Cackling Geese

I found singles of Cackling Geese at North Branch Park and Dukes Island Park in Raritan on Sunday morning amongst flocks of Canada Geese, as had previously been reported. I didn't find the Greater White-fronted Goose at Dukes Island (I was there before it was reported) but there were enough Canada Geese milling around in the air that it might have flown in after I left.

En route home for this short birding day I stopped at the Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed property off Titusville Road to check out the pond trail. The pond itself held four Mute Swans, several Canada Geese and a few Mallards. The area around the pond looked promising for sparrows but held only a few White-throated Sparrows - their numbers have been low this winter and it would not surprise me if they have stayed further north courtesy of good food crops and mild temperatures this November. Once the snow comes perhaps they will drift south.