It was on Saturday, April 27th when we had an amazing trip to one of the greatest hotspots of migrating warblers in the east: Garret Mountain Reservation. Standing right next to the suburban area of Paterson, Garret Mountain is a migration island for warblers, vireos, and other migrating song birds. In fact, Garret Mountain can get more than 150 species of birds in a single year!
When we started, the birds were of the more common sort such as Chipping Sparrows, Robins, and a Field Sparrow. After gathering our club members together, we set off and traveled along a road to find a whole ton of species of birds gathering to sing in the morning chorus such as a Brown Thrasher (photo 1), Pine Warblers, Black-and-White Warblers, and Blue-headed Vireos. We even found some acrobatic Northern Rough-winged Swallows flying near some telephone poles. Later on we were lucky enough to find a nice Red-breasted Nuthatch which we got a wonderful close view due to our guide playing its call with a mobile app. At last we reached one of the best points of the trip: Barbour's Pond. As we arrived, we found a Mallard (photo 2) and several Red-winged Blackbirds hanging out at the swampy side of the pond, although instead of heading on the trail around it as soon as we got there, we went off along a stream where we found a Veery (photo 3), a turkey, and a friendly Black-and-White Warbler (photo 4). After going off the main route again, we continued on the paved main trail where we were very happy to find many more warblers and best of all, an uncommon Orchard Oriole that was a lifer for most of us. As we went along the trail we found Canada Geese, Common Yellowthroats, as well as a abundance of Thrashers in some bushes along the trail. In the end we finished our trip with a nice sight of a Coopers Hawk flyover and a nice lunch together to have a little conversation about the day.
Thanks to all who came and especially our great guide Chris Takacs!
-Joseph Hernandez
When we started, the birds were of the more common sort such as Chipping Sparrows, Robins, and a Field Sparrow. After gathering our club members together, we set off and traveled along a road to find a whole ton of species of birds gathering to sing in the morning chorus such as a Brown Thrasher (photo 1), Pine Warblers, Black-and-White Warblers, and Blue-headed Vireos. We even found some acrobatic Northern Rough-winged Swallows flying near some telephone poles. Later on we were lucky enough to find a nice Red-breasted Nuthatch which we got a wonderful close view due to our guide playing its call with a mobile app. At last we reached one of the best points of the trip: Barbour's Pond. As we arrived, we found a Mallard (photo 2) and several Red-winged Blackbirds hanging out at the swampy side of the pond, although instead of heading on the trail around it as soon as we got there, we went off along a stream where we found a Veery (photo 3), a turkey, and a friendly Black-and-White Warbler (photo 4). After going off the main route again, we continued on the paved main trail where we were very happy to find many more warblers and best of all, an uncommon Orchard Oriole that was a lifer for most of us. As we went along the trail we found Canada Geese, Common Yellowthroats, as well as a abundance of Thrashers in some bushes along the trail. In the end we finished our trip with a nice sight of a Coopers Hawk flyover and a nice lunch together to have a little conversation about the day.
Thanks to all who came and especially our great guide Chris Takacs!
-Joseph Hernandez