Baldpate Mtn (Mercer Co NJ), May 26th

After a 500 mile drive back from Hatteras NC the previous day, I lacked a little enthusiasm for another 90+ minute drive pre-dawn to Stirling Forest and elected to bird locally at Baldpate Mountain.  It was fairly productive, with Blue-winged Warbler singing at the upper parking lot, House Wrens and Eastern Phoebes at the old farm house with about the only thing putting in a lower-than-typical showing were Indigo Buntings.  It was fairly windy and cool (low 50's at the start) which probably suppressed a few things.  Multiple Red-eyed Vireos and two Yellow-throated Vireos, but no Scarlet Tanagers or Great Crested Flycatchers and only the one Eastern Wood-Pewee.  Warblers put in a decent showing: three Blue-winged Warblers, a male and female Hooded (likely a pair but not together), several Ovenbirds, Chestnut-sided, Common Yellowthroats, a female Canada, a female Blackpoll (these two likely migrants but the rest are local breeders).  What didn't show up or sound off was a Kentucky - rather notoriously difficult to find at Baldpate - although I may have heard a distant one singing.