Monthly Archives: November 2013

The Fall Bird-banding Season Comes to an End

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We stopped by the bird-banding station by Harrier Meadow/former Erie Landfill today in time to catch Mike Newhouse (above right) and a few of his trusty volunteers (Danielle Klimiciak, Holly Ellerbusch and Zach Batren), close their field station for the year.

The last bird banded: Tree Sparrow.

A hearty thank you to Mike and his team for all their work — and all those Teaser-palooza photo-ops!

Wanted: Groundhog News & Recent Photos

One ugly fellow
We received a complaint earlier this week that this blog has not featured groundhogs in quite some time — even though we did post something just last month (link here).

The bizarre complaint did give us an excuse to run this equally bizarre 2012 Meadowlands groundhog photo by Dennis Cheeseman.

Can anybody help with some new groundhog pix?

Bonus Nature Walk: ‘Green Friday @ DeKorte’

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Looking for a great way to beat the “Black Friday” day-after-Thanksgiving shopping crush and work off that turkey dinner?

Visit the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission’s DeKorte Park in Lyndhurst for a free “Green Friday” guided nature walk beginning at noon inside the Meadowlands Environment Center.

The Nov. 29 event, sponsored by the NJMC and the Bergen County Audubon Society, will feature a walk on DeKorte Park’s Shore Walk and Lyndhurst Nature Reserve.

The walk runs from noon to to 1:45 p.m. Bring a brownbag lunch if you like.

For more information, contact Jim Wright at jim.wright@njmeadowlands.gov or 201-460-2002, or go the NJMC nature blog, www.meadowblog.net.  Bad weather cancels.

 

Don Torino’s Latest Column: Peregrines


Don Torino’s latest column for wildnewjersey.tv is on the wonderful rebound of Peregrine Falcons in the Meadowlands.

Here’s a sample.

Still listed as an Endangered species in New Jersey, The Peregrine Falcon had a total of 24 nests and produced 57 young in New Jersey in 2013. In the Meadowlands area they now nest on bridges and buildings and display their lethal hunting skills plunging into their relentless deadly dives at almost 200mph over places like DeKorte Park, Mill Creek Marsh Trail and along the legendary Disposal road. 

The Meadowlands is also prime hunting territory where you might find them preying on birds as large as a Great Blue Heron and as small as a Kinglet. The timeless hunter has finally returned home.

Peregrines search the skies over places like the New Jersey Meadowlands once again as monarchs of their domain, fearless and unafraid. We should be diligent never to take the sight of this extraordinary bird for granted, not even once. Not even a single glance should go without the proper reverence as it would lessen the struggle and triumph of such an incredible creature.

Here’s the link.

Edith Wallace To Receive Statewide Honor

1-IMG_1709Edith Wallace of the Bergen County Audubon Society, who leads  NJMC/BCAS nature walks in DeKorte Park and does so much for annual Butterfly Day, has been named a recipient of one of five “Women & Wildlife” awards for 2013 by the Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey.

Read more about Edith here.

For more information on the award ceremony, Wednesday, Dec. 4, at the Trenton Country Club, click here.  (Congratulations, Edith!)

Tuesday: Free Meadowlands Book Talk

1-Nature of Meadowlands cover-001Our next talk and slide show on the NJMC’s coffee-table book “The Nature of the Meadowlands” is Tues., Nov. 26. at 1 p.m., for the Rutherford Golden Age Club at the Tamblyn Field Civic Center, 30 Woodland Avenue, Rutherford.

The event is free and open to the public.

For more information on the event, call 201-438-5186.

Signed copies of the book are also available for sale in the gift shop at the Meadowlands Environment Center, DeKorte Park, Lyndhurst.  The Star-Ledger’s review of the book is here.

Today’s MCM Walk: The Full List

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Had a chilly and windy Third-Tuesday Guided Walk in Mill Creek Marsh this morning with Bergen County Audubon Society.

Did not see the Hudsonian Godwit, the Orange-crowned Warbler or the Clay-colored Sparrow (too cold and windy?), but the walk was invigorating  and we did see a Hermit Thrush toward the end.  Some Greater Yellowlegs still hanging around as well. Continue reading

Preview, Today’s MCM Walk: Godwit

1-Hudwit Millcreek 2-001Chris Takacs writes:

I was in Mill Creek Marsh on Monday. High tide was at 9 AM so today’s walk should have a high one. Hudsonian Godwit continues in the second pool on a large log best seen form the trail near the turnpike. (Chris first foundd the bird last week — photo above). Over the weekend a Clay-colored Sparrow was seen on the trail entering the park, near the parking lot.

Orange-crowned Warbler was seen Monday at the second dead end trail.

Full list follows.  (Thanks, Chris! — and to the others who e-mailed Jim W. about the bird while Jim was away.) Continue reading

Tuesday Teaser-Palooza 111913

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We thought we’d make the penultimate bird-banding teaser an easy one.  Who is this masked bird?

This is part of this blog’s nine-week Teaser-palooza competition, open to all.  More on the Teaser-palooza can be found here.

Warning: Next Tuesday’s teaser-palooza will be a real toughie.