Northern Cardinal

 

We do intend on going out birding soon, but until then, we'll post photos from our backyard.

White-breased nuthatch

 

Back in Jersey: Winter Birds

 

Northern Mockingbird

 

Red Bellied Woodpecker


Well we've been back from Africa for a week now and are slowly getting back on schedule. We haven't been out birding in NJ yet, but are enjoying our backyard birds. The mockingbirds are in our neighborhood all year but only come to our house in the winters. The red bellied woodpecker is year-round resident.


Moving to the area to enjoy birding? Consider these New Jersey Movers for your next big adventure.

South Africa: Guineafowl

Creasted Guineafowl

Helmeted Guineafowl

South Africa: Knob-billed Ducks

Knob-billed Ducks

South Africa: Secretary Bird

Secretary BirdLondolozi, South Africa

Green Winged Teals

Green Winged TealsTeals are one of our favorite types of ducks. The green winged teals are particularly attractive.

I'd like to call back summertime ...

... and have her stay for just another month or so

South Africa: The Grey Go-away-bird

The Grey Go-away-bird

Two Go-away-birds together


The grey go-away-bird gets it name from its alarm call, which sounds like "go away." Mike got 100 bad photos of them early in the morning on rainy days and finally a few good ones on a sunny day

Birds of South Africa

We took a trip to South Africa to view wildlife, particularly lions, elephants, zebras, etc. However, we also did a bit of birding while there. I know this is supposed to be a NJ bird blog, but we couldn't resist sharing some of these birds from South Africa.



African Hoopoe


Lilac Breasted Roller


Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill


Pin-tailed Whydah


Woodland Kingfisher


Paradise flycatcher


For more of South Africa wilflife, see our South African Wildlife Vacation blog.

Northern Shoveler from Mill Creek Marsh

The bill on this duck always makes us laugh. Here, a male shoveler is getting off a sunken log to take a swim.

Hooded Merganser couple from Mill Creek Marsh

Just behind Bob's discount furniture at the Mill Creek Mall in Seacaucus is another world, with migrating ducks instead of holiday sales.



This was our first time to Mill Creek Marsh, but we will be back. It gets migrating ducks similar to the DeKorte, but has smaller lakes and ponds, making it easier to enjoy the ducks. Hooded mergansers are still our favorite.

Gadwall from the Meadowlands

Here is a photo of a Gadwall from our visit to the Meadowlands last weekend. The meadowlands is one of our favorite places for migrating ducks. We've been to some birding places that have hunters which takes the joy out of bird watching.

Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker

Yellow-Bellied SapsuckerWe are always happy when the sapsuckers return to our yard.

Long-Tailed Duck at the Meadowlands.

Long Tailed DuckThe weather was good today, so we made our way to the Meadowlands for birding (DeKORTE PARK in Lyndhurst). The highlight was a Long-tailed duck, previously known as an Old Squaw.

Red Bellied Woodpecker at feeder

We think this may be one of the baby red-bellied woodpeckers now grown up that visited our house with its parent this summer.

Leucistic Red-tailed Hawk in Flight

This hawk has become a bit of an obsession with Mike. It has returned to the same area in the fall the past three years. It is often visible from the entrance to Rt 18 North from Rutgers Busch campus. We spotted him on a light pole today, but the entrance to a freeway is not a safe place to stop (as the campus police reminded us last year). We circled back, parked at the Rutgers Visitor Center and walked on the bike trail that goes along the freeway and got this shot of him flying. The bike trail is called the "East Coast Greenway" on the map above. The hawk was also perched in the trees near the freeway but a bit too obscured for a good photo.

Resting Cormorant

Cormorants

Juvenile Pied-billed Grebe

Grebe

Hooded Mergansers (male) and Buffleheads (female)

Hooded Mergansers (male) and Buffleheads (female)We are ecstatic that the hooded mergansers have stopped at Lake Nelson on their winter migration. They were joined by two buffleheads.

Snowy Owl at Merrill Creek

Squirrel walking past a snowy owl.
The owl must not have been hungry, but he did watch attentively as the squirrel walked by.



The snowy owl has been reported at Merrill Creek the past 5 days so when the weekend came around, we just had to go. Fortunately, he doesn't move much during the day, so once someone spots him, others can find him easily.

If you are intersted in seeing him, head toward the vistor center at 34 Merrill Creek Rd, Washington, NJ 07882. Park in the fisherman's parking lot (go straight instead of turning right at the fork to the visitors center). There is a gravel path to the left of the parking lot and he has been found past the dam for a few days. Today, someone was nice enough to place an orange cone on the trail marking where he was and there were about 10 birders on the shore. If you go, please do keep your distance so he isn't disturbed.

Fall Ducks

 

Hooded Merganser

 

Buffleheads

We love the fall when the migrating ducks stop by Lake Nelson.

Cormorant on Ice

Cormorant on Ice

Finally: A wood duck returns to Lake Nelson

 

The Last of the California Photos

Osprey carrying a fish

Say's Phoebe

Black Phoebe

California Towhee

Bushtit

White-tailed Kite

White-tailed Kite



Another bird from California. This time from Ballona Creek in Marina del Rey.

Orange Bishop

Orange Bishop


We went out to Los Angeles to visit our daughter and got some birding in as well. Orange Bishops had been reported in the Sepuleveda Dam area and we were lucky enough to find one.

Photos contributed by Joe (Bernardsville, NJ)

Blue-Winged Warbler

Early morning at Lord Sterling Park, Basking Ridge



Royal Tern, Lavallette

Note the band on this bird’s leg. Taken on the bay side, it was with another adult and a juvenile.








Male Pileated Woodpecker


I discovered a nesting pair in a tall dead tulip tree in my yard in Bernardsville this Spring. Over the course of a month or so, I watched as the pair successfully raised a pair of young.

Warblers from Glenhurst Meadows

Yellow Rumped Warbler


Palm Warbler


Common Yellowthroat (Immature Male)