Thawing out and catching up on birding

The Nor’easter blizzard that blew into the East Coast last weekend put a crimp in my birding for a few days, but I was able to get back out this weekend as the calendar transitioned to March from February.

My friend Jim and I headed to Abbott Marshlands on Saturday hoping to find some waterfowl. Spring Lake remains iced over, but the marsh itself is mainly flowing freely. One of the highlights was getting to see a few wood ducks across the water from us, as the photo atop this post proves. Human-averse as they are, the wood ducks did not come close. We had to content ourselves with watching them through binoculars. My only decent shot was of a drake and hen, which tops this post.

This morning, I went back to Abbott Marshlands and saw a few more wood ducks, which immediately flew off once they sensed my presence. I also got a surprise shot of one while shooting a male common merganser flying across the water. As you can see below, there’s a wood duck — also flying to my right — at the bottom of the frame.

Earlier today, I visited the Mercer Meadows Pole Farm. Few birds were in sight, but there were a few minutes on one of the trails through the woods when the calls of several erupted. A pileated woodpecker cackled in the distance, and then I heard the raucous call of a common raven that flew overhead. Next up came a chorus of blue jays and one insistently calling white-breasted nuthatch.

I’d be remiss if I did not share what might be my favorite bird photo the year to date, one I took Saturday last weekend at the Trenton sewage ponds. A pine warbler, no doubt attracted by insects hovering around the sewage, showed up and sat still long enough for me to capture it digitally. It’s a beautiful bird.

I can’t recall if I’ve ever gotten a shot of a pine warbler before. I’m very happy with this one. I was lucky to find it, and I look forward to seeing more warblers once Spring migration begins in earnest. After the snow and cold we’ve had, migration can’t start soon enough! 🦅