Date: 5/7/25 7:04 pm From: Andrew Block <000006a6ea4d1677-dmarc-request...> Subject: [JERSEYBI] Kite no
Went to look for the White-tailed Kite this am at the Cider Hill Grasslands with no luck. Just missed it. It seems to have been last seen around 830 am today going up, up, up and flying away. Not surprised. Stayed from 915am to 130pm with no luck. Had some nice species of other birds while waiting though. A pair of Red-headed Woodpecker was probably the best consolation prize:-)
Andrew
Andrew BlockConsulting Naturalist
Yonkers, New York www.flickr.com/photos/conuropsis/albums
Date: 5/5/25 7:24 am From: Susan Treesh <00001df5aaabea0d-dmarc-request...> Subject: [JERSEYBI] A slew of spring rarities around the state
Hi Jerseybirders -
This is just a quick roundup about a number of accessible rarities being reported on alerts today (May 5) and yesterday (May 4)
A WHITE-TAILED KITE at Cider Mill Grasslands preserve in Hunterdon County. This bird was first reported (and photographed) by Ann Reichelderfer yesterday, and relocated later that day by Milton Collins. It returned early today and has perched and hunted in the main field to the front of the parking area along the east treeline. Scope recommended. It's a bit foggy there, and the bird just successfully obtained a vole, so it will likely stick for a while.
TWO SWAINSON'S WARBLERS singing and showing at Old Mine Road, in Warren County just north of the Worthington Forest ranger station. Reported again today.
TWO WHITE-FACED IBIS have been continuing at Manahawkin WMA, Ocean County along Stafford Drive. Seen again today.
AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER being seen at Forsythe near GM 4.
The KENTUCKY WARBLER present yesterday at Lord Stirling Park in Somerset County has not been reported today.
Date: 4/9/25 3:00 pm From: Josh Gant <joshua.m.gant...> Subject: Re: [JERSEYBI] Corvus species overlaps in central NJ
Hello fellow bird enthusiasts,
I work on the east edge of the pine barren in Ocean County at Wells Mills County Park, close to the ocean but not right on the water. We have 2 Ravens that frequent the park and the surrounding area. The speculation is they are nesting somewhere close by.
I have seen them feeding on carrion on the side of the road many times before, sometimes with Vultures and also with American Crows. The pair usually can be found be flying along rt 539 heading North or South looking for roadkill. They rarely interact with the 2 Fish Crows that nest at Well Mills off of the pink trail. The Fish Crows usually nest in the tops of tall pines on the property.
During the winter we have a large flock of American Crows on the yellow trail. They also do not interact with the ravens very much. Surprising how these three closely related birds have differing habits and really don't seem to interact very much around my area.
Josh Gant
________________________________
From: JerseyBirds <JERSEYBI...> on behalf of Doctor Science <science.dr...>
Sent: Monday, April 7, 2025 12:53 AM
To: <JERSEYBI...> <JERSEYBI...>
Subject: [JERSEYBI] Corvus species overlaps in central NJ
Last Wednesday I was sitting on my back deck in northern Hopewell
Township (Mercer County), when in the course of 15 minutes I saw & heard
*all three* Corvus species: American Crow, Fish Crow, Common Raven. It
was a very educational compare & contrast!
But it got me wondering: how do these three species sort out living
together these days? I say "these days" because Fish Crows are expanding
their range inland, so having so much overlap with AMCR is relatively
new. And CORA has only returned to NJ in numbers in recent decades as
farming has declined and the tendency of farmers to shoot black birds as
varmints has faded.
I know that in my yard and surrounding properties the AMCRs are
permanent residents, I hear them most days. Ravens & Fish Crows are
occasional visitors, but shouldn't this be nesting season, with birds
sticking close to home? It may be these are young, unmated birds, out
looking for trouble while the older birds are nesting--it takes Corvus
2-3 years to reach sexual maturity, and may be even longer before they
first breed.
So, fellow central Jersey birders, what kind of ecological separation
have you been seeing between our three Corvus species? Are they
feeding/flying in similar areas, but nesting in different ones? I'm
talking especially about parts of the state that aren't close to any
large river or the ocean, nor the highlands.
Poking around the scientific literature, there are some indications that
CORA prefers rocks, cliffs, buildings, bridges; AMCR prefers evergreens;
FICR deciduous trees; but those are statistical preferences, not
hard-and-fast rules. As for food, they're all opportunistic omnivores, I
don't know how much separation there is around here. Though I haven't
seen CORA feeding on roadkill, a common practice for AMCR. It's possible
Ravens think roadkill is just too dangerous. I haven't noticed any of
them joining vultures at big carrion-eating parties when a deer dies in
a field.
