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”
Tag Archives: birdwatching
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 Pole Farm kestrels have fledged
The American kestrels that hatched in the maintenance barn at the Mercer Meadows Pole Farm a few weeks ago fledged last week while I was away in Texas. Today, I was delighted to get a good look at some of them. I had completed my walk and was pulling out of the parking lot whenContinue reading “The Pole Farm kestrels have fledged”
A little pre-hurricane birding in Texas
I’m visiting my daughter and her family in College Station, Texas, where we’re curious to know how much rain will dump on us Monday as Hurricane Beryl barrels its way into the Lone Star State. I’ve been able to get out birding twice since my wife and I flew in Tuesday afternoon. With the temperatureContinue reading “A little pre-hurricane birding in Texas”
American kestrels are settling in nicely at the Pole Farm
The American kestrel is a threatened species, particularly in the Northeastern United States. But we have encouraging news from the Mercer Meadows Pole Farm. Breeding pairs are making the park their home, and we have more kestrels today than we did in previous years. When they’re not hovering over the meadows, looking for prey, theContinue reading “American kestrels are settling in nicely at the Pole Farm”
The magnificent blue jay
As ubiquitous as the blue jay is in much of this part of the world, I’ve taken relatively few photos of them in wild, especially when compared with many less common species. Early in my walk this morning at the Mercer Meadows Pole Farm, I spotted one sitting regally atop a tree and snapped away.Continue reading “The magnificent blue jay”
The Jersey Birder 