Garret Mountain - May 7th 2012

admin — Mon, 07 May 2012 21:58:23 +0000

Chestnut-sided Warbler

A good day for Warblers at Garret! Still not great for pictures with the overcast setting the birds however did not disappoint. Blackpoll, Black-throated Blue, Chestnut-sided, Worm-eating, Hooded, Black-throated Green, Magnolia, Ovenbird all posed for photos today. In 30 minutes near the central picnic area (down the path from the castle) I had great looks at all these guys and all of them singing. Would have liked to take a more thorough look around the park but I felt lucky to even have Garret as a lunch time from work option! Birds were awesome today!

Black-throated Blue Warbler

Hooded Warbler

Ovenbird

Spring Birding in Back…

admin — Sun, 06 May 2012 22:16:11 +0000

Palm Warbler

As I have often stated, there isn’t much better for Warblers in NJ than Garret Mountain in the Spring. Although not yet the super big number days that I have seen often in the past, Garret still always delivers and provides context to my official start to Spring. The weather was a bit odd this year after a warm winter and a not so wet April, and I expected early numbers and species in late April. However, the big numbers on warbler species didn’t open up until the first week of May and per usual, you never can tell when the floodgates open. Wind direction/speed, pressure systems and national weather all attribute to broad North American bird migration and its always helpful to keep one eye on your calendar of past experience and one eye on Bird Migration Radar information like that at http://www.woodcreeper.com/. You can usually get a good idea of what is coming and what the good days for the upcoming week “should” be. So, how did we get here? Where did our Spring/Warbler season start this year?

It always starts for me with early April trips to Garret at lunch and this year followed a similar pattern. First come the Pine warblers followed shortly by Palm and Louisiana Waterthrush, Winter Wren and Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers. This is a pretty common arrival order and you better see them early because they all become scarce within a months time. Then you get trickles (of course this is all just in my 5+ year Garret Spring exp) of Black-and-white, Blue-headed Vireo, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, a Northern Parula here and there and sometimes and early Hooded or Black-throated Green Warbler or an Orchard Oriole or two. No early Parula or Hooded for me this year but all the rest came pretty much as expected. You usually then hit a big push where the walls sort of break down and species poor in. The Baltimore Orioles, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks and Scarlet Tanagers arrive in force and a walk around Barbour’s Pond can’t help but yield the call of one if not all of them. The Black-throated Greens and Blues come on strong with Nashvilles, Magnolia, and Redstarts peppered with beautiful Blackburnians. The odd Hooded or Worm-eating shows up and usually an early Blackpoll or Canada makes an appearacnce. Chestnut-sided, Cape May and Bay-breasted seem like second psuh birds to me and when they have all showed up its officially on. Almost anything can show up and they can show up in numbers. I have had morning with 10-15 Cape May Warblers on a section of tree up on the ridge or Rose-breated Grosbeaks pouring off the sides of trees by the tiered lots. The trees appear literally alive at times with all of the “small movement” stirring boldly. Its a cornucopia of activity and a feast for the identifying eye and mind. The turn for home includes heavier pushes of Canada and the outside chance at Mourning or even a Connecticut. This is May at Garret Mountain and it is a thing to behold.

April, however, was not without incident for Jeanette and I as we looked to beat the “migration” streak and shot down to Belleplain and Cape May April 21st for some early breeding birds and a shot at migrants hitting the coastal spots as opposed to inland. It serves to reason (mine anyways :)) that the distinctive southern species of breeding warblers would “get in” before their northern brethren. The Prairie at Higbee beach and the Worm-eating, Prothonotary, Hooded, Blue-winged and Yellow-throated Warblers at Belleplain are great bets with Louisiana Waterthrush thrown in for good measure. It was a great way to get an early start and we got looks at all of these birds on April 21st.
Worm-eating Warbler

