With the thermometer at 30 degrees this morning, we had our first frost of the fall. It turned out to be a decent day for birding. I hadn’t been to the Reed-Bryan Farm side of Mercer Meadows for a while and decided to go there rather than to the Pole Farm side of the park.
The biggest bird surprise and the best photo opportunity came as I was heading up the trail to return to my car. About 40 feet in front of me, a Cooper’s hawk was sitting out in the open atop a tree branch at the edge of the path.
I snapped a couple of shots, marveling at how close I was to the bird. It flew off once I took a few steps to try to get a slightly better angle, but no matter. The photos did the bird justice, showing its gleaming yellow eye and some nice detail on its feathers.
I was grateful that the sun was shining fully at that point. It was still coming up over the horizon when I arrived. As usual, I spotted several sparrows crossing the trail and feeding along the edges. But the birds were in heavy shadow, so it was hard to tell the song sparrows from the Savannah sparrows.
Merlin was also hearing swamp sparrows, and I eventually got a firm ID on one farther along. Through my binoculars, I could see one tucked in the tall grasses. I pulled up my camera and managed to get focus lock for a couple of clear shots.
Only a few weeks ago, I was birding in shorts and a T-shirt, but as the temperature has begun to drop I’m clad in jeans and a jacket. It won’t belong before I break out the gloves and maybe smack a few hand warmers for the cold days ahead.
I don’t mind the cold, as long as the birds keep coming! 🦅
The Jersey Birder 