VETERANS PARK INFORMATION
Veterans Park, 350 acres of wooded and open habitats in southwestern Hamilton township, Mercer County,
is a regular stop for birders during winter and migration. While some parts, particularly the northeast corner
of the park, are rugged and frequently muddy, others are crossed by an excellent network of wide, paved
paths, making this one of the most easily accessible birding sites in the area.
Trail maps are often available from the park office, just inside the south entrance off Kuser Road; but even
without a map, it is easy to find one's way through the park's various habitats. A high-quality paved path
connects all four of the park entrances; weekend crowds can make it a good idea to avoid this path after
about eight in the morning, but earlier in the day or during the week, particularly during migration, the
birder is likely to have very good views of most of central New Jersey's commoner species.
On a good morning, the best birding is reached from the north entrance on Klockner Road. Follow the
wide, firm, but briefly unpaved path through the playground to the small bridge over Pond Run, and simply
look up and down the creek for migrants. The dogwood thickets here are particularly good, offering locally
uncommon birds as Mourning and Wilson's Warblers; a good selection of flycatchers, vireos, thrushes, and
other passerine migrants are likely during May and September in the taller trees.
Across the bridge, the path is once again paved. Turn right and follow it through the forest, listening and
looking in summer for Scarlet Tanager, Black-and-white Warbler, and other common woodland birds; in
winter, mixed flocks of forest passerines move through these same trees. There is a small hill to conquer as
the path approaches the lake.
Where the path emerges to look over the lake, the field to your right is very good for many of central New
Jersey's common open-country breeders, and in the proper season one can expect such uncommon birds
as Orange-crowned Warbler, Lincoln's Sparrow, or Blue Grosbeak. Particularly on cold mornings, the west
edge of this field—where the sun strikes first—can be alive with migrants.
From here, either return the way you came to the north parking area, or continue above the lakeshore to
the west parking area, which marks the start of a wooden boardwalk through second-growth tulips and
sweetgums. During migration, the boardwalk is a good place for thrushes and other ground-loving species,
while winter finds large numbers of gulls and waterfowl on the lake.
Directions to this productive and attractive park are online at http://delawarevalleybirding.com/place034.htm