Things are looking up:

(Click on the photo for a larger image.)

Because there isn’t much else to look at.

Every birder who follows weather patterns and watches bird migration radar knows that the northeast is in the midst of a migration stall and crawl. Species are trickling through but in general the timing of arrivals is late and, other than Yellow-rumped Warblers, Palm Warblers and the typical species of the region, the number of migrating individuals is Silent Spring-like. All of migration is to our west and south, so far. It doesn’t look to change until next weekend at the earliest.

Raptors at Lord Stirling Park

Meanwhile, even though northwest winds dominated this morning, a steady stream of raptors flew north over an improvised hawk watch near the kiosk on the main path of Lord Stirling Park. 109 Broad-winged Hawks, 5 Bald Eagles, 2 Osprey, 26 Sharp-shinned Hawks, 1 Cooper’s Hawk and 2 American Kestrels cruised over unexpectedly in the morning considering the wind direction. 106 Double-crested Cormorants in various groups also migrated (Jeff Ellerbusch, Simon Lane).

A Prothonotary Warbler is working the area north and south of the beaver lodge along the Fisherman’s Trail at Lord Stirling Park. Yesterday’s Yellow-throated Warbler was not relocated today.

Chimney Swifts

A strong, concentrated push of Chimney Swifts up the Raritan River in Franklin Township was witnessed yesterday by Jeff Ellerbusch. Today, Chimney Swifts were difficult to miss in Morris and northern Somerset County. Morristown, Melanie Lane Wetlands, Loantaka Brook Reservation, Lord Stirling Park – basically, Chimney Swifts are everywhere as of today.

Arrivals

The following list is from correspondence and eBird reports. This is a sampling of 2014 warbler arrival dates in the combined counties of Morris and Somerset since Friday, April 25.

Blue-winged Warbler (Apr. 27) – Rober J. Stahl Natural Area, Bedminster (Mike Almendinger)

(Apr. 27) – Rober J. Stahl Natural Area, Bedminster (Mike Almendinger) Nashville Warbler (Apr. 26) – Delaware and Raritan Canal Towpath, (Jeff Ellerbusch)

(Apr. 26) – Delaware and Raritan Canal Towpath, (Jeff Ellerbusch) Black-throated Blue Warbler (Apr. 27) – Scherman Hoffman Sanctuary, Bernardsville (Cathy Millington, photo)

(Apr. 27) – Scherman Hoffman Sanctuary, Bernardsville (Cathy Millington, photo) Black-throated Green Warbler (Apr. 25) – Hillsborough Twp. (Bobby Skrabal)

(Apr. 25) – Hillsborough Twp. (Bobby Skrabal) Prairie Warbler (Apr. 27) – Glenhurst Meadows (Bobby Skrabal)

Other Field Notes

The Yellow-throated Warbler continues near Parking Lot A at Colonial Park, Franklin Twp. (m.obs).

2 Black-crowned Night-Herons continue at Jefferson Road Pond, Parsippany (Julie Buechner).

2 Black-crowned Night-Herons continue at Green Brook Park as of yesterday (Walter Blenderman).

4 Great Egrets are at Glenhurst Meadows today (Jim Mulvey).

Shorebirds are scarce in the mocosocoBirds region although Spotted Sandpipers are relatively easy to find this weekend. Yellowlegs are in the area, albeit scantily, as shown by the photo below from Melanie Lane Wetlands.