So Spring had started and this weekend was our first “landing” on the first wave of birds at Garret in May! Blackburnian, an early Blackpoll and loads of Black-throated Greens greeted me with Black-throated Blue and Magnolia Warbler all making early appearances by the central picnic area by the Basketball court. I was greeted on my walk down here from the Castle parking area by the return of Oriole and Tanager calls ringing though the air. Its like dipping your brain back into an experience its been deprived of for some time and having it invigoratingly rush back in. “Yes, that was a Magnolia Warbler song.” Its and exhilarating experience for a brain ripe for recognition. Ovenbird and Black-white were numerous and the final nice bird of the day was a cooperatively singing Tennessee Warbler! Just the start of things to come at Garret. Fun!

Tennessee Warbler

I haven’t done a great job of the blogging side of things but I usually have updating “outing” picture at our Flickr site. (Link to the right)

Winter Wren

Broad-tailed Hummingbird - Cape May, New Jersey

admin — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 23:01:38 +0000

Jeanette and I took a drive down to Cape May yesterday to try to see the first New Jersey State Record of Broad-tailed Hummingbird. We had seen them in Arizona but to have one all the way out here is NJ is a true rarity so it was a must see. We got up early and hit Sunset Beach for the reported Western Grebe (another uncommon visitor to NJ) and got him right off the left side of the Concrete ship! We went back later and didn’t see it (later had Red-throated Loon, rafts of Scoters and a few Northern Gannets only) so we were glad we decided to to the beach first while the sun finished its mediocre rise (sorry Sun but your light was pretty crappy this morning. :)) After a little more sunlight and coffee we parked on Shunpike road and walked down to join two other birders there already. They hadn’t seen it yet but we were hopeful it was just a matter of timing. Sure enough, I saw a quick movement into the heavily obscured feeder and saw the bird rest oh-so-briefly on the right hand side pod. Luckily he came back and sat a few times on various bushes and small trees around the yard and the nice gathering of birders that had joined by then all left happy. As always, thanks goes out to the hard working and diligent NJ Birders who kept working at this ID! Thanks for sharing this guy with us all!

We also hit the Brig before arriving in Cape May and had a nice number of Ducks and Geese. Below is a shot of a Snow Goose close by the road as we drove the Brig.

Razorbill - Manasquan Inlet

admin — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 22:48:16 +0000

I took a drive down to the Manasquan Inlet today to see if the recently reported Razorbill decided to stick around. At around 2:30 myself and a few other Jersey Birders saw the bird (i believe it was the same bird) fly in but continued to the other side of the jetty (not visible from the Manasquan side). 10 minutes later the/a Razorbill rounded the jetty and headed into the inlet on the far side. It quickly made its way over to “our” side of the inlet and continued to work up and down the rocks for the next hour or so (at least I left at 3:30 and it wasstill there) for close up looks! Beauty. Also had great looks at Gannets and Loons and a single Scaup (sp) flyby too. Nice day for birding!

Common Chaffinch in New Jersey!

admin — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 00:55:34 +0000

This morning I saw a post on the Jersey bird List from Sam Galick (Thanks Sam!) about a Common Chaffinch in western New Jersey. (Sam’s post @ http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NJBD.html#1325609373) The Common Chaffinch is a resident across Europe and summers in parts of Asia and there are very few North American records so it being in NJ is obviously a super rare sighting to say the least. Of course whenever a super rare vagrant like this shows up provenience is a question and we will see how the NJ Committee handles this bird but I personal feel it is a wild bird (or at least has been for some time leading up to my sighting today). The bird has no feather wear or bandings of any sort and its actions during the 3 trips into the feeder that I saw it (over about a half hour out in the cold!) were of a wild bird. I have seen “escapee” Budgerigars in Florida (looking for a population of wild ones that apparently still exists although I never saw any I was comfortable saying were wild) and seen how they come into a feeder and act around other birds. And this bird was very aware, active and actually staged 2 of the 3 times in a tree prior to coming into the feeder, once all by itself scanning its eventual feeding spot prior to flying in. Of course, it could have quickly cleaned this from other birds and you can never be sure of a bird like this but my general inclination was that this indeed is a wild bird or has been one for a while. (I have also seen a Black-throated Magpie-Jay in Texas that had also acclimated to the “wild” actions of a bird when it was most probably a caged bird at some point so all possibilities must be considered)

Saying all that, the bird was a beautiful bird to see and a wonderful one to share with other NJ Birders! Its always fun to see an unexpected species in your area and a big thanks to the Rehman family for allowing us to view this wonderful bird.

