Highland Park Environment » birds

How many birds does it take to fly through Highland Park? Let’s count. Feb. 13-16

arnold — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 22:55:39 +0000

Citizen Science is becoming a big thing, with thousands participating. Next chance is February 13-16 for the Great Backyard Bird Count. Basically you have four days. You can go to your backyard or any number of parks (or anywhere) any … Continue reading →

Pine Siskin – An Unusual Bird

leora — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 18:14:59 +0000

Karen Swaine captured this closeup of one of the boreal Pine Siskins that have graced us with their presence here in Central New Jersey for the past month. As far as she knows, this is an unusual visitor for our area.

More on the pine siskins from Cornell U.

The Early Bird Gets the Nest

arnold — Fri, 23 May 2008 19:19:37 +0000

The first bird to nest directly on Highland Park’s Eugene Young Environmental Education Center (NJ) chose a quite visible spot (see photo at left) on the raucous green solar roof structure. Actually, the structure is not yet truly solar: we need to find a grant to install the intended solar panels. But to the bird, it probably seems solar enough: warm, well lit, and securely wedged in among the girders. Whoever sees and can identify the bird, contact us. Then we can know what bird it is and watch the nesting/fledging process over the next several weeks.

Come down and watch the process as eggs are laid, hatched, and matured into fledglings.

Photo: Arnold Clayton Henderson, 21May2008

Spring Birds in Local Parks

allan — Thu, 15 May 2008 12:40:14 +0000

The spring birds have finally arrived along the Raritan River and in the local parks (Donaldson and Johnson) and the winter birds have departed.The colorful mergansers (common, red breasted, and hooded) have flown north (although a laggard common merganser was seen last week in the river). Similarly, the occasional bufflehead and goldeneye are gone. The few wintering great cormorants have been replaced by the more numerous double crested cormorants, which can be seen fishing in the river and ponds of the parks.

The transient migratory warblers have come and gone. However, the common warblers, which nest in the area, the yellow-rumped warbler, yellow warbler, and the common yellow throat have arrived and can be found in the bushes and trees of the parks.

The more musical birds, the catbird, the mockingbird, and the northern oriole (Baltimore oriole) have also arrived in the parks and around town. The orioles with their bright color and striking “I am talking to you!” song are quite numerous this year.The warbling vireos and the Carolina wrens are singing “their hearts out”.

Shore birds such as the yellow-legs and sandpipers have also arrived and can be seen in the ponds, and the occasional puddles from the spring rains. Great egrets and black-crowned night heron are back and can be seen in both parks along the river and in the ponds.

The more majestic ospreys have arrived and can be seen flying high over the river. A few eagles have also been seen spotted up and down the river.

The robins, which never left the area, have returned in great numbers to the open fields of the parks.

Meanwhile in the last two weeks, the first baby Canada geese have been hatched in both parks.Geese families, two adults with two to eight or more goslings are wandering around the fields. Some of the babies have already grown five fold in size. Although the Canada goose is much maligned for its productivity of droppings, they are very good parents and protective of their offspring. As the goslings get to the “teen-age” phase, large numbers of these young adult geese are led around by two adults geese, which is technically known as “goosey day care”. In Johnson Park, over the past several years, a domestic goose has assumed a role as an “au pair”.

Enjoy the sights and sounds of the spring birds.

Great Backyard Bird Count Great For Highland Park

arnold — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 21:32:53 +0000

During the Great Backyard Bird Count 2008 Hainesport birders led New Jersey in the number of bird counts reported (67 lists), followed in the number two and three spots by East Brunswick (48 lists) and Highland Park (44 lists). Last year we were number one in the state. In number of species, though, Highland Park gained one (reaching 44 species) compared to last year (43 species). Are more kinds of birds really here, or did we just luck out in finding them? Only a long-term pattern will tell us, and that is just what this annual count is intended to produce.

This count, along with Project Feederwatch, are among several “citizen science” programs sponsored by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National and Canadian Audubon Societies. Anyone, even kids, can participate and actually contribute to science. Species lists are compiled into a data base for a continuing year-by-year statistical picture of changes in bird populations from sea to shining sea.