Sunday, April 8, 2012
Sunday, April 11, 2010
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
Labels: Chipmunk, Eastern Phoebe, Eastern Towhee, Garret Mountain, Hooded Warbler, Ruby Crowned Kinglet, Spring Birds
Sunday, October 11, 2009
A visit to Sandy Hook
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.
Labels: Dark-eyed Junco, Eastern Phoebe, Fall Birds, Yellow-Rumped Warbler
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Eastern Phoebe from the Meadowlands
Labels: Eastern Phoebe, Fall Birds, Meadowlands
Monday, September 7, 2009
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.
Labels: Eastern Phoebe, Summer Birds
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Spring Birds
- said...
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These are great bird pictures. I never knew there were so many great birds on Lake Nelson and I grew up in Piscataway. This past weekend I was at the Cape May Zoo and I was trying to identify a black bird. It looks like the red-winged blackbird but the red feathers were only visible when the birds spread their wings. Do you know what type of bird it was if it is not the red-winged blackbird?
- said...
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I've lived in New Jersey all of my life and near the ocean. The only birds I ever see are seagulls, geese, pigeons, and blackbirds. After hurricane Sandy we moved back into our town of Seaside Heights but further away from the ocean. After a few days in our new apartment, I started to notice these cute little brownish birds (chickadees I think) so I put out a cheap feeder right near my kitchen window with some plain seeds in it. For the first few days I would see the birds but no where near my feeder. Then my 11 year old son kept telling me he was seeing a little brown bird with a red head, neck & chest. I would look for it but never see it. I saw it for the first time yesterday. Today there was 5 at the feeder. The I saw a red-winged black bird. I'm so used to seeing the boring colored birds that when I saw him I was in awe. I tried to get a pic but every time I got near my window he flew away. I'm going to try again tomorrow. Thank-you for your pics. It's how I was able to identify my new neighbor. Now I hope to find some pics of the little red heads. I did see some kind of hawk near the highway last week. He was eating road kill. I didn't realize how big those birds are or that there was even any in Toms River. thanks again.
- Chris and Mike said...
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So nice to hear something positive came from such a dreadful event as sandy - you are enjoying the world of birds now. Your little brown bird sounds like a finch. They often get overlooked as a common or pest bird at feeders, but the males can be quite striking with the red coloring. Happy birding - hopefully the blog will be of more help to you in the future, which is why we leave it up although we are now in California.
- Chris and Mike said...
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I'm glad you are enjoying the birds. I bet the brown bird with the red head is a house finch.
See House Finch or
Feeder Birds - said...
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yes, I think so to. I was going thru more of the picture you posted and Im pretty sure that's what they are. If the chickadee is about the same size as the finch, then they come to my feeder too. I never realized how much birds eat either. I guess whoever came up with the old saying "eats like a bird" never actually had to put food out for a bird. I love having my coffee by the window around 7a.m. I call them my breakfast crowd. as for the pest bird- where I am that's the seagulls because they tear up everyone's trash. I fed them once and I swear It looked like I had every seagull from the jersey shore at my feet. It got a little scary. They are really not afraid of people. Well thank you again for your help. My brother is a Marine stationed in C.A. He lives with his wife and son in Oceanside. Goodnight.







