Pshing in gnats by the handfuls

Yesterday evening, 4.25.09, was great birding at Colliers Mills WMA.  The birds were out in mass.  I’ve been saving up vacation time for May birding but this month has been pretty good too.

If you get out there you never know what your going to catch a glimpse of.  I had time so I decided to walk the front pond, all 2.2 miles of it.  Some really good views of a few wood warblers.   Every turn of the Turn Mill pond had Common Yellowthroat and Palm Warblers.  The Common Yellowthroats have finally arrived singing their “wichety wichety wichety” song.

A favorite bird of mine had to be coaxed out of the woods to perform it’s “drink your TEEEE” song.  At the back bridge, near the range, I decided to do some pshing to encourage closer views of these avian soloists.  It wasn’t surprising but more of a highly anticipated appearance of the Eastern Towhee pictured above.  Once grouped together with the western race as Rufous-sided Towhee.  It derives it’s scientific name from the Latin term Pipilo or “to chirp” and erythrophthalmus Greek for “red-eyed” (pipilo erythrophthalmus).

As I made the squishy whisper call (pshing) I did not recognize or remember the call note I was hearing.  But it also was certainly an effective tool to communicate a free meal to the local gnats.  My target bird making that “chewink” song note was not coming out.  So I walked on and finally closed in on the call note singing bird, which than provided his heart stopping solo song.  If he doesn’t get chicks with that “drink your tea” song there is no justice in a sparrows life.

Location: Colliers Mills WMA, New Egypt

Observation date: 4/25/09

Notes: Few hours before sunset.

Number of species: 21

Eastern Kingbird

Canada Goose

Downy Woodpecker

Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)

Eastern Phoebe

Black-capped Chickadee

Tufted Titmouse

Carolina Wren

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

American Robin

Swamp Sparrow

Chipping Sparrow

White-throated Sparrow

Northern Cardinal

Red-winged Blackbird

Brown-headed Cowbird

Killdeer

Turkey Vulture

Eastern Towhee

Common yellowthroat

Palm warbler

If I don’t move the human will leave

Once called Wilson’s snipe, now this solitary bird goes by Common Snipe.  I got to see one feeding tonight at Colliers Mills WMA, and I have to say in my experience Common is a stretch.

Beautiful little guy, he looked like he would tip over from the length of his bill.  The bird was in the front burn part by the maintenance building.  I walked right up on him, less than 3feet, and the only movement the bird gave was a wink of an eye lid.  After I left and came back, I found him foraging again.  It’s amazing to see that long bill be used like an ice pick in the wet soggy marsh.  Thumbing threw an old Handbook of Birds of Eastern North America by Frank M. Chapman, I read that Common Snipes need two things:

“Two things are essential to its requirements-ground so thoroughly water-soaked as to afford slight resistance to its long and highly sensitive bill when probing, and such concealment as tussocks, hillocks, or long grass afford, for, unlike the Sandpipers, the Snipe rarely ventures out on bare mud-flats, save under cover of darkness.”

 

It also goes on to say that they are good eating and that hunters especially find good sport in shooting them.  I hope if any hunter reads this post remember that there was only one and he looked very unsavory to me.

Yellow-Rumped Warblers were all around the Turnmill pond.  Only other bird of interest was a green backed heron hunting near the entrance.

FOY Brown Thrasher

Yesterday morning was a beaut. Before I went to my Environmental Stewards Program I caught an early sunrise at Colliers Mills WMA.

All the typical birds were at morning roll call. I had read somewhere that someone had a Brown Thrasher sighting and was wondering where oh where was ours? Where was our First of the Year (FOY) bird.

Catching a note on the wind from where I parked by the Maintenance building, I had hope. By the time I walked to the gate I realized that one of the breeding Brown Thrashers of Colliers Mills was back. And as I walked the front field edges I had a tag along choir. The Brown Thrasher’s (Toxostoma rufum) voice was familiar and a welcoming sound, like an old friend you’ve missed and haven’t seen for ages.

Get out there and go birding!

There was 1 and than there were 4

I had the chance to take a tour of Jackson Township’s FREC Bluebird trail with Dr Laura Stone on 4.16.09. My family really enjoyed the walk with Dr. Stone and they got to hear someone else talk about birds the way I do, with passion.

