While I’m fortunate to see Eastern bluebirds during much of the year on my birding outings, it’s rare to see them at home. Two of them surprised my wife and me a few mornings back as we were eating breakfast at the kitchen table. One perched briefly on our suet feeder while another hung outContinue reading “Backyard bluebirds = joy”
Tag Archives: nature
Blue jays are ruling the roost
2024 is turning out to be a banner year for blue jays, at least as I’m seeing and hearing them on my outings in Mercer County, New Jersey. Each time I look out the back windows at home, it seems two or three blue jays are flying up to our feeders or streaking by theContinue reading “Blue jays are ruling the roost”
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”
My turn as a birding guide
My office hosted a conference for colleagues from similar offices at other universities this week. As part of the festivities, I offered to lead a birding walk at the Mercer Meadows Pole Farm. Tuesday dawned partly sunny and partly muggy, but conditions were good for the walk. As for the birds, this was one ofContinue reading “My turn as a birding guide”
Fortune finds me a feather
One year ago, I aborted a visit to the Reed Bryan Farm side of Mercer Meadows because I wasn’t feeling right. My balance was off. Later that day I fell at home and had difficulty walking after that. I ended up hospitalized for a bit, missed two and a half months of work and spentContinue reading “Fortune finds me a feather”
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”
Birds bathing in high heat and humidity
The day dawned hot, muggy and foggy. After a strong overnight thunderstorm, the windows in our house were so steamed up that I could not see the closest feeder that’s barely 10 feet away outside. As the sun started to burn through the haze, I drove to Veteran’s Park in Hamilton, in hopes of findingContinue reading “Birds bathing in high heat and humidity”
The Jersey Birder 