With the snow falling this morning, I headed to the Mercer Meadows Pole Farm hoping to get some good shots. These years, we typically get only a few snowfalls, so when the white stuff comes down, I’m extra eager to get out with my camera. The gate to the Cold Soil Road parking lot wasContinue reading “A rare chance to see birds in snow”
Tag Archives: Northern harriers
Awesome: Harriers in aerial maneuvers by the setting sun
What inspired man to take flight? I had a flash of inspiration this afternoon while watching two Northern harriers joust in the golden light of the setting sun at the Mercer Meadows Pole Farm. Watching two female Northern harriers playing on the steady breeze over the main fields brought to mind Icarus, who in GreekContinue reading “Awesome: Harriers in aerial maneuvers by the setting sun”
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”
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”
Cold breeze, nice light and good birding
We woke up to clear skies and brilliant sunshine this morning, which turned out to be nice conditions for an outing at the Mercer Meadows Pole Farm. The highlight was getting to see a male Northern harrier twice swooping along the tree line up the central path, once from a distance and once close enoughContinue reading “Cold breeze, nice light and good birding”
More owls and an impressive murmuration
Back to the Pole Farm I went this afternoon, hoping to see more short-eared owls and Northern harriers flash about as the sun set. The cloud cover was heavy and the light low, not ideal for photography. Nonetheless, the Cold Soil Road parking lot was packed again (a sure sign of owl fever) as I pulledContinue reading “More owls and an impressive murmuration”
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”
The irony of wildlife photography
“Don’t look back” may be good psychological advice for putting the past behind you, but for wildlife photographers in the field, it’s advice to be ignored. Shortly after I arrived at the Mercer Meadows Pole Farm yesterday, I looked ahead and saw a photographer I didn’t recognize pointing a camera with a long, tripod-mounted lensContinue reading “The irony of wildlife photography”
Bird song is returning, an early signal of spring at the Pole Farm
At the Mercer Meadows Pole Farm, a few early signs that spring will get here eventually are starting to show. Over my last couple of visits, I’ve started hearing after a long layoff the raspy cries of red-winged blackbirds, and the Eastern bluebirds are calling to one another. This morning, I noticed that a fewContinue reading “Bird song is returning, an early signal of spring at the Pole Farm”
The Jersey Birder 