March through May, 2009 - New Jersey Audubon Society

detected in western Rockaway Twp from
Picatinny Arsenal north to Green Pond
(RR). An Olive-sided Flycatcher was at
Pompey Rd. on OMR 14 May (FW), a singing
bird was found at Millbrook Village in
the DWGNRA 15 May (LM), and another
was along Hamilton Trail in the DWGNRA
30 May (JF). Eastern Wood-pewee arrived
in Holland Twp 11 May (DH); there were
11 territories at MW during the season
(SM). The only Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
reported was a singing bird atop Green Pond
Mountain 21 May (RR). Very early for the
region was an Acadian Flycatcher singing
in Holland Twp 29 Apr (DH). Two Alder
Flycatchers were at Calno Swamp, located
between Millbrook and Watergate in the
DWGNRA, 23 May (BH); and others were
at the shrub swamp at the north end of Lake
Denmark 27 May (RR), and at the Tower
Hill Reserve, Bethlehem Twp, Hunterdon, 27
May (RK). A big flight of Willow Flycatchers
was noted in various areas in Hunterdon
15 May (RK); the bird arrived in Holland
Township 11 May (DH); DH had a high of
8 in Holland Twp 23 May. Least Flycatcher
arrived at Black River WMA 25 Apr (DH),
and at Mahlon Dickerson Reservation 29
Apr (SF).
White-eyed Vireo, uncommon in the
northern part of the region, was in Blairstown
18 May (DB, AB); in the power cut south of
Watergate at DWGNRA 22 May (BH, BB);
and there were 2 on territories in Holland
Twp 12 & 26 May (DH). Only one Yellowthroated
Vireo was on territory at MW (SM).
Warbling Vireo arrived at Lafayette 27 Apr
(KC), and a high count of 10 was in Holland
Twp 8 May (DH). PHILADELPHIA
VIREO visited the magnetic apple tree at
the north end of HH swamp in Lafayette 9
May (CR; see intro). Red-eyed Vireo had 5
territories (low, ed.) at MW (SM). Common
Raven was at Paulinskill Lake 28 Apr (DP);
5 were counted in Blairstown 18 May during
a Big Sit (DB, AB); a nest could be seen
near Craigmeur on the cliffs of Green Pond
Mountain in Rockaway 4 May (RR); one
was at the Tower Hill Preserve, Hunterdon,
19 May (RK). Two Purple Martin scouts
were in Wharton, Morris, at the site of a
former colony 12 Apr (RR), and colonies
were located in Tewksbury 28 Apr (DH),
and in Alexandria Twp 8 May (DH); 100+
were seen over the Delaware River at the
Milford Bridge 29 May (DH). Rich Kane had
96 — March through May, 2009
his earliest-ever Rough-winged Swallow at
SRR 20 Mar, and others were early at Lake
Musconetcong 29 Mar (TH); birds arrived
the Frenchtown Bridge 2 Apr, and Splitrock
Reservoir 5 Apr (TVl, RR), about on time.
The only report of the locally declining Bank
Swallow was 3 at the Milford Bridge on the
Delaware River 29 May (DH). Cliff Swallow
was not reported in the northern part of the
region this year; the colony at Pattenburg
Quarry near Hoffman Park, Hunterdon, was
first seen 10 Apr (DH, fide SB); at the Frenchtown
Bridge 16 Apr (LK); in Harmony 17
Apr (RK); and 15 were at Milford 29 May
(DH). Barn Swallow arrived in Columbia
19 Apr (BH). Watergate at the DWGNRA
had a pair of Red-breasted Nuthatch on 12
Mar (LM), and 2 were in Picatinny Arsenal
in a Norway spruce planting 29 May (RR)
There were two singing Brown Creepers at
the Kelly Road railbed marsh in WRNWR
25 May (KW).
The western talus slopes of Green Pond
Mountain in Picatinny Arsenal has 3 singing
Winter Wrens 11 May (RR). Marsh
Wrens were singling from the Kelly Road
railbed marsh 25 May (KW). RK counted
25 Ruby-crowned Kinglets at SRR 24 Apr
and 40 were there 28 Apr (RK). Four Blue-
Gray Gnatcatchers were counted at SRR
on the rather early date of 10 Apr (RK).
