Stephanie Swanzey took this shot of a Red-shoulder chilling on my feeder-pole crossbar yesterday. (And even wrote the headline for me.)
Thanks, Stephanie!
What makes this photo all the more special is that Stiles Thomas made that feeder pole for me, and the Red-shoulder is his favorite hawk.
So this photo was meant to be.
Brian Gagliardotto, who shared that great Mink shot yesterday, photographed this Red-shoulder at the Celery Farm.
To me, no bird says "Allendale" like the Red-shouldered Hawk.
It is endangered when nesting, and it has nested in Allendale for roughly two decades now.
Several years ago, with the help of some birders, I put together a book called "Survival: The Red-shouldered Hawks of Allendale."
The Lee Memorial Library has a copy, and you can download a free ebook copy here.
John Pastore writes:
I was at the Celery Farm at about noon, and also got some quality time with a mink -- about 20 minutes.
I was also along Allendale Brook, just south of Brotherton Bridge, and opposite Blue Heron Pond.
A single individual, who fished (caught one, disabled it, left in on a pile of leaves, then went in for another), frolicked and got a belly rub on a log.
Two shots attached, and more here:
https://johnpastore.smugmug.co
(Thanks, John!)
Brian Gagliardotto was kind enough to share one of the amazing shots he took this morning along the brook near the Deer Exclosure.
The mink caught two fish while we were there, and did not seem afraid of humans.
Does that mean it might have been an immature?
Can anyone I.D. the former fish?
(Thanks, Brian!)
Finally got a chance to walk along the Frank M. Chapman Birding Trail in Teaneck on Sunday.
It's a great place to go birding along the Hackensack River by historic New Bridge Landing.
Even in February, my friends and I saw some great birds.
Star if the show was an adult Bald Eagle who flew fairly low directly overhead -- twice -- around 5 o'clock.
Of course, I didn't bring the right camera.
Of birds of note included a perched Peregrine Falcon and a Belted Kingfisher.
The trail is short but filled with informative signs, and the river view is wonderful.
Hats off to Don Torino and Bergen County Audubon Society for creating the trail, which honors Teaneck's own Frank Chapman,
You can download a column I wrote about the trail here:
Download Wright-bird-watcher-therecord_20190725_bl03_frank-chapman-trail(2)