New New Jersey Birder (1 Viewer)

[jward]

Hello everyone out there!

Just started birding this spring, and just move into my new home near the central Jersey shore. Is there anyone else in this area who has any pointers or must-sees?

I will definitely try to make it to Cape May this fall to catch a glimpse of the raptors.

Jarrod

 

[gthang]

Jarrod, welcome to BirdForum!

I am from a rural area just 100 miles north of NYC, and the pond that is less than a quarter-mile away from my house is a good place to find birds. At this pond, I have recorded Green Herons, Great Blue Herons, Yellow-Bellied Sapsuckers, Mallards, Wood Ducks, Solitary Sandpipers, Northern Flickers, Yellow-Rumped Warblers, Tufted Titmice, White-Breasted Nuthatches, Brown-Headed Cowbirds, and a whole lot more. In my neighborhood, which includes the pond, I have recorded over 50 species of birds. Some of these I have seen just once, others I see somewhat occasionally, maybe two or three times then don't see them again for a while. Some birds, such as Grey Catbird, I see all the time at the pond. The pond is heavily sheltered with good trees, very shaded, and normally it would be extremely difficult to spot a hummingbird flying around in the wooded section. But I found one! Turns out the hummer was drinking the sap from the sapsucker's drill holes!

The best sightings at the pond were of the Green Heron! I was walking across the pond (on a path of course) when I noticed a flash of color in the shadows on the opposite shore. I looked in the direction, and saw the flash again, so I aimed my camera. I snapped a picture, and when I previewed the picture, I realized that it was a Green Heron! I was so overjoyed, since this bird had been on my Most Wanted List since I began birding this past February!

 

[gthang]

OH, regarding good birding sites in NJ, I've never been to NJ, but from what I hear, Cape May is a good place to start. Also try Brigantine Nature Reserve (or whatever it's called, I only know the Brigantine part).

I suggest getting a few birds at home first. This way, you can get aquainted with the terrain, and your field guide. Then as the amount of new birds at your house decreases, I start to plan taking trips to local waterways (such as the nearest pond, like me). Since I live in a very variable terrain (mountains, wetlands, grasslands, woodlands, and urban, all in the 1/4-mile range of my house) i really increased my lifelist in just a few months.

Since I started keeping track in February, I have logged over 87 lifers, including those from July 2003. But this year alone, I have 70 lifers!

 

[jward]

Gthang,

Nice to hear from you! I often travel to the Catskills for backpacking trips and tried my darndest to due some birding. I had my light binocs and couldn't make out anything at a distance. I did note a Junco, as well as a woodpecker of some sort. The most interesting place for me is above 3500ft, as there the trees are shorter (fir/spruce) and the birds are easier to spot. Are you anywhere near there? I would love to take an official bird tour with a local group.

jw

 

[Beverlybaynes]

Greetings, jward, and a warm welcome to you from all of us on staff here at Birdforum!

There's no question that visiting Cape May is a 'must' -- and I'd like to do that myself someday.

Check in your area for a chapter of the National Audubon Society -- they are all over the country, and there's no doubt a chapter nearby. If it is anything like the one here, there will be regular birding walks in your area. And they'll be happy to welcome a new birder to the group.

Going out with more experienced birders has been the best possible way to learn more, at least in my experience. But do some reading, too -- study your field guide, get familiar with the habitat you're going to visit, and you'll be surprised at how much easier it becomes to locate a bird that's new to you.

I don't know that we've ever had a report from the Catskills before -- it'll be interesting to read what you see there.

Looking forward to your contributions here!

 

[gthang]

hey jarrod, if you're interested in birding with a local group, I'm in.
I'm in Dutchess county, and I already posted a map of my area in another thread. In Fact I started that Thread. It's titled, "Confirm this is a Redstart?" in the Bird ID Q&A forum.

And yes, the members that replied to my Redstart thread confirmed it, so that's a new lifer for me!

Went to the Bronx Zoo yesterday, and one of the most memorable parts of the zoo was seeing the 1.5 dozen Scarlet Ibis. There was so much red my eyes started to hurt. Unfortunately, the Bronx Zoo makes the line between wild and captive extremely thin. According to the zoo guide, all the animals are wild animals, roaming through their enclosures as freely as they want.

 

[Beth08098]

Glassboro Woods in Gloucester County is great for warblers in the Spring.

http://www.dvoc.org/DelValBirding/Places/GlassboroWoods.htm

 

[titmouse78]

There is a bird sanctuary right by stockton college by AC. that has many species of all types of birds, its a must go.

 

[Tat2dGuy]

Feel free to check some of these places out and there are so many others as well in NJ to go visit..

These are some of my favorites, being a birder/nature photographer.



Great Spring Birding Spots
Clinton Road
Delaware Water Gap/Old Mine Road
Sandy Hook
Scherman-Hoffman Sanctuaries
Great Swamp
Brigantine

Great Summer Birding Spots
Whitesbog
Hackensack Meadowlands
De Korte State Park
Raritan Bay

Great Fall Birding Spots
Hawk Watches
Cape May Hawk Watch
Chimney Rock Hawk Watch
Montclair Hawk Watch
Raccoon Ridge Hawk Watch
Scotts Mountain Hawk Watch

Great Winter Birding Spots
Brigantine
Barnegat Inlet
Delaware Water Gap/Old Mine Road
Manahawkin Wildlife Management Area
The North Shore
Oberly Road
Sandy Hook
Skeeter Point (Jakes Landing, Dennis Creek)