We shall see what other birder’s takes are on this bird over the next days and weeks (hopefully it sticks around!) but I for one couldn’t have been happier to experience the exhilaration of the experience.

Just another Spring Birding day in Jersey!!

admin — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 23:30:51 +0000

Painted Bunting

Ok maybe today was a little more than “just” another Spring day in NJ, with the “available” Male Painted Bunting, but I am telling you…Jersey is for pLovers! (and all other sorts of birds!)

I wanted to head down to Belleplain today to see one of my favorite warblers, the Yellow-throated Warbler. Sunset bridge didn’t disappoint with at least 3 adults all singing. There were also 2 Louisiana Waterthrushes, 10 or so Pine Warblers and 2 Blue-gray Gnatcatchers.

Sam Galick posted a note on JerseyBirds that a Male Painted Bunting was being seen in Absecon, so I shot up to see if I could nab my first male in New Jersey. The home owner Don was very welcoming and within 5 minutes there he was. Truly stunning bird! Big thanks to Don for letting New Jersey birders share in such a colorful April present!

Another good day of NJ Birding! Keep um coming!

Yellow-throated Warbler

Spring is here! Garret Mountain Retreat is open for business…

admin — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 23:18:20 +0000

Northern Parula

I like nothing better in life that Spring birding at Garret Mountain. The location, the people, the idea of this mountain of green like a sky island in a sea of man’s handiwork is thrilling. To know that something so beautiful and natural exists in such close proximity to a bustling metropolis is some how comforting. Anyways, Garret has been in full swing this week with 6 warblers species seen (I saw 5) among them an early Northern Parula and a single Prairie Warbler. The Pine and Palm Warbler show has been a joy to watch and the number of Winter Wrens this year has been the best I have seen in the last 5 years there. The usual Louisiana Waterthrush are back on their stream. I saw multiple birds on 2 occasions so there seems to be some stream sharing of some sort.

So Spring has started as the birds set down in this island of retreat, and I can’t wait for more of them to pit stop at my Fav birding spot in NJ! Pictures of the Pine and Palm Warblers are at our Flickr site. (Link to the right)

Winter Wren

Barnegat Light - Birding by the Bay

admin — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 18:20:07 +0000




Jeanette and I finally got out from the binds of this NJ weather and did some birding! Was a fun day and nice to see some of our favorite birds at one of New Jersey’s finest birding locations.  I put some more picture of Eiders, Scoters, Long-Tailed Ducks etc at our Flickr site. (Link to the right)



White-tailed Kite - Barnegat Township, New Jersey
admin — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 23:48:25 +0000



I finally joined the many other avid NJ Birders who have seen the reported White-tailed Kite on Sunday.  Although distant (uh very very distant), it was great to see this southern bird doing it’s namesake “kiting” above the Barnegat Township marsh. Didn’t think I would see a White-tailed Kite before I saw a Mississippi Kite in New Jersey! Guess thats how nemesis birds go!





NJ World Series of Birding 2010 - From the top of Garret Mountain to the beaches of Cape May…
admin — Tue, 18 May 2010 02:52:55 +0000

I have had to explain time and time again that I prefer “birder” to bird watcher.  To others, one may as well be the other, and I imagine the distinction is made even less significant somewhere shortly after I start explaining that there are many different species of birds and that I search them out all over the country.  I may as well have mentioned that I travel to Star Trek conventions or sell home made buttons at craft fairs on the weekends.  (Both of which I am sure are worth while affairs mind you)  It’s just another thing they don’t get or care to.  So, when a birding event comes along that, even for a brief moment, connects with the “masses” it is reason to appreciate what has given non-birders that glimpse into “our” window.  The 2010 World Series of Birding is just such an event.  

