birdwatching – The Jersey Birder

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”

When raptors make a house call — at your own home

A bald eagle flies over the golf course, with a a flag for the 10th green at lower right.

I wasn’t able to leave home today to go birding, which makes what transpired this afternoon all the more remarkable. Early in the afternoon, just before my wife and I sat down for lunch, I looked out the dining room window and was astonished to see a hawk in the laurel tree that marks theContinue reading “When raptors make a house call — at your own home”

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”

A (tundra) swan song for 2025

A tundra swan turns its head in the direction of a ring-billed gull to its right. Both birds are floating on the blue water of Spring Lake.

For my last outing of 2025, I headed to John Roebling Park late this morning, hoping to catch sight of a tundra swan that was reported there yesterday. I had only to walk a short way up the trail from the parking lot to spot the bird, chilling with a few gulls in the middleContinue reading “A (tundra) swan song for 2025”

Eagles aplenty, and a visitor from the Arctic

My friend Jim and I crossed the Delaware River from Trenton this morning on a hunt for a rare visitor from the Arctic: a rough-legged hawk. Amazingly, we spotted the bird almost immediately, but the morning had much more in store for us. The rough-legged hawk had been reported the previous few days hunting aroundContinue reading “Eagles aplenty, and a visitor from the Arctic”

For the solstice, a harrier at sunset

A Northern harrier, its wingtips illuminated from behind by the setting sun, soars over a field and in front of bare trees in the background.

Today is the first full day of winter, and I found time in the afternoon to visit Trenton marsh while still buzzing about my visits to the Mercer Meadows Pole Farm yesterday. I joined a group of birders there Saturday morning hoping to spot for a second time the wayward Townsend’s warbler that had beenContinue reading “For the solstice, a harrier at sunset”

A rare Pole Farm visitor from the west: a Townsend’s warbler

Illustration showing yellow and black Townsend's warbler perched on a pine branch, with "Rare Bird Alert" in curved text at top of image.

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,Continue reading “A rare Pole Farm visitor from the west: a Townsend’s warbler”

Nothing beats a bald eagle

The head of a bald eagle, with wisps of white feathers showing on its neck.

Symbol of America, the bald eagle is a magnificent bird. I had the privilege of seeing two of them this morning. I got one of them on camera in Princeton as I was driving away from the Millstone River Impoundment. I was heading to U.S. 1 when I looked to my right and saw theContinue reading “Nothing beats a bald eagle”