Who is this guy?
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Click "Continue reading …" for the answer and more information about this bird.
Monthly Archives: October 2009
Now That’s (an Eastern) Phoebe!
Hangin' along the Transco Trail at DeKorte Monday afternoon, in fall plumage.
Ridgefield Mystery Bug
In advance of our walk at the Ridgefield Nature Center tomorrow (Tuesday), which features a new trail for us to explore, Karen Riede passes along this photo of a mystery bug.
Our first thought was "stink bug," but it didn't quite fit the description.
Any thoughts?
In the meantime, here is a link to an earlier post that gives details about tonight's Meadowlands Commission talk at the Ridgefield Library and tomorrow's nature walk at the Ridgefield Nature Center, complete with directions.
And yes, we'll stop and see the Monk Parakeets (below) who live about a half-mile from the nature center, the former site of the Great Bear Water Co.
Mystery-Peep Mystery Solved
Earlier this month, we posted a photo of a small shorebird and asked for help with the ID — with the understanding that IDing any bird from a single photo can be tricky at best. (Link is here.)
We were thinking to ourselves that it might be a Western Sandpiper, and were surprised at the variety of responses.
One birder thought was a Western Sandpiper. Others thought it was a Dunlin. Another thought it was a juvenile White-rumped Sandpiper.
We decided to ask Kevin Karlson, author of "The Shorebird Guide," for his diagnosis: "None of the above."
Click "Continue reading…" for Kevin's verdict, and the thinking that went into it.
DeKorte Bird Report 101609
We did a couple of quick walks around DeKorte on Friday to see what the inclement weather had brought in — and the answer was not much. We had four Killdeer (pictured) along the Marsh Discovery Trail, along with a lot of yellowlegs hunkered down on the leeward side of the phrags.
Water levels are still low, but not nearly as low as they have been.
We still have several egrets, but nothing in comparison to the hundreds we had two weeks ago. Also seen: Green-winged Teal, lots of Yellow-rumps, peeps, two Great Blue Herons and a juvenile Yellow-crowned Night Heron tucked away in the reeds toward the back of the Shorebird Pool.
Plus a Groundhog and a Muskrat.
Bird Report 101609
Cackling Goose & Canada Geese – Laurel Hill Park Secaucus, NJ – 10/16/09
Originally uploaded by kdxshiryu
Ray Duffy reports a Cackling Goose among Canada Geese and Brants behind the Xchange in Secaucus.
Minding the Bees
When we put up American Kestrel boxes at the Erie Landfill, we didn't expect so many tenants, and of the "wrong" species.
We now have a healthy hive of Honey Bees filling the box.
What to do?
We brought in a local beekeeper, who says that the bees should make it through the winter, and that he can transport them to a conventional hive in the spring.
Since Honey Bees have been under stress of late — colony collapse disorder has killed these bees by the millions in the past few years — we were glad that we have a happy healthy hive in North Arlington.
Bird Report 101509
Ray Duffy reports a flock of Brants on the Hackensack River behind the Xchange in Secaucus this morning at 9:15. Also seen: Juncos, Ruby-crowned Kinglet and sparrows — Songs, Swamps, and Savannahs.
(Ray later reported seeing an Eastern Meadowlark and a Vesper Sparrow in that vicinity.) Thanks, Ray!
Click "Continue reading…" for Ray's full report.
?
We saw this ? flitting around the Cottonwoods on the way from the main parking lot to the Transco Trail yesterday afternoon.
More on ?'s here.
Bird Reports 101409
Catching up on some bird reports from over the Columbus day Weekend.
Linda Gangi reports that Monday at DeKorte there were: "5 mature and 2 immature Black-crowned Night-Herons A flock of Green-winged Teals (20-30) Small flock of Golden-crowned Kinglets (I love those little birds), Yellow-rumped Warblers were all over the place, Savannah Sparrow, Black Ducks, Red-winged Blackbird, Common Yellowthroat, bunches of Lesser Yellowlegs with a few Greater Yellowlegs mixed in, Great and Snowy Egrets (not close to the numbers that have been in the last few weeks), a Kingfisher.
Nigel Bates reports that on Saturday he "birded DeKorte from about 1-3 pm this afternoon. The highlight was a Vesper Sparrow along the Transco Trail, other sparrows included 2-3 Seasides, 3-4 White-crowned, Swamp, Song, and lots of Savannah. 10 species of shorebirds including 10 Pectorals, 2 dowitcher (sp?), 1 Spotted, 6 Semipalmated Plovers, and 3 Semipalmated Sandpipers.
Only warblers I saw were Palm and Yellow-rumped, although a possible Connecticut disappeared into the undergrowth before I could obtain a halfway decent look.
Ray Duffy reports that on Friday afternoon, "It seemed like every step I took around the first impoundment at Mill Creek Marsh seemed to flush some sort of sparrow, Palm Warbler or goldfinch from the vegetation along the paths. Lots of the usual savannah sparrows, swamp sparrows and song sparrows. Highlight sparrows was a White-crowned. Warblers included Yellow-rumped, Prairie, Palm and Common Yellowthroat. I also had a lingering Short-billed Dowitcher.
Schmidt's Woods highlights were a male black-throated blue, an Ovenbird, three Swainson's Thrushes, a Brown Creeper and a Blue-headed Vireo.
Click "Continue reading …" for Ray's entire list.