The ML Birders made a very pleasant trip on June 11 to the Ocean City rookery and the Huber Prairie Warbler preserve.
At Ocean City, the dominant bird in numbers and young was the White Ibis. They were everywhere. There were also many Great and Snowy Egrets, with lesser numbers of Glossy Ibis, both Night-Herons, and Little Blue Heron. The raised walkway over the rookery is a favorite of photographers. As David said “…the best day of birding photography in my life! I loved it.”
On the way home from Ocean City, the group stopped at the Huber Prairie Warbler Preserve in the Pinelands. This New Jersey Conservation Foundation preserve has well marked and groomed trails. At the peak of breeding season, plenty of birds were heard singing, but spotting them was more difficult. Warblers noted were Ovenbird, Prairie, Pine, Hooded, and Common Yellowthroat. Other species included Eastern Towhee, Wood Thrush, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Catbird and Wood Pewee. Prothonotary Warbler and Red-headed Woodpecker are known to nest in the preserve but weren’t found on this short walk.
Participants: Holly Hoffman, Robert Koch, Sam Madeira and David Wurster.
Species list:
1 Canada Goose
2 Mallard
3 Rock Pigeon
4 Mourning Dove
5 Laughing Gull
6 Herring Gull
7 Great Black-backed Gull
8 Great Egret
9 Snowy Egret
10 Little Blue Heron
11 Black-crowned Night- Heron
12 Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
13 White Ibis
14 Glossy Ibis
15 Turkey Vulture
16 Osprey
17 Eastern Wood-Pewee
18 Red-eyed Vireo
19 Fish Crow
20 Carolina Chickadee
21 Tufted Titmouse
22 White-breasted Nuthatch
23 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
24 Wood Thrush
25 Gray Catbird
26 House Finch
27 Song Sparrow
28 Eastern Towhee
29 Red-winged Blackbird
30 Common Grackle
31 Boat-tailed Grackle
32 Ovenbird
33 Black-and-white Warbler
34 Common Yellowthroat
35 Hooded Warbler
36 Pine Warbler
37 Prairie Warbler
38 Northern Cardinal
