8 (or more) Rough-legged Hawks in Hillsborough Township

How many? 7? 8? 9? At one point in the early afternoon, it seemed as though Rough-legged Hawks were on every road bordering Duke Farms in Hillsborough Township. The final total is 8 with 1 dark-morphed and 7-8 light-morphed individuals (Thom Almendinger, Jeff Ellerbusch, Frank Sencher Jr, J. Klizas), but it could easily be more.

Looking for these raptors is not advised. Some are on publicly inaccessible sections of Duke Farms; others are on busy roads. At one point there were 2-3 Rough-legged Hawks, as well as a group of Red-tailed Hawks perched in trees along New Center Road as it approaches Roycefield Road.

11 Red-tailed Hawks were also tallied along with 2 Northern Harriers and a Merlin. Quite a day in Hillsborough.

The following blurry photo is what a dark-morphed Rough-legged Hawk looks like after taking a photograph on a gray, damp day through the windshield of a Prius while stopped on New Center Road – also keeping an eye on the rear-view mirror in the hope of not getting rear-ended by a vehicle on a busy, curvy road, where cars tend to go faster than the 50 MPH speed limit. This type of bird-watching activity is not advised.

Snow Buntings in Hillsborough

The above photograph shows the usually ground-dwelling Snow Buntings in an atypical setting. Found by Frank Sencher, Jr., 4 Snow Buntings were alternately on the wires, the road, the roadside, and the snow-pack. The location is the western edge of Hillsborough at the border of East Amwell in Hunterdon County.

Other Field Notes

The following blue-morph Snow Goose was on the snow with Canada Geese at Opie Road, Branchburg Twp. late this afternoon. A Killdeer was there as well.

3 Pine Siskins continue at the feeders of Scherman Hoffman Sanctuary, Bernardsville (Joe Pescatore).

Photos by Jason Denesevich follow: Red-shoulderd Hawk at the Great Swamp NWR and Pileated Woodpecker at Glenhurst Meadows.

(Click on the photos for a larger image.)

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