Bird Safe program at Princeton saves bird lives

Distressed over the heartbreaking number of birds killed by striking windows on campus, a group of Princeton University students set out on ambitious plan to study the problem and find a solution. Their inspiring work has led to changes in the university’s building procedures, saving the lives of countless numbers of birds. The students ofContinue reading “Bird Safe program at Princeton saves bird lives”

An end-of-the-hike surprise

I have always depended on the kindness of other birders. Yesterday was no exception as I finished my walk around Spring Lake at John A. Roebling Park, a.k.a. Trenton marsh. As I was finishing my loop around the lake, I spotted at least three yellow-rumped warblers in the trees near the parking lot. They wereContinue reading “An end-of-the-hike surprise”

Watching a bald eagle is good for the soul

The other day I headed to the Millstone River Impoundment in Princeton to see what I could see. This would turn out to be a visit of quality over quantity. The scores of common mergansers that had flocked here a few days before had flown off, and only a few gulls and Canada geese wereContinue reading “Watching a bald eagle is good for the soul”

A horned grebe does not disappoint

Reports came in Saturday on the Birding in Central New Jersey GroupMe chat channel that a horned grebe was hanging out with the Canada geese at Mercer County Park. More sightings were reported this morning, and I thought, why not? I’d never seen a horned grebe, let alone one near home. This was likely asContinue reading “A horned grebe does not disappoint”

Getting up close to a Northern harrier

Over my many visits to the Mercer Meadows Pole Farm, I’ve seen scores of Northern harriers flying overhead and perched on poles or trees. Rarely do I see them relatively close by, as whenever I approach they scram. Today was different. As I was walking up the central path to the woods, I spotted aContinue reading “Getting up close to a Northern harrier”

A return to the Pole Farm, and a surprise at Colonial Lake

Since knee surgery last month, I’ve been itching to get back out with my camera at my favorite birding spots. Having weaned myself off a walker and a cane thanks to terrific medical care and physical therapy, I chose this morning to venture out. My first stop was the Pole Farm (above), where I tookContinue reading “A return to the Pole Farm, and a surprise at Colonial Lake”

A good omen for the Eagles in the Super Bowl

My wife and I were having lunch at the kitchen table when she looked up and saw a bird coming in for a landing on the golf course that adjoins our yard. It was no ordinary bird. On this Super Bowl Sunday, a bald eagle paid us a call, and I consider that a goodContinue reading “A good omen for the Eagles in the Super Bowl”

A hairy woodpecker pays a rare call

Sometimes it takes a while for the bird recognition neurons in my brain to kick in. That happened this morning as I was looking out the windows toward our backyard feeders. I’d watched a female downy woodpecker fly onto the suet feeder and munch a while before flitting off. A few minutes later, another woodpeckerContinue reading “A hairy woodpecker pays a rare call”

A cold morning for sparrows

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 sure thing: great blue herons in Princeton

Whether it’s a single bird or one of many, I can count on seeing and photographing great blue herons at the Millstone River Impoundment in Princeton. At first this morning, I didn’t see the heron in its usual spot just off the pedestrian bridges over the Delaware and Raritan canal. I walked on the eastContinue reading “A sure thing: great blue herons in Princeton”