Date: 4/9/25 7:39 am From: Mike Lenker <0000070123d7500d-dmarc-request...> Subject: Re: [JERSEYBI] Corvus species overlaps in central NJ
It was right after a snowstorm, the deer carcass was on top of the snow pile on the side of the road, no more than 5ft from the shoulder, just off the road
-----Original Message----- From: Doctor Science Sent: Wednesday, April 09, 2025 1:01 AM To: Mike Lenker ; <JERSEYBI...> Subject: Re: [JERSEYBI] Corvus species overlaps in central NJ
How close was the carcass to the car lane? When I've seen AmCrows feeding on roadkill, it's always been ones that are *very* close to the roadway, in the shoulder (where there is one) or the verge, or on/over the white line itself. My assumption has been that the crows are there because it's too dangerous for vultures, which make slow, lumbering take-offs. Crows can just leap into the air when cars get too close--and even so, I've seen dead, smashed crows near such feeding sites. It's a risky choice!
- Mary Ellen
On 4/7/2025 6:03 PM, Mike Lenker wrote: > During last years winter (2023-2024) while driving home from work on > Middletown Lincroft Road in Middletown, there was a relatively new > roadkill deer on the side of the road. There were two Ravens feeding on > it. I turned around and went by slow a couple times to get a better look. > There were no TV or BV on the scene yet. They flew off when I stopped to > try to get a picture. So they will feed on roadkill. > This a fairly busy two lane road, approaching a traffic light at Rt. > 520/Newman Springs Rd. and not far from exit 109 for the Garden State > Parkway. The actual location was right in front of a day care and less > than 100 yards from a shopping center. > > Mike > > > -----Original Message----- From: Doctor Science > Sent: Monday, April 07, 2025 12:53 AM > To: <JERSEYBI...> > Subject: [JERSEYBI] Corvus species overlaps in central NJ > > Last Wednesday I was sitting on my back deck in northern Hopewell > Township (Mercer County), when in the course of 15 minutes I saw & heard > *all three* Corvus species: American Crow, Fish Crow, Common Raven. It > was a very educational compare & contrast! > > But it got me wondering: how do these three species sort out living > together these days? I say "these days" because Fish Crows are expanding > their range inland, so having so much overlap with AMCR is relatively > new. And CORA has only returned to NJ in numbers in recent decades as > farming has declined and the tendency of farmers to shoot black birds as > varmints has faded. > > I know that in my yard and surrounding properties the AMCRs are > permanent residents, I hear them most days. Ravens & Fish Crows are > occasional visitors, but shouldn't this be nesting season, with birds > sticking close to home? It may be these are young, unmated birds, out > looking for trouble while the older birds are nesting--it takes Corvus > 2-3 years to reach sexual maturity, and may be even longer before they > first breed. > > So, fellow central Jersey birders, what kind of ecological separation > have you been seeing between our three Corvus species? Are they > feeding/flying in similar areas, but nesting in different ones? I'm > talking especially about parts of the state that aren't close to any > large river or the ocean, nor the highlands. > > Poking around the scientific literature, there are some indications that > CORA prefers rocks, cliffs, buildings, bridges; AMCR prefers evergreens; > FICR deciduous trees; but those are statistical preferences, not > hard-and-fast rules. As for food, they're all opportunistic omnivores, I > don't know how much separation there is around here. Though I haven't > seen CORA feeding on roadkill, a common practice for AMCR. It's possible > Ravens think roadkill is just too dangerous. I haven't noticed any of > them joining vultures at big carrion-eating parties when a deer dies in > a field. > > - Mary Ellen Curtin > > List Guidelines: > https://lists.princeton.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind2107&L=JERSEYBI&P=R685&X=OE8E22FEF3A2B10DFE5 > List help: <jerseybi-request...> > List archives: https://lists.princeton.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=jerseybi > NJ Bird Records Committee: www.njbrc.com >
-- This email has been checked for viruses by AVG antivirus software. www.avg.com
> I love the ravens & am hoping they are nesting somewhere nearby. It's
> great to hear that they've expanded recently & are nesting in new areas.
> I'll be keeping an eye out. Thanks, Carla
>
>
>
> Carla Kelly-Mackey
>
> Sent with Proton Mail secure email.
