Ace birder Fred Weber reportedly saw two ravens fly over the Celery Farm today, mobbed by crows.
  This is only the second time they have been recorded at the CF.
  Nice going, Fred.

  Yesterday, while walking with a friend, I was lucky enough to see two Virginia rails.
    The first, above, was right at the bridge by the Lookout at the north end of Lake Appert.  We were talking with Mike Limatola. the deputy warden, when another chap asked, "What's that bird over there?"
   Bingo. The rail was not skittish at all, and I took a 10-second video as well, below.

   The second one was at No Name Culvert, on the west side of the lake. As was once said of an old boss, this guy would have made a cup of coffee nervous.
   Rails have not been seen since mid-December. Most places you'll never see them at all.

Click "Continue reading" to see some nifty photos of the Celery Farm on a snowy Friday.

  These pix come with a money-back-guarantee.

The Record picked a good day to run my story on a new volunteer group that measures snow and rain for the region.
    To join this precipitation-measuring group, you need to learn how to measure rain and snow and hail accurately, and you'll probably need to buy a fancy $22 rain gauge (pictured on right above).
   
Links:
Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network

(click the button on the upper right to learn how to join)

New Jersey Weather Central

    Click "Continue reading... " to read more

   For most of us the Celery Farm is a great to watch birds, go for walks and experience nature. Over the years, we have accumulated some great memories.

   But for Patricia Cooper, who grew up on the Bajor celery farm (where the tractor and butterfly garden are), it offers a whole different set of memories.

  She shared it with Marsh Warden Stiles Thomas, and then with me.

  She also provided the photos for this post.

   To read the poem, click "Continue reading..." 

     For information on how to get a copy, read the next post.