Heislerville and Bivalve, NJ - May 1, 2011
Chris Langman
Started at the Heislerville Wildlife Management Area. This included scanning the impoundments within the area located on the eastern side of the mouth of the Mullica River. Plenty of shorebirds for scanning. Dominated by Dunlin, Short-billed Dowitchers, plovers, Yellowlegs, and others. Another freshwater impoundment offered looks at ducks and heron-like birds.
Prothonotary Warbler (heard by Al G. in route to the WMA) Common Loon (flyover seen by Amy while chasing Isabelle around :) Canada Goose Mute Swan Mallard Green-winged Teal Common Merganser Northern Bobwhite Glossy Ibis Green Heron Little Blue Heron Great Blue Heron Great Egret (rookery across from the flats) Snowy Egret (rookery across from the flats) Black-crowned Night-Heron (rookery across from the flats) Double-crested Cormorant (rookery across from the flats) Turkey Vulture Black Vulture Osprey Bald Eagle Red-tailed Hawk Cooper's Hawk (trying to have some shorebird snacks) Peregrine Falcon (trying to have some shorebird snacks) Clapper Rail (great views preening along the channel) Black-bellied Plover Semi-palmated Plover Black Skimmer Greater Yellowlegs Lesser Yellowlegs Short-billed Dowitcher Dunlin Semi-palmated Sandpiper Least Sandpiper Herring Gull Laughing Gull Great Black-backed Gull Forster's Tern White-eyed Vireo Eastern Kingbird Blue Jay Barn Swallow Purple Martin Carolina Chickadee Carolina Wren Yellow-throated Warbler (heard singing by Amy while chasing Isabelle and eventually found by my brother :) Yellow-rumped Warbler Yellow Warbler Common Yellowthroat Ovenbird Eastern Towhee Northern Cardinal Red-winged Blackbird Boat-tailed Grackle
Other sitings include: Pearl Crescent and Spicebush Swallowtail)
Turkeys on the way from Heislerville to Bivalve Nature Area.
Bivalve - This area is located on the western side of the Mullica River and can be seen from Heislerville (although requires a half hour of driving to get between them) Extensive marshlands and some boardwalks offer good looks (and other not-so-good looks) at thousands of shorebirds:
Canada Goose Black Duck Green-winged Teal Great Egret Snowy Egret Osprey Bald Eagle Clapper Rail Greater Yellowlegs Lesser Yellowlegs Willet Long-billed Dowitcher Dunlin Solitary Sandpiper Semi-palmated Sandpiper Least Sandpiper Forster's Tern Fish Crow Barn Swallow Tree Swallow Marsh Wren Possible Sedge Wren (thanks to Al's keen ears) Savannah Sparrow Red-winged Blackbird
Other sightings include turtles and possible water snakes going out with the tide in small channels.