purple finch – The Jersey Birder

Stretching my routes at the Mercer Meadows Pole Farm

A song sparrow, with its beak wide open and its tongue visible inside, belts out its song while perched on a diagonal tree branch.

My new bionic knees have rejuvenated my ability to tramp around the woods, and I’ve been steadily increasing the distances I walk in this new year. Today, I put in 2.5 miles on one of my favorite routes that takes me to the north end of the park. Along the way, I had decent lightContinue reading “Stretching my routes at the Mercer Meadows Pole Farm”

A likely last chance for snow shots during the Great Backyard Bird Count

Purple finch perched amid a tangle of brown and tan tree branches.

With around-the-clock above-freezing temperatures in the offing, this weekend was likely my last chance to try for shots of birds in the snow. It was not to be. My friend Jim and I hit multiple spots on Saturday, starting at the nearly bird-less Pole Farm. Not a great start for the Great Backyard Bird Count.Continue reading “A likely last chance for snow shots during the Great Backyard Bird Count”

A close encounter with a red-tailed hawk (and more)

My birding buddy Jim and I have walked the trails of the Mercer Meadows Pole Farm many times, but today was the first time we pulled into the parking lot almost simultaneously. Within a few minutes, a rare treat was in store. We and other regular Pole farmers have been grousing of late about theContinue reading “A close encounter with a red-tailed hawk (and more)”