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Alleygater
Citizen
Username: Alleygater
Post Number: 1799
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, April 29, 2006 - 6:47 pm: | 
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I lived in South Jersey almost my entire life, but since living in Maplewood, I've seen quite a few things I never saw while living 18 years down there. I've seen loads of Hawks, a brilliant red tiny salamander in my garden and now there are at least two woodpeckers going to town on the dying maple tree in front of our house.
Since when has New Jersey had woodpeckers? |
Monster©
Supporter
Username: Monster
Post Number: 2921
Registered: 7-2002
| | Posted on Saturday, April 29, 2006 - 6:50 pm: |
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better a woodpecker than a peckerwood.... |
Scully
Citizen
Username: Scully
Post Number: 387
Registered: 8-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, April 29, 2006 - 8:56 pm: |
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Since always! I grew up in the Caldwells and remember their racket fondly growing up.
Had one in Millburn later on down the line and
have definately heard them here in Maplewood.
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Alleygater
Citizen
Username: Alleygater
Post Number: 1802
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, April 30, 2006 - 12:07 am: |
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I grew up in the burbs, with a very large wooded area right next to my home. I'm telling ya, South Jersey (Turnpike exit 4) didn't have woodpeckers. Cicadas I remember, but woodpeckers...nahhhhh!!!
TS was raised in the Plainfields area (more central Jersey) and doesn't remember woodpeckers either. |
Scully
Citizen
Username: Scully
Post Number: 389
Registered: 8-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, April 30, 2006 - 12:21 am: |
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Hmmm. Sounds like Essex county cornered the market... |
Eats Shoots & Leaves
Citizen
Username: Mfpark
Post Number: 3299
Registered: 9-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, April 30, 2006 - 11:11 am: |
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Heard and saw a beautiful woodpecker in the Farmington Reservation near Hartford, CT yesterday. Then heard one going to town on what sounded like the clapboard of a neighbor's house ( ) near Parker this morning while walking my dog. Seems like the bugs are really running right about now--kinda like dolphins or orca hitting a tuna run. |
Joan
Supporter
Username: Joancrystal
Post Number: 7349
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, April 30, 2006 - 11:17 am: |
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We had a woodpecker on one of the trees in front of our house here in Maplewood more than 15 years ago. They are definitely part of the wildlife scene here in Maplewood. |
Lizziecat
Citizen
Username: Lizziecat
Post Number: 1188
Registered: 5-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, April 30, 2006 - 4:42 pm: |
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Species of woodpeckers I've seen in my back yard:
Downy woodpeckers, hairy woodpeckers, flickers and pileated woodpeckers. |
Tom N
Citizen
Username: Tjn
Post Number: 111
Registered: 3-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, April 30, 2006 - 10:06 pm: |
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We have woodpeckers in our backyard munching on suet cakes pretty much every day. |
letters
Citizen
Username: Letters016
Post Number: 530
Registered: 5-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, April 30, 2006 - 11:24 pm: |
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"TS was raised in the Plainfields area (more central Jersey) and doesn't remember woodpeckers either."
Well, I spent 20 years in North Brunswick, also central Jersey, and we always had them.
Salamanders were always in the woods by our house and there were plenty of hawks chasing down field mice (I guess) in the farm areas. |
Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 13952
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, April 30, 2006 - 11:50 pm: |
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If you're referring to those birds that soar and hover, most of them are vultures, not hawks.
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Alleygater
Citizen
Username: Alleygater
Post Number: 1806
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Monday, May 1, 2006 - 10:55 am: |
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Ok, Tom's joking right? ...right?!? |
Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 13980
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Monday, May 1, 2006 - 11:32 am: |
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Actually, no. Lots of turkey vultures circle overhead in NJ, and I suspect a lot of people think they're hawks.
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Rick B
Citizen
Username: Ruck1977
Post Number: 1081
Registered: 8-2003
| | Posted on Monday, May 1, 2006 - 11:58 am: |
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If you saw one up close you'd know its a turkey vulture...he's definitely right.
I have noticed an increase in the woodpecker pecking, but have also noticed them in the past. Just not as often. |
Alleygater
Citizen
Username: Alleygater
Post Number: 1812
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Monday, May 1, 2006 - 12:20 pm: |
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OK, TS' family has mentioned the turkey vultures before come to think of it. But for some reason I never thought about what they were. As if, adding the word Turkey in front of Vulture somehow made them sound benign. As a kid I never saw a vulture in South Jersey either though. |
John Caffrey
Citizen
Username: Jerseyjack
Post Number: 216
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Monday, May 1, 2006 - 2:14 pm: |
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Turkey Vultures are the large birds you are most likely to see in the air in N.J. They are large and black and identifiable in the air because they "wobble" when they are flying. They are also likely to fly in large circles. They are distinguishable on the ground because of the red on their heads.
