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250 logoIn celebration of America’s 250th Birthday and as part of MonmouthNJ 250, the Monmouth County Park System Naturalists are launching a bird identification challenge to document 250 distinct bird species to promote the biological diversity that our great Park System provides. 
 
This initiative honors the nation’s 250th birthday by exploring our local and state ecosystems during our programs. The Park System is proud to protect important and diverse wildlife from the coastal shorelines of Bayshore Waterfront Park to the upland forests of Holmdel Park, and centennial forest of Clayton Park, 250 years after our country's founding and beyond.
   
To foster inspiration and education, an updated list of the annual sightings will be posted monthly below, allowing park patrons to track progress of our Park System Naturalists' findings throughout the year and learn about the year-round residents and seasonal migrants that call our county home. This challenge aims to showcase the remarkable biodiversity of our local parks while celebrating this historic milestone in our nation’s history.
  1. Snow Goose - Anser caerulescens - Edwin B. Forsythe NWR - Wildlife Drive (Bird Excursion Trip)
  2. Ross's Goose - Anser rossii - Manasquan Reservoir - Environmental Center
  3. Brant - Branta bernicla - Fisherman's Cove Conservation Area
  4. Canada Goose - Branta canadensis - Fisherman's Cove Conservation Area
  5. Mute Swan - Cygnus olor - Manasquan Reservoir - Environmental Center
  6. Trumpeter Swan - Cygnus buccinator - Lilly Lake - Cape May - (Bird Excursion Tripn)
  7. Tundra Swan - Cygnus columbianus - Edwin B. Forsythe NWR - Wildlife Drive (Bird Excursion Trip)
  8. Northern Shoveler - Spatula clypeata - Edwin B. Forsythe NWR - Wildlife Drive (Bird Excursion Trip)
  9. Gadwall - Mareca strepera - Fisherman's Cove Conservation Area
  10. American Wigeon - Mareca americana - Manasquan Reservoi - Environmental Center
  11. Mallard - Anas platyrhynchos - Fisherman's Cove Conservation Area
  12. American Black Duck - Anas rubripes - Fisherman's Cove Conservation Area
  13. Northern Pintail - Anas acuta - Manasquan Reservoir - Environmental Center
  14. Green-winged Teal - Anas crecca - Manasquan Reservoir - Environmental Center
  15. Canvasback - Aythya valisineria - Edwin B. Forsythe NWR - Wildlife Drive (Bird Excursion Trip)
  16. Redhead - Aythya americana - Shark River (Bird Excursion Trip)
  17. Ring-necked Duck - Aythya collaris - Manasquan Reservoir - Environmental Center
  18. Greater Scaup - Aythya marila - Sandy Hook
  19. Lesser Scaup - Aythya affinis - Manasquan Reservoir - Environmental Center
  20. Surf Scoter - Melanitta perspicillata - Sandy Hook
  21. White-winged Scoter - Melanitta deglandi - Sandy Hook
  22. Black Scoter - Melanitta americana - Sandy Hook
  23. Long-tailed Duck - Clangula hyemalis - Sandy Hook
  24. Bufflehead - Bucephala albeola - Sandy Hook
  25. Common Goldeneye - Bucephala clangula - Fisherman's Cove Conservation Area
  26. Hooded Merganser - Lophodytes cucullatus - Bayshore Waterfront Park
  27. Common Merganser - Mergus merganser - Fisherman's Cove Conservation Area
  28. Red-breasted Merganser - Mergus serrator - Manasquan Reservoir - Environmental Center
  29. Ruddy Duck - Oxyura jamaicensis - Fisherman's Cove Conservation Area
  30. Wild Turkey - Meleagris gallopavo - Garden State Parkway Shoulder (Bird Excursion Trip)
  31. Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) - Columba livia (Feral Pigeon) - Fisherman's Cove Conservation Area