Aeroflex Airport in Andover had “many”
Eastern Bluebirds 21 Mar (LM); bluebirds,
up from a nadir in the 1970s, have become
such a common sight in the region that they
are rarely reported. Veery had 38 territories
at MW (SM), and 20+ were at Jugtown
Mountain Park, Hunterdon, 15 Apr (RK).
Gray-Cheeked Thrush was reported twice:
at MW 4 May (SM), and a Gray-cheeked
/Bicknell’s Thrush at Holland Twp 23 May
(DH). A Bicknell’s Thrush sang repeatedly
at Green Pond Mountain 21 May (RR).
Swainson’s Thrush was seen at MW 15 May
(SM). Two Hermit Thrushes were singing
at the undeveloped north end of Picatinny
Arsenal 11 May (RR); this at southern end
of the species’ range in the region. Fifteen
Wood Thrushes were counted at Jugtown
Mountain Park 15 May (RK), and there
were 28 territories at MW (SM). A good
total of 150 Cedar Waxwings were at SRR
14 May (RK).
WARBLERS-ORIOLES
Blue-winged Warbler arrived at the
Hamilton Trail in the DWGNRA 25 Apr
(BH); 2 territories were counted at MW
(SM); another was singing a Golden-winged
song at Tower Hill Reserve 22 May (RK).
Golden-winged Warbler arrived at OMR
in WSF 26 Apr (fide PB); at the south end
of the Hamilton Trail 16-17 May (BH);
and at the DWGNRA 21 May (MH, HT).
A “Brewster’s” Warbler singing a Bluewinged
song was at Calno Swamp in the
DWGNRA 12-13 May (BH); another was
singing a Blue-winged song in Holland Twp
20 May (DH). And a “Lawrence’s” Warbler
was sounding like a blue-winged at Calno
Swamp 3 May (BH). A few Tennessee
Warblers were noted: 2 were in Holland
Twp 11 May (DH); singles were found at
Sawmill Road in HPSP 13 May (LK) and
at MW 15 May (SM). An ORANGE-
CROWNED WARBLER was found in the
big apple tree at north end of HH swamp
Lafayette 11 May (CR). Nashville Warbler
was a little early for Sussex at Sparta 25 Apr
(JZa), and others were at MW 15 May (SM),
and Mashippacong Bog 29 May (RR), a site
where the species has bred in previous years.
Ten Magnolia Warblers were at Jugtown
Mountain Park 15 May (RK). There were
two reports of Cape May Warbler: at OMR
in WSF 3 May (BH), and from Pompey Rd.
near OMR south of Walpack Center 14 May
(FW). Black-throated Green Warbler was
a little early at Green Pond 22 Apr (RR).
Blackburnian Warblers were found at Belvidere,
Jugtown Mountain Preserve, Voorhees
State Park (all RK), and at several sites along
OMR (v.obs). A Yellow-throated Warbler
was at the Delaware River at Rosencranz in
the DWGNRA 11 May (RR), and at Bull’s
Island 23 May (SM). Pine Warbler was early
at Green Pond Mountain in Rockaway 2
Apr (RR), where the species breeds in pitch
pines on top of the ridge. Prairie Warbler
arrived at OMR 25 Apr (BH), and 6 were
at SRR by 28 Apr (RK). The high count of
Palm Warblers was 8 at SRR 7 Apr (RK) and
one was singing at Mashipacong Bog 1 May
(RR). Rich Kane had 8 Blackpoll Warblers
at Jugtown Mountain Park 15 May. Cerulean
Warbler arrived OMR near Poxono Island
3 May (BH); one was at SRR 16 May (RK);
at Mahlon Dickerson Reservation 26 May
(RR); Sparta Mountain WMA 26 May (RR);
and there 11 singing males along Ridge Road
in HPSP 29 May (RR, et al.). A Black-andwhite
Warbler was early at the Frelinghuysen