Bald Eagles are also large black birds in the air. They will appear to fly more slowly and at a higher altitude. If you see them, they are most likely flying in a straight line -- going somewhere -- as opposed to vultures which are usually just cruising.
Yes, you will see eagles in N.J., once in a great while, even in Maplewood.
Hawks in our area are most likely Red Tail Hawks. They are distinguishable because they are a light brown in color. |
Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 13985
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Monday, May 1, 2006 - 2:46 pm: |
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Turkey vultures are benign. They are a protected species, because their scavenging is good for the environment. They are ugly when you see them up close, but they are good natured animals. I once saw two turkey vultures kissing gently.
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Alleygater
Citizen
Username: Alleygater
Post Number: 1815
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Monday, May 1, 2006 - 4:56 pm: |
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I thought the hawks (and eagles cruised too) searching for food, circling the skys for prey. Am I wrong? Otherwise, I've seen A LOT of turkey vultures lately. |
Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 14003
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Monday, May 1, 2006 - 4:59 pm: |
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They both circle similarly. But most of the circling birds are vultures. Vulture wing tips angle upwards, whereas hawk wingtips angle downwards. And vulture wingtips have those "spread apart" feathers, as in the picture.
Hawks often fly fast. Vultures always seem slow. They don't have to chase anything.
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letters
Citizen
Username: Letters016
Post Number: 531
Registered: 5-2005
| | Posted on Monday, May 1, 2006 - 7:22 pm: |
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OK, a couple of things. First of all, hawks are MUCH smaller than vultures. If you don't know what to look for, try this. If you look up and see a bunch of birds chasing a slightly larger bird around, the larger one is usually a hawk that was bothering a nest. It happens enough that you will see it if you are looking for it. They are usually low enough that you can get a good look at them.
Vultures and eagles are similar in size, depending on what type it is. And as John Caffrey stated correctly, you can sometimes, albeit rarely, see a bald eagle in Mwd. I saw one about 4-6 weeks ago. When I first saw it, I could not see it's head. Then I realized I could not see it's tail either. Seeing them before, I knew that if I looked harder I would see the white head and tail against the pale blue sky if it were a bald eagle, which I did and it was. Very graceful in flight.
The last thing I have to ask is for Tom. How did you know the vultures were kissing? Did you see tongue? Was one of them copping a feel? Did you ask them to "Get a room"? Just curious. |
Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 14010
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Monday, May 1, 2006 - 8:37 pm: |
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I was very close to them. That's all I'll say for now.
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Rick B
Citizen
Username: Ruck1977
Post Number: 1085
Registered: 8-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 2, 2006 - 7:55 am: |
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This conversation is starting to remind of that SNL skit with the man and his hawk.... |
John Caffrey
Citizen
Username: Jerseyjack
Post Number: 219
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 2, 2006 - 3:50 pm: |
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Ally.. Circling, looking for food. Yes, they circle looking for food. Vultures, looking for dead food. Hawks looking for live food. Eagles looking for live food but also food to steal from other birds.
There is a field across from my friend's weekend house on the Delaware. I saw an eagle come down from a cell phone tower and catch a mouse in the field and take it back to the tower.
On the river, a marganser caught a fish in the Delaware and was trying to reposition it before swallowing it. An eagle came down and stole it from the marganser. Wildlife experts report that much of their diet in winter comes from stealing other's prey.
Some of the circling is for mating. I don't know if birds can have fun but I expect that some hawk and vulture circling is for "amusement"? I don't know why a vulture has to circle for dead food. There cirtainly is enough of it.
Also, the same with hawks. Pigeons are everywhere. Hawks eat pigeons |
sac
Supporter
Username: Sac
Post Number: 3404
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, May 4, 2006 - 8:03 pm: |
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I've seen a pileated woodpecker in the reservation but not in my yard. However, I've seen the other kinds that Lizziecat mentioned plus red bellied woodpeckers at our feeders. |
MeAndTheBoys
Citizen
Username: Meandtheboys
Post Number: 3662
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, May 4, 2006 - 8:06 pm: |
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Hey, if I were them I'd certainly circle just for the fun of it. Looks peaceful and meditative. |
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