And now for something completely different, to say the least…
On a visit to Laurel Hill County Park, some scat was pointed out to us, and identified as Coyote scat.
What do you think?
Photo of said scat follows. We were going to put a penny next to it for size comparison but thought better of it.
Don't forget: Prize-winning nature author 
Scott Weidensaul is giving a free talk, “Against All Odds – Miracles of Bird Migration,” at 7:30 p.m. tonight in DeKorte Park, Lyndhurst.
Directions to DeKorte are in the lefthand column of this blog.
The talk, hosted by N.J. MC and sponsored by the Bergen County Audubon Society, will take place in the Meadowlands Environment Center auditorium.
Weidensaul is the author of more than two dozen books on natural history, including the Pulitzer Prize finalist, “Living on the Wind,” about bird migration.
His talk will explore the wonder and mechanics of migration, and the simple ways that humans can help at a time when the populations of many migratory birds are in drastic decline.
To read a profile of Weidensaul in The South Bergenite, click here.
We came across an interesting article in a Long Island newspaper about an Osprey these migrating to South America. We thought it was worth sharing, especially since Scott Weidensaul will be speaking at DeKorte tonight about bird migration. The link is here.
The New Jersey Meadowlands Commission’s Flyway Gallery will host an exhibit of watercolors and pastels by local artist Mark de Mos and his students during December and January.
The show, “Mark de Mos and Friends,” runs from tomorrow, Dec. 7, to Friday, Jan. 28.
A reception for the artists is scheduled for noon to 2 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 12.
“My goal, as an artist, is to produce art that is alive, not static and that creates a drama, a feeling, a slice of life,” says De Mos, a Morristown resident. “As I paint I react to what is on the paper, and I can see the interesting color and tonal elements that will make it come to life.”
The exhibit features works by De Mos (above) and his students – Anita Adelman, Keiko Matsuura, Tomoko Sugihara, Myrle Scott, Dottie Glen, Jane Stein, Erola Pellegrino and Joy Xie.
De Mos is a member of several art associations, including the Allied Artists of America, the New Jersey Pastel Society and the Essex Watercolor Society.
Two more paintings, plus more info, follow.
Last Thursday we were checking out the Meadowlark Tract in North Bergen, located just a bit south of Skeetkill Creek Marsh, when we saw a Redtail duck for cover, Seconds later, this Peregrine came barreling through.
It's about as close to a Peregrine as we have been.
Two more pictures follow.
Great walk 'n' talk today. Highlight for the 30 of us who braved the cold was a Red-shouldered Hawk and several nice ducks.
Will post a list this week.
Had a distant Common Moorhen at the Kearny Marsh this afternoon, just visible from the parking lot at Gunnell Oval.
Also Americans Coots galore, a few Northern Shovelers and a Great Blue Heron.
Common Moorhen pictured at left for verification; not trying to compete with Ron Shields. :- )
Sandy reports seeing an American Wigeon "in a pond off of the road leading into DeKorte Parl. It seems to me that it is fairly late to see an American Wigeon. He was with an American Coot and about 30 Green-winged Teal." (Something to keep an eye out for on Sunday.)
Sandy also sent along a shot of a Northern Cardinal inside the park. It was a nice reminder of how striking this common bird can be. (Thanks, Sandy.)
Cardinal photo follows.
Ron Shields was kayaking in the Kearny Marsh earlier this week when he took these amazing photos of an American Bittern in beautiful plumage. (Thanks, Ron!)
More on the American Bittern (a threatened species in New Jersey) here: Ambittern.
This Sunday is our free monthly "First Sunday" walk, and the site is DeKorte Park.
The program begins at 10 a.m.with two very short talks, "Winter Raptors of the Meadowlands" and the never-before-seen "Winter Waterfowl," by the NJMC's Jim Wright.
The talk will be followed by a guided walk in search of those winter waterfowl and raptors.
On our last DeKorte walk we had Peregrine Falcon, Redtail, Northern Harrier and Sharpie. , and we had American Kestrel on Disposal Road today.
At DeKorte are currently seeing plenty of Ruddies, Northern Pintails, Northern Shovelers, Green-winged Teal, Black Ducks, and Bufflehead, and the Canvasbacks should be back soon.
The walk is sponsored by the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission and Bergen County Audubon Society.
Details follow.
