We saw this Peregrine Falcon having a late afternoon snack today under the eastbound Route 3 Bridge by East Rutherford. 
   We have seen them all winter, but this was the first time we saw one perched at one of its favored river haunts.

   For at least the third year in a row — and in recent memory — Common Ravens are nesting in a cliff at Laurel Hill County Park in Secaucus.
   You can see the nest clearly from the athletic fields at the foot of the massive hill, and with a pair of binoculars, you can get good views of the ravens as they come and go,
   But other birds abound as well. On a recent trip, we also saw a Peregrine Falcon, an Osprey, two Redtails and five Turkey Vultures — and that was just that raptors.
   The ravens' nest has gotten much larger in the past month, and there is hope that some Ravenettes will emerge in a couple of weeks.
   More on the amazingly intelligent Common Raven here. Previous posts on Common Ravens here.

Coming soon: A Common raven duels with a Redtail.

As you may have noticed, the Meadowlands Blog has a new look, thanks to staff designer Mimi Sabatino. The photo across the top of this blog — of egrets and herons congregating in Harrier Meadow in North Arlington — was taken early one morning was late last August.

                                                     Photo courtesy of the Meadowlands Museum

   The Meadowlands Commission's Jim Wright will give two library talks next week on "The Meadowlands — Past, Present and Future."

    The  7 p.m. shows, in Ridgefield on Wednesday Apr. 22 and in Rutherford on Thursday Apr. 23. will include some great archival shots of the region, as well as some amazing nature photos taken within the last year. 

      Each show will run approximately one hour, including a question-and-answer session. The talks are part of the commission's year-long 40th anniversary celebration.

  (The photo above is of the old Bonnie Dell Farm in Rutherford along Route 17.)

   Click "Continue reading…" for details on both talks.

Continue reading →

    The N.J. Meadowlands Commission and the Bergen County Audubon Society  are co-sponsoring a free Mother’s Day walk in Ridgefield on Sunday, May 10.

We meet at the Ridgefield Nature Center at 8 a.m. for a 45-minute nature walk, with some birding along the way. The nature center is a beautiful wooded natural area comprising 5.4 acres off Shaler Boulevard by Ray Avenue.

   The property was the source of the spring for the Great Bear Spring Water Co. from 1920 to 1975, at which point the land was sold to the Borough of Ridgefield.

    For those with a little extra time, we will drive over to the Skeetkill Creek Marsh a  mile away to look for egrets, herons and shorebirds.

  Along the way, we will stop to take a look at the nearby Monk Parakeet colony. These colorful birds live under a bridge, above the train tracks. Bring binoculars and wear comfortable walking shoes.

    To register, contact Jim Wright of the Meadowlands Commission – at this e-mail address, 201-460-2002, or Don Torino of the BCAS at this e-mail address, 201-636-4022. 

   This 32-year-old diorama, found in the Kearny Library attic, showed how part of the Kearny brackish marsh could be converted to office parks.

    In the photo at left, you can see where the eastern spur of the Turnpike crosses the Hackensack River.

The office park (and one to the west)  would have been placed on filled wetlands next to a railroad siding near the river.
      
    This was in the waning days of an era where planners thought wetlands were swamps, to be filled and developed.

     These days, almost everyone understands that marshes are vital parts of the eco-system, providing everything from wildlife habitat and the filtering of impurities in water to flood control.

     More on the value of the Meadowlands' marshes here.

    (Thanks to the Kearny Public Library for passing along the diorama.)