : Franklin Lakes : Halifax Road : Meadowlands District IBA : Ramapo Valley County Reservation : The Celery Farm : White’s Pond (Waldwick) : Wyckoff

Canada Goose
Mute Swan
Wood Duck
Gadwall
Mallard
Northern Shoveler
Green-winged Teal
Wild Turkey
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Snowy Egret
Green Heron
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
Turkey Vulture
Osprey
Bald Eagle
Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Semipalmated Plover
Killdeer
Spotted Sandpiper
Solitary Sandpiper
Greater Yellowlegs
Lesser Yellowlegs
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Monk Parakeet
Black-billed Cuckoo
Common Nighthawk
Chimney Swift
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Willow Flycatcher
Eastern Phoebe
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
Yellow-throated Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Fish Crow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Tree Swallow
Barn Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
House Wren
Marsh Wren
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Veery
Swainson’s Thrush
Wood Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
Brown Thrasher
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
Ovenbird
Northern Waterthrush
Black-and-white Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
American Redstart
Northern Parula
Magnolia Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Canada Warbler
Wilson’s Warbler
Chipping Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Scarlet Tanager
Northern Cardinal
Indigo Bunting
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Orchard Oriole
Baltimore Oriole
House Finch
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow

As one of my readers pointed out recently, it has been a while since I’ve updated the blog. Basically…. MAY-gration happens, and us “hard-cores” take to the field - which doesn’t allow time for much administrative chores.

Highlights from the week+ (May 11- May 20th)  include a World Series of Birding effort that yielded 155 species with team 1000birds.com. Those efforts also began with a LIFE BIRD! (VIRGINIA RAILS calling at Turkey Point, Cumberland Cty, NJ.) Of course, we were treated to many other beautiful birdies including calling PROTHONOTARY & HOODED Warblers, CHUCKS, WHIPS, YB CUCKOO, ACADIAN FLYCATCHER, PEWEE, YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT, and the Tern show highlights included a roosting GULL-BILLED TERN and surprise BLACK TERN.

As the week progressed, we continued our mission for year birds in the usual migratory hot spots.

• On Monday, May 14  we made one of several yearly pilgrimages to Garret Mountain for warblers and passerines. This trip yielded YELLOW-THROATED VIREO & BAY BREASTED WARBLER.
• The weather kept us at bay on Tuesday, with some local Monmouth County birding.
• Wednesday brought the likes of a PRETTY BIG BERGEN DAY – as part of THE CHICKADEE BOWL (battle of the Black-Capped vs. Carolina)… In Bergen it was a Century Run, indeed, yielding an impressive 100 species. From ROBIN to RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD. Other highlights included 2 BLACK-BILLED CUCKOOS,  YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT HERON, a newly fledged RED-SHOULDERED HAWK, and incredible ground looks at a PILEATED WOODPECKER.  Monmouth County’s turn is next… stay tuned for those results.
• Thursday through Sunday, we were fortunate to be asked to participate in this year’s Cape May-gration festival as co-leaders. Our trips brought great looks at CASPIAN TERN, WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS, my life NJ BLACK-NECKED STILT, MISSISSIPPI KITE, 2 early and beautifully plumaged ROYAL TERNS (found by RF aboard the Osprey,) my favorites CATTLE EGRET, one of several recent CURLEW SANDPIPERS at Heislerville, and the icing on the cake, a wayward SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCER in Somerset Cty made for a quick detour on the way home.

A complete tally & list of the species will follow shortly! (please check back)

What an AMAZING week+! I am grateful for the opportunities we were given, the incredible adventures had with RF, and indebted to those who contributed in our fund-raising efforts for WSB. This was one BIG week. In so many ways!!!

A Cattle Egret and Horse compete in a stare down in Cape May on 4/28/12

I officially declare April the month of the Chipping Sparrow.

After asking repeatedly, “what is that song?” I finally got the sweet trill down.

I was very fortunate to have one come visit in my own backyard today and got to witness this beauty singing to its friend in the distance….

This year has brought many new “early arrival” records because of the incredibly mild temperatures.

In the bird world, sights and sounds of summer fill the East Coast.

What are the signs that  spring has sprung, and summer is not too far off?

• Reports of Piping Plover on eBird,
• sounds of Laughing Gull on the coast,
• Osprey occupying the pole-top nests they left months ago (in fact, on a recent business trip to MA, I sighted osprey up the coast from the train)
• Tree Swallows, Purple Martins NRW Swallows  and a few Barn Swallows flitting about,
• Warbler-maniacs crooking their necks to shatter records.

The Osprey have returned!!! Pictured, One of a pair that live on a cell tower in Eatontown, NJ. The pair returned a couple of weeks ago.

Before you know it, the Least Terns will be seducing their mates with yummy fish treats!

Wishing you good migration!

RF and I took our (now apparently) monthly drive to Cape May to celebrate April (if for no other reason.)
Cape May was ALIVE with birdsong, FOY and early migrants. A beautiful day with a great person!

Our travels to the Point, The Meadows and Higbee’s Beach yielded 70 species (6 Yearbirds for me!)

Also, with this week’s news of a Swallow-tailed Kite, you can almost smell the rarities on their way… Unseasonably warm weather has brought an exciting birding season thusfar, with more to come!!

Our list from April 1 is as follows:

Date    Apr 1,  2012
Total Number of Species 70
Locations       Cape May: Harvard and Whildin Ave: CMPSP (Cape May Point SP) : Higbees Beach SWA :
CMMBR (Cape May Migratory Bird Refuge (Meadows)) & incidental.

