The birds keep moving

Slowly but surely migrants are making their way through Bergen County. Lots of Yellow-rumped Warblers were seen in NJ Meadowlands, with many singing Savannah Sparrows. The new arrivals there are Orchard Oriole and Indigo Bunting. At various location including The Celery Farm, warblers like Northern Waterthrush, Louisiana Waterthrush, Black-throated Green, Black and White, Palm, Common Yellowthroat, Prairie, Yellow and Redstart were seen the last 2 days. Multiple Horned Grebes, Blue-winged Teal and Lesser Scaup were seen on the Hackensack River from River Barge Park. Brown Thrashers, Rose-breasted Grosbeak and an early Blue Grosbeak have seen spotted.

Migration gets going but so does the wind

Migration is moving along now. More passerines are being spotted such as Blue-headed Vireos, Yellow Warblers, Northern Parula, Northern Waterthrush, Black and White Warbler, Chipping Sparrows, Marsh Wren and an early Blue Grosbeak, spotted at Halifax Rd. Mahwah. Shorebirds are moving into The Meadowlands, as are more swallows. Friday's cold and wind kept the swallows down on the ground or in the phragmites. This is a great time to check through the numbers for Cliff and Bank. Both were seen along the Marsh Discovery Trail in DeKorte Park. Broad-winged Hawks are being seen heading north. Blue-winged Teal are being spotted in a few locations including The Meadowlands. Lingering waterfowl include American Wigeon in Franklin Lakes Preserve, Bufflehead and Northern Shovelers in DeKorte, and Ruddy Ducks in the Hackensack River viewed from Little Ferry. Cliff Swallows form Friday morning at Richard DeKorte Park.

Migration starts to get going

Yesterday in Bergen County many new sightings were reported highlighted by a Caspian Tern at The Celery Farm found by Rob Fanning. It's the 4th or 5th record there. A Drake Eurasian Wigeon was seen in NJ Meadowlands briefly flying out of a pond off Valley Brook Ave. heading towards Berry's Creek. The Meadowlands also had new arrivals of Spotted Sandpiper, Green Heron, Prairie Warbler and Marsh Wren. Forster's Tern continue to fly around the area. Large numbers, 200 or so, of Greater Yellowlegs were seen on the Bergen County Audubon walk to Harrier Meadow. Savannah Sparrows, Northern Shovelers and American Wigeon,  Least Sandpiper and Dunlin were also seen. Yellow-rumped and Palm Warblers continue to increase across the region. Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, Black and White Warbler and Blue-headed Vireo have started to arrive. Louisiana Waterthrush were seen and heard the last few days singing on territory in Ramapo County Reservation and in The Palisades. Rusty Blackbirds are seen at The Celery Farm.  Blue-winged Teal were seen on the weekend at Darlington Lake in Mahwah and on Berry's Creek in The Meadowlands. Boat-tailed Grackles have been seen in DeKorte Park and along Valley Brook Ave. the last few days. Pine Siskins are still being seen at many feeders with most reports coming from the Franklin Lakes area. Purple Finches are being reported at some feeders as well.

Migration in dribs and drabs

It seems like migration is moving along but slowly. Some new arrivals the last few days include an early House Wren at The Celery Farm, a singing male Common Yellowthroat in Richard DeKorte Park, a flyover Laughing Gull in DeKorte and Chimney Swifts in a few locations around the county. Female Red-winged Blackbirds have arrived, Swamp Sparrows have been heard singing and a large flock of Cedar Waxwings was seen in NJ Meadowlands.
Duck numbers in NJ Meadowlands have been dropping every day with Wigeon, Bufflehead and Ring-necked Ducks as the only migrants still around. All the rarities have left. Red-necked Grebe and Horned Grebe at Lake Tappan were the only rare birds reported today. A single male Boat-tailed Grackle was seen in NJ Meadowlands Harrier Meadow yesterday.

Some migration today

There seemed to be more birds around early today. Losen Slote Creek Park in Little Ferry had 10 Palm Warblers, 2 Pine Warblers and 7 Yellow-rumped in the woods and field edge. Most locations I visited had Palm Warblers. NJ Meadowlands new arrivals were a migrating Brant, Forsters Terns and a single Bank Swallow mixed in with Trees and Northern Rough-winged Swallows early this morning. A Boat-tailed Grackle was observed at River Barge Park. Ruby-crowned Kinglet numbers seem to be increasing and more Hermit Thrushes were seen today along the Palisades. Lingering Fox Sparrows are singing across the county. Bank Swallow photo below.

