fall – The Jersey Birder

With the first frost of fall, some cool birds

A Cooper's hawk faces the rising sun while sitting on a thick tree branch.

With the thermometer at 30 degrees this morning, we had our first frost of the fall. It turned out to be a decent day for birding. I hadn’t been to the Reed-Bryan Farm side of Mercer Meadows for a while and decided to go there rather than to the Pole Farm side of the park.Continue reading “With the first frost of fall, some cool birds”

A fulfilling weekend of birding

A pair of Savannah sparrows sit on different branches of a small tree with red leaves.

Over the weekend, I spent two mornings at Mercer Meadows with friends, human and avian. While I’m still awaiting the arrival of more Northern harriers, I’m pleased to report that the Savannah sparrows have been arriving steadily. My friend Sally had mentioned that she’d love to see an Eastern meadowlark at the Pole Farm. SinceContinue reading “A fulfilling weekend of birding”

Sparrows a-go-go at the Pole Farm

Two Savannah sparrows face one another in the tall grasses.

We’ve had a beautiful fall weekend here in central New Jersey, with warmer-than-we-really-should-have temperatures poking into the upper 70s. I was able to get two good outings in at the Mercer Meadow Pole Farm, where sparrows took center stage. I’m leading the post with two of the Savannah sparrows I saw while walking up theContinue reading “Sparrows a-go-go at the Pole Farm”

Welcome back, Savannah sparrows

With golden streaks on their brown and tan heads, Savannah sparrows are well matched to the their surroundings in the fields of the Mercer Meadows Pole Farm at this time of. year. I had spotted an early arrival about two weeks ago, and other birders have been noting that more and more are arriving daily.Continue reading “Welcome back, Savannah sparrows”

An Eastern meadowlark amid fall color

I follow a number of blogs that are short on text and long on images. So for a change to my usual chatty m.o., here’s a photo of an Eastern Meadowlark that I spotted at the Mercer Meadows Pole Farm on Saturday morning. I am pleased with it, and I hope you like it, too.

A hint of fall at the Pole Farm

We’re still a few weeks away from the autumnal equinox, but Mother Nature is dropping a few hints that Fall is coming. The annual fall migration of birds is underway, and I’ve yet to see any southbound warblers in my treks at the Mercer Meadows Pole Farm. But this morning, an obliging Northern cardinal perchedContinue reading “A hint of fall at the Pole Farm”

Fall Big Day: Two great birding destinations and a boat ride

What a trip! For the fall “Big Day” of birding, I hitched a ride with friends Saturday and went on a journey that expanded my horizons and my life list. Mark and Laura and their friend Keri picked me up an hour before dawn, and we drove 90 minutes to reach the Edwin B. ForsytheContinue reading “Fall Big Day: Two great birding destinations and a boat ride”