New Jersey State Bird List Newest Additions

     2022 turned out to be an impressive year for birding firsts in New Jersey.  The state species list grew from 486 species of natural origin (including now extinct species) to 494.  The New Jersey Bird Records Committee (NJBRC) reviews,  confirms and maintains the records of all reviewable bird species sightings in the state.  A complete New Jersey State List can be found at http://njbrc.com/documents/NJStateList.pdf .  Most of these new bird sightings fell into the one day wonder category, and as such, I personally added only one to my life list (one was already a life bird outside of New Jersey).  A brief chronological recap of New Jersey’s newest birds follows.

At Sandy Hook, Monmouth County on January 23, my friend Jason found the state’s first Common Gull.  Jason is considered by me and many in the birding community as the state’s leading gull and tern expert.  Common gull (formerly Mew Gull) is an Eurasian species that bears extreme likeness to the local Ring-billed Gull.  Two previous  possible common gull sightings had been reported, but were not confirmed by the NJBRC to exact species.  Those birds remain listed as common/short-billed gull.

A pelagic trip out of Cape May, Cape May County on August 27 netted the state’s first Bermuda Petrel.  Jason was among those on the boat to spot the bird.  He was also later on a pelagic trip out of New York and spotted the first Bermuda Petrel in New York waters.  This species had long been thought extinct until it was rediscovered in the mid-20th century.  They remain among the world’s rare seabirds with a population under 400 individuals.

Cape May hosted another new bird on September 29.  Many people, me included, flocked to see the state’s first Kirtland’s Warbler.  This warbler winters in the Bahamas and nests in specialized habitats in parts of Michigan, Wisconsin and Ontario.  Incredibly, the state's second Kirtland’s Warbler was found later that same day at another location in Cape May.

Kirtland's Warbler, Cape May, NJ.  ©  S. Weiss

On October 6 at Mill Creek Marsh in Hudson County, a keen observer photographed a Brewer’s Sparrow.  Brewer’s Sparrows are a western United States species.  In basic plumage they look extremely similar to the locally less rare Clay-colored Sparrow in basic plumage.

Back at Sandy Hook on October 28 a small group of experienced birders observed a Hammond’ Flycatcher.  This small western U. S. flycatcher belongs to the notorious Empidomax genus.  This group of flycatchers includes several small, similarly looking birds that are best separated by voice.

On November 1, again in Cape May, a Tropical Kingbird appeared.  As its names suggests, this bird hails from more warmer climates.  It was considered by many to have been a long overdue species to show up in New Jersey.  My encounters with this flycatcher have been in Mexico and Costa Rica.

Tropical Kingbird, Jacó, Costa Rica.  ©  S. Weiss

On November 2, at a private residence in Leesburg, Cumberland County, a Broad-billed Hummingbird made an appearance.  Mostly a Mexican species, it rarely ventures outside of the extreme southern United States.

Finally, on November 8 in Hanover Township, Morris County an Eurasian Marsh Harrier was spotted over a local wetlands tract.  Possibly the same bird had been spotted in Maine in late August, making the NJ sighting only the third occurrence of the species in the United States.

It's a personal wonder how many other bird species have gone undetected here in the Garden State, and what might be Number 495.