Category: Sussex County

Saturday 6/15/13

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Right before the rain on Friday evening, a Cedar Waxwing posed nicely. Appalachian Trail near Route 94, Vernon NJ. 

After a long week of rainy weather and being sick, I woke up early this morning raring to go. My main objective was to get a good photo of a Grasshopper Sparrow.I did not achieve this objective because I never saw any! I went back to the Appalachian Trail near Route 94 in Vernon, NJ where we had a least four last weekend, but I had no luck. I heard one Grasshopper Sparrow, but I never did locate it.  I had also tried yesterday evening – I heard and saw at least two Grasshopper Sparrows but the light was not very good with the rain coming in. This morning, the light was much better for photos, so I went to work on my second objective which was to bring home some decent photos. I feel like I haven’t done well lately with the camera, so I wanted to work on it. While I was at it, I ended up with 22 species of bird:

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A singing Field Sparrow out at the AT,  6/15/13.

 

 

Mallard  2
Great Blue Heron  2
Mourning Dove  6
Northern Flicker  2
Great Crested Flycatcher  1
Yellow-throated Vireo  1
American Crow  4
Common Raven  2
Barn Swallow  6
American Robin  1
Northern Mockingbird  2
European Starling  10
Cedar Waxwing  5
Yellow Warbler  1
Field Sparrow  4
Grasshopper Sparrow  1
Northern Cardinal  1
Indigo Bunting  2
Red-winged Blackbird  8
Common Grackle  2
Brown-headed Cowbird  1

 

 

A Great Crested Flycatcher as I was leaving the Appalachian Trail near Route 94, 6/15/13.
A Great Crested Flycatcher as I was leaving the Appalachian Trail near Route 94, 6/15/13.

After about an hour, I headed over to Wallkill River NWR to walk the Liberty Loop. It was quite birdy as I walked the loop and I ended up with 36 species and I took a LOT of photos. The results were mixed, but here is my species list as well as some of my better shots.

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Red-winged Blackbird at Wallkill River NWR 6/15/13.

Canada Goose  15
Mallard  14
Great Blue Heron  8
Turkey Vulture  4
Rock Pigeon  1
Chimney Swift  1
Willow Flycatcher  3
Great Crested Flycatcher  2
Eastern Kingbird  4
Yellow-throated Vireo  1
Warbling Vireo  1
American Crow  4
Tree Swallow  2
Barn Swallow  1
Tufted Titmouse  2
White-breasted Nuthatch  1
Eastern Bluebird  3
Wood Thrush  2
American Robin  12
Gray Catbird  6
Brown Thrasher  3
Cedar Waxwing  6
Common Yellowthroat  2
Yellow Warbler  6
Song Sparrow  16
Swamp Sparrow  10
Northern Cardinal  1
Rose-breasted Grosbeak  1
Indigo Bunting  2
Bobolink  3
Red-winged Blackbird  X
Common Grackle  8
Brown-headed Cowbird  2
Orchard Oriole  1
Baltimore Oriole  2
American Goldfinch  3

 

Easily the highlight of my morning, one of three Brown Thrashers out at Wallkill River NWR 6/15/13.
Easily the highlight of my morning, one of three Brown Thrashers out at Wallkill River NWR 6/15/13.
My favorite photo of the day - Willow Flycatcher at Wallkill River NWR 6/15/13.
My favorite photo of the day – Willow Flycatcher at Wallkill River NWR 6/15/13.
This Rose-breasted Grosbeak was really enjoying some mulberries. Wallkill River NWR 6/15/13.
This Rose-breasted Grosbeak was really enjoying some mulberries. Wallkill River NWR 6/15/13.
Indigo Bunting at Wallkill River NWR 6/15/13.
Indigo Bunting at Wallkill River NWR 6/15/13.
I was at first glance confused by this young Eastern Bluebird. Wallkill River NWR 6/15/13.
I was at first glance confused by this young Eastern Bluebird. Wallkill River NWR 6/15/13.

Tomorrow morning I will head out to the Shawangunk Grasslands. I am following a hot tip from Scotty Baldinger who reported to the Mearns Bird Club that he had FIVE Grasshopper Sparrows out there this morning…

 

 

 

 

 

 

Appalachian Trail – Pochuck Creek Section

During the week, I frequently leave work and go straight to the Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge. I planned on doing just that today, but the route I take to get there passes by the Appalachian Trail in Vernon Township, New Jersey. I later found out that this area is called the Pochuck Creek Section of the Appalachian Trail.  I have often thought about stopping there and taking a walk to see if it is any good for birding. Well, today I finally stopped to try it out. The trail is primarily a narrow boardwalk that snakes through the Pochuck Creek Marsh and eventually crosses the Pochuck Creek.

