The Meadowlands Festival of Birding had a great turnout today, including this female Blue Grosbeak who showed up for the bird-banding demonstration in Harrier Meadow.
Also making several appearances: Peregrine Falcons, Ospreys, Green herons, Black-crowned and Yellow-crowned and Great Blue Herons, umpteen egrets, Stilt Sandpipers, yellowlegs and so on.
Oh, and an estimated 240 birders.
Some 50 birders went on the Harrier Meadow morning bird walk, and more than three dozen attended the early morning bird-banding, which provided up-close looks at a Red-eyed Vireo, Ovenbird, Magnolia Warbler and Redstart. A total of 36 birds were banded and released.
Monthly Archives: September 2008
EGRET FEST
More than 100 egrets couldn’t wait for tomorrow’s Meadowlands Festival of Birding.
They were milling around the tidal impoundment beyond Commission HQ this afternoon. They even flew up to the elevated boardwalk by the Environment Center rotunda and hung out.
Mudflats were packed with peeps, yellowlegs and other shorebirds.
We told them to make sure to come back tomorrow.
Click "Continue reading" for a passel of great egret pix taken today.
BUTTERFLIES: DeKorte
If you’re visiting DeKorte Park in Lyndhurst for the birding festival on Saturday or just enjoying the trails and views, don’t forget to stop by the butterfly garden in front of the Environment Center (first building as you come in).
A cursory look this morning found four species, including a Monarch and black swallowtail — common but big and bold.
MEADOWLANDS FESTIVAL OF BIRDING
Just a reminder that the big Bird Fest convenes at DeKorte Park tomorrow.
The Meadowlands Commission’s Michael Newhouse will be doing a bird-banding demonstration from 7 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. at Harrier Meadow.
There will be guided bird walks of Harrier Meadow — usually closed to the public — at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Saturday as well.
Click here for more about Harrier Meadow, including a video.
For the early a.m. bird-banding, you’ll need to go to the Harrier Meadow site on your own. NJMC staffer Jim Wright will park his silver Honda hatchback on Disposal Road near the Harrier Meadow Entrance.
(At the entrance to DeKorte Park at the end of Valley Brook Drive, bear right just after the train tracks and onto Disposal Road and follow it past the Amvets Carillon. Harrier Meadow entrance is on the left, just past the stop sign by the PSEG electric gizmos.)
The guided bird walks meet at DeKorte and go by bus.
If you can’t attend the bird fest but would like to go on a guided birdwalk in Harrier, e-mail Jim Wright (link above).
ALERTS & BIRD SIGHTINGS
A wintery mix kept me in the car this morning, but I got my best species
Mehrhof count this winter at the ice-free pond in Little Ferry. I was
“camped out” in the car where I could view and scope the pond from the
road. 1500+ Ruddy Ducks were very active in the falling snow, skittering
across the water every couple minutes. Also had Great Egret, 9 Lesser
Scaup, 8 Common Mergs and 10 Hoodies
Location: Mehrhof Pond
Observation date: 12/21/08
Number of species: 25
Canada Goose 14
Gadwall 1
American Black Duck 1
Mallard 3
Northern Shoveler 6
Green-winged Teal 4
Lesser Scaup 9
Hooded Merganser 10
Common Merganser 8
Ruddy Duck 1500
Double-crested Cormorant 1
Great Blue Heron 1
Great Egret 1
Red-tailed Hawk 1
Ring-billed Gull 30
Herring Gull 5
Great Black-backed Gull 6
Downy Woodpecker 1
Black-capped Chickadee 3
American Robin 1
European Starling 5
Song Sparrow 2
White-throated Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal 1
American Goldfinch 8
Click “Continue reading” for bird reports.
In Memoriam
Schuyler Avenue, North Arlington, looking toward Lower Manhattan.
OSPREY FISHING: Slide Show
This slide show of an osprey fishing was taken in Carlstadt along the Hackensack River this summer.
We saw a pair of ospreys this week by the Secaucus High School Marsh, and they should be around this weekend for the Meadowlands Festival of Birding.
Take an eco-cruise if you can.
ENVIRONMENT CENTER: Fall programming
The Meadowlands Environment Center offers some top-notch family programming, and the new fall lineup posted this week is no exception.
These include programs about honeybees (Sept. 20, ages 5-10), the moon (Oct. 11, ages 10-16), and environmental shopping (Nov. 1, ages 10 through adult).
An annual big draw is Halloween in the Meadowlands (Oct. 30, ages 5-10).
For a pdf of the schedule, click here. (Note: It may take a little time to load.)
To register, click here.
TUESDAY TEASER, 090908
Can you identify this bird?
For answer, click on "Continue reading…" immediately below.
For more Tuesday Teasers, click here.
HACKENSACK RIVER: Peregrine Falcons
A pair of Peregrine Falcons has been hanging out near the Route 3 Bridges over the Hackensack River all 
summer.
These shots were taken in August.
With any luck, these amazing raptors will hang around for the Meadowlands Festival of Birding this weekend.
