Registrar: Debbie Mullins
Participants: 10
Weather: Morning rain, afternoon sun, mid 40s F
Bird Species: 39
Our walk at DeKorte Park in the New Jersey Meadowlands started with drizzle and fog and ended with clear blue skies. By the end of the day, the Manhattan skyline was visible in the distance, reminding us how close we live to this wonderful birding hotspot. Under the expert leadership of Rick Wright, we saw 39 bird species, including raptors, waterfowl, and passerines. We met at the AMVETS Memorial Carillon and began the walk on Saw Mill Creek trail, adjacent to the old capped landfills. Northern Harriers, both adults and juveniles, were seen hunting over the landfills, along with Red-tailed Hawks and an American Kestrel. While walking along the embankments separating the estuaries, we had good looks at 19 species of waterfowl, including Northern Pintails, Ring-necked Ducks, Common Goldeneyes, and all three species of mergansers. The area surrounding the park headquarters held some early spring migrants, including Red-winged Blackbirds, Common Grackles, and a Brown-headed Cowbird. A Gambel’s White-crowned Sparrow was an especially exciting find. This subspecies is characterized by pale lores and is typically seen in the western US. All participants agreed this was a wonderful end-of-season trip.
Species Lists
Birds
Canada Goose
Northern Shoveler
Gadwall
Mallard
American Black Duck
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Canvasback
Ring-necked Duck
Greater Scaup
Lesser Scaup
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Hooded Merganser
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Mourning Dove
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Northern Harrier
Red-tailed Hawk
Belted Kingfisher
American Kestrel
Black-capped Chickadee
European Starling
Northern Mockingbird
House Sparrow
American Tree Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow (Gambel’s)
White-throated Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Common Grackle
Northern Cardinal
Mammals
White-tailed deer
