Sunday was perfect weather for NJ MC’s twice-monthly nature walk with Bergen County Audubon Society.
We leisurely walked out to the Lyndhurst Nature Reserve, then around the Marsh Discovery Trail, with a soundtrack provided by phragmites rustling in the light September breeze.
The tide could have been lower for shorebird viewing, but what we missed i
n quantity we made up for in quality – including (for some of us) an immature Little Blue Heron, a Short-Billed Dowitcher and a Forster's Tern.
Also had a hard-to-identify shorebird (pictured here) swimming in the Shorebird Pool.
We also had great looks at a clear-winged moth and several butterfly species at the butterfly garden.
Click "Continue reading…" for a complete list, plus more pix.
DeKorte Park, Lyndhurst
NJMC/BCAS Walk
Sunday, Sept. 6, 10 a.m. – noon
27+ bird species, 6+ butterfly species, plus a clear-winged moth
(Thanks to BCAS' Don Torino for the list)
Osprey-2
Red-Tailed Hawk-2
Lesser Yellowlegs 10
Short-Billed Dowitcher 1
Forster's tern
Little Blue Heron 1
Black-Crowned Night Heron
Snowy Egret
Great Egret
Belted Kingfisher
Greater Black- Backed Gull
Herring Gull
Ring-billed Gulls
Mute Swans
Dbl. Crested Cormorants
Black Duck
Gadwall
Mallard
Ruddy Duck
Red-Winged Blackbirds
Yellow Warblers
Redstart
Am. Robin
Am. Goldfinch
House Finch
Mourning Dove
House Sparrow
Butterflies
Monarchs
Viceroy
Eastern Tailed Blue
Pearl Crescent and
Assorted Skippers
i hadn’t signed up for the walk, but happened to be at dekorte doing a little birding on my own. don invited me to join, and then peggy from bcas also invited me; i took this as a sign. by chance i had a butterfly cheat sheet with me, which came in handy.
thanks to the bunch of you; i had a good time, and will now know to look for yellowlegs when i hear them.
i stuck around for quite some time after the walk. in addition to what i saw with the group, also present were great blue heron, a very cooperative marsh wren, a white-breasted nuthatch, gray catbird, northern cardinals, northern mockingbirds…
and something in flight that resembled a cuckoo but that i did not get a long-enough look at.
just wish i hadn’t missed the little blue heron!
thanks again don, jim, and peggy.
You’re Welcome Julie, We loved Having you with us! Hope to see you again on more of our Birding walks in the Meadowlands