New Jersey: Cedar Waxwings, etc (1 Viewer)

What a day for me! I had been thinking how great it would be to see Cedar Waxwings as they are so unique looking. I got lucky!! I saw four land in a dead tree at the edge of a vernal (?) pool along the fringe of the marsh. I had a perfect spot to check them conversing with one another for about 2 minutes.

Had a wonderful afternoon walk today through the deciduous forest, then through a bit of pine, then finally to the edge of a salt marsh.

4 Cedar Waxwings (My first!!!)
2 Northern Flickers
4 Blue Jays
5 Northern Mockingbirds (they are everywhere here...)
American Robins (too many)
Least Flycather
5 Narrow Tailed Seaside Sparrow (pop up sometimes to a piece of brush, and then drop back into the marsh grass (2ft high).
2 Northern Cardinals (M&F)
Boat-tailed Grackle
5-8 American Goldfinch
American Crow (several)
2 Redwing Blackbirds
2 Eastern Kingbirds

Many gulls (still working on how to really ID these guys...)

Thanks for reading!

Jarrod

sounds like you had a great day! You're lucky to see the kingbirds and waxwings; I seem never able to see either around my neck of the woods (CT).

Hi Jarrod,

Seeing a Northern Mockingbird here in northwest Missouri used to be an event! This year I can see them on a daily basis. I have seen up to ten on one outing! Other people in Missouri have also noticed an increase in their numbers recently. Perhaps this is another example of this species expanding their range.

You mentioned seeing five Narrow Tailed Seaside Sparrows. Do you sometimes get other Seaside Sparrows which are not narrow-tailed?

I love mockers...they are so gregarious around here! And their songs are so interesting.

Lime, Larry,

Thanks for the comments.

Mockers: Yes there are so many here I find it a bit disturbing. Are they chasing away other songbirds??? Probably. Interesting duel ongoing between the Mockers and the Blue Jays which push inward from the neighboring forest.

Sea-side sparrows: I sat for about about 45 minutes on a small manmade ridge overlooking the vast marsh which streches out for about 1mile(?) where it hits against the Garden State Parkway which runs along the bay. The grassy area where I watched them is a semicircle that runs about 500 yards south of my position. At the far southern end the marsh/grass hits up against a predominantly oak/pine forest. After about 5 minutes I noted 5 dark sparrows pop up out of the grass that from my position runs for about 100 yards due east before becoming cattails. The rounded edge of the semi-circle cuts back to forest 50 feet to my left (north). They immediately sank back down below the grassline after sallying for 10-15 feet. After about 10 minutes they did the same thing. Then they popped up to the cattail edge to my left and a few made some brief calls for about 45 seconds. That was the time when I got the best look with my 20 power Outman bins. I had my Smithsonian Birds of the Mid-Atlantic with me and was debating with myself over the ID. I chose the Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed over the Seaside sparrow because the picture and description were spot on. The dull orange eyebrow was very prominent and the behavioral description was very accurate from my vantage point. I was pretty happy!

Thanks again for everyone's comments! Hope to see someone here in C.Jersey!

Jarrod

Kingbirds: I've seen several around here. I had a funny experience in my office complex a few weeks ago, where I was in the fifth floor kitchen having coffee, and one just landed on the abutting portico and had a good look at me. It was weird!

There is a reclaimed wetlands "park" next to my office complex, so there are always a large collection of birds. Haven't made it back there for a look-see, but would like to. There's just something about heading towards the office that turns me off...... Ha!

j

jward said:

Lime, Larry,

Thanks for the comments.

Mockers: Yes there are so many here I find it a bit disturbing. Are they chasing away other songbirds??? Probably. Interesting duel ongoing between the Mockers and the Blue Jays which push inward from the neighboring forest.
Jarrod

Click to expand...

I have noticed this even at my house!!! The mocker didn't want the jays near my birdfeeder at all! Now I have no birdfeeder and no birds come to visit (the squirrels ruined everything)...but I still say hi to "mocky" when I see him. The birds are very territorial, so I see the same ones right around my house.

My hikes in the forrest usually bring about some interesting bird sightings, but around town, it's sparrows, starlings, and grackles, with some Robins and doves in between.