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Wild Bird Research Group

@wildbirdresearch

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Nonprofit dedicated to science-based research, education, and conservation of wild bird populations

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🦉 Barred Owl update - BAOW-01

We’re excited to share some updates about the @wildbirdresearch Barred Owl project!

On 10/6 we caught our first Barred Owl (Strix varia, BAOW), BAOW-01, as part of a study to better understand the species’ habitat selection and movements in the NJ Pinelands, a data-deficient part of their range.

BAOWs are a Threatened species in NJ, and very little is known about their space and habitat requirements in the state, including in the Pinelands. To better understand this, we are fitting individuals with GPS transmitters that record both nocturnal and diurnal points to explore their home range, habitat selection, and movement.

We determined BAOW-01 is an after second year (at least 3-year-old) male with the help of Jamie Acker who bands BAOW in WA. We’ve been tracking BAOW-01 daily, and this is what his points reveal so far:

BAOW-01 has been an active bird! He has moved over a mile each night and has used a variety of wetland and upland habitats, including pitch pine uplands, pitch pine lowlands, mixed pine-oak forest, red maple swamp, and Atlantic White Cedar swamp.

There’s still much to learn about BAOW-01, and we’re excited to see where he goes next. Stay tuned for updates!

All birds were handled with proper permits and training.

#barredowlsofinstagram #barredowls #birdresearch #gpstracking #gpstracker

We captured BAOW-01 on 10/06 at 10:25 PM.

BAOW have distinctive facial disks and nearly black eyes.

So far, BAOW-01 has not been easy to spot or or photograph!

The locations and habitats used by BAOW-01 from 10/7-10/10.

The specific habitats used by BAOW-01 from 10/7-10-10.

BAOW-01 has used habitats like this red maple swamp…

And this Atlantic white cedar swamp. Where will he go next? taken in Pinelands National Reserve by @wildbirdresearch

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6 days ago

Happy #Owltober!

As fall migration progresses, we’re looking forward to the imminent return of northern saw-whet owls. Tonight marks our first banding night of the season, as WBRG staff and trained volunteers begin safely capturing and banding dozens of these diminutive birds as they travel south for the winter. Each season, this work helps us learn more about the complicated migration ecology of this fascinating species.

Want to see northern saw-whet owls up close? This October and November, WBRG will once again be offering weekly programs at the owl banding station! During these events, participants will learn about NSWO ecology, the methods used to study them, and with some luck, get the chance to see live owls up close as they are banded and measured for research.

We will soon be announcing our dates for fall 2026 owl programming, so stay tuned! by @wildbirdresearch

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8 days ago

What’s happening at our Wings Over Mercer Event HQ throughout the day? When you visit us at Rosedale Park tomorrow, you can:
    •    Join the Big Sit for a chance to win a pair of Nocs binoculars
    •    Go on a guided bird walk
    •    Learn about our research and dissect an owl pellet
    •    Grab some Wings Over Mercer gear
    •    Test your bird knowledge with trivia

So, even if you’re not competing, there’s still a lot of fun to be had— check out the link in our bio for a full schedule of events. We can’t wait to see everyone at Wings Over Mercer tomorrow! by @wildbirdresearch

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15 days ago

As if counting birds all day wasn’t enough reason to join Wings Over Mercer…

We’ve got some pretty amazing prizes on the line this year.

Five Birdathon categories. Five winning teams. And thanks to some incredible friends and partners, plenty of reasons to get a little competitive on October 3rd.

Our prize lineup features contributions from @n_o_c_s, @birdfy_by_netvue , @princetonupress , and more

And the prizes don’t stop with the Birdathon.

Not competing? Stop by the Big Sit and add some birds to our all-day count, everyone who participates will have a chance to take home a pair of NOCS binoculars.

