Saw a light-morph Rough-legged Hawk on Disposal Road across from the Carillon around 2:10 p.m. today. We were cross-country ski birding at the time so did not have the big camera …
Monthly Archives: January 2011
Cross-Country Ski Birding
With around 7 inches of snow at DeKorte today, tried something a tad different — birding while cross-country skiing.
The snow was definitely deep enough, and since DeKorte is flat as a pancake in most places, it was a breeze.
The Transco Trail (below) is about as straight and flat as you can get, and you get to see ducks on one end and raptors on the other.
We carried binoculars and a pocket camera, and kept mental note of the raptors and ducks we saw — 3 species of hawk and 10 species of duck.
We think we got better looks at the Lesser Scaup and Green-winged Teal because we were on skis…
We did not pay much attention to the other stuff — but did get a chuckle from a Great Black-backed Gull atop the Osprey Platform in the Lyndhurst Nature Reserve.
Full list follows. 
Raptor Report from 011111
Mike Girone reports:I birded Disposal Rd. with a few regulars near the AmVets Carillon this afternoon from around 2 – 4:30 p.m. No Rough-legs, but plenty of activity from the feathered regulars:
At least 3 Red-tailed Hawks
4-5 Northern Harriers (including a Gray Ghost that caught a sparrow on the edge of the landfill by the retention pond)
Adult male American Kestrel that briefly perched in a tree next to the retention pond
At least 1 adult Red-shouldered Hawk perching in various trees on both landfills along the road throughout the afternoon (could easily have been 2 different birds though)
Adult male Sharp-shinned Hawk late in the day that hung around the vicinity, and almost caught a sparrow next to the retention pond as I was walking back to my car.
There was also a Ring-necked Pheasant that we briefly saw coming in for a landing on top of the landfill behind the retention pond. Finally got to see one of these!
Thanks, Mike!
Tuesday Teaser Answers
The two sparrows are a White-Crowned, above, and an American Tree Sparrow, below.
They are both banded.
They were photographed in Harrier Meadow, less than 100 yards from where they were banded at the Erie Landfill.
Our Next Free Nature Walk: Next Tuesday
Our next free guided walk is next Tuesday, Jan.18, at 10 a.m. at Laurel Hill County Park.
We will look for our favorite Common 
Ravens, plus Bald Eagles, Great Cormorants, Long-Tailed Ducks and other fan faves. Scroll down to the next post to see what was seen at Laurel Hill this past Sunday.
(Bald Eagle shot at right, with Laurel Hill in background was taken 10 months ago by the NJMC.)
Dress warmly and bring binoculars.
You will need to sign a standard liability waiver. Download is here:
Download Laurel Hill Liability Release
Full info follows.
Long-Tailed Duck at Laurel Hill
As promised, here's one of Jeff Nicol's shots of the Long-Tailed Duck
The link to the birds that Jeff and Co. saw Sunday at Mill Creek Marsh and Laurel Hill County Park is here.
Scene below photogrsphed by Jeff on Sunday is from Laurel Hill County Park.
That's the Hackensack River and Saw Mill Creek Wildlife Management Area in the background. (Thanks, Jeff!)
Tuesday Teaser 011111: Oh, No! More Sparrows
Two Light-morph Roughlegs Today, plus Harriers
We had two Light-morph Roughlegs — including the one above — circling on Disposal Road around 3 p.m. today.
Dennis Cheeseman had several Northern Harriers — including the one below — on Disposal Road at lunchtime. (Thanks, Dennis!)
Plenty of Red-tails around, too.
Bird Report from 011011: Rough-leg, Bald Eagle
Don DesJardins reports:
Birded the Meadowlands [Sunday] from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Birds of interest for the day were the following:
1 Rough-legged Hawk {light-morph} near DeKorte on Valley Brook Ave.
1 male harrier patroling the area.
5 female harriers{ 2 adult,3 imm.]
1 male kestrel
1 Bald Eagle {3rd year}
Several Redtails
1 Peregrine Falcon {adult} chasing Green-winged Teal
8 White-crowned Sparrows {2 adult}
Another good day at the meadows.
Thanks, Don! And thanks to Doug Tilley for the Disposal Road Northern Harrier shot (taken Saturday) that accompanies this post.
Ron Shields’ Latest Kearny Marsh Shots
Ron Shields surveyed a frozen Kearny Marsh last week and came up with these shots of a Common Moorhen above and an American Coot below. Check out those feet. (Thanks, Ron!)
Great Blue Heron shot follows.
