Mr. Ringneck

A friend of mine recently told me about a pheasant he saw and usually this would be no big deal except for the fact of where he told me he saw it. We know this state very well when it comes to Mr. Ringneck and where he told me he saw it was hard to believe but I had to check things out for myself. After work I headed out toward the area which is basically one big swamp, but it's more like a large floodplain that is fairly narrow as it runs it's way through suburbia. There is a little bit of hard ground but it's mostly wooded and I have to say I wasn't expecting to see or hear anything but I was pleasantly surprised! I heard a rooster cackle three times and that was it. I tried my best to see if I could find the bird but no luck, I should have had Dugan! I guess you just don't know where you will find Mr. Ringneck!

This is what the area looked like! I will let you decide if it seems "pheasant" to you!



I did see a nice buck!



Only had my iPhone so I have it zoomed in all the way but I think you can see him!
 
Looks like it could support a pheasant or two. A little wet for nesting though but you never know, there may be other habitats around.

I've told the story a few times of a nice wild rooster I saw just outside of Boston MA back in 2008. Like Mass, there's still pockets of wild birds in NJ. A member or two on this forum have posted a few photos of wild birds in NJ.

Good luck trying to spot that guy.

Nick
 
HollowWatcher,

As you very well know there are wild pheasants in New Jersey. I am not surprised that you heard a Rooster cackle in that area. We'll have to search the area and bring Dugan "our Springer" to see if there is a wild population. Doesn't look like a lot of nesting cover but I've seen sites with less and have birds.
 
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