Birds in the wild – The Jersey Birder

A walk in the sunshine

An American robin perches on a small tree. The bird turns its head back to the left. Its red breast and yellow bill are well-illuminated by the sun.

The weather reversed course Thursday, the temperature dropping and the snow falling although not sticking. This morning, I went out to my car, which had iced over so much that I couldn’t pull open the rear driver-side door where I usually place my camera with my binoculars. The windshield was covered in crystals, which theContinue reading “A walk in the sunshine”

Birding destination: Shark River Inlet

Needing to burn some vacation time, I took the day off and headed east to the New Jersey shore. The drive was mostly a straight shot along Interstate 195, which stretches from Trenton to Belmar, and took me less than an hour. The Shark River Inlet is where the river meets the Atlantic Ocean atContinue reading “Birding destination: Shark River Inlet”

Better birding weather is on the way

A male Northern cardinal perches on a bare tree branch with a deep gray sky behind him. Skinny tree branches frame the bird.

At last, the long winter appears to be abating, and the birds are singing and otherwise are more active than they were during the long stretch of cold weeks we had in New Jersey and the Northeast. I went to the Pole Farm on Saturday, which started with fairly thick fog. It started lifting asContinue reading “Better birding weather is on the way”

Thawing out and catching up on birding

Male wood duck follows a female along the edge of the water in a marsh.

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.Continue reading “Thawing out and catching up on birding”

A likely last chance for snow shots during the Great Backyard Bird Count

Purple finch perched amid a tangle of brown and tan tree branches.

With around-the-clock above-freezing temperatures in the offing, this weekend was likely my last chance to try for shots of birds in the snow. It was not to be. My friend Jim and I hit multiple spots on Saturday, starting at the nearly bird-less Pole Farm. Not a great start for the Great Backyard Bird Count.Continue reading “A likely last chance for snow shots during the Great Backyard Bird Count”

Crossing the frozen Delaware River for a lifer

A horned lark forages on a snow-covered field on which black seeds have been liberally scattered.

We’re in a long stretch of frigid weather, and it was 6 degrees when I headed off yesterday morning for a birding jaunt with my ace birding pal Jim. Our first stop was a new one for me: the Trenton sewage ponds. Yes, the cement-framed pools at the Trenton sewage treatment plant near the edgeContinue reading “Crossing the frozen Delaware River for a lifer”

Snow and sunshine pretty up the Pole Farm

A snow covered bridge leads on a gentle incline past trees on the right and an open field straight ahead.

The Mercer Meadows Pole Farm is a beautiful place in all kinds of weather, but I find it extra special after a decent snowfall. We had back-to-back days of snow over the holiday weekend, and I was able to get to the park Monday. Annoyingly, the gates at the Cold Soil Road parking lot wereContinue reading “Snow and sunshine pretty up the Pole Farm”

Losing track of time while tracking birds

A red-bellied woodpecker clings to one of several trees in a wooded area.

Unexpectedly, I had a transformative experience while birding in the woods today. I had intended to drive to Trenton marsh but mistakenly took an early exit off Interstate 295 and decided to drive to Veterans Park in Hamilton. Once there, I skirted Martin’s Lake and headed onto the trail that runs along the lake’s southContinue reading “Losing track of time while tracking birds”

My 10 favorite bird photos of 2025

A female common yellowthroat, perched on a small brown branch in front of long green leaves, opens her beak wide to sing, almost appearing as if she's angry.

I’ve had a lot of fun reviewing the bird photos I took in 2025, and it took me several passes to sort out the top 10. Weirdly, on my first ranking, I discovered that a few of the birds that made my 2024 top 10 were included in my ’25 list. Was I playing favoritesContinue reading “My 10 favorite bird photos of 2025”

Slip-sliding into the new year

A male house finch, with a deep red head, sits atop a cedar tree with a deep blue sky in the background.

I can’t not get out and go birding on New Year’s Day. So with a bitter wind blowing in my face, I headed up the trail at the Mercer Meadows Pole Farm, quickly realizing that underneath the half inch of snow that had fallen overnight lay a slippery layer of ice. With that gusty windContinue reading “Slip-sliding into the new year”