Some of the recent bird rarities at Sandy Hook are shown below. Click on the photo for a larger view of the bird, or in some cases, a different view.
Some of the rarities of earlier years can be seen at our rarities Archives for 2006-2007 and 2005.
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Kentucky Warbler
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Kentucky Warbler is one of the rarest regularly-occurring warblers at Sandy Hook, with about 1-2 records per year. Most are found during the first half of May, but this singing individual was probably a "floater," or unpaired male, looking for a mate on the late date of June 11, 2010. Photo by SHBO Associate Naturalist Tom Boyle. |
| Sandy Hook's second Wilson's Plover, (shown with a Semi-palmated Sandpiper for comparison) was a one-day wonder at the false hook May 24, 2010. Spring 2010 saw several "overshoot" Wilson's Plovers in the northeast, with birds present in Maine, Massachusetts, New York, and New Jersey. |
Wilson's Plover (L.)
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Sage Thrasher
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New Jersey's fourth Sage Thrasher appeared at Sandy Hook 20-21 October 2009, found by members of the Trailside Birding Group. Unlike the previous three records, this individual, photographed by Bob Devlin, remained long enough for many birders to enjoy. |
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This Dovekie was photographed by Donna Murawski in Sandy Hook Bay near SHBO on January 18, 2009. There are only a couple of previous sightings of this species from the Hook and all from the ocean side; this bird is the first to be photographed.
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Dovekie
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| Black Guillemot
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This young Black Guillemot appeared off the Bayberry Lot at the Hook on December 14, 2008. Like most Black Guillemot records for New Jersey, it appeared in December and was a "one-hour wonder." This record is the third for Sandy Hook, and was photographed by Tom Boyle. |
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| Red-necked Phalarope
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Most Red-necked Phalaropes at the hook are wind-blown birds that appear during nor'easters or tropical storms. This individual was photographed during the height of the May 12, 2008, nor'easter by Tom Boyle.
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There are nine records of Townsend's Warbler for New Jersey, three of which come from Sandy Hook. This female, which was photographed by Robert Henschel near the fisherman's trail on May 10, 2008, represents the second spring record; all but one other record in the state come from late fall/early winter.
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Townsend's Warbler
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Mississippi Kite
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Mississippi Kites have increased as a "spring overshoot" to Sandy Hook in the last decade, with most records coming from May. Closely observed individuals have proven to be immatures or subadults. Like Swallow-tailed Kite, most birds are seen briefly. This subadult (or near adult) was one of three individuals recorded at Sandy Hook Migration Watch on May 8. John van Dort contributed this photo.
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Swallow-tailed Kites have been recorded over 70 times in New Jersey and can be considered an annual "regular rarity." Despite this, most sightings of this species are fly-bys or "one-hour wonders." This bird was photographed by John van Dort over the Sandy Hook Migration Watch on May 8, 2008. Cape May and Sandy Hook are the best sites in the state to hope for this species between late April and early June.
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Swallow-tailed Kite
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Loggerhead Shrike
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Formerly an annual, albeit scarce, autumn migrant at Sandy Hook as recently as the late 1970's, Loggerhead Shrike has been absent ever since. This individual spent the day hunting the scrub-shrub habitat along the fisherman's trail May 6, 2008, and represents the first local record in approximately 30 years. This photo is by SHBO Associate Naturalist Tom Boyle.
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This female Wilson's Phalarope was photographed by Linda Mack at the salt pond May 5 and remained through May 7, 2008. The species is casual in the state during spring (most records are during May) and a less-than-annual visitor at Sandy Hook.
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Wilson's Phalarope
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Western Grebe
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This Western Grebe was a one-afternoon wonder seen and photographed by Tom Boyle in the ocean off the base of the Hook on Feb. 2, 2008. Note the bird's mostly black lores and straw-yellow colored bill: both features help distinguish it from Clark's Grebe, which has occurred in Virginia and Maine. This Western Grebe represents the second site record for Sandy Hook. |