MONMOUTH AND MERCER COUNTY WINTER WEEKEND FEBRUARY 15 -16-

Long Eared Owl (one of five roosting together) Photo'd by Chalress Tang

Leader : Ryan Goldeberg

From: Ryan Goldberg
To: Peter Dorosh
Sent: Wed, Feb 26, 2020 11:28 am
Subject: NJ winter weekend trip report

Hi Peter,

Here is my report for the NJ winter weekend on Feb. 15-16 to Monmouth and Mercer counties. We had 10 total participants for what I thought was an outstanding trip to some beautiful spots (but you were there, so you can confirm!) with great camaraderie and spirits in the group.

Ring-necked Pheasant at the Mercer Meadows (Pole Farm) near Princeton .Photo'd by Chalres Tang

We saw close to 60 species at four stops over two days: On Saturday, Manasquan Reservoir in the morning (and a fire-side lunch at their visitor center) and then Pole Farm near Princeton in the afternoon. On Sunday, Mercer County Park and then Assunpink WMA. I'm sure everyone had their favorites, but the Tundra and Trumpeter Swans and Long-eared Owls at Assunpink and the Short-eared Owl at Pole Farm were the standouts for me. Oh, and the 250-odd Ring-necked Ducks at Assunpink!

Thanks to Karen O'Hearn for keeping the checklists:

Manasquan Reservoir: https://ebird.org/checklist/S64623271
Pole Farm: https://ebird.org/checklist/S64602187
Mercer County Park: https://ebird.org/checklist/S64623225
Assunpink WMA: https://ebird.org/checklist/S64602673

Manasquan Reservoir Public Visitors Center fireplace.

Here are some photos courtesy of Charles: https://photos.app.goo.gl/oCncCu1bCwWS3khk8

Attached are a few others. 

Participants: Ryan Goldberg (leader), Chris Laskowski (registrar), Angie Co, Tina Alleva, Dan Smith, Charles Tang, Peter Dorosh, Karen O'Hearn, Bobbi Manian, Adelia Honeywood

Lunch with a view of Manasquan Reservoir

“GULL FRIEND PLEASE!” AN INTRODUCTORY WORKSHOP FOR WINTER GULLS AT CONEY ISLAND FEBRUARY 8

Leaders Dennis and Bobbi Manian

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Dennis Hrehowsik <deepseagangster@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, Feb 10, 2020 at 3:05 PM
Subject: Gull Friend
To: Peter Dorosh <prosbird@gmail.com>, Roberta Manian <roberta.manian@gmail.com>

Peter,

8 birders met on a clear feb morning and walked a lap of western Coney Island including the beach and creek. Highlights were good looks at Surf and black scoters, Longtails and loons. A raven harassed by two crows rounded out a lovely day. Oh and there were gulls we discussed the various plumages of ring billed, herring and great black back. an adult lesser black back even made an appearance.

Best,

Dennis Hrehowsik

President Brooklyn Bird Club

Coney Island Beach, Kings, New York, US
Feb 8, 2020 8:49 AM - 12:04 PM
Protocol: Traveling
1.68 mile(s)
13 species

Brant  7
Surf Scoter  3
Black Scoter  6     A group of 6 on the water off the pier
Long-tailed Duck  21
Red-breasted Merganser  4
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  69
Ring-billed Gull  553
Herring Gull  261
Lesser Black-backed Gull  1     Slightly darker mantle feathers than the surrounding Herring Gulls. Bright yellow legs visible when it stood up. Back color although darker than the Herrings seemed lighter than LBBG and also the size appeared to be close to the same as the Herrings, so there was speculation about some type of hybrid, but definitely LBBG
Great Black-backed Gull  18
Red-throated Loon  1
Common Loon  6
Northern Gannet  19     On the far horizon circling and diving. White with black wing tips visible as was Gannett shape with the sloping triangular face and bill.

Coney Island Creek, Kings, New York, US
Feb 8, 2020 12:47 PM - 1:47 PM
Protocol: Traveling
0.5 mile(s)
22 species (+1 other taxa)

Brant  150
Canada Goose  300
Gadwall  6
Mallard  14
American Black Duck  8
Greater Scaup  2
Lesser Scaup  6
Bufflehead  25
Hooded Merganser  6
Red-breasted Merganser  5
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  25
American Coot  1
Ring-billed Gull  500
Herring Gull  175
Great Black-backed Gull  12
Red-throated Loon  3
Common Loon  1
Great Blue Heron  1
American Crow  1
crow sp.  1
Common Raven  1     Croakey wedge heard by Patrick being harassed by crows photo by Bobbi
European Starling  12
House Sparrow  6

--

The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness. 
                                 --John Muir

Feb 1st Jones Beach State Park

Thick-billed Murre (very rare) near Lot 6  photo'd by Adelia who found it.

Leader Adelia Harrison ( Debut)


Photo gallery by Chares Tang

https://tinyurl.com/Jonesfeb12020

Adelia's report

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Adelia Honeywood <honeywood5@yahoo.com>
Date: Sat, Feb 1, 2020, 10:02 PM
Subject: Jones Beach State Park
To: Peter Dorosh 

We arrived at Jones Beach State Park at 7:30 am and left Pt Lookout to go home after 5 pm. Kevin said it was the longest bird trip he'd ever been on, but clearly he has not been on enough of your trips!

The Thick-billed Murre, which we found at Jones Field 6 was a lifer for Kevin, Charles, Bob and Bets.

We hit the Coast Guard Station, the West End and walked out to the jetty, Field 6, the Gatsby playground hoping for the Painted Bunting without success, Nickerson and Pt Lookout.

We have a list of 40 species for the day. (You all, let me know if I missed something) We found one single Red Knot in a crowd of 500 Dunlin and a few dozen Black-bellied Plovers. Harlequins at both the Jones Beach West End jetty and Pt Lookout. We were sad to not find the Lapland Longspur at Nickerson, nor the Painted Bunting at Jones, and no Snowy Owl but we had a lot of other fun birds.

(The Latin names were part of the file I downloaded from eBird and I didn't feel like taking them out...)

Common Loon (Gavia immer)

Red-throated Loon (Gavia stellata)

Brant (Branta bernicla)

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)

Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)

American Black Duck (Anas rubripes)

Greater Scaup (Aythya marila)

Common Eider (Somateria mollissima)

Harlequin Duck (Histrionicus histrionicus)

Surf Scoter (Melanitta perspicillata)

Surf/Black Scoter (Melanitta perspicillata/americana)

White-winged Scoter

Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola)

Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator)

Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis)

Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus)

Thick-billed Murre (Uria lomvia)

Razorbill (Alca torda)

Sanderling (Calidris alba)

Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola)

Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres)

Red Knot (Calidris canutus)

Dunlin (Calidris alpina)

Bonaparte's Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia)

Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)

Herring Gull (Larus argentatus)

Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus)

Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus)

Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) (Columba livia (Feral Pigeon))

Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)

Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)

Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina)

Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis)

White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)

Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)

Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis)

Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata)

Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)

European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)

Very fun day! Thank you, all!

Adelia