Being a “non-birder” not so long ago, I feel that the competition of birding is one lost on most.   We can debate the merit of this perception on the hobby as a whole but it certainly connects with people in a way that descriptions of undertail coverts and premature molts simply can’t.  People get the idea of trying to see more types of birds than the next guy.  What is usually so shocking (and believe me I know I am not stumbling onto something new, I am just telling my interpretation) to people is the amount of species we have in the state and the country for that matter. No other day do I get more questions on “why are there so many people with binoculars?…” or a 2010 fav “Are you a part of the bird watching super bowl thing?…”  The difference with this day is people are usually legitimately interested in hearing your answer.
So when the WSB comes each year Jeanette and I take the opportunity to throw ourselves into the day as proud “birders” on our own personal stage. (It is also an excellent excuse for me to drag Jeanette around on a full day of birding that covers a large portion of the state) We start at our favorite Spring Warbler spot Garret Mountain.

The morning got off to a rough start after an over use of the snooze button on my part got us off to a slightly late start.  We made up most of the time and got to Garret with high hopes and even higher spirits.  One of the great things about the World Series is that everything is new again!  That House Sparrow out by the car is going to be just as important as the Black-billed Cuckoo munching down on tent caterpillars.  So it was on and we started off at the “top” of the ridge at Garret. We parked across from the castle and quickly got on a Chestnut-sided and Magnolia Warbler.  A female Scarlet Tanager, a Least Flycatcher, a Veery and a Swainson’s Thrush had us well on our way!  We tried a few other spots along the ridge but it was a little windy and we decided to move down some.  We parked across from the Basketball Court and joined other birders in a show of Spring Spectacular.  Blackburnian, Black-throated Green and Blue, White-eyed and Red-eyed Vireo with a side of Canada and Blue-winged Warbler.  A walk towards the picnic area brought Lincoln’s Sparrow and a calling Black-billed Cuckoo.  It was going to be a good day.  Along the way we met up with birder friends we hadn’t seen in a while and again the significance of the WSB was not lost on us.
We left Garret (reluctantly I might add) with 67 birds (a little lower than last year with some pretty easy birds missed) but we were determined and excited to see more.  We hit the Garden State Parkway and headed towards the Brig.  A Bar-tailed Godwit has been spotted recently and what a WSBird that would make!  Unfortunately, we missed the Godwit that day (and the next :() but we picked up a lot of Shorebirds, Terns and Gulls.  Caspian, Gull-billed, Forsters and Least Tern showed their stuff and Whimbrel and Clapper Rail gave up their checkmarks too.  The Brig was fun but it was off to Cape May.
Cape May has always been a thrill for us and we have always done well there.  We have met some great people and seen some great birds near the southern most point in New Jersey.  This again was the case and we were thrilled to tally Bank Swallow and Belted Kingfisher to name a few.  Not yet done we turned for home.  We had seen 18 Warbler species at this point and we still had a stop at Belleplain State Forest planned.  Another one of my favorite warbler spots Belleplain holds good numbers of some of the more “southern” NJ warbler species.  Although they can be had elsewhere it is a great spot for Prothonotary, Worm-eating and Yellow-throated Warblers.  Jeanette and I added two more warblers to make the total warbler species count 20 and a total of 121 for the day!  
This number pales in comparison to the team winning totals over 200 but for us it isn’t just about the numbers.  We are “birders” on this day and I like to think that while Bird Watchers observe their quarry from afar we “bird-ers” have a more personal and integrated connection.  A connection shared with many others across the state on this day and one that benefits the targets of our adoration with the donations of birders and non-birders alike all “collecting” for a common cause.