Canada Goose
Mute Swan
Gadwall
American Black Duck
Mallard
Blue-winged Teal
Northern Shoveler
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Lesser Scaup
Ruddy Duck
Common Loon
Pied-billed Grebe
Northern Gannet
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Glossy Ibis
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Osprey
Red-tailed Hawk
American Coot
Killdeer
American Oystercatcher
Greater Yellowlegs
Lesser Yellowlegs
Pectoral Sandpiper
Wilson’s Snipe
Laughing Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
gull sp.
Forster’s Tern
Rock Pigeon
Eurasian Collared-Dove
Mourning Dove
Belted Kingfisher
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Eastern Phoebe
Blue Jay
American Crow
Fish Crow
crow sp.
Horned Lark
Purple Martin
Tree Swallow
Barn Swallow
Carolina Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Carolina Wren
American Robin
Northern Mockingbird
European Starling
Pine Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Eastern Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Northern Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
House Finch
House Sparrow

Good Birding to you all!

A picture is worth a thousand words…. well, this one is worth a thousand Northern Gannets:

Gannets coming to shore in huge numbers, thanks to the fog!

What a great show the Gannets put on this weekend off Cape May beaches. The fog drove them close to shore, and there were close to a thousand that we could figure!

Other notable sightings include: Piping Plover, Osprey, Yellow-throated Warbler, Laughing Gull, Snowy Egret, Glossy Ibis, Tree Swallows, Northern Rough-winged swallows, Barn Swallow (reported).

Spring has sprung, indeed!

Nevermore; shall you miss me!!

OK, the concept had to be used… On the recommendations of some birding buddies, we checked out Laurel Hill (a.k.a. Snake Hill) in Secaucus – and the local RAVEN nest.

It didn’t take long. The second I got out of the car, I heard CROOOOOAKKKKK!  And there they were.. 2 Ravens flying in and out of a nest nestled in an opening in the side of the bedrock mound.  It seems apparent, they are getting ready for something good.. and it is Spring….

I am so excited to come and visit again, in hopes of seeing some fledgling Ravens in the very near future.

For more info and directions to Laurel Hill, click the links.

Special thanks to JM and VN for their advice on this exciting site.

Originally having planned a weekend in Cape May (just because it’s March…) RF and I extended our weekend to do some Friday birding upon hearing of the newly id’d (First for NJ) Broad-tailed Hummingbird. The bird has been around since November but was thought to be a Rufous until it hit “hummingbird puberty.”

The continuing Western Grebe eluded us on Saturday when we set up a 2 hour seawatch at the Concrete Ship, but on a tip from two very nice birders, we checked the dunes off Whildin Ave (after an easy spot of the courting Eurasian-collared Doves.) It was one of those blessed moments where I put the scope down, put my eye to the eye piece and VIOLA! A Western Grebe. Of course, still the amateur, I did ask RF for his “expert opinion” but I knew there was something snaky about the neck, and I did catch yellow-ish on the bill.

The digiscoped shot below is just a record shot.. but I’ll take it! Proof of lifer #352

Other highlights included:

• Night birding at Higbee (heard distant GHO, Towhee and Woodcock display)
• A very close Common Loon at Avalon – best ever looks (here, a gull decides to get in on the fame)

• And our grand finale at Brig on the way home… with a flyover Short-eared Owl as we exited.

Overall, the weekend tallied 96 birds (97 for RF who saw an Eastern Meadowlark at Brig)

Here’s the final weekend list (sans Meadowlark):

Snow Goose
Brant
Canada Goose
Mute Swan
Gadwall
American Wigeon
American Black Duck
Mallard
Blue-winged Teal
Northern Shoveler
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Ring-necked Duck
Greater Scaup
Lesser Scaup
Greater/Lesser Scaup
Surf Scoter
Black Scoter
scoter sp.
Long-tailed Duck
Bufflehead
Hooded Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Red-throated Loon
Common Loon
Pied-billed Grebe
Horned Grebe
Western Grebe
Northern Gannet
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Peregrine Falcon
American Coot
Black-bellied Plover
Killdeer
American Oystercatcher
Greater Yellowlegs
Red Knot
Sanderling
Western Sandpiper
Dunlin
American Woodcock
shorebird sp.
Bonaparte’s Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
gull sp.
Forster’s Tern
Rock Pigeon
Eurasian Collared-Dove
Mourning Dove
Great Horned Owl
Short-eared Owl
Broad-tailed Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Eastern Phoebe
Blue Jay
American Crow
Fish Crow
Carolina Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Carolina Wren
Winter Wren
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Eastern Bluebird
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
Northern Mockingbird
Brown Thrasher
European Starling
Nashville Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Eastern Towhee
Fox Sparrow
Song Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Northern Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
Rusty Blackbird
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
House Finch
House Sparrow

RF and I spent a very full day wandering Monmouth and Ocean counties.

We started with checking out a very local patch (only to discover it is quite birdy, and has a lot of potential…. lesson learned – don’t take any area for granted.)

We started at Huber Woods, where we had amazing looks at a pair of Pileated Woodpeckers working the bark low on a tree off the Valley View trail. RF was able to locate the pair within minutes of hearing slow, methodical pecking.

Meanwhile, along the shore, we started at Manasquan Inlet at the Point Pleasant Beach jetty and worked our way down to Long Branch, in hopes of finding an Iceland Gull.

At PPB, The Army Corp of Engineers has been dredging the area, which seems to be attracting gulls in great numbers we had success in this spot with Glaucous Gull (imm) & Razorbill who disappeared just as quickly as he appeared behind the ACoE boat.

Other Highlights down the coast included:

Snow Goose – a lone individual at Wreck Pond

Purple Sandpiper – another loner at Spring Lake Jetty

Making our way back home, we checked out the local patch again and were treated to a great finale….. 1 American Woodcock calling and heard displaying around 6pm. As for the Iceland… well… we searched through thousands of gulls along the coastline with no luck!