|
|
|
For a list of Nature Program Co-op Events - look under "Contacts".
2009 Spring Count Hits the Mark On Saturday May 9, 2009, BCAS members divided into nine groups to conduct this year’s Spring Count. Together, our intrepid volunteers discovered 135 species in Greater Bergen County, one of our highest totals ever. The weather started a bit foggy and overcast following overnight showers. This combination convinced many birds to stay low to forage, giving us better chances to find impressive numbers of many migrants. Altogether the day turned out warm and pleasant, and most groups spent 6-10 hours in the field. This event is timed to occur on International Migratory Bird Day, and we again proved that Bergen County does indeed sit squarely on a major flyway for northward migrants. Several surprising waterbirds were still lingering. A Common Loon was seen on the Hudson River near Greenbrook Sanctuary, and a Horned Grebe was on the lower Hackensack River. Both species would be expected to travel much farther north by May. Yellow-crowned Night Herons were again seen roosting at Schmitt’s Woods in Secaucus, and are reported to be nesting near Harmon Cove. Osprey were seen by three different groups, north and south, and one bird was attempting to nest at DeKorte Park. A single Bald Eagle was seen at Oradell Reservoir, and may also be nesting. Common Terns were seen visiting the Meadowlands at DeKorte Park. Pheasants were calling in the meadows at Losen Slote Park in Moonachie, and a Woodcock was seen at Garret Mountain. Common Ravens have nested again this spring at Laurel Hill in the lower Meadowlands, and several more Ravens were seen at Garret Mountain. Very good flights of passerine species were found in the woodlands at Garret Mountain, Greenbrook Sanctuary, Flat Rock Brook, and Losen Slote. The most surprising were a pair of Summer Tanagers found at Greenbrook. Warblers were plentiful and singing actively, including an amazing 15 Cape May Warblers at Garret Mountain and 10 Worm-eating Warblers at Greenbrook. Only a single Pine Siskin remained behind from the winter’s big flocks; it was seen at Garret Mountain. A complete list of the species seen is shown below. I have highlighted some of the most surprising sightings in boldface. As always, I am immensely grateful to the many members who turned out to make this event a success. DAVE HALL Common Loon 1 Horned Grebe 1 Dbl‑crst. Cormorant 39 Great Blue Heron 7 Great Egret 14 Snowy Egret 4 Green‑backed Heron 1 Bl‑crn. Night Heron 5 Yellow-crnd Night Heron 2 Mute Swan 32 Canada Goose 269 Wood Duck 6 Green-winged Teal 4 Mallard 167 Black Duck 2 Gadwall 25 Com. Merganser 1 Lesser Scaup 2 Ruddy Duck 17 Turkey Vulture 9 Osprey 3 Bald Eagle 1 Sharp‑shin. Hawk 1 Red‑tailed Hawk 9 Broad-wing Hawk 1 Ring‑nkd Pheasant 8 Wild Turkey 18
Killdeer 18 Gr. Yellowlegs 6 Ls. Yellowlegs 2 Solitary Sandpiper 6 Spotted Sandpiper 3 Semiplm. Sandpiper 22 Least Sandpiper 45 Wilson’s Snipe 1 American Woodcock 1 Ring‑billed Gull 62 Herring Gull 7 Gr. Bl.‑backed Gull 5 Common Tern 4 Rock Dove 38 Mourning Dove 41 Yellow-b. Cuckoo 9 Black-b. Cuckoo 3 Common Nighthawk 1 Chimney Swift 8 Ruby-thr. Hummingbird 8 Belted Kingfisher 4 Red‑bellied Woodpkr 34 Downy Woodpecker 13 Hairy Woodpecker 4 Northern Flicker 24
Eastern Phoebe 3 Gr. Crst. Flycatcher 15 Eastern Wood-Peewee 1 Least Flycatcher 2 Eastern Kingbird 12 Tree Swallow 151 N. Rough-w. Swallow 11 Barn Swallow 35 Blue Jay 274 Common Raven 6 American Crow 23 Fish Crow 5 Bl‑capped Chickadee 6 Tufted Titmouse 19 White‑br. Nuthatch 15 Carolina Wren 12 House Wren 14 Winter Wren 4 Marsh Wren 3 Ruby‑crnd. Kinglet 3 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 4 Eastern Bluebird 2 Veery 18 Hermit Thrush 5 Swainson's Thrush 9 Wood Thrush 23 American Robin 296 Gray Catbird 171 N. Mockingbird 17 Brown Thrasher 10 Cedar Waxwing 35 European Starling 222 Red-eyed Vireo 19 Blue-headed Vireo 4
Blue-winged Warbler 6 Pine Warbler 1 Tennessee Warbler 1 N. Parula Warbler 47 Yellow Warbler 101 Chestnut-sided Warbler 7 Magnolia Warbler 18 Cape May Warbler 15 Black-thr. Blue Warbler 61 Nashville Warbler 5 Yellow‑rump(Myrtle) W. 181 Black-thr. Green Warbler 24 Blackburnian Warbler 4 Prairie Warbler 2 Bay-br. Warbler 6 Blackpoll Warbler 19 Wilson's Warbler 1 Black & White Warbler 38 Amer. Redstart 18 Worm-eat. Warbler 10 Ovenbird 55 N. Waterthrush 6 L. Waterthrush 3 Common Yellowthroat 60 Canada Warbler 3 Scarlet Tanager 16 Summer Tanager 2 Northern Cardinal 58 Rose‑br. Grosbeak 12 Indigo Bunting 11 Ruf.‑sided Towhee 16 Chipping Sparrow 37 Field Sparrow 2 Savannah Sparrow 9 Song Sparrow 47 Swamp Sparrow 7 White‑thr. Sparrow 125 White‑crnd. Sparrow 2 Red‑wgd. Blackbird 198 Common Grackle 125 Brwn‑hd. Cowbird 27 Orchard Oriole 5 Northern Oriole 89 House Finch 20 Pine Siskin 1 American Goldfinch 45 House Sparrow 41 Monk Parakeet 12 135 species, 4076 total birds.
|