|
Trail Guides
|
Cold Brook Reserve
|
4
 
|
County Road 523, Tewksbury Township, NJ
Phone: (908) 782-1158
www.co.hunterdon.nj.us/depts/parks/ParkAreas/ColdBrook/info.htm
Hunterdon County
Turn Left out of parking area and turn Left onto CR 523/Oldwick Road North. Proceed 0.6 miles where the road becomes CR 517/Old Turnpike Road; continue straight. The parking area is 0.6 miles on the Left after passing through town. Map
| | Comprised of 287 acres, Cold Brook, once a working farm, was acquired by Hunterdon County in 1982 and is the only county parkland in Tewksbury Township. Today the property consists of deciduous woods along with fallow and cultivated fields. The fields are leased to a local farmer and may be attractive to grassland birds. Over two miles of trails traverse through meadow and woodlands, creating an abundance of edge habitat. Hiking, cross-country skiing, horseback riding and mountain biking are all permitted on the trails.
The area around the pond and nearby brush line often harbor interesting birds. Try pishing to see if skulking sparrows or other brush-loving species pop up to see what all the fuss is about.
Northern Harrier has been known to stay the winter at Cold Brook. The likely place to view this low-flying raptor is at the far end of the park, which requires a lengthy hike. If the trail is snow-covered, look for coyote and red fox tracks along the way. Resident and wintering birds likely to be encountered are Carolina Wren, Tufted Titmouse, Black-capped Chickadee, White-throated Sparrow and Dark-eyed Junco.
There is a lot of activity at this site during spring as farmers till fields and plant crops. A walk along the hedgerows and tree lines may yield recently-arrived Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Scarlet Tanager and warblers such as Yellow and Yellow-rumped, Common Yellowthroat and American Redstart.
Tree Swallows hunt over the field while Red-winged Blackbird, Gray Catbird and Brown-headed Cowbird call from the hedgerows. Known as nest parasites, cowbirds do not construct their own nests or raise their young, but lay eggs in the nests of other species. Concentrate around the little pond for possible Green Heron and in the wooded areas along the brook for Indigo Bunting, Baltimore Oriole, Yellow Warbler and more.
Cold Brook is at its best in the autumn. After the crops have been harvested, the fields provide a bounty for grassland species; check both fields and hedgerows. Sparrows abound; look for Field, Chipping, White-throated, White-crowned, Swamp, Vesper, Fox and Savannah. There are confirmed sightings of Dickcissel, American Pipit and Vesper Sparrow, so be vigilant for those, along with a possible Horned Lark.
|
|
|