Daily Archives: January 6, 2013

Nashville Warbler Reported at DeKorte

Austin Mohr Writes:

I birded DeKorte and the Disposal Road today from 8:45AM to about 12:30PM.

The definite highlight and very unexpected surprise was an unseasonable Nashville Warbler that I observed loosely associating with a pair of Ruby-crowned Kinglets …

My view was brief but very clear, and I noted the typical, distinctive jizz of this species including the fairly rotund shape and relatively short tail, the obvious, complete white eye-ring on an otherwise unmarked, clean gray head, the conspicuous, pale yellow breast lacking any streaking, yellow undertail coverts with unmarked, greenish wings, all characteristics clearly ruling out Orange-crowned Warbler or any other species.  Before I could get my camera attached to my scope to digiscope the bird, it flew off toward the Kingsland Overlook where I followed it but could not relocate it.

Otherwise, a thorough study of the gulls did not turn up any unexpected species for me and, unfortunately, I did not find any Rough-legged Hawks today, but DeKorte was still a pleasure to bird, as always. 

A good variety of waterfowl present included a nice count of 123 Canvasbacks in the large impoundment, which seems to be a reliable bastion of theirs as they are otherwise pretty scarce and local in our area

A nice variety of winter passerines was also present, including Horned Larks and a pair of adult White-crowned Sparrows along the Disposal Road as well as three Fox Sparrows at the Kingsland Overlook.

(Thanks, Austin!)

(DeKorte Park is open this week, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.)

 

Holy Crow! What a Walk!

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We had an amazing turnout for our First-Sunday walk of 2013.

We took this photo in front of the Shorebird Pool at DeKorte Park at the start of the walk, and folks were still arriving.

So we broke into smaller groups and walked along DeKorte and Disposal Road before hitting Harrier Meadow.

Highlights for various sub-groups included Great Horned Owl, Orange-crowned Warbler, Common Redpoll, Gray Ghost and White-crowned Sparrow. Not too shabby!

We saw so many Red-tails that they might as well have been Rock Pigeons.

A big thank you to everyone who attended — what a great group!

We will post a full list of birds seem by the group later this week.

Also coming up this week: All about our three free walks in February. Like today's walk, they are sponsored by the Bergen County Audubon Society and the Meadowlands Commission. (Thanks, BCAS!)

 

 

 

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