Eastern Screech-Owl, Pyramid Mountain, NJ, Jan. 27, 2013 (Photo by Terry Carruthers)

Today, Terry Carruthers captured the above image of an Eastern Screech-Owl at Pyramid Mountain in Montville Township/Kinnelon.
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What may be one of the most photographed Rough-legged Hawks in digital photography history continues on Pleasant Plains Road, Great Swamp NWR. Jim Mulvey had two Rough-legged Hawks there this morning.

Rough-legged Hawk, Great Swamp NWR, Jan. 27, 2013 (Photo by Jim Mulvey).

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From Ken Hart 12:45 p.m.:
Just had an adult Bald Eagle riding thermals over the Robert H. Stahl Natural Area in Bedminster. The bird was drifting southeast.
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An interesting eBird submission was made by Chris Remillard today from the Rockaway River in the area of the “Sparrow Fields” of the Tourne County Park: a Common Goldeneye, the first report in Morris County in 2012.
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A drive to the fields behind the Long Valley Middle School on West Mill Road (where two weeks ago Horned Larks, American Pipits, Lapland Longspurs and a Snow Bunting were present) yielded the following: two motor vehicles parked on the south edge of the field and two Homo sapiens with funny orange hats making lots of noise with shotguns. So much for that.

Budd Lake is frozen. A tiny sliver of open water on the difficult-to-view west shore was choked with Canada Geese and a handful of Ring-billed and Herring Gulls. There were LOTS of ice boats sailing on the lake. So much for finding a congregation of gulls.