  32. Mourning Dove - Zenaida macroura - Fisherman's Cove Conservation Area
  33. American Coot - Fulica americana - Lake of the Lilies (Bird Excursion Trip)
  34. American Oystercatcher - Haematopus palliatus - Gull Island (Bird Excursion Trip)
  35. Black-bellied Plover - Pluvialis squatarola - Sandy Hook
  36. Killdeer - Charadrius vociferus - Bayshore Waterfront Park
  37. American Woodcock - Scolopax minor - Big brook Park
  38. Wilson's Snipe - Gallinago delicata - Dorbrook Recreation Area
  39. Lesser Yellowlegs - Tringa flavipes - Edwin B. Forsythe NWR - Wildlife Drive (Bird Excursion Trip)
  40. Greater Yellowlegs - Tringa melanoleuca - Edwin B. Forsythe NWR - Wildlife Drive (Bird Excursion Trip)
  41. Sanderling - Calidris alba - Fisherman's Cove Conservation Area
  42. Dunlin - Calidris alpina - Edwin B. Forsythe NWR - Wildlife Drive (Bird Excursion Trip)
  43. Purple Sandpiper - Calidris maritima - Manasquan Inlet (Bird Excursion Trip)
  44. Razorbill - Alca torda - Manasquan Inlet (Bird Excursion Trip)
  45. Bonaparte's Gull - Chroicocephalus philadelphia - Sandy Hook
  46. Laughing Gull - Leucophaeus atricilla - Edwin B. Forsythe NWR - Wildlife Drive (Bird Excursion Trip)
  47. Ring-billed Gull - Larus delawarensis - Fisherman's Cove Conservation Area
  48. American Herring Gull - Larus smithsonianus - Fisherman's Cove Conservation Area
  49. Great Black-backed Gull - Larus marinus - Fisherman's Cove Conservation Area
  50. Glaucous Gull - Larus hyperboreus - Fisherman's Cove Conservation Area
  51. Pied-billed Grebe - Podilymbus podiceps - Manasquan Reservoir - Environmental Center
  52. Horned Grebe - Podiceps auritus - Sandy Hook
  53. Red-throated Loon - Gavia stellata - Sandy Hook
  54. Common Loon - Gavia immer - Fisherman's Cove Conservation Area
  55. Northern Gannet - Morus bassanus - Sandy Hook
  56. Double-crested Cormorant - Nannopterum auritum - Fisherman's Cove Conservation Area
  57. White Ibis - Eudocimus albus - Edwin B. Forsythe NWR - Wildlife Drive (Bird Excursion Trip)
  58. Great Egret - Ardea alba - Edwin B. Forsythe NWR - Wildlife Drive (Bird Excursion Trip)
  59. Great Blue Heron - Ardea herodias - Fisherman's Cove Conservation Area
  60. Black Vulture - Coragyps atratus - Manasquan Reservoir - Environmental Center
  61. Turkey Vulture - Cathartes aura - Fisherman's Cove Conservation Area
  62. Osprey - Pandion haliaetus - Edwin B. Forsythe NWR - Wildlife Drive (Bird Excursion Trip)
  63. Sharp-shinned Hawk - Accipiter striatus - Fisherman's Cove Conservation Area
  64. Cooper's Hawk - Astur cooperii - Edwin B. Forsythe NWR - Wildlife Drive (Bird Excursion Trip)
  65. Northern Harrier - Circus hudsonius - Edwin B. Forsythe NWR - Wildlife Drive (Bird Excursion Trip)
  66. Bald Eagle - Haliaeetus leucocephalus - Thompson Park
  67. Red-shouldered Hawk - Buteo lineatus - Freneau Woods Park
  68. Red-tailed Hawk - Buteo jamaicensis - Fisherman's Cove Conservation Area
  69. Rough-legged Hawk - Buteo lagopus - Thompson Park
  70. Belted Kingfisher - Megaceryle alcyon - Thompson Park
  71. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - Sphyrapicus varius - Manasquan Reservoir - Environmental Center
  72. Red-headed Woodpecker - Melanerpes erythrocephalus - Manasquan Reservoir
  73. Red-bellied Woodpecker - Melanerpes carolinus - Thompson Park
  74. Downy Woodpecker - Dryobates pubescens - Thompson Park
  75. Hairy Woodpecker - Leuconotopicus villosus - Deep Cut Gardens
  76. Pileated Woodpecker - Dryocopus pileatus - Deep Cut Gardens
