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Above Par Birding at Cox Hall Creek – October 5, 2025

Leaders (group 1): Kathy & Roger Horn

Leaders (group 2): Alan Crawford, Bernie Hodgdon

Temp: 62° F

Winds: NW 2 mph

Weather Conditions: sunny

Cox Hall Creek WMA was busy with migrants on this beautiful morning, most of which were Northern Flickers, Blue Jays and Brown Thrashers. Several Eastern Phoebes were chipping, fly-catching and tail-bobbing nearby. Warblers were scarce but we did see Black-throated Blue and Pine Warblers plus American Redstart and Northern Parula. Four Osprey were convened at the top of a tree, as if meeting to plan their migration exit.

Group 1

36 species

Species Count
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) 4
Mourning Dove 20
Spotted Sandpiper 1
Ruddy Turnstone 2
American Herring Gull 7
Osprey (American) 6
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1
Accipitrine hawk sp. (former Accipiter sp.) 1
Bald Eagle 1
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - Roger Horn

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker photo by Roger Horn

 
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - Roger Horn

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker photo by Roger Horn

 
Red-bellied Woodpecker 8
Downy Woodpecker (Eastern) 2
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 14
Eastern Phoebe 4
Blue Jay 16
American Crow 6
Fish Crow 1
Carolina Chickadee 4
Tufted Titmouse 2
Red-breasted Nuthatch 2
Carolina Wren (Northern) 4
European Starling 1
Gray Catbird 4
Brown Thrasher 14
Northern Mockingbird 2
Eastern Bluebird 1
American Robin 13
House Finch 2
White-throated Sparrow 1
Eastern Towhee 1
Red-winged Blackbird (Red-winged) 6
Common Grackle (Florida/Purple) 3
American Redstart 1
Northern Parula 1
Black-throated Blue Warbler 1
Pine Warbler 1
Northern Cardinal 10

 

Group 2

29 species

Species Count
Mallard 2
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) 8
Mourning Dove 6
Ruddy Turnstone 2
Laughing Gull 1
American Herring Gull 2
Osprey 6
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1
Bald Eagle 1
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 12
Downy Woodpecker 2
Northern Flicker 18
Eastern Phoebe 2
Blue Jay 25
American Crow 6
Carolina Chickadee 2
Tufted Titmouse 4
Carolina Wren 8
European Starling 6
Gray Catbird 10
Brown Thrasher 16
Northern Mockingbird 1
American Robin 1
House Finch 3
Bobolink 4
Black-and-white Warbler 1
Palm Warbler 1
Northern Cardinal 4

 

Blog post by Kathy & Roger Horn

New Jersey Audubon