Scouting

Scouting continued last weekend as we (Bill and Brian) took a trip up to Sussex county to run through the early morning part of our route. We started the day at Cat Swamp in High Point State Park. Lots of woodpecker activity, including some very active Yellow-Bellied Sapsuckers and a Hairy Woodpecker (which we inexplicably missed last year). Brian also had a Purple Finch flyover. A juvenile Bald Eagle and a handful of Ruby-Crowned Kinglets were also seen and heard near the road.

At Thunder Mountain Road we found 6-8 Hooded Mergansers along with a trio of male Wood Ducks trying to "woo" a female. We also spotted (and eventually heard) a Red-Shouldered Hawk soaring above the water.

Photo by TheMarvelousInNature.wordpress.com (c) 2007

Both species of nuthatches were joined by a singing Yellow-Throated Warbler at the Blewett Tract. We also had Golden-Crowned Kinglet and a Belted Kingfisher there. This was the location last year where we had a singing Swainson's Thrush, along with a Golden-Winged Warbler we decided not to count due to the overlap in songs between Golden- and Blue-Winged species.

As migration continues, more and more residents will start to settle in, and we'll be able to pin down our exact route. Our current plan is to be out of the north around 10am and heading to Heislerville, a bayshore location we didn't work into our route last year.