Our Thursday lunchtime walk on the otherwise-closed Marsh Discovery Trail gave us nice looks at Dunlins, peeps and yellowlegs — plus that lingering Bufflehead.
   Least Tern, Common Nighthawk and Willets were seen by others at DeKorte during the day.
   The walks continue next week — lightning and/or torrential rains cancels.
   Full list follows — sort of a coming-attractions list for the weekend.

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We had a small group for our inaugural weekday noon Marsh Discovery Trail walk, but small groups often mean good birding.
   We had lots of good shorebirds (including Dunlins) and scads of peeps — plus Ruddies and a Bufflehead.
   Also some really nice views of perched Barn Swallows.   Later went out to Harrier Meadow and got nice looks at the Little Blue, two Northern Shovelers and a (distant) Blue-winged Teal.
   We'll try agian on Thursday.
   Semi-complete list follows.
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    Saw this African Collared Dove on Disposal Road on this afternoon. Seemed fairly tame. In one photo, it appears to have an aluminum band on the left leg. Escapee?

    Post from last year with more info here.

Michael Lester reports:

     "Around 2:25 p.m. [Tuesday] I had a CLAY-COLORED SPARROW at DeKorte.  The bird was  mostly associating with a small group (~4) of White-crowned Sparrows.  
    "My best (and most cooperative) viewing was just before the boardwalk to the Saw Mill Creek trail (after the junipers on the east side of the trail).   
    "However, it seemed to be in several places between the Transco and Saw Mill Creek trails. 
   When I first found the bird, it was briefly next to a "boardwalk to nowhere" that was in between two "islands" of trees. I later saw it briefly at the "beach" that was at the end of the short trail that was just south of the Transco trail.  
    "Last I saw, it had flown away from the White-crowneds back to the "boardwalk to nowhere" to forage by itself (around 5 p.m.)."  (Thanks, Michael, for the report and photo!)

   [Note: Bird has not been seen today to our knowledge.]

   More of Michael Lester's Clay-colored Sparrow pix here. Other highlights follow.

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    DeKorte Park is Swallow Central today — more than 1,000 Tree Swallows, Barn Swallows, Cliff Swallows (above), Rough-Wingeds and likely Banks…
    The Administration Building overhangs (below) are lined with Cliff- and Barn Swallows… (That lumpy dark line is all swallows)

     The NJMC and BCAS had a great Mother's Day walk in Ridgefield, with highlights that included an annoying elusive male  
Scarlet Tanager (hence the above) and 42 other species.
   At Ridgefield Nature Center, we had at least nine warbler species. At Skeetkill Creek Marsh, we had all five swallow species.  And at Railroad Avenue, we had two dozen Monk Parakeets (of course).
   We even had some nice TV coverage from Channel One.
   Full list and more photos follow — holler if you have any additions/corrections.

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    Next week's free Third-Tuesday-of-the-Month walk has been moved to Harrier Meadow (above), and it features a bird-banding demonstration, weather-permitting.

   Details follow.

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    Rob Fanning reports: "CLIFF SWALLOW also continues in the mass of swallows at DeKorte.
   "Conditions at Dekorte are currently excellent for shorebirds.
   "Large #'s continue today (mostly Lesser Yellowlegs and Least Sands) with Lesser #'s of Greater Yellowlegs, Semi Sands, at least 3 WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS, 6+ DUNLIN, and 2 SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS.
   "A PECTORAL SAND was present Sunday but I didn't see it today.
   "Also seen were a PEREGRINE FALCON and FORSTER'S TERNS."  (Thanks, Rob!)
    Pictured above, Cliff Swallows at Kearny Marsh, photographed Sunday by Ron Shields. (Thanks, Ron!)