I’ve had my new camera for a few weeks and I’m starting to get the hang of it. The burst rate for this mirrorless Canon R7 is super fast, and I’m adjusting not only to that but to the advanced autofocus capabilities of the camera. I have the camera set to focus on the eyesContinue reading “The challenge of capturing birds in flight”
Tag Archives: birdwatching
A short walk for a big bird
Most days, I go out to the birds. Some days, they come to me. Today was a case in point. Once the sun came up, I noticed that the tube feeder outside our dining room windows was empty. A Northern cardinal perched there briefly and looked around, seemingly puzzled that his breakfast had not beenContinue reading “A short walk for a big bird”
Awesome: Harriers in aerial maneuvers by the setting sun
What inspired man to take flight? I had a flash of inspiration this afternoon while watching two Northern harriers joust in the golden light of the setting sun at the Mercer Meadows Pole Farm. Watching two female Northern harriers playing on the steady breeze over the main fields brought to mind Icarus, who in GreekContinue reading “Awesome: Harriers in aerial maneuvers by the setting sun”
Twitchers’ reward: a sandhill crane
Over the past several days, several birders have sighted a sandhill crane or two at the Miry Run area (a.k.a. Dam Site 21) that touches Hamilton, Robbinsville and West Windsor, New Jersey. The site is a 15-minute drive from home. When my friend Laura texted me that she was going to try to find theContinue reading “Twitchers’ reward: a sandhill crane”
So close: a day of ‘almost’ shots
Take a look at the yellow-rumped warbler topping this post. The bird is in profile high up in a tree, eying a cluster of berries. A moment later, the bird would have one of those berries in its beak, but that shot was blurred. Another frame shows the bird with its beak plunged into theContinue reading “So close: a day of ‘almost’ shots”
Northern harriers return to the Pole Farm
I headed out to the Mercer Meadows Pole Farm this morning, figuring I had a good chance of spotting some warblers. Even though I stretched my walk by about a mile longer than usual, I didn’t see or hear any fall migrants. But on the way back to my car, I spotted a Northern harrierContinue reading “Northern harriers return to the Pole Farm”
A fine morning at Hamilton Veterans Park
For the past several days, I’d been seeing e-Bird reports of snowy egrets and a little blue heron hanging around Veterans Park in Hamilton. When I woke up this morning, I figured it was high time I checked them out. Sure enough, the little blue heron was staying close to a larger snowy egret, asContinue reading “A fine morning at Hamilton Veterans Park”
Old friends return: a Northern harrier, Savannah sparrows and a West Virginian
It’s that time of year when some of the birds who left us in late spring and the summer start making their way back. At the Mercer Meadows Pole Farm this morning, I was delighted to see a Northern harrier for the first time since the lot cleared out a few months ago. She roseContinue reading “Old friends return: a Northern harrier, Savannah sparrows and a West Virginian”
Summer doldrums for birding? Nah!
For the past week, I’ve endured a stretch of work and weather that has not been conducive to birding. The last couple of days have drenched the area with rain, some of which can be attributed to the remnants of Hurricane Debby. My binoculars and cameras have been parked indoors, and I’m itching to takeContinue reading “Summer doldrums for birding? Nah!”
Demon grackles swarm my feeders
Common grackles are the motorcycle gangs of the bird world. They swoop into our yard, attacking the suet feeder and often by sunset gobbling up the two cakes I had put in fresh after sunrise. It’s not unusual to see scores of them at home — a group strutting around the grass while others squabbleContinue reading “Demon grackles swarm my feeders”
The Jersey Birder 