Migration continues slowly

Migration in Bergen County continues slowly. Only a few new sightings of birds have been reported. A backyard Northern Parula was heard singing in Westwood. Brown Thrasher, Winter Wren, Hermit Thrush, Pied-bill Grebe, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Pine Warbler, Palm Warbler, 3 species of Swallow, Ruby-crowned and Golden-crowned Kinglets and Broad-winged Hawk sightings are increasing. Rarities, Redhead and Horned Grebe continue in DeKorte Park, NJ Meadowlands. Pine Siskins are still being seen at backyard feeders across the county. Photos of Northern Parula and Pied-bill Grebe

Little bit of Migration

It seems that more birds left the county than arrived last night. A few migrants were seen in The Meadowlands and The Palisades. 3 Common Loons flew north over Richard DeKorte Park around 7:30 am. Eastern Meadowlark was seen in Overpeck County Park. Many Double-crested Cormorants and Common Grackles were seen flying along the Hudson River and Palisades. Winter Wren and Louisiana Waterthrush were singing in the Palisades. A Broad-winged Hawk was seen in Mahwah. More Snowy Egrets (9) were seen in DeKorte with the continuing Redhead, Canvasbacks and Horned Grebe.

American Bittern sightings

      An American Bittern continues at The Celery Farm today. It was seen at Blue Heron Pond. Another American Bittern was seen in the marsh in Harrier Meadow, NJ Meadowlands (restricted access). So it's time to look for these guys. Bonaparte's Gulls were seen on Lake Tappan this morning and could be seen in migration in NJ Meadowlands, Hudson River or any of our reservoirs. 2 Vesper Sparrows were found in NJ Meadowlands last evening off Valley Brook Ave and were seen again this morning. Some other migrants were spotted today. Dunlin was reported at Richard DeKorte Park as well as flyovers yesterday in The Meadowlands. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher was spotted in Mahwah and NJ Meadowlands. All the rarites reported this week in DeKorte continue. Redhead and Canvasbacks seen from Transco Trail. Horned Grebe is in the Teal Pool.
     Winds this evening will be out of the southwest and west and moderate, so maybe we can have some migration and bring in some more new birds. Bonaparte's Gull photo is from NJ Meadowlands 2 years ago.

New arrivals and some rarities

Brown Thrasher and Blue-gray Gnatcatcher were reported at Halifax Rd. in Mahwah this morning. American Bittern was reported at The Celery Farm flying from Phair's Pond to Lake Appert. Redhead, Canvasbacks and 2 Horned Grebes continue at Richard DeKorte park, NJ Meadowlands. 1 Grebe is in Teal Pool, 1 seen with Ruddy Ducks from the Ruddy Duck blind on Marsh Discovery Trail. 4 Common Loons were seen on Lake Tappan yesterday evening.

Glossy Ibis and Other Rarities

Mike Newhouse of NJ Meadowlands reported a Glossy Ibis in Harrier Meadow in NJ Meadowlands at lunchtime. Sorry but it's a restricted access location. Keep your eyes open in other locations for Glossy Ibis. Vesper Sparrow continues at Crestwood Lake in Allendale. Horned Grebe, Redhead and 60+ Canvasbacks continue at Richard DeKorte Park, NJ Meadowlands.

Vesper Sparrows

There's been 2 sightings of Vesper Sparrow this week, one was seen at Crestwood Lake in Allendale. This is more common in the autumn, but there's been multiple spring sightings in North Jersey this spring.

Spring arrivals around the county

Spring has arrived and new migrants are here too! This is a great time to look for new arrivals as well as the lingering winter migrants. This past weekend saw the arrival of Pine and Palm Warblers at a few natural areas across the region like Teaneck Creek Conservancy and Flat Rock Brook Nature Center. Common Loons were seen at Lake Tappan, Lake Henry and Mary Patrick Park. The NJ Meadowlands has a number of Greater Yellowlegs at different locations and some small groups of Field Sparrows and Savannah Sparrows as well. Great Egrets and Snowy Egrets have arrived in Richard DeKorte Park and can been seen feeding off the Marsh Discovery Trail. Tree Swallows, Northern Rough-winged Swallows and Barn Swallows are being seen in Richard DeKorte Park and The Celery Farm as well anywhere there is open water. Eastern Meadowlark was a rarity reported at The Celery Farm. A very rare Glaucous Gull was seen there last week too. A single Blue-winged Teal was a new arrival and seen in Franklin Lakes at the marsh just north of Franklin Lakes Nature Preserve. Richard DeKorte Park has 2 Bergen County rarities continuing this week, Redhead and Horned Grebe. A single Boat-tailed Grackle was spotted in DeKorte today as well as River Barge park a couple of weeks ago.