>
> On Monday, April 7th, 2025 at 3:55 PM, Doctor Science <
> <science.dr...> wrote:
>
> > Hi Carla! I remember you talking about Ravens living around you the last
> > time I posted about Ravens. I think we all tend to pay more attention to
> > them than to the rest of the Corvi that we haven't really thought about
> > how they're all fitting together. Keep an eye out as you see them around!
> >
> > On 4/7/2025 7:25 AM, Carla Kelly-Mackey wrote:
> >
> > > We're in the Rosemont Valley with a lot of open farmland around. Last
> year we had juvenile ravens pursuing adults for weeks, begging for food. A
> couple of weeks ago, I saw an adult raven fly past (low) with a twig in its
> beak, heading in the direction where the juveniles were initially spotted
> (heard) last year. Merlin doesn't even show us as being part of the
> migration territory for ravens, yet we have quite a population around. Is
> it possible there is a nest nearby? Pine Hill has cliffs & is very close.
> The Delaware is also not far. I know that isn't what you're asking, but
> I've been curious. We also have both fish & American crows, but I haven't
> paid as much attention to whether they're nesting nearby. Carla
> > >
> > > Carla Kelly-Mackey
> > >
> > > Sent with Proton Mail secure email.
> > >
> > > On Monday, April 7th, 2025 at 12:53 AM, Doctor Science
> <science.dr...> wrote:
> > >
> > > > Last Wednesday I was sitting on my back deck in northern Hopewell
> > > > Township (Mercer County), when in the course of 15 minutes I saw &
> heard
> > > > all three Corvus species: American Crow, Fish Crow, Common Raven. It
> > > > was a very educational compare & contrast!
> > > >
> > > > But it got me wondering: how do these three species sort out living
> > > > together these days? I say "these days" because Fish Crows are
> expanding
> > > > their range inland, so having so much overlap with AMCR is relatively
> > > > new. And CORA has only returned to NJ in numbers in recent decades as
> > > > farming has declined and the tendency of farmers to shoot black
> birds as
> > > > varmints has faded.
> > > >
> > > > I know that in my yard and surrounding properties the AMCRs are
> > > > permanent residents, I hear them most days. Ravens & Fish Crows are
> > > > occasional visitors, but shouldn't this be nesting season, with birds
> > > > sticking close to home? It may be these are young, unmated birds, out
> > > > looking for trouble while the older birds are nesting--it takes
> Corvus
> > > > 2-3 years to reach sexual maturity, and may be even longer before
> they
> > > > first breed.
> > > >
> > > > So, fellow central Jersey birders, what kind of ecological separation
> > > > have you been seeing between our three Corvus species? Are they
> > > > feeding/flying in similar areas, but nesting in different ones? I'm
> > > > talking especially about parts of the state that aren't close to any
> > > > large river or the ocean, nor the highlands.
> > > >
> > > > Poking around the scientific literature, there are some indications
> that
> > > > CORA prefers rocks, cliffs, buildings, bridges; AMCR prefers
> evergreens;
> > > > FICR deciduous trees; but those are statistical preferences, not
> > > > hard-and-fast rules. As for food, they're all opportunistic
> omnivores, I
> > > > don't know how much separation there is around here. Though I haven't
> > > > seen CORA feeding on roadkill, a common practice for AMCR. It's
> possible
> > > > Ravens think roadkill is just too dangerous. I haven't noticed any of
> > > > them joining vultures at big carrion-eating parties when a deer dies
> in
> > > > a field.
> > > >
> > > > - Mary Ellen Curtin
> > > >
> > > > List Guidelines:
> https://lists.princeton.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind2107&L=JERSEYBI&P=R685&X=OE8E22FEF3A2B10DFE5 > > > > List help: <jerseybi-request...>
> > > > List archives: https://lists.princeton.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=jerseybi > > > > NJ Bird Records Committee: www.njbrc.com
> >
> >
> > List Guidelines:
> https://lists.princeton.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind2107&L=JERSEYBI&P=R685&X=OE8E22FEF3A2B10DFE5 > > List help: <jerseybi-request...>
> > List archives: https://lists.princeton.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=jerseybi > > NJ Bird Records Committee: www.njbrc.com
>
> List Guidelines:
> https://lists.princeton.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind2107&L=JERSEYBI&P=R685&X=OE8E22FEF3A2B10DFE5 > List help: <jerseybi-request...>
> List archives: https://lists.princeton.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=jerseybi > NJ Bird Records Committee: www.njbrc.com
>
