Weekend Wanderings ... Jemima Mount

It started with a post on Facebook. A video of a Red-headed Woodpecker. At a place called "Jemima Mount". Patty saw the video. And thought it a good idea to chase this bird.

Spoiler alert: we did not find the woodpecker.

But we did have a nice outing.

Our day started at Whitesbog. It was the opening of the Spring Show at the gallery, and Patty had several items on display. While there we convinced our friend Bernie that the woodpecker chase was a good idea.

So it was off to the Carranza Memorial to meet two more friends, Kerry and Terry. Terry is doing a Burlington County Big Year, and 'needs' a Red-headed Woodpecker for her list.

Emilio Carranza was a Mexican aviator who crashed in the Pine Barrens on a flight that was to go from New York City to Mexico City. And the monument marks the site of the crash, and Carranza's death.

The monument is marked by a sign with the very helpful title, "Monument".

And the last line on the sign reads, "Pennies of Mexican Children". What about these pennies? Did they pay for the flight? Where they the cause of the crash? Did they pay for the nice blue "Monument" sign?

Fortunately there was a much more informative sign, seen in part at the left edge of the image, which explains that the pennies paid for the monument.

We gathered up Kerry and Terry, piled into my Subaru Outback, and headed back down Carranza Road, to Tuckerton Road.

Tuckerton Road was a sand road. A well maintained sand road. Alas, Mount Sandy Ridge Road not so much.

It ended in a small lake, with some nice Quételet Scattering. But a barrier none the less.

So we returned to Tuckerton Road and drove to a point opposite Jemima Mount Road. And bushwhacked.

In the distance, Jemima Mount.

Bernie leads the climb, Kerry and Terry following on the right.

The view from the summit. A bit of 4x4 damage visible. Fortunately, a large gate has been installed at the start of Jemima Mount Road. And the landscape will be spared further injury.

The habitat seems suitable for Red-headed Woodpecker. But we did not find one. Flickers and Hairy Woodpeckers were seen. As were Bluejays, Mourning Doves, Titmice, and many (noisy) Pine Warblers.

A very nice afternoon's outing, even if Patty was the only redhead in view.