I knew the trail had possibilities when heard a Willow Flycatcher just about thirty paces in, and then right after that I was able to take pictures of a new sparrow for me which I later identified as a Swamp Sparrow:

Swamp Sparrow at the AT Pochuck Creek Section.

 

I continued slowly on the trail, enjoying being outside and appreciating the cool breezes. As I made my way towards the bridge that crossed Pochuck Creek I heard and saw a good number of birds.

I was surprised to see this male Northern Cardinal in the middle of the marsh.
I'm seeing tons of Cedar Waxwings lately - I love it.
It was getting to be pretty low light conditions so I had a chance to practice taking photos with my new monopod. This shot of a Red-winged Blackbird was taken with a shutter speed of 1/50th of a second and although it isn't in perfect focus it's not too bad.

I arrived at the bridge and as I crossed it I was looking left and then right. When I looked right I saw my highlight of the day: a female merganser with 8 chicks swimming down the creek and quickly around the bend! I was not sure if it was a Common Merganser or a Hooded Merganser – I did not get a great look at her, and also I think because I was so surprised to see a merganser – I haven’t seen one in this area since mid March. After considering for a while and looking in some bird guides I am leaning towards Common Merganser with chicks, but I need to go back to (hopefully!) get a second look to make a positive identification.

I had my second highlight as I made my way back to my car. A female Wood Duck with several ducklings were hidden under the boardwalk, and as I approached I inadvertently flushed them out.  I managed to get this photo before this duckling disappeared into the grasses:

Wood Duck duckling at Pochuck Creek.

 

Memorial Day Weekend 2012 – Photos

 

There were 49 (!!!) Mute Swans at Hyper Humus Marshes.
Female Eastern Bluebird at Hyper Humus Marshes.
Great Egret in a tree. Hyper Humus Marshes.
Eastern Kingbird at Hyper Humus Marshes.
It was hard to keep track of the number of Great Blue Herons out at Hyper Humus Marshes because they were so active. I would say there was at least 8.
GBH in flight at Hyper Humus Marshes.
American Goldfinches were numerous out at Wallkill River NWR.
Cedar Waxwing at Wallkill River NWR.
Indigo Bunting at Wallkill Wildlife Refuge.
Northern Flicker...
...at...
...Sterling Forest State Park

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hyper Humus Marshes 5/25/12

One of two Great Egrets at the Hyper Humus Marshes.

Yesterday after work I made it out to the Hyper Humus Marshes (now called the Paulinskill River Hyper-Humus Wildlife Management Area). I saw on eBird that Red Phalarope had been spotted there, so I figured I would go check it out. It was my first visit to the Hyper Humus Marshes, and I will definitely be going back. The site is located near Lafayette in Sussex County, New Jersey. According to the Audubon website ( http://iba.audubon.org/iba/viewSiteProfile.do?siteId=3115&navSite=state), it is an Important Bird Area and “most of site is composed of freshwater forested and emergent wetlands fed by the Paulinskill River and numerous permanent springs. The site contains several cattail marshes and large ponds originally created in the 1900s by a peat and humus mining operation belonging to the Hyper Humus Company”. It is a really nice walk and there were plenty of birds to see.

I had a relatively quick outing, I was there for just under and hour and a half. I did not have any luck with the Red Phalarope, but it was a productive day. I ran into Mary Ann, an experienced birder that I met one other time out at the Wallkill River WR. We walked together and she helped with some of my identifications (thanks!).  For the day, I had 26 species:

I have seen many Baltimore Orioles this year but have not managed to get a good photo yet...here's a mediocre one.
  • Canada Goose
  • Mute Swan
  • Wood Duck
  • Mallard
  • Great Blue Heron
  • Great Egret
  • Black Vulture
  • Turkey Vulture
  • Bald Eagle
  • Killdeer
  • Spotted Sandpiper
  • Mourning Dove
  • Alder Flycatcher (thanks to Mary Ann for the ID)
  • Warbling Vireo (heard)
  • Tree Swallow
  • Veery (heard)
  • Wood Thrush (heard, thanks again Mary Ann)
  • American Robin
  • Gray Catbird
  • Cedar Waxwing
  • Yellow Warbler
  • Song Sparrow
  • Indigo Bunting (heard first by Mary Ann then we both got a good look)
  • Red-winged Blackbird
  • Common Grackle
  • Baltimore Oriole

The highlight of the day for me was getting a good look the Indigo Bunting. Hearing the Veery was great too, that song is just amazing.

On the way back we ran into this snapping turtle on the trail.