The 125th Christmas Bird Count in New Jersey

The 125^th CBC was run with most counts experiencing favorable climate, though temperatures averaged 12 – 15 levels colder than final season. Participation for a lot of counts was once more up from pre-pandemic participation with a report 455 observers on the Decrease Hudson CBC. Species numbers had been combined, with some above common and others effectively beneath common. It was but once more a poor winter finch 12 months, however a superb number of rarities and late-lingerers was encountered.

Thirty CBCs had been carried out in New Jersey, with the return of Oceanville after a one-year absence and the revival of the Island Seaside rely. The entire of 193 species recorded was effectively beneath common, however included a Sharp-tailed Sandpiper on the Marmora CBC, a pair of Purple-necked Phalaropes on the Island Seaside CBC, and a Chestnut-collared Longspur on the Lengthy Department CBC, all firsts for a New Jersey rely. Cape Could once more led the state with 145 species, the second lowest whole for that rely in additional than 50 years. Barnegat was second with 121 species, adopted by Cumberland County (120) and Oceanville (120). Sandy Hook set a brand new report for that rely at 119 species, surpassing the 118 recorded in 1997.

The 36 species of waterfowl detected included a Higher White-fronted Goose at Assunpink and a Ross’s Goose at Warren County – Northampton County. Trumpeter Swan was missed for the primary time since 2017, however the whole of 5 European Wigeon on three totally different counts was the very best whole in a decade. Cape Could had the one Blue-winged Teal, whereas Barnegat situated 2 King Eiders and all 71 Harlequin Geese, a brand new excessive for the state.

There have been no studies of Ruffed Grouse for the eighth time in ten years and Wild Turkey numbers (607) remained effectively beneath the averages of the earlier twenty years. The two,426 Purple-throated Loons surpassed final 12 months’s whole because the second highest after the report 2,946 in 2014. Boonton had the one Purple-necked Grebe of the season and the variety of Nice Cormorants wintering within the state continues to lower; the whole of twenty-two people was the bottom since 1977.

Single American Bitterns on 4 totally different CBCs was a superb quantity, as was the 131 Nice Egrets on 10 counts; many of the egrets departed after the brand new 12 months when the climate turned colder. Two Tricolored Herons at Barnegat and a single at Island Seaside had been the primary rely data in a number of years.

An Osprey at Nice Swamp made it six years in a row and fourteen out of the previous fifteen with a number of of this species lingering within the state into the early winter. A Golden Eagle at Cumberland County, a species word recorded yearly, was a spotlight of that CBC. The tally of 406 Northern Harriers was the very best in ten years, whereas the 783 Bald Eagles was akin to totals for the previous two 12 months. Purple-shouldered Hawks had been once more current in good numbers, with the 238 tallied simply shy of the report 243 present in 2022. The one Tough-legged Hawk of the season was at Somerset County.

A Sora, a species not recorded yearly, was a shock at Boonton, whereas a report 137 Sandhill Cranes was reached with birds on 5 counts; the resident Cumberland County flock hit a brand new excessive of 72 birds. A close to report whole of 633 American Oystercatchers included 251 in Cape Could County and 350 at Oceanville. Thirty Semipalmated Plovers was a brand new state excessive, with 27 in Cape Could, 2 at Marmora, and 1 at Oceanville. Fifteen Western Willets had been at Oceanville, as latest years have seen a giant lower within the species in comparison with 5 – 15 years in the past. The spotlight of the season was a Sharp-tailed Sandpiper found on the Marmora rely, a primary for a New Jersey CBC and solely the third state report. Two Purple-necked Phalaropes discovered on the Island Seaside rely had been additionally a primary for a state CBC.

The one alcids detected had been 5 Razorbills discovered on 4 totally different counts, however many extra had been seen later within the winter. Bonaparte Gulls (299) had been down 90% from the earlier 12 months, however the numbers of this species fluctuate wildly from 12 months to 12 months. A complete of eight lingering Laughing Gulls was about common, however a single Iceland Gull at Northwest Hunterdon County was the one one of many season. A report excessive whole of 362 Lesser Black-backed Gulls was tallied on 15 counts, with the bulk (230) at Northwest Hunterdon County, which has even greater numbers later within the winter. Island Seaside had the one Glaucous Gull and Forster’s Tern went undetected.

All the standard owls had been present in typical numbers, however 4 Snowy Owls, three at Barnegat and one at Oceanville, had been the primary in three years. Three Ruby-throated Hummingbirds had been current in the course of the Cape Could CBC, however none seem to have survived the winter. Solely 6 Purple-headed Woodpeckers had been reported, 3 at Assunpink and three at Nice Swamp, as numbers of this species can fluctuate significantly from 12 months to 12 months, relying partly on the acorn crop. A report 237 Pileated Woodpeckers had been tallied, 26 extra that the earlier excessive from 2023. The opposite woodpeckers had been all reported in common numbers.

Trenton Marshes and Warren – Northampton every had a Northern Shrike; final 12 months’s single chook was the primary in eight years, a far cry from the a number of people usually recorded within the Nineties and Eighties. Populations of Blue Jays and American Crows remained steady, with no indication of additional decline attributable to avian flu. The Widespread Raven rely of 360 birds was effectively beneath final 12 months’s report 437, however the species was discovered on each rely besides the Pinelands. As just lately as 1995, Widespread Raven was missed utterly. 100 sixty Purple-breasted Nuthatches was a giant enhance from final 12 months’s 17, however nonetheless far in need of a typical invasion 12 months.

Cape Could had the one Sedge Wren and Marmora a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher; a species not recorded yearly. It was a banner 12 months for Golden-crowned Kinglets with 1,123 the very best rely since 2013. Warren – Northampton had the one Lapland Longspur, however one of many birds of the season was a Chestnut-collared Longspur found on the Lengthy Department CBC. This was a primary for a New Jersey rely and solely the third state report; sadly, it was in a closed space inaccessible with no particular allow and was not seen once more. Snow Buntings had been effectively represented, with 511 the very best whole since 2008.

The seven species of wooden warbler encountered included three Ovenbirds and a Nashville Warbler within the New York Metropolis portion of the Decrease Hudson CBC. Single Yellow-breasted Chats, one other species not discovered yearly, had been at Barnegat and Cape Could. The three “salt” sparrows had been in good provide, particularly Nelson’s Sparrow with a report whole of 36 birds, most of them in Cumberland County. American Tree Sparrows (947) made their finest exhibiting in 9 years. That is nonetheless far beneath the tallied of the Nineteen Seventies and Eighties, when 5,000 – 6,000 had been discovered most years; the species principal wintering grounds seem to have moved farther west. Cumberland County and Princeton every had a Vesper Sparrow, one other species not seen yearly.

The Decrease Hudson CBC had a long-staying Painted Bunting on the New Jersey facet of the rely and an equally long-staying Dickcissel on the New York Metropolis facet. Baltimore Orioles continued their latest over-wintering development with a complete of 27 on 6 totally different counts, together with 21 in Cape Could. There have been no studies of both crossbill, Redpoll, or Night Grosbeak.