My outings have been limited of late, so I’ve been a bit behind my warbler counts of previous years. I had been hearing yellow warblers singing in some of the usual spots where they congregate at the Mercer Meadows Pole Farm, but until yesterday I had not put my eyes on one. As luck wouldContinue reading “At last, a yellow warbler comes into view”
Category Archives: Birders and birding
On a gray day, a black and white warbler shines
One of the pleasures of birding is meeting birders from other territories, and I had that pleasure again Sunday. My birding buddy Laura and I met at the Mercer Meadows Pole Farm with a couple from Quebec to whom we’d been introduced by another work colleague. Under an overcast sky and drizzling rain, the fourContinue reading “On a gray day, a black and white warbler shines”
An unexpected milestone: 1,000 Mercer County checklists
I reached a birding milestone today, submitting my 1,000th e-Bird checklist in Mercer County, New Jersey. By happenstance the day before I discovered I had completed 998 checklists, and I added No. 999 yesterday afternoon with a short visit to Colonial Lake Park in Lawrence Township. It was an easy decision on where to goContinue reading “An unexpected milestone: 1,000 Mercer County checklists”
Come a little closer, kestrel
The sun shone bright this morning, and I was optimistic for a trip to the Mercer Meadows Pole Farm. It’s still a bit early for warblers to be passing through, but the Eastern towhees are back and I spotted a couple of brown thrashers earlier in the week. Today’s highlight was more about encountering myContinue reading “Come a little closer, kestrel”
A wild duck chase, and an unassisted walk
That grin on my face emerged with that gesture of triumph this morning at the Mercer Meadows Pole Farm, where for the first time in many months I went birding on my own two feet, without a cane. Since troubles with my knees crossed into acute territory over the summer, I’ve been trying hard toContinue reading “A wild duck chase, and an unassisted walk”
In praise of the American tree sparrow
One of the pleasures of birding is when you suddenly realize that the bird you’re seeing isn’t what you thought it was but something surprising. American tree sparrows have that effect on me, and it happened again with my two most recent visits to the Mercer Meadows Pole Farm. The other day, I spotted aContinue reading “In praise of the American tree sparrow”
A long look at a short-eared owl
In my few short years of being a serious birder, owl sightings have been few. I’ve seen short-eared owls flying around sunset a few times and I’ve snatched partial glimpses at long-eared owls tucked deep into the trees. But last Saturday morning I received an unexpected treat at the Mercer Meadows Pole Farm. A short-earedContinue reading “A long look at a short-eared owl”
What part of ‘stay on the trails’ don’t you understand?
The Mercer County Parks staff has put up fences at the Pole Farm to remind people to stay on the trails and not to wander off into the woods where long-eared owls have been roosting. I applaud the move. I was walking up the central trail in shoe-sucking mud this morning when up at theContinue reading “What part of ‘stay on the trails’ don’t you understand?”
The shot that got away
With another wet, wind-driven storm bearing down on the East Coast, I thought I’d better get out for a bit of birding yesterday morning, as I likely wouldn’t have a chance today. I made only a short visit to the Mercer Meadows Pole Farm, where once again I spotted a female Northern harrier perched atopContinue reading “The shot that got away”
Birding 2024: What lies ahead?
Happy New Year, everyone! I started the year with a good walk at the Mercer Meadows Pole Farm (above), excited to begin another year of birding adventures. The first birds I heard were, predictably, European starlings screeching from the trees across from the entrance to the park. Then a chatty American crow started squawking fromContinue reading “Birding 2024: What lies ahead?”
The Jersey Birder 