Assunpink, March 22, 2023

Pied-billed Grebe
Pied-billed Grebe

A mild spring day with high clouds made for good birding for the Medford Leas Birders at the Assunpink Wildlife Management Area near Allentown. Assunpink has several big lakes that attract ducks, and fields and woods to provide habitat for other birds.

Great Blue Heron
Great Blue Heron
Ruddy Duck
Ruddy Duck

A mild spring day with high clouds made for good birding conditions for the Medford Leas Birders at Assunpink, a New Jersey state Wildlife Management Area near Allentown. Assunpink has some big lakes that attract ducks, and fields and woods for other birds.

The waterbird migration was winding down at this date, but  birders still  found a good list of ducks on Assunpink Lake, Stone Tavern Lake, and the Imlaystown Millpond. A flock of at least 400 Ruddy Ducks and many Ring-necked Ducks were resting on the lake. A Tundra Swan and a second-year Bald Eagle were notable, and Belted Kingfishers put on a show for us.

Thanks to participants Barbara Trought and Fred Kahan, the group made a side trip to Roosevelt, a town with a fascinating history, as well as ties to Medford Leas. A special treat was a visit to the school’s famous murals painted by Ben Shahn.

Lunch at Woody’s Town Grill in Allentown was followed by a leisurely trip home on back roads.

Photos by Robert Koch and Laurie Larson

Assunpink Group

 

 

 

Participants: Jean and Chris Tindall, Robert Koch, Mary Walter, Ethel Cebra (behind sign), Holly Hoffman, Barbara Trought, Dino Fiabane.

Not shown: Fred Kahan, Laurie Larson.

Bust of Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Bust of Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Red-winged Blackbird
Red-winged Blackbird

Bird List:
1  Canada Goose
2  Mute Swan
3  Tundra Swan
4  Wood Duck
5  Blue-winged Teal
6  Gadwall
7  Mallard
8  American Black Duck
9  Green-winged Teal
10 Ring-necked Duck
11 Bufflehead
12 Hooded Merganser
13 Common Merganser
14 Ruddy Duck
15 Pied-billed Grebe
16 Rock Pigeon
17 Mourning Dove
18 Killdeer
19 Ring-billed Gull
20 Great Blue Heron
21 Black Vulture
22 Turkey Vulture
23 Cooper’s Hawk
24 Bald Eagle
25 Red-tailed Hawk
26 Belted Kingfisher
27 Red-bellied Woodpecker
28 Downy Woodpecker
29 Pileated Woodpecker
30 American Kestrel
31 Blue Jay
32 American Crow
33 Fish Crow
34 Carolina Chickadee
35 Carolina Wren
36 Eastern Bluebird
37 American Robin
38 Northern Mockingbird
39 European Starling
40 House Sparrow
41 House Finch
42 Dark-eyed Junco
43 White-throated Sparrow
44 Song Sparrow
45 Red-winged Blackbird
46 Brown-headed Cowbird
47 Common Grackle
48 Northern Cardinal