Garret Mountain Birds

Inspired by Tom Walsh's and Dan Murray's posts to the New Jersey Birding list, we decided to go to Garret Mountain in West Paterson, NJ, in hopes of seeing the Hooded Warbler. We're glad we did because this is an adorable little bird.

We also saw a Ruby-Crowned Kinglet, an Eastern Towhee, and a Phoebe

Ruby-Crowned Kinglet


Eastern Towhee


Phoebe

The first thing we saw was a chipmunk with its mouth full.


Chipmunk

A visit to Sandy Hook

Eastern Phoebe 

Dark-eyed Junco 

Yellow-Rumped Warbler 

Sunday's weather was nicer than Saturday so Mike talked Chris into going to Sandy Hook again. We've been disappointed by Sandy Hook a few times. It's so large and confusing to someone new to birding. Today was a bit better. Still we didn't find the bobolinks, wood ducks, cuckoos, and vireos that others report. The first of season Dark-eyed Junko reminds us of the impending doom some call winter. We spotted quite a few kinglets, both ruby-crowned and gold-crowned.

Eastern Phoebe from the Meadowlands

 

A Phoebe from Tenafly Nature Center

 

 

We weren't positive that this was Phoebe, but since the bird says its name, we became more confident.

Spring Birds

American Goldfinch

Red Winged Blackbird

Eastern Phoebe

Eastern Bluebird