  77. Northern Flicker - Colaptes auratus - Fisherman's Cove Conservation Area
  78. American Kestrel - Falco sparverius - Thompson Park
  79. Merlin - Falco columbarius - Manasquan Reservoir - Environmental Center
  80. Eastern Phoebe - Sayornis phoebe - Big Brook Park
  81. Blue Jay - Cyanocitta cristata - Fisherman's Cove Conservation Area
  82. American Crow - Corvus brachyrhynchos - Fisherman's Cove Conservation Area
  83. Fish Crow - Corvus ossifragus - Crosswicks Creek Park 
  84. Common Raven - Corvus corax - Sandy Hook
  85. Carolina Chickadee - Poecile carolinensis - Fisherman's Cove Conservation Area
  86. Black-capped Chickadee - Poecile atricapillus - Sandy Hook
  87. Tufted Titmouse - Baeolophus bicolor - Deep Cut Gardens
  88. Horned Lark - Eremophila alpestris - Sandy Hook
  89. Tree Swallow - Tachycineta bicolor - Crosswicks Creek Park 
  90. Ruby-crowned Kinglet - Corthylio calendula - Bayshore Waterfront Park
  91. Golden-crowned Kinglet - Regulus satrapa - Manasquan Reservoir - Environmental Center
  92. White-breasted Nuthatch - Sitta carolinensis - Thompson Park
  93. Red-breasted Nuthatch - Sitta canadensis - Deep Cut Gardens
  94. Brown Creeper - Certhia americana - Thompson Park
  95. Carolina Wren - Thryothorus ludovicianus - Fisherman's Cove Conservation Area
  96. European Starling - Sturnus vulgaris - Fisherman's Cove Conservation Area
  97. Brown Thrasher - Toxostoma rufum - Crosswicks Creek Park 
  98. Northern Mockingbird - Mimus polyglottos - Fisherman's Cove Conservation Area
  99. Eastern Bluebird - Sialia sialis - Thompson Park
  100. Hermit Thrush - Catharus guttatus - Edwin B. Forsythe NWR - Wildlife Drive (Bird Excursion Trip)
  101. American Robin - Turdus migratorius - Fisherman's Cove Conservation Area
  102. Cedar Waxwing - Bombycilla cedrorum - Sandy Hook
  103. House Sparrow - Passer domesticus - Fisherman's Cove Conservation Area
  104. House Finch - Haemorhous mexicanus - Fisherman's Cove Conservation Area
  105. Purple Finch - Haemorhous purpureus - Sandy Hook
  106. American Goldfinch - Spinus tristis - Fisherman's Cove Conservation Area
  107. Lapland Longspur - Calcarius lapponicus - Bree-Zee-Lee Marina - Cape May (Bird Excursion Trip)
  108. Snow Bunting - Plectrophenax nivalis - Sandy Hook
  109. Chipping Sparrow - Spizella passerina - Thompson Park
  110. Field Sparrow - Spizella pusilla - Edwin B. Forsythe NWR - Wildlife Drive (Bird Excursion Trip)
  111. American Tree Sparrow - Spizelloides arborea - Thompson Park
  112. Fox Sparrow - Passerella iliaca - Thompson Park
  113. Dark-eyed Junco - Junco hyemalis - Thompson Park
  114. White-throated Sparrow - Zonotrichia albicollis - Thompson Park
  115. Savannah Sparrow - Passerculus sandwichensis - Edwin B. Forsythe NWR - Wildlife Drive (Bird Excursion Trip)
  116. Song Sparrow - Melospiza melodia - Fisherman's Cove Conservation Area
  117. Eastern Towhee - Pipilo erythrophthalmus - Edwin B. Forsythe NWR - Wildlife Drive (Bird Excursion Trip)
  118. Red-winged Blackbird - Agelaius phoeniceus - Fisherman's Cove Conservation Area
  119. Brown-headed Cowbird - Molothrus ater - Thompson Park
  120. Common Grackle - Quiscalus quiscula - Bayshore Waterfront Park
  121. Boat-tailed Grackle - Quiscalus major - Fisherman's Cove Conservation Area
  122. Pine Warbler - Setophaga pinus - Edwin B. Forsythe NWR - Wildlife Drive (Bird Excursion Trip)
  123. Yellow-rumped Warbler - Setophaga coronata - Fisherman's Cove Conservation Area
  124. Northern Cardinal - Cardinalis cardinalis - Fisherman's Cove Conservation Area