sparrows – The Jersey Birder

With the first frost of fall, some cool birds

A Cooper's hawk faces the rising sun while sitting on a thick tree branch.

With the thermometer at 30 degrees this morning, we had our first frost of the fall. It turned out to be a decent day for birding. I hadn’t been to the Reed-Bryan Farm side of Mercer Meadows for a while and decided to go there rather than to the Pole Farm side of the park.Continue reading “With the first frost of fall, some cool birds”

A fulfilling weekend of birding

A pair of Savannah sparrows sit on different branches of a small tree with red leaves.

Over the weekend, I spent two mornings at Mercer Meadows with friends, human and avian. While I’m still awaiting the arrival of more Northern harriers, I’m pleased to report that the Savannah sparrows have been arriving steadily. My friend Sally had mentioned that she’d love to see an Eastern meadowlark at the Pole Farm. SinceContinue reading “A fulfilling weekend of birding”

Sparrows a-go-go at the Pole Farm

Two Savannah sparrows face one another in the tall grasses.

We’ve had a beautiful fall weekend here in central New Jersey, with warmer-than-we-really-should-have temperatures poking into the upper 70s. I was able to get two good outings in at the Mercer Meadow Pole Farm, where sparrows took center stage. I’m leading the post with two of the Savannah sparrows I saw while walking up theContinue reading “Sparrows a-go-go at the Pole Farm”

A good day for sparrows, and an owl call

Dawn arrived with a temperature of 43 degrees , our first truly Fall-feeling morning. I pulled on a green plaid jacket, turned on the heater in the car and headed to the Pole Farm. At the parking lot, I heard the cry of a pileated woodpecker as I switched to my hiking shoes, figuring thatContinue reading “A good day for sparrows, and an owl call”

Great light brightens the birds

Eastern towhee sitting on a tree branch, turning its head to the left.

My last two outings to Mercer Meadows brought lighting challenges and opportunities. Each morning started with heavy fog, with the sun ultimately breaking through and burning off the gray stuff. Sometimes, the fog makes for interesting, moody shots. I went to the Reed-Bryan Farm side of the park today. The fog was heavy, and throughContinue reading “Great light brightens the birds”

Close encounter with a field sparrow

Field sparrow sitting on a tree branch, with green foliage behind it.

Every once in a while, I experience a fleeting moment of bonding with a bird. This morning, for example, I was walking a trail in the northern section of the Pole Farm when I spotted a field sparrow on the ground, barely five feet in front of me. The bird and I had a briefContinue reading “Close encounter with a field sparrow”

A lesson in allofeeding

A mother sparrow feeds a young sparrow from her beak as both birds sit on a curved iron plant stand. They are seen through an orchid with white blossoms.

While doing my morning reading from my easy chair Wednesday, I looked up to see a pair of house sparrows perched on a plant hanger propped against one of our dining room windows. One bird was feeding the other, zipping back and forth to the nearby tube feeder while the other stayed put. The birdsContinue reading “A lesson in allofeeding”

Let’s hear it for the field sparrow

Field sparrow with beak fully open as it sings from a tree branch.

I had little opportunity to go birding during the work week, so getting out Saturday morning was a priority. The sun was out as I arrived at the Mercer Meadows Pole Farm, but a wall of clouds soon moved in. Nonetheless, it was bright enough when I reached the old AT&T Building One site aboutContinue reading “Let’s hear it for the field sparrow”

A cold morning for sparrows

Savannah sparrow perched on a tree branch and puffed up to keep warm on a cold, sunny morning.

We’re at the front end of a cold snap that will bring temperatures down into the single digits Fahrenheit for a few days. We had two to three inches of snow fall yesterday, and I pulled on my Muck boots to head to the Mercer Meadows Pole Farm. It was slim pickings for birds. IContinue reading “A cold morning for sparrows”

A new year for birding begins

On this first day of 2025, I got a fast start on birding. I began the day under a beautiful cloud-dappled sky at the Mercer Meadows Pole Farm, logging 13 species in an out-and-back walk on the central trail. Three American crows flew into a tree as I got out of my car, making themContinue reading “A new year for birding begins”