85th Boonton Area Christmas Bird Count – Boonton Twp Division

With morning temperatures at or below 19F our brave team began our Boonton Township birding observations at approximately 6AM on Sunday December 27th 2020. Our team consisted of Nora O’Rourke, Mike Leone, Cheryl Hochberg, Rick Miles, Rick Sedivec, Jeff Scheidecker, and Dave Blinder. One of our very first birds of the day was a Great Horned Owl hooting near Kincaid Woods on Powerville Road which was a great way to start out this frigid day.

Mike, Rick, and Jeff scan the skies at RVA Fields
Frigid morning!
Image of an Immature Cooper’s Hawk at the RVA Fields taken through my binoculars

After detecting a 2nd Great Horned Owl in the dark our group proceeded to daylight birding at several locations including Boonton Township’s RVA Fields, Kincaid Woods, Leonard Park, Rockaway River (behind Boonton Senior Center), and the South end of Taylortown Reservoir. Our birding highlights included calling and circling ravens, a lone Hermit Thrush, a Great Blue Heron hunting rodents in a field, 2 Pine Siskins, and several flyover Bluebirds.

Canada Geese on Rockaway River

Hermit Thrush in Boonton Twp

Our group’s ebird checklist of bird observations throughout Boonton Twp / Boonton can be read online here.

Read about the origins and past bird sightings throughout the Boonton Area Christmas Bird Count on the Mocosoco (Morris Somerset) Birding Blog here.

Stay tuned to MocosocoBirds for full tallies throughout the Boonton Area Christmas Bird Count. Thanks to everyone who participated!

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