Birds and Other Nature Sightings

     Monday morning, I made my first survey of my yard and right away noticed several new bird arrivals for the year:   Baltimore orioles , common yellowthroat , black-throated green warblers and a singing blue-winged warbler were moving through the trees gleaning insects from the foliage.  I had a very early northern parula back in March, but now there were a few and they were singing.  The first migration push for our area had finally arrived.  I wound up tallying 45 bird species in the yard for the day, 46 actually when I heard the continuing Eastern screech-owl early in the evening.  However, I spent the bulk of my day picking up new arrivals at Island Beach State Park. The state park is a known migratory hotspot.  I spent about five hours walking most of the bayside trails.  I tallied 82 species for the day.  That total included 14 new year birds, and two of those birds were new personal patch birds.  The two birds that made my day at the park were a least bittern and a grass

     On Wednesday I went to Island Beach State Park to bird, my go to place.  I arrived there at mid-morning and, because of a prior family commitment, only had until noonish to bird.  With my time restriction, I decided to only walk the Reeds Road trail at the park’s north end and Spizzle Creek trail closer to the southern end.  Most of my time between the two trails did not produce much in terms of new arrival species.  Until a significant migratory push of spring birds occurs, there are a lot of the usuals around.  Most of the winter ducks have vacated or dwindled to a fraction of their peak numbers.  Some patches of brant and bufflehead are still lingering, as well as a few long-tailed ducks and common loons. On the upside though are the wading birds.  The marshes at Spizzle Creek and the Sedge Islands are now hosting almost all of New Jersey’s expected waders:   great blue heron , great egret , snowy egret , tricolored heron , little blue heron and glossy ibis .  I’m still waitin

     My last few trips to Island Beach State Park have signaled a slow change of the seasons.  Most of the winter waterfowl have pulled out, and the numbers of the few lingering species have significantly dwindled.  Breeding colors are quickly replacing the basic plumage of many remaining birds.  Spring migrants are beginning to appear, though not as many as I would like to see.  My anticipation of new arrivals is bordering on impatience.   It has become harder to spot scoters, eiders and long-tailed ducks.  The only two eiders I have seen lately is a pair of king eiders .  On Monday, I was down to only six long-tailed ducks .  The only horned grebe I saw was in nearly full alternate plumage, as are most of the common loons that are still around.  On the flip side, eastern towhee and white-eyed vireo numbers are steadily increasing.  All of the expected waders, except for green heron ,  are now regular sights in the marshes.  Even white ibis are present, and will hopefully make br

     Yesterday I had the day to myself and it was the first nice spring day we’ve had around here in awhile so I headed out to my favorite spot, Island Beach State Park.  The much hyped solar eclipse was expected in New Jersey shortly after 2 p.m..  Since we were outside of the path of totality , I felt the event would not have much of an affect on our wildlife.  I never obtained a pair of viewing glasses, so I spent the day walking the trails and driving the beach.  I could always catch the eclipse highlights on the news. It turned out to be a good day at the park, my most productive birding day of the year, logging 70 bird species.  I saw a few other interesting creatures too:  my first red admiral butterfly of the season, a large black racer snake and two large gray seals resting on the beach.   Two gray seals basking on the beach, 4/8/24.   © S. Weiss Young gray seal basking on beach, 3/22/24.   © S. Weiss Along my drive on the beach, I came upon a young Iceland gull standing near

     Mother Nature has been spreading her wrath across the country lately and New Jersey has not escaped her fury.  For three days this week wind and rain dumped a few more inches of precipitation on the already soggy Garden State.  The lousy conditions kept me close to home, only birding my backyard and the recreation fields down the street.  I did hear my first Eastern screech-owl of the year a couple nights earlier in the week.  I could hear the soft trilling song coming from the woods behind my yard.  Hopefully it and a mate will find the nest box I attached to a pine tree just behind my back fence. The recreation fields down the street are part of the township’s Shelter Cove Park.  The ball fields are bordered by a salt marsh and bay beach.  During the Revolutionary War era, this area was part of the Pennsylvania Salt Works.  Now, spring rains often flood the fields which in turn attracts spring migrants.   Ospreys have already reclaimed nests left atop the light posts around th