Archive for 2007 June

Ok, so its great and all that Jeanette is no longer the “only” person to have seen the Lawrence’s Warbler in the house, and the number of amazing looks I got were second to none. But, as far as “style” goes, I am not even in the same ballpark. Further proof that I need a very expensive camera is the collection of beauties below. Yes those are actually pictures taken by a person.

Ok, so yes its with my binocluars, and yes they are fast, and yes the terrain was difficult…did I mention they were fast?

Anyways, around 7:00 PM, they (he was running with another Blue-winged Warbler) let me follow them for 5-10 minutes around the dense thicket on the right hand side of the road that leads up to the Kay Center parking lot. PICTURES = BAD Knowing you now have a Lawrence just like Jeanette = PRICELESS.

(I also did see two Hooded Warblers…all of a sudden they are everywhere, and actually managed to get a decent shot)

As new birders you realize how much was “going on” around you without you even knowing it was there. When you aren’t “looking for birds” parks and hiking trails are a completely different world. The dog you used to think was “cute” running through the grass becomes a “nuisance” and “shouldn’t be off a leash.” Before you know it, you want them to stop drilling in Alaska, save the tropical rain forest, and preserve the little habitat left in the world for the same birds you barley knew just a year before. Such is the greatness of Birding. One of the great examples of a well “preserved” park is the Negri-Nepote Grasslands (maintained by the New Jersey Audubon). Grasshopper Sparrows (Got this one) and Bobolinks (Not this one yet) are around as well as loads of Indigo Buntings and Cedar Waxwings. Wild Turkeys, Falcons and Hawks walk and fly through the colorful grasslands.

This curious young Red-tailed Hawk was being “carefully” cared for by an attentive mom and dad who let us get a nice look before being “politely” asked to leave. Her distinctive call let us know she appreciated us stopping by but she needed to get back to hawk mothering and stuff. A beautiful day full of birds and color. Who says summer birding can’t be wonderful?!

This morning we finally found the elusive (to us anyways) Hooded Warbler! Hearing the song I had heard on the internet 100 times was a relief and a welcome site to end a great morning at the Kay Center. A picture of the Hooded Warbler we saw below.

As we started down the path from the modest “visitor’s center” we saw three people pointing and looking towards a tall tree in the distance. We approached and asked what was being looked at. “some woodpecker.” It turned out to not just be “some” woodpecker but the Pileated Woodpecker! The Pileated Woodpecker is the biggest Woodpecker in North America and one we had very much wanted to see! We shared the bird with a happy group of casual birders. Casual “hikers” would probably be a better description. Anyways, a great bird for us (number 145 for me ) and some good pictures from Jeanette.

This morning Jeanette saw a Lawrence’s Warbler (a hybrid offspring of a Golden-winged Warbler and a Blue-winged Warbler) in among a plethora of Blue-winged Warblers (This bird had been previously reported in the NJRBA). He was making cozy with a “plain” blue-winged and close by was a baby warbler (baby Lawrence’s perhaps?) A few good identifying shots were taken. Great Bird!

Old Mine Road

This morning we headed out to Old Mine Road near the Delaware Water Gap. Without a lot of pre-game planning we put our hopes in some recent sightings in the area and a site description from the NJAS. As newer birders there were a couple things we noticed. The 3 minute light is rough and a little scary  and there is no visitor center in the area. Once we got going there were a lot of singers. Yellow Warblers, American Redstarts, and others (possibly Northern Parula or Black-throated Blue Warblers?) were all heard driving but the Yellows, Redstarts and 2 Worm-eating Warblers were the only seen Warblers. Great-crested Flycatcher and Acadian Flycatcher (Our first) were seen along with Eastern Kingbird. A singing Indigo Bunting and male Scarlet Tanager made up the most vivid spotting. We had hoped to see the elusive (from us anyways) Hooded Warbler without success. Anyways, overall a nice day of birding for early June.