Garret's 22-Warbler Salute to Arbor Day

Garret Mt. Reservation held true to it's reputation as a top spring migration birding area. At 6AM birds started pouring in from the ridge. People were birding the ridge from the stables north past the tower to the north end of the mountain for up to 2 hours. 22 species of Warbler were seen today, I believe 80+ species of birds in total were seen. Many new arrivals for the year like Scarlet Tanager, White-crowned Sparrow, Indigo Bunting, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Warbling Vireo, Green Heron and Solitary Sandpiper. Arbor Day bird list

Migration at Garret Mt. this week

This week's migration at Garret produced a few new birds. Sunday through Wednesday were busy days with many birds seen throughout the park. Thursday and Friday most birds had moved out with a small amount of birds moving in. 3 Louisiana Waterthrushes were seen on Wednesday along Slippery Rock Brook (behind the restored warming shelter. We've seen 8 in the park this spring. Numerous Palm Warblers and Yellow-rumped Warblers have been seen this week. A single Worm-eating Warbler was seen briefly near Wilson Ave. A singing Yellow-throated Vireo was seen on the ridge near the Overlook Meadow Thursday morning. A male Green-winged Teal was spotted on Barbour's Pond Wednesday as well as a bathing Savannah Sparrow. Friday had new arrivals of 3 Black-throated Green Warblers along the ridge near Lambert's Observation Tower. Gray Catbird was seen near the basketball court. A Male Hooded Warbler was seen behind the restored warming shelter Friday at noon. Single House Wrens have been seen sporadically throughout the week. Barn Swallows have joined Tree and Northern Rough-winged Swallows seen on Barbour's Pond. Broad-winged Hawks continue to move north over Garret Mt. too! April Bird list Thanks to Kevin Watson for the wonderful Waterthrush photograph!

Trail Maintenance around Barbour's Pond

A couple of members of the Friends of Garret added wood chips from a Garret Mt. Reservation tree to the south end of the trail around Barbour's Pond. We were given the chips from the Passaic County Parks Dept. and Tree Dept. and thank them greatly for their help. This part of the the trail is wet most of the spring. Wood chips on the trail have made it a walkable and dry trail. All of the responses from park users have been positive, even from some of the harshest critics in the park.

Garret Mt. birding in the news

Click here for the article on Garret Mt. birding in the Bergen Record Birding at Garret Mountain

Torrey Botanical Society plant walk - April 17, 2010

17 April (Saturday). GARRET MOUNTAIN RESERVATION, WOODLAND PARK/ WEST PATERSON, PASSAIC CO., N.J. Meet at 10:00 AM in the parking lot of Mina’s on the Mountain Restaurant in the strip mall along Rifle Camp Road opposite the Park. By car: via Route. 80, east or west-bound take Squirrelwood Road exit (Exit 56), bearing right and proceed through the light for about 0.5 miles to the intersection of Rifle Camp Road. Look for the strip mall with corner restaurant opposite the New Street Reservoir. By bus: Take NJ Transit 192 bus from Port Authority Bus Terminal in N.Y.C. Get off of the bus at the corner of Valley Road and Fenner Avenue in Clifton and could be met at the Getty Service Station for pick up and short shuttle to the meeting place. Please check most current bus schedule with NJ Transit in advance of the trip. Call first trip co-leader by early Friday evening so local transportation can be arranged. After a brief meeting we will car caravan via the lower Park loop road to the parking lot at the south end of the Pond. We will explore the south end of the Park for early spring flora of the First Watchung Mountain and compare our findings with the last previous trip here in April 2005. The trip will cover the most “natural” area of the Park and will be dedicated to the late Dr. S. Marie Kuhnen, botanist and educator. The trip will finish around 12 noon. Wear sturdy footwear for rocky/wet trails and bring beverage and insect repellant; binoculars and camera optional . Trip Leaders: Joseph A. Labriola, 863 Allwood Road, Apt. D-1, Clifton, N.J. 07012; 973-472-8451; jlabriola49@optimum.net and Dr. Barbara Brummer, State Director, The Nature Conservancy, NJ Chapter, Chester, N.J. , (908) 879-7262, Ext. 350, bbrummer@tnc.org.

This weekend's new arrivals

Hooded Warbler was found along Barbour's Pond on Saturday afternoon. Northern Parula was seen and heard on Saturday and Sunday. Louisiana Waterthrush was seen in the stream along the tiered parking lot as well as near the bridge entering the Barbour's Pond "wet area". At least 8 Blue-headed Vireos total were seen in the park and Wilson Ave. Numerous Ruby-crowned Kinglets and Chipping Sparrows were seen all through the park. A leucistic Phoebe was spotted in the Rocky Hollow Picnic area. Hawks in migration seen on Garret Mt. this weekend included Bald Eagle, Broad-winged Hawk, American Kestrel, Sharp-shinned Hawk, and Cooper's Hawk. Other raptors seen were Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture and Red-tailed Hawk. April's sightings are listed here April Bird list Thanks to Tom Walsh for the great photo of the Hooded Warbler.

New arrivals this week

Palm Warblers and Pine Warblers have been the predominant warbler so far this spring. Louisiana Waterthrush has been seen 3 days. Yellow-rumps have been seen a few days as well. Larger numbers of Hermit Thrushes, Flickers, Towhees, Ruby-crowned Kinglets and Chipping Sparrows have been seen throughout Garret Mt. Reservation. Winter Wren and Swamp Sparrows have been more numerous. Other migrants seen in the last few days include Green-winged Teal and Peregrine Falcon at Rifle Camp Park, Spotted Sandpiper, Blue-headed Vireo, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Eastern Bluebird, Brown Thrasher, Field Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, and Rusty Blackbird at Garret Mt. Reservation. Complete Wild Bird list for April April Bird list
Skunk Cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus) and Trout Lily (Erythronium americanum) are coming up in their usual places. Bluets (Hedyotis caerulea) are popping up all over the grassy hill east of Barbour's Pond. Turtles are out sunning themselves at Barbour's Pond. Chipmunks are out all around the park. Butterflies seen so far are Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa), Eastern Comma (Polygonia comma) and Cabbage White (Pieris rapae).

Garret Mt. Birds April 1 & 2

Birds have been on the move at Garret the first 2 days of April. Louisiana Waterthrush arrived in the afternoon April 1, 6 Pine Warblers and a single Palm Warbler were seen on April 2. Rusty Blackbird, Eastern Towhee, Brown Thrasher and Chipping Sparrows are other new arrivals. Northern Flickers and Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers have increased in number, while Song Sparrows and Dark-eyed Juncos have decreased as they continue to move northward. Eastern Phoebes are nest building while others are calling around the park. Up to 12 have been seen in a day. Hermit Thrushes arrived April 1 with at least 6 seen in the northern part of the park. Eastern Bluebirds have been seen just north of the stables and in the picnic area below. Complete list of April 1 and 2 sightings click here April 1 & 2 Bird list