Records of NJ Birds: Featherbed Lane
December 2009-February 28, 2010
Hannah Suthers
Perhaps enticed by mild temperatures and open conditions with lots of wild fruits and seeds, 50 species inhabited the vicinity of the Featherbed Lane Bird Banding and Research Station. They were not using the feeders heavily until the big snow of Dec 20. The surprise was two Red-headed Woodpeckers on the Dec 27 Christmas Count, an adult and an immature, photographed on that day and on New Year's Day. A Merlin buzzed two feeders on Jan 9. More big snows came on Feb 9-10, 15-16. The only 'winter finches' this year were 2 pair + 1 Purple Finches. Attrition due to harsh storms was evident among the Carolina Wrens and House Finches. No owls were seen or heard.
Highlights are as follows, (high numbers) seen throughout unless indicated by dates:
| Snow Geese | (144) flyover Jan 3, (400 est.) Jan 25. |
| Black Vulture | over Dec 27, (2) Feb 13 |
| Turkey Vultures | (pr) |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | Feb 13 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | (2) |
| Cooper's Hawk | Dec 8 & 15, Jan5 |
| Wild Turkey | (15-24) Dec 17 and on hunter's motion activated camera in Jan |
| Mourning Dove | (only 8) |
| Yellow-bellied Sapsucker | Dec 5 & 18, Jan 1 |
| Downy | (4)
| | Hairy Woodpecker | (2),
| | Red-bellied Woodpecker | (6) |
| | Pileated Woodpecker | (pr) |
| Common Flicker (Yellow-shafted) | (4) |
| Red-headed Woodpecker | (2) Dec 27, Jan 1 & 9 |
| Chickadees, Black-capped | (5), Carolina (6), Hybrid (6) |
| Tufted Titmouse | (16) |
| White-breasted Nuthatch | (6) |
| Carolina Wren | (4, down from 10 last winter) |
| Golden-crowned Kinglet | (1) Dec 31 |
| N. Mockingbird | (1) |
| E. Bluebird | (11) Dec 31, 3-6 thereafter |
| Hermit Thrush | |
| Robin | northern subspecies (25+) |
| Cedar Waxwing | (25) Dec 15 |
| European Starling | (10) |
| Yellow-rumped (Myrtle) Warbler | Feb 14 |
| Northern Cardinal | (18) |
| Eastern Towhee | (2) |
| Am. Tree Sparrow | (6) |
| Field Sparrow | (5) Jan 16, Feb 15 |
| Chipping Sparrow | (2) Dec 30 & 31, Jan 1 & 2, Feb 12 |
| Fox Sparrow | (2) Dec 25 |
| Song Sparrow | (9) |
| White-throated Sparrow | (118) |
| Dark-eyed (Slate-colored) Junco | (65) |
| Am. Goldfinch | (5) |
| House Finch | (only 3) |
| Purple Finch | (5) |
| Red-winged Blackbird | (3) Feb 14 |
| Common Grackle | (200+) Feb 5, (10) Feb 13 |
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