6 responses to “Big migration over the Eastern Flyway”

1. On the marsh edge at Reed’s Beach from 6:30-7:15am:

   1 Eastern Kingbird (FOY)
   1 Common Yellowthroat (FOY)
   2 House Wrens (FOY)
   10-12 Chipping Sparrows (usual max = 2)
   25+ White-thraoted Sparrows (up from ~12 yesterday)
   4 Field Sparrows (uncommon spring migrant in the yard)
   1 Golden-crowned Kinglet (first since Feb)
   2 Yellow-rumped Warblers (first since March)

   Other notables on the move included 3 Kestrels, 1 Common Loon, 1 Little Blue Heron and 75 Black Scoters high over the beachfront.

   -tr

2. Hello all,

   There was a moderate number of birds today at Garret Mtn. The most conspicuous migrants were YRWA (42), PAWA (37), PIWA (11), RCKI (34), HETH (25) and NOFL (32). Also seen in small #’s: GCKI, BRCR, YBSA and BHVI (3). Broad-winged Hawks were evident in the park this morning roosting and slowly getting up with the warm sun. Three boisterous ravens were over the park all morning croaking, gurgling and generally carrying on. They seemed to enjoy soaring with the departing broad-wings.

   I hope everyone enjoys Earth Day.

   Bruce McWhorter

3. Unfortunately my dog had an incident with some wildlife this morning (she’s fine) which caused me not to be able to finish my walk, but several FOS birds were found today. These were:

   Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
   Blue-headed Vireo
   Prairie Warbler

   Notable also were the number of Ruby-crowned Kinglets- they were everywhere and outnumbered Golden-crowned by a landslide. I’m going to take another trip around the property this evening and see if I can turn up anything else.

4. Sandy Hook today did not experience any large migrant flight, though kinglets seemed abundant and I saw my FOY blue-gray gnatcatchers. DC Cormorants were all over the bay, and there was a steady flight of singleton swallows along the ocean beach in the morning.

   The hooded warbler continued at the hawkwatch.

5. This is by no means a comprehensive list, as I was only able to bird for 40 minutes this morning and a little this evening, but some cool birds were definitely around.

   Daily Walk Report

   American Goldfinch Carduelis tristis –

   Date: 22-Apr-07 WindDesc: none Temp(F): 43 Precip: none

   StartTime: 6:20 AM WindDir: CloudCover: none

   EndTime: 7:00 AM Location: HMF

   Notes: only birded for 40 minutes before Tess’s desire to chase a
   deer ruined my day. Anyway, FOS BLHEVI, BLGRGN,
   PRAWAR, and YEBESA. Migration was heavy and at a
   low altitiude last night.

   English Name Scientific Name Notes

   Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis –

   Red-bellied Woodpecker Melanerpes carolinus –

   Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Sphyrapicus varius – 1

   Hairy Woodpecker Picoides villosus –

   Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus –

   Pileated Woodpecker Dryocopus pileatus –

   Blue-headed Vireo Vireo solitarius – 2

   Blue Jay Cyanocitta cristata –

   Chickadee sp. Poecile sp. – CARCHI song

   Tufted Titmouse Baeolophus bicolor –

   White-breasted Nuthatch Sitta carolinensis –

   Carolina Wren Thryothorus ludovicianus –

   Ruby-crowned Kinglet Regulus calendula – many- outnumbering

   Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea – one in afternoon

   Hermit Thrush Catharus guttatus – many throughout the

   American Robin Turdus migratorius –

   Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos –

   Brown Thrasher Toxostoma rufum –

   Yellow-rumped Warbler Dendroica coronata –

   Prairie Warbler Dendroica discolor – 1, singing in old

   Eastern Towhee Pipilo erythrophthalmus –

   Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina – finally, one NOT at my

   Field Sparrow Spizella pusilla – still many around

   Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia –

   White-throated Sparrow Zonotrichia albicollis –

   Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis –

   Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater –

   American Goldfinch Carduelis tristis –

6. Just new around the yard and New Brunswick area while gardening :
   Easten Pheobe
   Easten Kingbird
   Hermit Thrush
   Northern Flicker
   Chipping Sparrows