It was time to “fall back” today as the United States reverted to standard time, giving us an extra hour of sleep or an extra hour to seize or squander. I have been looking forward to the switch, which gives me more time in the morning to bird ahead of work. I headed to theContinue reading “On standard time, a five-sparrow day”
Tag Archives: Mercer Meadows Pole Farm
A rare capture of a common bird: the Carolina wren
While I can almost always count on hearing a Carolina wren on my visits to the Mercer Meadows Pole Farm, it’s a rare day when I see one and even rarer when I’m able to get a photo. I routinely hear and see these tubby little birds at home. I have several photos of themContinue reading “A rare capture of a common bird: the Carolina wren”
The early bird gets the berries
While I had trouble the other day getting a clear shot of a yellow-rumped warbler eating berries, I was able to get one this morning at the Mercer Meadows Pole Farm. I can’t say whether it was one of the birds I saw Sunday, but it was the same tree that the bird was onContinue reading “The early bird gets the berries”
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”
The catbird’s seat
Catbirds are ubiquitous in my part of the world. With their Mohawk hairdos, they show up at the feeders at home and chatter away in the trees whenever I venture out to the parks nearby and beyond. This morning, the gray catbird pictured above was perched on a bare tree — in the catbird seat,Continue reading “The catbird’s seat”
What part of ‘stay on the trails’ don’t you understand?
The Mercer County Parks staff has put up fences at the Pole Farm to remind people to stay on the trails and not to wander off into the woods where long-eared owls have been roosting. I applaud the move. I was walking up the central trail in shoe-sucking mud this morning when up at theContinue reading “What part of ‘stay on the trails’ don’t you understand?”
Owls in action at the Pole Farm
On this Winter Solstice, I felt an obligation to do some birding at my favorite spot, the Mercer Meadows Pole Farm. It’s prime season for short-eared owls there, and I hoped I’d get a chance to see a few of them flying around sunset. The birding gods were kind. On this, the shortest day ofContinue reading “Owls in action at the Pole Farm”
Nothing beats getting close to the birds with a zoom lens
I debate myself on whether I more enjoy birding itself or my photography while doing so. I’ve come to realize that for me, those two aspects are the yin and yang of my excursions. My enjoyment of birding increased considerably once I locked my Sigma 150-600 mm Contemporary zoom lens onto my Canon SL2 camera.Continue reading “Nothing beats getting close to the birds with a zoom lens”
Getting a glimpse of long-eared owls
It has taken a few years, but I’m finally getting to log owls onto my life list. This morning, I added three long-eared owls, thanks to the kindness (and high-tech equipment) of birders I encountered at the Mercer Meadows Pole Farm. I managed a two-mile loop on one of my favorite trail circuits, and IContinue reading “Getting a glimpse of long-eared owls”
Can my Philadelpia Eagles cap help me find more birds?
It’s a bit of a joke, but when I’m out birding I often wear my Philadelphia Eagles cap with a vague notion in my head that it will bring out more birds, maybe even induce a bald eagle to fly by. A silly notion, yes, but I’ll seek any advantage I can to bring moreContinue reading “Can my Philadelpia Eagles cap help me find more birds?”
The Jersey Birder 