Think you know your birds? Stick around for Bird Trivia at 5:15 PM, where the winner will take home a beautiful Birds of Rey print. @birdsofrey

So whether you’re chasing the highest species count, joining us for a few birds at the Big Sit, testing your bird knowledge at trivia, or simply spending the day with the birding community, there are plenty of ways to win at Wings Over Mercer.

Wings Over Mercer
October 3rd | Mercer County, NJ

Get your team together. Pick your category. And let’s see what you can find by @wildbirdresearch

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15 days ago

Guess what?

There’s still time to sign up for Wings Over Mercer, our second annual bird-a-thon! You have until FRIDAY to sign up your team; anyone is eligible and we welcome every skill level! If you can’t compete, you can still visit our HQ at Rosedale Park and participate in the Big Sit, join a guided bird walk, or learn about the cool things we’re up to! We’re so excited to see everyone at Wings Over Mercer— check the link in our bio to sign up! by @wildbirdresearch

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16 days ago

Take a Walk at Wings Over Mercer!

We’ll have four guided bird walks throughout the day, giving you plenty of opportunities to get outside with experienced birders.

11:00 am walk led by WBRG researcher Ian Gray and is being designed especially with young birders and families in mind.

Expect a fun, silly, kid-centric walk where young naturalists can ask questions, explore, look through binoculars, and experience birds on their own terms.

Kojo Baidoo will lead two additional walks, sharing his wide range of knowledge on local birds and fall migration.

Our final walk will be led by WBRG Executive Director Sean Graesser, offering another opportunity to explore the birds moving through Mercer County during fall migration.

@n_o_c_s binoculars will be available for participants to borrow, so don’t let not owning binoculars keep you from joining us.

We can’t wait to see you on Saturday! by @wildbirdresearch

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17 days ago

We’re thrilled to announce one of our prize partners for Wings Over Mercer 2026: Birdfy!

Thanks to Birdfy’s generous donation, top teams in each competition category will take home one of their smart bird feeders. Birdfy’s products make backyard birding exciting, identifying every visitor you get and and capturing HD footage that can be accessed directly from your phone in real time.

We’re so grateful for partners like Birdfy who share our commitment to making birding more fun and accessible. These prizes are the perfect way to keep the excitement of Wings Over Mercer alive after the competition’s over!

To compete for one, register a team for Wings Over Mercer at the link in our bio. by @wildbirdresearch

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17 days ago

You never know who might show up on October 3rd.

That’s the magic of fall migration.

Millions of birds are on the move, and a bird that wasn’t here yesterday could appear tomorrow—sometimes only stopping for a few hours before continuing south.

So, who will show up in Mercer County for Wings Over Mercer?

There’s only one way to find out.

Join us October 3rd for a full day of birding, research, conservation, and community, including:

• Wings Over Mercer Birding Competition — See how many species you can find across Mercer County
• The Big Sit — Stop by and help us build our species list throughout the day
• Guided Bird Walks — Including opportunities for kids and newer birders
• NOCS Optics — Binoculars available for competitors, walks, and the Big Sit
• Research Pavilion — Meet researchers and learn about ongoing bird research
• Owl Pellet Dissections
• Bird Trivia
• Wings Over Mercer Merch
• Awards & Prizes

You don’t have to compete. You don’t have to be an expert birder. Just come spend some time outside with us and experience migration.

October 3rd | Rosedale Park | Mercer County, NJ

Because during fall migration, you never know who might show up.

All photos by @jablonski.jason by @wildbirdresearch

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18 days ago

Not ready to spend the whole day racing around Mercer County looking for birds? Come sit with us instead.

The Wings Over Mercer Big Sit is birding at its simplest: one spot, one day, and as many birds as we can see or hear.

From 7 AM–5 PM on October 3, our team will be stationed in one location keeping a running list of every species we encounter. Stop by for five minutes, stay for an hour, or settle in and help us add to the list.

Led by Big Sit Captain Jack Hagan, there will always be someone from Wild Bird Research Group at the station throughout the day. We’ll keep a running species tally so you can watch the list grow as migration moves through Mercer County.

