April 2014 recap

April has brought on the expected change in birds here on the east coast. The only problem is that it has been a chilly spring for the most part, so migration is delayed by a week or more. Ducks essentially all departed by the third week of April, along with the Brown Creepers, Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, and Golden-crowned Kinglets that we have been enjoying for most of the winter, being replaced by our north-bound migrants from the south. Thus, I’ve been able to see twelve species of warblers so far this year, but most have been in relatively low numbers. Perhaps the most notable of the warbler sightings were two separate times this month that I found Louisiana Waterthrush at Double Trouble State Park, including two individuals on April 28. When I entered these reports into eBird, I found that they were the first reports of that species in eBird for Ocean County ever! They clearly are not common here, and maybe…just maybe…those two will stay and breed here? Stay tuned for updates. Coming in a close second place in my top warbler sightings was the seven Yellow-throated Warblers seen at Atlantic County Park. Great habitat there, and I’ll have to return back again this spring.

White-eyed, Blue-headed, and Warbling vireos started to appear in the last week along with two common resident flycatcher species, Eastern Kingbird and Great Crested Flycatcher. Along the coast, early in the month we spotted our first Snowy Egrets and Glossy Ibis, who were joined in the marshes near the end of the month by Little Blue and Tri-colored Herons and both Yellowlegs. More shorebird species have been reported locally, and I’ll be looking for them in early May.

Perhaps the most remarkable day of the year, however, came on April 16, when a trip to Long Beach Island and Barnegat Lighthouse State Park was nearly spoiled by chilly temperatures, high tides, and 30 mph gusts coming off the ocean. I said ‘nearly spoiled’ because I was able to find Snowy Egrets and a Tri-colored Heron in the marshes of LBI and on the way back from Barnegat jetty I spotted a late Snowy Owl huddling alongside the dunes. That was a super find, but it became even more remarkable when I returned home and noticed a male Ruby-throated Hummingbird visiting my feeders. Snowy Egrets and Snowy Owl and Ruby-throated Hummingbirds on the same day!  Wow. That is not a combination I ever expected to see in one day. I can’t wait to see what surprises the next month brings.

In non-birding news, this year I’ve started trying to learn our butterflies and some of the more unique plants of the region. With the chilly temps and windy days butterflies have been scarce, but I’ve been able to identify Cabbage Whites, Blueberry Azures, Mourning Cloaks, and Eastern Comma. The best plant sighting has been the welcome flowering of Golden Club in the freshwater wetlands.

My new birds for April:
Eastern Kingbird – April 28 – Double Trouble State Park
Great Crested Flycatcher – April 28 – Double Trouble State Park
Prothonotary Warbler – April 28 – Leisure Village West
Prairie Warbler – April 27 – Double Trouble State Park
Chimney Swift – April 26 – Lord Sterling Park
Black-throated Green Warbler – April 26 – Great Swamp NWR
Blue-headed Vireo – April 26 – Great Swamp NWR
Warbling Vireo – April 26 – Scherman/Hoffman Sanctuary
Black-capped Chickadee – April 26 – Scherman/Hoffman Sanctuary
House Wren – April 26 – Scherman/Hoffman Sanctuary
Pileated Woodpecker – April 21 – Allaire State Park
Northern Parula – April 17 – Atlantic County Park
Yellow-throated Warbler – April 17 – Atlantic County Park
Ruby-throated Hummingbird – April 16 – Manchester, NJ
White-eyed Vireo – April 16 – Barnegat Lighthouse State Park
Little Blue Heron – April 14 – Cattus Island County Park
Tri-colored Heron – April 14 – Cattus Island County Park
Common Yellowthroat – April 14 – Double Trouble State Park
Black-and-white Warbler – April 13 – Double Trouble State Park
Lesser Yellowlegs – April 12 – Forsythe NWR
Caspian Tern – April 12 – Forsythe NWR
Purple Martin – April 12 – Forsythe NWR
Brown Thrasher – April 12 – Forsythe NWR
Sharp-shinned Hawk – April 9 – Island Beach State Park
Gray Catbird – April 9 – Island Beach State Park
Ruby-crowned Kinglet – April 8 – Central Park
Louisiana Waterthrush – April 8 – Central Park
Black-crowned Night-heron – April 8 – Central Park
Baltimore Oriole – April 8 – Central Park
Barn Swallow – April 7 – Whitesbog
Northern Rough-winged Swallow – April 7 – Whitesbog
Snowy Egret – April 6 – Forsythe
Glossy Ibis – April 6 – Forsythe
Red-headed Woodpecker – April 6 – Dorothy
American Kestrel – April 6 – Lenape Farms
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher – April 6 – Lenape Farms
Palm Warbler – April 5 – Double Trouble
Great Horned Owl – April 2 – Home (hooting at 3 AM)
Chipping Sparrow – April 2 – Cattus Island