Part of my connection with nature would be lost if I could no longer experience birding in winter. And with that thought in mind, I decided to get out of my nice warm bed early Sunday morning and venture out to Mill Creek Marsh the day after our first snowfall of the year. Winter was finally here.

About 4 layers of clothes, Pac boots, gloves with liners, hand warmers, and at least 3 cups of coffee later, I jumped out of my truck to a magnificent winter scene at Mill Creek. Almost immediately I felt my fingertips begin to tingle and the frigid air bite my face. Winter had personally welcomed me to the Meadowlands.

Mill Creek Marsh is always a great haunt for winter sparrows, ducks, and raptors, but I wondered if the birds were feeling the same way about winter as I was. Birding has been a little slow in our area, and some of our winter visitors seem to be in lower numbers. Maybe the warm weather or the natural food sources have been keeping many birds up north.

The ancient cedar stumps were frozen over on this 16 degree morning. The ice made a beautiful frame for the spartina grass and the gray birch trees looked like a late Christmas card. As I made the first turn, white-throated song sparrows and American tree sparrows crisscrossed the snow covered trail. Mourning doves exploded from the grass, and goldfinches traversed the marsh with their roller coaster flight. It was worth getting out of bed.

As my walk paralleled an open creek, hooded mergansers and gadwalls cruised cautiously by. Canada geese, mallards, and green-winged teal huddled near the water’s edge attempting to avoid the Meadowlands winds. I began to think they had the right idea, and the thought of a nice warm truck made me pick up my pace.

My favorite sparrow decided to slow me down from my quick step. Scrapping through the snow with their big feet, the fox sparrow makes a beautiful image, especially on Mill Creek’s frozen landscape. It seemed as if everywhere I looked that winter had delivered more of them to the marsh. House finches and mockingbirds were now foraging along the sumacs. Despite the cold, winter was alive and I felt a bit more so myself.
 
The sky was quickly clouding up and the cold was intensifying. It was getting harder to push the buttons on my camera, so it was time to go. Despite my hands being stiff with cold and my toes getting a little numb, I had a great morning. I would go home, warm up, and remember how wonderful birding in our New Jersey winters can be. I don’t think I will be headed to Florida anytime soon.

Get out this winter and enjoy nature. It’s a special time.