Monday, July 27: Birder Rob Fanning reports that on a visit to DeKorte Park yesterday, it "was mostly low-tide during my stay. Decent #'s of shorebirds. Water in the "shorebird pool" too high for any shorebirds — but still had 6 species on the flats. Clay Ave only had 1 lesserlegs.
    Nice looks at Forster's and Least Terns, incl. a Juv. Least. A singing Blue Grosbeak (on the landfill across the AmVets flagpole area) and a flyover Bobolink were the other main highlights.
    Click Continue reading to read Rob's full list and other July reports.

Location:     Richard W. Dekorte Park
Observation date:     7/26/09
Notes:     Least Terns incl. 1 Juv/Im<br>Blue Grosbeak–singing male–AmVet area
Number of species:     35

Canada Goose     X
Mute Swan     X
Mallard     X
Double-crested Cormorant     X
Great Blue Heron     X
Great Egret     X
Snowy Egret     X
Osprey     1
Killdeer     6
Spotted Sandpiper     10
Greater Yellowlegs     X
Lesser Yellowlegs     X
Semipalmated Sandpiper     X
Least Sandpiper     X
Ring-billed Gull     X
Herring Gull     X
Great Black-backed Gull     1
Least Tern     4
Forster's Tern     7
Mourning Dove     X
Willow Flycatcher     X
Tree Swallow     X
Barn Swallow     X
Marsh Wren     4
American Robin     X
Gray Catbird     X
Northern Mockingbird     X
European Starling     X
Cedar Waxwing     X
Yellow Warbler     X
Blue Grosbeak     1
Indigo Bunting     X
Bobolink     1
Red-winged Blackbird     X
American Goldfinch     X

Tuesday, July 14: One Black Skimmer (right) was whizzing around the Kingsland Tidal Impoundment by the Visitors Center this morning at 8:45. Still there at 9 a.m. Also getting peeps when tide is lower.

Sunday, July 12: Julie McCall reports: There was a black skimmer this evening at 7 p.m. over (and partially in) the Teal Pool. I watched it merrily skimming away for fifteen minutes, then headed off toward the Marsh Discovery Trail. When I returned to the Teal Pool on my way out, the skimmer (though I suppose it could have been a different one) was there again.

Saturday, July 11:  Neil Maruca reports: Highlights were immature Yellow-Crowned night heron (in the last/farthest cove on the left side of the "T" of the DeKorte Sawmill trail), 4 Black Skimmers feeding in the Sawmill impoundments, and landing for short intervals on the mud flats, plus two Cliff Swallows, over the pond across from the AMVETS Carillon.

    In DeKorte there were at least 10 gadwall hens with ducklings, and 15 or more mallard families.  Most of the male mallards were  well into their eclipse plumage molt.  There were about 500-600 ducks on the Saw Mill impoundment, I id'd over 100 gadwall and 200 mallards before just registering the rest as "brownish ducks."

   There were a lot of Black-crowned Night Herons throughout the DeKorte impoundments, I had 15 total including a small roost of 7 adults in a tree off the Sawmill Impoundment. 

    On the shoreline about 20' from the BC roost I had my FOY immature night heron.   I checked it with my scope to make sure it wasnt a bittern, and was very surprised to find that it appeared to be an immature Yellow Crown (black bill, small 1/4"-3/8" white spots on wings, long legs compared to the adult BCNH's nearby, clean slim streaking on the breast).

    I wasnt expecting shorebirds yet (except for meadowlands breeders) but I had a pair of (returning? maybe late?) semipalmated sandpipers at the Clay Ave observation platform off Valley Brook, I also had 7 greater and 3 lesser yellowlegs, a few spotted sandpipers and a killdeer there.  

    Also at Clay Ave were an immature BC night heron and a flyover Forster's tern.

Friday, July 10: We had a Black Skimmer again this morning at 8:45 in the Kingsland Impoundment at DeKorte. He fished the impoundment for at least 10 minutes. Also had a quick look at a tern but could not ID it — Forster's a good guess.

Tuesday, July 7:  Photographer Ron Shields reports that a Black Skimmers was back at DeKorte yesterday evening. He took the above shot from the pavillion outside the Visitor Center.  Thanks, Ron.

   Saturday, July 4: Neil Maruca reports that highlights from Kearny Marsh on Friday morning were Least Bittern, Virginia Rail, 4 Moorhens.

   I entered at Gunnel Oval and walked the embankment that forms the North side of the impoundment. I had an incredible view of the Virginia Rail, a clear view for about 60 seconds from 25 feet away!

    There were at least 6 singing Swamp Sparrows, 2 Black-Crowned Night Herons, Green Heron, Great Blue Heron, and Great and Snowy Egrets.

JULY 2: We can't think of a better way to kick off the month than a sighting of Black Skimmers in DeKorte Park — except an up- close sighting of self-same skimmers.

    Just after 1 p.m. and a heavy downpour, four Black Skimmers whizzed across the Kingsland Tidal Impoundment — so quickly we didn't have time to get off a good photo. They arrived and disappeared in seconds. A half-minute later, the skimmer pictured above silently zipped by as well.
   Also in that tidal impoundment, a Ruddy Duck with a beautiful blue bill.
    Click here for June reports.
    Click here for more on Black Skimmers.