Winter Wildlife at Splitrock Reservoir
January 2021
Morris County, New Jersey
A distant Common Loon and a pair of courting Bald Eagles were the highlights of an afternoon walk near Rockaway Township NJ.
Visit Splitrock Reservoir – https://www.rockawaytownship.org/facilities/facility/details/Splitrock-Reservoir-9
Rattlesnake Marsh in Winter
Tourne County Park
Morris County, New Jersey
We had a scenic but shallow blanket of fresh powder this morning.
FYI – This area is titled as “Rattlesnake Meadow” on the Tourne hiking map. A title that likely precedes damming and flooding by local beavers.
Explore Tourne County Park – https://www.morrisparks.net/index.php/parks/tourne-county-park
Trail with Evergreens in Fog
Jonathan’s Woods
Morris County NJ
Taken earlier in December a vail of fog shrouded the remnants of the local CCC White Pine Plantation off of Old Ford Road.
Read more about CCC projects below
With morning temperatures at or below 19F our brave team began our Boonton Township birding observations at approximately 6AM on Sunday December 27th 2020. Our team consisted of Nora O’Rourke, Mike Leone, Cheryl Hochberg, Rick Miles, Rick Sedivec, Jeff Scheidecker, and Dave Blinder. One of our very first birds of the day was a Great Horned Owl hooting near Kincaid Woods on Powerville Road which was a great way to start out this frigid day.
After detecting a 2nd Great Horned Owl in the dark our group proceeded to daylight birding at several locations including Boonton Township’s RVA Fields, Kincaid Woods, Leonard Park, Rockaway River (behind Boonton Senior Center), and the South end of Taylortown Reservoir. Our birding highlights included calling and circling ravens, a lone Hermit Thrush, a Great Blue Heron hunting rodents in a field, 2 Pine Siskins, and several flyover Bluebirds.
Our group’s ebird checklist of bird observations throughout Boonton Twp / Boonton can be read online here.
Read about the origins and past bird sightings throughout the Boonton Area Christmas Bird Count on the Mocosoco (Morris Somerset) Birding Blog here.
Stay tuned to MocosocoBirds for full tallies throughout the Boonton Area Christmas Bird Count. Thanks to everyone who participated!
Lake Arrowhead in Denville NJ after winter storm – Mavic Air 2 4K Footage
12/17/2020 in Morris County New Jersey
Lake Arrowhead is one of several private year-round residential lake communities in Denville Township. In 1925 the Arthur D Crane Company dammed a pond using its own natural springs forming a body of water to be called Arrowhead Lake. Today Lake Arrowhead borders both Mountain Lakes and Denville and contains two additional lakes named the Bay of Deep Water and Great Bay.
12/13/2020 at Lake Arrowhead
Denville NJ
It was a visual odyssey watching the rising sun burn through the dense fog over the lake this morning.
White-throated Sparrow
Troy Meadows, Parsippany NJ
2009
Learn more about the White-throated Sparrow –
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/White-throated_Sparrow/id
Fox Sparrow
Troy Meadows
Parsippany NJ0
3/12/2009
More info on the Fox Sparrow – https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Fox_Sparrow/id
Song Sparrow
Troy Meadows in Parsippany NJ
Fall 2020
What bird doesn’t appear best perched in a grasses with a soft focus background?
American Tree Sparrow
Troy Meadows, Parsippany NJ
More info on the American Tree Sparrow – https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Tree_Sparrow/id
Dave Blinder Nature Photography 