The year 2010 marked the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission's 41th anniversary and the continued expansion of our nature programs with Bergen County Audubon Society — including an Earth Day Celebration, a Kearny Marsh Cleanup, a Butterfly Day, a "Green Friday" nature walk, and a talk by Scott Weidensaul.

We thought we'd celebrate by looking back at 2010, month by month.    

Here are some September highlights:

Sept. 2: Kearny Marsh: Yellow-crown

Sept. 8: Carlstadt Egret: Radio-transmitter recording

Sept. 13: BirdFest, the Full List

Sept. 17: Caterpillar Lunch

Sept. 23: The Problem of Released Birds

Sept. 27: Losen Slote, Last Day of Summer

There's still a little open water at DeKorte, with the Canvasbacks and a few Pintails huddled together — and lots of snow drifts. No sign of the Long-tailed Duck yet, but have not really looked.

Yes, we realize that this is a stuffed bird, but it is from the Meadowlands more than 110 years ago. It was labeled "Sandpiper," but retired NJMC Naturalist Don Smith wonders, "Which one?"

The bird is part of an NJMC collection that also includes a Passenger Pigeon and two Heath Hens — both species now extinct.

More on the Heath Hens here.

Shorebird expert Kevin Karlson weighs in on the blog tomorrow.