Wrightstown-Georgetown Road, Chesterfield, NJ
Phone: (609) 723-4650
Christine Connelly
From Crystal Lake Park, turn Right on Axe Factory Road, then sharp Left onto Old York Road, Route 660. After 1.9 miles, turn left on Route 206 North. At the second traffic light, turn Right onto Georgetown Road, Route 545 South. After 6.2 miles, you will see the brown fences of Bright View Farm on the Left. Turn Left into the driveway, and pause at the top of the hill by the barn. Continue slowly down the hill, as this is a horse crossing. Proceed straight down the gravel road, keeping the woods on the Right, to a natural parking area where the sightings log is posted in a box on the fence. DIRECTIONS FROM NEAREST HIGHWAY: From the New Jersey Turnpike, take exit 7 and merge onto Route 206 North. At the second traffic light, turn Right onto Georgetown Road, Route 545 South. After 6.2 miles, you will see the brown fences of Bright View Farm on the Left. Turn Left into the driveway, and pause at the top of the hill by the barn. Continue slowly down the hill, as this is a horse crossing. Proceed straight down the gravel road, keeping the woods on the Right, to a natural parking area where the sightings log is posted in a box on the fence. Map
Bird boxes along the fences house nesting Bluebirds and Tree Swallows. There is also a log book, so be sure to check sightings before you begin, and record your sightings before you leave.
The path through the woods can be quite productive for songbirds and reptiles in the spring.
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| Brightview Farm | Tony Geiger |
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| | Bright View Farm is an active, professional thoroughbred horse farm that is well-known by local birders as one of the best places in the state to see nesting grassland birds. The owners have an interest in birds and welcome birders to visit and report their experiences. The specialty birds can often be seen at close range, but bring a spotting scope and plan to come on a spring morning for the best encounters. In addition to grasslands, the farm has wetland and woodland habitat, interesting old-growth trees, and a very scenic landscape overall.
Visit on a spring morning to hear the courting chorus of bubbling male Bobolinks in full song and buzzing Grasshopper Sparrows, an uncommon spectacle in New Jersey.
Flocks of Snow Geese stop over in the fields and Wild Turkey can be glimpsed near woodland edges. Woodland species overwintering include Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker, Brown Creeper, and Hairy Woodpecker. Pileated Woodpecker has been reported here, but this species is extremely elusive. Check fences for Eastern Bluebird and scan flocks in the fields for Savannah, Song, Field, White-throated, Fox, and sometimes White-Crowned Sparrows. Flocks of Horned Lark occasionally winter here as well, but can be extremely difficult to detect unless they are flying. Watch overhead for Turkey and Black Vultures, and Red-Tailed Hawk. Mammals active in winter include white-tailed deer, red fox, cottontail rabbit and opossum.
Nesting birds here include Grasshopper Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Eastern Meadowlark, Bobolink, Eastern Bluebird and American Kestrel. Yellow-breasted Chat, Blue Grosbeak, Rose-Breasted Grosbeak and even Dickcissel have also nested here in the past. Listen near the wetlands for spring peepers, green frogs, and gray treefrogs. This is a good time of year to glimpse a garter snake near the wetlands or crossing the road.
: Butterflies and dragonflies are abundant in the fields. Yellow Warbler and Common Yellowthroat will be busy bringing insects to their nestlings near the swamp. Listen for the Ovenbird and Baltimore Oriole calling from the woods, and Indigo Bunting and Orchard Oriole in the prairies.
Foliage is quite lovely here by mid-October. Eastern Phoebe, Chipping Sparrow and House Wren will be present but moving South, as well as many other species of songbirds. Scan flocks of Robins and Blackbirds for the occasional American Pipit. Raptors pass through as well, including Northern Harrier, Merlin and Broad-winged Hawk.
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