Avalon Seawall

Today was another awesome day here in NJ. The temperatures was 60 degrees with winds about 8-10 MPH so I decided I'd go up to the Avalon Seawall to see if the King Eider was still around. I had no luck in seeing it as it just didn't seem to be around. I'll try again tomorrow or next week. But I did have good looks at both Red-throated Loons and Common Loons, some Purple Sandpipers and Ruddy Turnstones along the 7th Street Jetty.

Cox Hall Creek & Villas

Hawk (Left) seen at Cox Hall Creek WMA


One of 2 Great Blue Herons seen in the Villas.

Hooded Mergansers hanging out at Lake Champlain

Male Hooded Merganser with hood up.

>First winter Male Hooded Merganser

Merry Christmas

Embroidered and pieced wallhanging made by me for my home.

Needlepoint Christmas Stockings

Needlepoint Christmas stockings I made for my sister, Leslie and her children, Lisa and Ed.


Neeedlepoint Christmas stockings I made for my husband, Russ, my Mom, Jeanne and my Dad, Cliff. They are gone from my life but not from my heart.

Christmas Stockings for DE Team

At work I am working in the Diabetes Center in addition to working on a medical floor. This past year due to a work realated injury I actually spent 2/3 of my working time with them so about 2 weeks ago I decided to make patchwork stockings for each of them. Here the stockings hung along the "brick fireplace" made by our secretary, Flo. I embroidered the names with my Bernina 200 and pieced the stockings repeating 4 patterns I designed for a total of 9 stockings.

Wordless Wednesday - Chipping Sparrow

Second anniversary of my start in birding!

The bird that interested me in birding was the juvenile Ivory Gull that came to Cape May in late November 2009. The gull stayed for about 10 days. This gull normally winters up by the edge of the Arctic on ice cap.

more birds from CHCWMA

Carolina Wren
House Finch Feeding on berries.

Cox Hall Creek - Woodpeckers

Woodpeckers have been all around Cox Hall Creek Wildlife Management Area this fall. I have seen Flickers, Red-bellied, Downey and Red-headed Woodpeckers. I didn't know that Downey Woodpeckers would peck away the the cattails in at the edges of the pond.


Juvenile Red-headed Woodpecker

Wordless Wednesday -Blue Jay collecting acorns

Blue Jay Preparing for Winter

November 26th -70 degrees!

Today was an unbelieveable Fall day. Wish the days could all be like this one - warm and sunny. Drove up to Avalon 8th Street jetty never dreaming how any people would be fishing off the jetty. I was seeking the Purple Sandpipers and Ruddy Turnstones that inhabit the rocks along the sides in the fall and winter months. Also looked for any flocks of birds flying by but only saw one grouping while there.

Lake Champlain

On my way to Cox Hall Creek Management area yesterday I stopped at lake Champlain to see the bird and ducks present. I'd read on Don Freiday's blog about the Great Cormorant that was hanging out with the Mallards and hoped to see it. Success as the GC was there hanging out along with the Mallards.

new life birds from today

Another trip to Cox Hall Creek Management Area today. The highlights were 2 new life birds for me, an Eastern Towhee and a Fox Sparrow. Lots of Chipping Sparrows were around along with some White-throated Sparrows. I am surprised that none of the ponds have any ducks on them yet but that will come as it gets colder. Of course all of the usual birds were present also.

Cox Hall Creek Management Area

I decided it was a good day to check out Cox Hall Creek Management Area again and see if the Eastern Bluebirds were still flying around. They were there along with lots of Red-bellied Woodpeckers, some Downy Woodpeckers, a Flicker or two, lots of the Yellow-rumped Warblers, Blue Jays and a variety of sparrows.

Wordless Wednesday- Cedar Waxwings

Eastern Bluebirds

Today I was birding at Cox Hall Creek Management area. Among the birds there were flocks of Eastern Bluebirds all over the property. I have never seen that many of them in one place. They are a beautiful bird and their blue feathers look almost fake when you see them.

A great day for walking...

Out and walking at the CMP State Park today. Met lots of fellow birders while there. Saw a trio of juvenile Osprey's fishing one of the ponds. One of the them was having a really hard time catching a fish while the other 2 Osprey sat up high across the pond on a snag. Some of the other birds I saw were Northern Shovelers, Coots, American Widegon's, female Eurasian Wigeons, lots of Dark-eyed Junco's & Robins, Yellow-rumped Warblers, plus a juvenile Red-tailed Hawk that flew into the tree where I was walking.

Cooper's Hawk in my backyard...

Walking out of my house and into the backyard, I almost stepped on a bird that flew over to the fence. Much to my surprise, it was a juvenile Cooper's Hawk. Apparently, it had decided one of the birds in my backyard would make a tasty snack To my knowledge the hawk didn't catch a bird then but several days later he was chasing after a Dove which eluded him. Since then I haven't seen him though I am sure he's still around trying to take my birds.

Birding CMC State Park

Golden-crowned Kinglets and Ruby-crowned Kinglets, oh my! Yellow-rumped warblers everywhere, Blackpoll Warblers, Catbirds, Eastern Phoebes, Dark-eyed Junco, American Goldfinches, Song Sparrows, Brown Thrasher, Osprey working on fish catching, Bald Eagles overhead, Northern Shovelers

It's a beautiful time...

Some of beautiful scenery in our county right now along the lakes of Rt 47. Sad to know that winter is coming though I guess it has a beauty of it's own.