For the bird watchers

Sissor-tailed Flycatcher at Forsythe Preserve 11/26.

They are not supposed to be this far northeast.

--- and a Yellow Rump eating a berry.

Wow, look at that tail! Last year I did the Cornell Ornithology Project Feeder Watch and you are making me want to try it again this year, although  I doubt I'll see anything as wonderful as this bird!

Very nice.  Not easy shots to get.

Formerlyjerseyjack said:

--- and a Yellow Rump eating a berry.

Yellow Rump... Now there's a rare bird in South Jersey in the Fall...   

But I love them anyway and these are fabulous pictures.

I think I saw one in Memorial Park in Maplewood this week! Around 8:00 on Monday morning. It wasn't a goldfinch, but it was yellow. I joked to my friend that someone's canary must have escaped from its cage.

Love the shot of the scissor tail! 

ktmccaff said:

I think I saw one in Memorial Park in Maplewood this week! Around 8:00 on Monday morning. It wasn't a goldfinch, but it was yellow. I joked to my friend that someone's canary must have escaped from its cage.

Cool! 

Okay, so I saw this little yellow bird again this morning in Memorial Park. I'm pretty sure it's not a goldfinch. Slightly larger with a rosy head. But it doesn't look like Scissor tailed flycatcher pictured above. Any idea who this is? 

ktmccaff said:

Okay, so I saw this little yellow bird again this morning in Memorial Park. I'm pretty sure it's not a goldfinch. Slightly larger with a rosy head. But it doesn't look like Scissor tailed flycatcher pictured above. Any idea who this is? 

This is interesting, ktmccaff.  At this time of year in NJ, I can think of no bird showing this much yellow that would ordinarily be there. Goldfinches show very little yellow in winter and they have distinctly dark wings with white bars. Yellow rumps are hardly yellow even in breeding plumage excepting the rump on some. This looks to me like it just might be a Prothonotary Warbler, although I cannot be 100 % certain from this photograph.  If it is, it is likely a first year bird that for one reason or another was not able to migrate.  Then again, it could be an escaped canary or other exotic.  I no longer live in Maplewood or NJ, otherwise I'd get over there to try to get a good binocular look.... This is most certainly a bird that any Birders in the area should try to get a look at.  Formerlyjerseyjack or Joy.... are you out there? 

Thanks Waxwings2! My birdwatching family also thinks that it is a Prothonotary Warbler. It wasn't a canary--bigger. Whatever it is it's beautiful and I've seen it several times. 

Where is it hanging out in the park? I'm through there most mornings (between Oakland and the station) and am usually on the lookout for birds, but have not seen it -- would love to!

Agree with @waxwings2 - where in the park have you spotted it? Would love to get a closer look!

My apologies to Formerlyjerseyjack for hijacking his thread over the possible Prothonotary Warbler in Memorial Park.  The Scissor-tailed Flycatcher is indeed a rare bird in NJ and you've gotten some good photos!

Update on the possible Prothonotary Warbler: I've forwarded the link with the photograph submitted by ktmccaff to 4 experienced birder friends of mine. All agree that it looks very much like a "Prono". Also contacted the NJ Rare Bird Alert hotline. 

Both times I've seen it on the east side of the duck pond at around 8:00-8:30 AM. This morning it was foraging in leaves on the ground and then flew into bush by the bottom of the duck pond. 

If it is a Pro and is confirmed on site, expect a few dozen birding people in the park. Good opportunity for Boy Scouts to sell hot chocolate... ahhh, given the weather, maybe lemonade.

waxwings2 said:

My apologies to Formerlyjerseyjack for hijacking his thread over the possible Prothonotary Warbler in Memorial Park.  The Scissor-tailed Flycatcher is indeed a rare bird in NJ and you've gotten some good photos!

No problem.

I saw it too, last week, across the stream from the pond, on the east side of the trees behind the Maplewoodstock stage area. wow!

Okay, I saw our yellow winged friend again last week, just before the storm. He is so bright yellow, I think he must be an escaped bird. He really looks tropical. But he doesn't look like a canary. Hope he braved the storm okay! 

We had one of those warblers in our yard over the late summer months. Wonderful. Definitely noticeably different from goldfinches, and lovely to watch.

I would vote, Yellow Warbler.

I thought it had been agreed that the little yellow guy was an escaped pet (?)

Formerlyjerseyjack said:

I would vote, Yellow Warbler.

That was what I thought after I looked up the one in our yard, which looked just like this one. But others seem quite sure it is the other kind. In any case, we all seem to agree on warbler of some kind.

I thought I had posted about the ID of this bird previously. According to Scott Barns of the NJ Audubon, it is a Saffron Finch -  native of S.A. and undoubtedly an escapee.     http://www.singing-wings-aviary.com/saffronfinch.htm

I guess that is why it wasn't listed in Sibly's book.

waxwings2 said:

I thought I had posted about the ID of this bird previously. According to Scott Barns of the NJ Audubon, it is a Saffron Finch -  native of S.A. and undoubtedly an escapee.     http://www.singing-wings-aviary.com/saffronfinch.htm

Wow. Cool! I hope he's okay with the cold, although Argentina gets pretty cold...

Yes! Definitely, that's it!