The sun came out in full force this Sunday morning, and the temperature was a brisk 28 degrees Fahrenheit as I headed to the Mercer Meadows Pole Farm. The park’s paths offer a few turning points, and the first one to confront is just up from the Cold Soil Road parking lot: either go upContinue reading “Bluebirds bring happiness”
Tag Archives: Mercer Meadows
Some days birding, starlings are the best you get
A small percentage of my birding excursions give me a goose egg: no birds spotted whatsoever. Such outings are rare, and I can almost predict when I’ll get that result. Time of day is the most reliable predictor. On off-work days either my wife will shoo me out of the house or I’ll head outContinue reading “Some days birding, starlings are the best you get”
A bird’s gotta eat
I’m delighted to be able to get back out onto the trails again, and I’ve been building back my stamina. This morning, I did a nearly 1.5 mile loop out at the Pole Farm, and at my slower pace, I’m learning to enjoy how it brings me unexpected pleasures in birding. The photo atop thisContinue reading “A bird’s gotta eat”
Adventures of a three-legged birder
Medical challenges rudely interrupted my summer, but thanks to excellent care and support by doctors, nurses, therapists and my family and friends, I’ve been able to return to the parks and fields for the fall. One major difference: because of a balky knee, I now must walk with a cane, and I can’t tramp aroundContinue reading “Adventures of a three-legged birder”
Chasing a nemesis bird with birding author Julia Zarankin
If you are reading this post, you’re either already a birder or taking your first steps on the path to becoming one. Even if neither of those situations applies, I recommend that you read a wondeful book on discovering the joys of birding: Field Notes from an Unintentional Birder: A Memoir, by Julia Zarankin. JuliaContinue reading “Chasing a nemesis bird with birding author Julia Zarankin”
Is this dickcissel the loneliest bird in America?
For the past two weeks, a male dickcissel outside his normal range has been visiting the Reed Bryan Farm section of Mercer Meadows park, singing throughout the day to attract a mate. So far, no females have replied, at least according to the dozens of birders who have come to the site to see thisContinue reading “Is this dickcissel the loneliest bird in America?”
Having an extra set of eyes makes birding better
Most days when I’m out birding, I’m a loner. I’ll stop to chat with passing birders, of course, sharing tips on what I’ve spotted and hoping they’ll share something I’d like to see. But I enjoy my own company, if you will, and I’m perfectly happy to pursue my birding in solitude. But then thereContinue reading “Having an extra set of eyes makes birding better”
Scarlet tanagers on the nest
As often as I walk the trails of the parks near home, I’ve spotted only a few bird nests. I was fortunate last week to come upon my friend Andy in the woods at the Mercer Meadows Pole Farm, who told me he knew where a pair of scarlet tanagers were nesting. We walked overContinue reading “Scarlet tanagers on the nest”
Tapping the animal network to bring out a bird
Spring migration has been a bit of a disappointment for me this year, as I haven’t seen as many warblers as I did last year. I’ve heard them, or more accurately the Merlin sound app has heard them clustered around me, but I’ve had relatively little luck spotting them. As of the start of thisContinue reading “Tapping the animal network to bring out a bird”
Bueller? Bueller? Birds at the parking lot
As if to prove there’s no rhyme or reason to birding, consider the parking lot birds that appear just as you’re about to leave the birding location or, even rarer in my experience, those who show up just as you arrive. That latter scenario played out Thursday morning when I pulled into the Cold SoilContinue reading “Bueller? Bueller? Birds at the parking lot”
The Jersey Birder 