Kids are so inquisitive and ask some of the darnest things. My youngest daughter, Chloe at 9, asked if Teradactyls were related to birds?

That evening I went down to Colliers Mills WMA for some quite time. I was not alone in my quest for peace. Although I think the male Belted Kingfisher, which was hunting the back cranberry bogs, was in search of dinner as well as peace. As warm as it was I was surprised by a pair of Juncos flitting about the banks of the pond.

The other highlight was a sparrow with a streaky chest picking at the ground in the front, recently burned, field. There was a mixed bunch in the field, Bluebirds, Robins, and sparrows. After watching the sparrow for a minute, my slow mind finally caught the movement of the other 3. These birds like most sparrows are seemingly dingy brown vagrants. However the Savannah sparrow is on New Jersey’s protected species list,as Endangered or Threatened. I searched and observed the field marks that would cinch this identification: yellow tinge on the eye lore, pink legs, and streaked breast but I could not see if the tail was notched.

Location: Oakford Lake, New Egypt

Observation date: 4/16/09

Notes: Sunny evening.

Number of species: 23

Canada Goose

Downy Woodpecker

Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)

Eastern Phoebe

Black-capped Chickadee

Tufted Titmouse

Carolina Wren

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

American Robin

Pine Warbler

Swamp Sparrow

Chipping Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Northern Cardinal

Red-winged Blackbird

Brown-headed Cowbird

American Goldfinch

American Kestrel

Killdeer

Turkey Vulture

Savannah Sparrow

Eastern Bluebird

Belted Kingfisher

Spring never offers a dull day or a dull bird

There was more paddling than birding today.  But it was a beautiful Easter morning to be on the water. 

After passing a mixed roost of Turkey and Black vultures I approached what local residents call  “Wide Ocean”, trying my best not to break the silence of the lake.  I attempted to make small ripples in the lake, hoping to catch any raptors (eagles and hawks) perched high in the lake bank trees. 

But it wasn’t to be.  Nine Canadian Geese declared my presence to the rest of the neighborhood with their loud raucous voices.  Once the alarm was raised they took a few steps on the water and were aloft and calm was returned to the waters. 

On the way back a pair of Eastern Phoebes provided the highlight of the trip.  When sitting in a kayak on a lake nature tends to forget you are there, almost as if you are part of the whole.  Interesting to know that Phoebes are one of the earliest migrants to our area and they usually are one of the later birds to migrate south in the Fall.

If you’ve never taken a kayak or canoe out on the lake you don’t know what your missing out on. Canoeing and kayaking are low impact activities that can improve your aerobic fitness, strength and flexibility.  Don’t forget on May 16th there will be canoe rides down at the lake as part of it’s Fun & Fitness themed New Egypt day.  A great opportunity to try out the lake and see if maybe there is a kayak purchase in your family’s future. 

Location: Oakford Lake, New Egypt

Observation date: 4/12/09

Notes: Light breeze and sunny Easter morning.

Number of species: 16

Canada Goose

Downy Woodpecker

Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)

Eastern Phoebe

Black-capped Chickadee

Tufted Titmouse

American Robin

Pine Warbler

Northern Cardinal

Brown-headed Cowbird

American Goldfinch

Turkey Vulture

Black Vulture

Wood duck

Mallard duck

Muscovy Duck

The woods are starting to fill in

The Gnats kept me company while I walked around Turn Mill Pond. It was appropriate that I saw my first of the year (FOY) Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher today. In the front where the phragmites are burned, offered good views of both swamp and song sparrows snacking.

Location: Colliers Mills WMA

Observation date: 4/10/09

Notes: Beautiful afternoon to get some fresh air.

Number of species: 24

Canada Goose

Downy Woodpecker

Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)

Eastern Phoebe

Black-capped Chickadee

Tufted Titmouse

Carolina Wren

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

American Robin

Pine Warbler

Swamp Sparrow

Field Sparrow

Chipping Sparrow

Song Sparrow

White-throated Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Northern Cardinal

Red-winged Blackbird

Brown-headed Cowbird

American Goldfinch

American Kestrel

Killdeer

Turkey Vulture

Ring-Necked duck