(Prothonotary Warbler, Lord Stirling Park, NJ, Apr. 26, 2014 – photo by Chris Thomas. Click on the photo for a larger image.)

From John J. Collins this morning at Lord Stirling Park:

(8:56 a.m.) – “I’m presently looking at a YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER from the Fisherman’s Trail at Lord Stirling Park – at the river just south of the beaver lodge. The was also a GREEN HERON at the lake behind the Environmental Center and my first COMMON YELLOWTHROAT on my way from there to the Fisherman’s Trail.”

(9:02 a.m.) – “Now there is also a PROTHONOTARY WARBLER at the same location as the Yellow-Throated!”

(later) – “P.S. The RED-HEADED WOODPECKER was at the same location today (The “Dance Floor”) at Lord Stirling. I saw a YELLOW WARBLER (first of the year for me) at the Great Swamp on Pleasant Plains Rd. between the overlook parking lot and the closed bridge.”

[Editor: The Prothonotary Warbler was seen and heard by several individuals later in the day, south of the beaver dam along the river. Chris Thomas’s beautiful photograph is at the top of this page.

The Yellow-throated Warbler is the 3rd reported in Somerset County this spring: one continuing at Colonial Park, another from Ravine Lake, Far Hills last weekend, and today at Lord Stirling Park where it was relocated later in the afternoon and photographed by Jeff Ellerbusch.]

The Yellow-throated Warbler of Colonial Park was seen today at Parking Lot A (David Bernstein, et al). A PDF of the park map can be seen at this link.

Yet another Yellow-throated Warbler (Setophaga dominica albilora) is reported and confirmed with photographs as Setophaga dominica albilora at a private, inaccessible residence near Denville.

200 Chimney Swifts were tallied today on the D&R Towpath, Franklin Twp. Warblers seen and heard were Black-and-white, Nashville, Palm, Pine and Yellow-rumped (Jeff Ellerbusch).

Spotted Sandpipers have arrived. One was on the dam forming Silver Lake (Great Brook) on Blue Mill Road, Harding Twp. Another was at Florham Fields (J. Klizas). Yet another was on the Bernards Twp. side of White Bridge on Lord Stirling Road (Simon Lane).

The season’s first Black-throated Green Warbler was at Split Rock Reservoir (eBirded by Dan Poalillo).

Rusty Blackbirds

Rusty Blackbirds have not formed any large congregations this past autumn/winter/spring season in the mocosocoBirds region, or in New Jersey at all, as far as is known. 25 were at the dance floor at Lord Stirling Park yesterday, Apr. 25 (David Bernstein). This is the largest group found in Somerset County in 2014. A group of varying numbers is temporarily residing at Melanie Lane Wetlands with ~9 seen today (J. Klizas). The high count for Morris this year is 35. Most years will see a maximum of hundreds. The low numbers can probably be blamed on the long, cold winter.