Never been birding before? Perfect.
The Big Sit is meant to be approachable. Come meet our team, ask questions, look through binoculars, learn a few birds, and experience migration without needing to sign up for the birding competition.

Thanks to @n_o_c_s , we’ll also have binoculars available for visitors to use, so you don’t even need your own gear.

Come for the birds. Stay for the people. Help us see just how many species can pass one spot in a single day.

October 3 | 7 AM–5 PM
Wings Over Mercer
Hosted by Wild Bird Research Group by @wildbirdresearch

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20 days ago

We’re getting SO close to year two of Wings Over Mercer!

On October 3rd, we’re spreading our wings across Mercer County for a full day celebrating birds, birding, research, community, and a little friendly competition… and there are SO many ways to be part of it!

Take on one of our five competition categories:

• Next Generation Team — Middle & High School
• College Team
• Company/Organization Team
• New to Birding Team
• Competitive Team — Overall Winner

And if you’re thinking, “This sounds fun, but I don’t even own binoculars…” we’ve got you covered.

Thanks to our friends at @n_o_c_s binoculars will be available for beginning birders throughout the day. Participating in the Birdathon? You can borrow a pair and take them out with your team. Joining us at the Big Sit? We’ll have binoculars there. Coming along on one of our bird walks? We’ll have you covered there, too.

The whole point is to get more people outside, looking up, and experiencing what birding in Mercer County is all about. You don’t need years of experience, or even your own gear, to join us.

Not looking to compete? Stop by the Big Sit, join a guided bird walk, meet the Wild Bird Research Group team, and learn more about the research happening right here in our region.

And JUST ADDED: Bird Trivia! Come test your bird knowledge before we wrap up the day and hand out prizes at 6 PM.

Whether you’re racing across Mercer County building a species list, picking up binoculars for the very first time, or simply coming to spend part of the day with other people who love birds, there’s a place for you at Wings Over Mercer.

Join us October 3rd for the second annual Wings Over Mercer!!!! by @wildbirdresearch

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22 days ago

Think you’re too new to birding to participate in our Wings Over Mercer bird-a-thon on Saturday, October 3? Think again.

At WBRG, we believe that birding is for everyone, which is why we created the New To Birding competition category for anyone who wants to join in on the fun in a more casual way. Teams in this category can even use the Merlin app to help identify birds during the competition, as long as it’s used to support learning and not as an automatic answer!

If you don’t have binoculars, no problem. Thanks to our friends at @n_o_c_s, we’ll have binoculars available during the day to help get new birders looking, learning, and finding birds.

And if an all-day birding competition isn’t your thing, come hang out with us at Rosedale Park Pavilion starting at 10 AM! We have a whole slate of fun events planned, so the big day will have something for everyone involved no matter if you’re competing or not.

At WBRG, we believe that birding is for everyone, and we’re so excited to celebrate that during Wings Over Mercer! by @wildbirdresearch

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23 days ago

How much can one day of watching birds actually tell us?

More than you might think.

For generations, one-day bird counts have given researchers snapshots of which species are present, where they’re occurring, and how bird communities are changing over time.

And that idea is at the heart of Wings Over Mercer.

Yes, it’s an all-day birding competition, but it’s also a celebration of the birds of Mercer County and the research and conservation work happening right here in our community.

Throughout the day, teams will be spread across the county trying to document as many species as they can. Back at our headquarters, we’ll be sharing some of the research Wild Bird Research Group is doing to better understand these birds and the habitats they depend on.

And you absolutely do not have to compete to be part of it.

Come join the Big Sit, hop on one of our bird walks, stop by our HQ pavilion, meet researchers and other birders, learn about our projects or just spend some time watching birds with us.

Whether you can identify every bird you see or you’re just learning your first few species, there’s a place for you.

One county. One day. A whole lot of birds.

Join us for Wings Over Mercer — October 3. by @wildbirdresearch

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24 days ago