We had a bit of birding excitement this week when a Townsend’s warbler was spotted at the Mercer Meadows Pole Farm. Word got out Wednesday afternoon, and I hoped when I’d be able go to the park on Thursday that the bird would still be around.
I got to the park around 9 a.m. and, judging by the unusually high number of vehicles in the parking lot, guessed that the warbler was the reason.
With my new knee still settling in, I picked my way carefully up the snow-covered central path and soon spotted a few birders near the entrance to the woods. They reported that the Townsend’s warbler was indeed still in residence and that they were waiting for it to reappear in the nearby cedars.
I chatted with a few other birders a bit farther up the path, then came back to the group at the edge of the woods. After a bit, I decided it would be best to head back to the car. As I left, I told the group that my departure would increase the odds of the bird coming back.
I had gone maybe 50 yards down the path when I heard a commotion: the bird was back! Some newly arriving birders and I quick-stepped up the trail and spotted the bird flitting about the cedars.
I saw it pop up several times, but I wasn’t able to a photo. I took the unusual step of asking Google Gemini to create a banner image for this post.
I knew the Townsend’s warbler was rare for the Pole Farm, but until reading up on it on the All About Birds website, I didn’t realize how far from home it was. This is a West Coast bird in North America, so I can only imagine the journey it took to get here and how confused it likely is on its surroundings.
I don’t know if the bird stuck around today but I wish it safe passage home whenever conditions are favorable. 🦅
The Jersey Birder 