Woodland Hills Preserve and Green Pond ~ August 26, 2022

After taking my daughter and son-in-law to Newark Airport for an early morning flight, I decided to take a walk at the Woodland Hills Preserve. Soon after starting down the Green Trail, two agitated Blue Jays flushed a Great Horned Owl farther down the treeline. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get a photo before it veered back into the woods. A Common Yellowthroat was also nearby.

Common Yellowthroat

A Rose-breasted Grosbeak was seen along the Green Trail and a Pileated Woodpecker was seen along the Blue Trail.

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Pileated Woodpecker

In addition to the Great Horned Owl, the other surprise of the day was the finding of three Red-breasted Nuthatches along the Blue Trail, two in a section of White Pines and another much farther west than there.

Red-breasted Nuthatch

An American Redstart was present near the parking lot.

American Redstart

Other notables included Red-eyed Vireo, Willow Flycatcher, and Eastern Wood-Pewee.

Late in the day, I stopped at Green Pond, hoping to see a Common Nighthawk. I found Great Blue and Green Heron, Spotted Sandpiper, about a hundred Northern Rough-winged Swallows, and Chimney Swifts. Then near sunset, I spotted four Common Nighthawks, managing to get photos of one in the failing light.

Common Nighthawk

I did see one more nighthawk that was much farther way for a total of five birds. Nighthawks tend to migrate through our area during the last week of August, so keep an eye to the sky near dusk and dawn and you might see one winging its way south.

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