NJMC staffer Jim Wright, who keeps this blog, also writes a column every other Thursday for The South Bergenite. His latest, about local Bald Eagles at DeKorte, features a Ron Shields photograph. Here it is:

The huge birds came from out of the blue, during a guided walk earlier this month at Laurel Hill County Park in Secaucus.

One of the two dozen birders on the free nature walk had been looking at an Osprey along the Hackensack River when she thought she saw two large raptors soaring near the clouds.

“Bald eagles,” she exclaimed, and soon enough, all eyes were on the cumulus clouds high above the river. Another birder found the majestic birds silhouetted against the sky, and then another, and another — until everyone had gotten at least a glimpse of these birds.

As we turned to walk down along the river, someone pointed to the left and shouted: “More raptors!”

Rest of the story follows.

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Remember that horrible storm that ripped through the Meadowlands a couple of Thursdays ago?

Mike Girone was on the Montclair Hawk watch at the time, and caught this amazing imkage with his cellphone. (Thanks, Mike!)

Did a quick walk along the Marsh Discovery Trail this afternoon.

Mudflats have been exposed the past few days, with yellowlegs, egrets and Great Blue Herons feeding in the shallows.

Shovelers and Green-winged Teal
are here in good numbers.

Also had a Peregrine fly-over, plus a Common Buckeye and a few Monarchs. (And another Bald Eagle flying over Disposal Road.)

Will see how things shape up after Thursday's rains.

We saw an adult Bald Eagle yesterday morning by DeKorte Park, and also perched on a distant landfill.

The eagle did not fly close enough for a photo, but it turns out that Roy Woodford sure was in the right place at the right time with the right camera and lens. (Thanks, Roy!)

Coincidentally, NJMC staffer Jim Wright's column in The South Bergenite tomorrow is on … how the Meadowlands is home to more and more Bald Eagle sightings.

We saw this sparrow on last Tuesdays' Losen Slote walk, and after a bit of deliberation decided it had to be a Swamp Sparrow — and the next Tuesday Teaser.

Congrats to Deedee Burnside, Rick Wright  and Jim Hayes for answering correctly.

Don Torino's latest column for wildnewjersey.tv is about the movie "The Big Year" and features several Mike Malzone photos from the Meadowlands.

Here's a sample of the column: "In the movie, the characters are not only trying to win the Big Year competition, but are also going through their own personal life crises.  Through it all there was still the birds.  Isn’t that what birding is really about? 

"Memories of birding with our friends, taking our children or grandchildren out birding for the first time, helping someone find that rare bird that becomes etched in their minds forever. 

"Birding helps everyone who has come to love and enjoy it have a 'Big Day,' or for some a 'Big Year,' but much more than that it gives all people that love nature, and especially birds, a chance to have a 'Big Life'."

The link is here.

We had a great Mill Creek Marsh walk on Monday. Weather was terrific, as was the company.

Highlights included a Bald Eagle, a Peregrine, all those teal and a few pokey Monarchs.

Marco Lips shared a couple of his photos from the morning.

(Thanks, Marco!)

Full list follows. 

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We saw this sparrow on our Losen Slote Park walk in Little Ferry, and we think we know what kind it is — thanks to Denise Farrell of Bergen County Audubon Society and her trusty sparrow ID book.

What do you think it is?

Ron Shields writes: "Here are some images of the impressive raptor action along Disposal Road on Saturday:

 "Distant Adult Bald Eagle, multiple flyover Ospreys with catch, numerous close-up Northern Harriers (three on one occasion), Merlin with catch, Am. Kestrels hunting in teams of two, Red-tailed Hawks and a Peregrine Falcon."

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We had great weather for our bonus walk at Mill Creek Marsh this morning. Highlights included plenty of Green-winged Teal, Shovelers, and Greater Yellowlegs, plus an American Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon and imm. Bald Eagle.

We may have seen some Yellow-rumps as well — by the dozen.

Full list later this week. A big thank you to all who participated — and a special thanks to Bergen County Audubon for all your help!