Stephennj's 2009 yearlist (1 Viewer)

[stephennj]

Off from my regular job and doing side work for the week means time for more birding . In the past few days I have been poking around South Brunswick and came up with the following including Lifer Yellow-throated Vireo nestbuilding ! I was beginning to think they didn't exist and was happy to find them.

114. Lesser Yellowlegs
115. Semipalmated Sandpiper
116. Yellow-throated Vireo

The last photo is a good comparason shot between Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs.

 

[stephennj]

Spent a 1/2 day at Assunpink Wildlife Management Area in Central NJ today, targeting Virginia Rail,Blue Grosbeak and Eastern Meadowlark. I missed them all but got loads of birds in varied habitats. heard Pileated Woodpecker calling and hammering in the woodland area but only saw a fleeting movement as it flushed.I stalked it for a while but they are elusive. (I still need this for my lifelist but I did see it as a child in PA)

some other good sightings were Scarlet Tanager,Ovenbird,American Kestrel,Red-eyed Vireo,Eastern Pheobe, Easten Kingbird ,Indigo Bunting ,Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Savanna Sparrow, several Warblers (I really need work on the calls!) and the following year birds:

117. Orchard Oriole
118. Blackpool Warbler

 

[stephennj]

There is no shame in my game. While gardening in the yard late this afternoon I had a flyover unmistakable and (not so) Common Nighthawk ! I had seen these a few years ago but not confident enough in my ID skills at the time. This time it's for sure. This is a difficult bird to get in my State and an unexpected Lifer surprise .

119. Common Nighthawk

 

[stephennj]

Adding one local patch bird and preparing for a small trip to Bermuda next week which should yield some goodies !

120 Spotted Sandpiper

 

[stephennj]

Bermuda run

Have returned and looking thru my notes from Bermuda .

We had a great time but pouring rain while on the island, we hired a guide for a 1/2 day on the island.some Pelagic species to follow and a trip report eventually .

Missed the recent Franklin's Gull but got all of our target species. Yellow-crowned Night Herons were common in the correct Habitat as well as in fields and lawns , acting more like a Southern Lapwing that a Heron !

121. White-tailed Tropicbird
122. Greater Kiskadee
123. Common Ground-Dove
123. Ruddy Turnstone
124. Common Tern (Bermuda race)
125. Common Gallinule
126. Yellow-crowned Night Heron
127. European Goldfinch
128. Bermuda White-eyed Vireo

 

[stephennj]

On the return cruise from Bermuda to New Jersey I had a few Shearwater species from the balcony as well as some good views of a pod of Dolphins. After some discussion in the I.D. Forum I can safely call at least one new species .
Then at home today I had a first-ever Great Horned Owl visit ! Wow !

129. Cory's Shearwater
130. Great Horned Owl !

 

[stephennj]

Some Late July birds over the weekend, Johnson Park in Highland park NJ:
131. Cattle Egret (3 in flight)
132. Least Sandpiper (migration begins!)
133. Snowy Egret (one stalking and fishing in the shallows)

 

[stephennj]

Some birding at the Rutgers Ecological Preserve near work has yielded many Warbler species in the past few weeks as well as a handful of Flycatchers and Vireos (Including Blue-headed Vireo). Only one new species:

134 Blackburnian Warbler

 

[stephennj]

Birded Dekorte park at Meadowlands yesterday and added

135. Bobolink
136. Merlin
137. Belted Kingfisher
138. Pectoral Sandpiper
139. Seaside Sparrow

 

[stephennj]

I Did some birding while saltwater fishing today , enjoyed the Gulls and other common birds , caught glimpses of Scoters but they were far away views. I came away with a few new treasures , including Boat-tailed Grackles at the dockyard after the fishing trip ! Female Grackle and immature Gannet pics below.

140. Northern Gannet
141. Boat-tailed Grackle
142. Atlantic Brant

 

[stephennj]

A few treats from Halloween week:

143. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
144. Brown Thrasher

 

[stephennj]

Birded Sandy Hook NJ today after the storms. In search of Scoters/Eiders. Struck out on seaducks but found other goodies including a few new shorebirds for the year. Great looks at Northern Gannets feeding offshore.

145. Sanderling
146. Black-bellied Plover

 

[stephennj]

Went to the Meadowlands and beat the blizzard yesterday for one purpose only.

147. Northern Shrike

 

[stephennj]

Finishing out the year with a full-day trip to Cape May NJ.
Interesting to get grey Catbird here, and a slew of others that I had seen thru-ought the year. Found a Harbor Seal at the point and excellent Life birds as well:

148. Purple Sandpiper
149. Tundra Swan
150. American Wigeon
151. Eurasian Wigeon
152. Common Eider
153. Black Scoter
154. Snow Goose
155. American Coot
156. Short-eared Owl