Monthly Archives: November 2009

Mill Creek Marsh: The Walk

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IMG_1390   Northern Shovelers (including the one below), a nearby Redtail (right), a half-dozen Yellowlegs and a Northern Harrier were among the highlights on our two-hour Mill Creek Marsh walk this morning.

    The weather was great, and the marsh was all decked out in its autumn finery for this walk by the Meadowlands Commission and the great folks at the Bergen County Audubon Society.

   Roughly 20 of us partook of the great outdoors in this restored Secaucus natural area.

  More on the Mill Creek Marsh here.

  Click "Continue reading…" for a few more shots from this morning.

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Continue reading

First Canvasback of the Season

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    We saw our first Canvasback of the season as DeKorte at lunch today. He was rafting with a bunch of Ruddies by the Admin Building.

    Also seen: Many Bufflehead and eight Black-crowned Night Herons in the Kingsland Impoundment… plus a Brant (in the Lyndhurst Nature Reserve; thanks, Mike Ackley!), Black Ducks, Gadwalls, Northern Shovelers and Northern Pintails.

Preview: Mill Creek Marsh Nature Walk Tomorrow

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   Just a reminder that we have a 10 a.m. bird walk tomorrow at Mill Creek Marsh in Secaucus, in conjunction with the Bergen County Audubon Society.

     This free two-hour walk starts at the entrance to  the Mill Creek Marsh in Secaucus. 

   Walk leader Don Torino of the BCAS did a scouting trip on Sunday, and he reports: 

   "Mill Creek is the most beautiful spot in the Meadowlands this time of year.  Just a quick trip around the trail gave me Swamp, American Tree, Fox, White-Throated and Song Sparrows. also N. Shovelers, Green-winged Teal and Gadwall. Carolina Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglets and Juncos, about 20 Greater Yellowlegs and a beautiful Great Blue Heron."

  The Meadowlands Commission restored the site and opened it to the public in 2002. It is a great place to watch birds, take a walk, or just chill.

   To rsvp, contact Don Torino of the BCAS at greatauk4@aol.com or 201-636-4022. 

   Click here for Google Maps directions (just plug in your address; the map will take you to the mall entrance; entrance to Mill Creek Marsh is behind the mall buildings just ahead on the west).


Bird Report 111509

  Neil Maruca reports:

  Birded for a few hours Saturday between the showers. Highlights:

   DeKorte near the Environmental Center had a red Fox sparrow, 60 Cedar
Waxwings, 70 House Finches, 2 Sharp-shinned hawks among the Gadwalls,
Shovelers and Green-winged Teal.

   Kearny produced an immature Bald Eagle

   Mehrhof held 700+ Ruddy Duck, 7 Lesser Scaup and 9 Ringed-neck Ducks.

A Salute To America’s Veterans

IMG_0349    Today we honor America's veterans.

   This photo was taken earlier this week at the AMVETS Carillon on Disposal Road in North Arlington.

   The carillon, which celebrated its second anniversary last month, chimes four times an hour on the quarter hour.

   Earlier Meadowlands Blog posts featuring the Carillon are here.

   Background on Veterans Day is here.