Monthly Archives: January 2011

New, Improved DeKorte Duck Map

NJMC Winter Duck Map
Thanks to the Meadowlands Commission's art director, Mimi Sabatino, the crude DeKorte Duck Map we put together last month has been superseded by a spiffy new improved version. 

To help novice birders identify the various species, we have included photos the "Ducky Dozen" — the most-likely-to-be-seen ducks, and what tidal impoundments you are most likely to see them.  As we note on the map, "Your duckage may differ."

Download the map here: Download NJMC Winter Duck Map LR.

Bonus Nature Walk This Sunday: Rough-legs

IMG_0247 With the Rough-legs making almost daily appearances on Disposal Road, we thought we would add a free nature walk for this Sunday, Jan. 23, at 10 a.m. at DeKorte Park.

We'll check Disposal Road for an array of raptors, from Rough-legs to Northern Harriers to American Kestrels — and we'll do a quick look for ducks as well.

The walk is brought to you by the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission and the Bergen County Audubon Society.

The Rough-leg at left, photographed two weeks ago today, is a frequent flier — we can distinguish it by the missing tail feather.

Stay tuned to this blog for the latest Meadowlands raptor sightings.

Details of the walk follow.

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Disposal Road Report: 011811 Rough-leg

Mike Girone reports: 
I arrived in the Carillon area Monday around 2:45 p.m. and was greeted by a light-morph Rough-leg sitting atop a tree on the landfill. It flew over the retention pond and disappeared over the top of the Erie landfill in Harrier Meadow. Presumably the same bird returned around 4:50 p.m. heading back to the larger landfill behind the retention pond.
Full report follows.

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Skeetkill and Losen Slote Updates

P1030611
Visited Skeetkill Creek Marsh (above) in Ridgefield and Losen Slote Park (below) in Little Ferry late last week, both thick with snow. Mehrhof Pond was frozen as well.

All three locales were almost devoid of bird life, and without leaves on the trees, civilization seemed much closer (and louder, despite the blanket of snow). P1030593

Bird Report 011510: 3 Rough-legs

Mike Britt reports:

There are now at least three light morph Rough-legged Hawks in the Hackensack Meadowlands.

In a very short span of time Saturday morning, I observed:

* a single light morph perched atop a small tree to the right of the towers at the MRI tract (viewed from Mill Creek Point)

* a second light perched low on a tower guy wire along Berry's Creek

* a light morph rose (from a perch or kill?) from along the railroad tracks along Valley Brook and flew high over the Kingsland Landfill.

Disposal Road 011411

Dk-pere-0114-3
Mike Girone reports:

Hung out on Disposal Rd. for most of the afternoon Frday.
I was greeted upon arrival around 1:40 p.m. by an adult Peregrine Falcon on a nearby electric tower behind the Carillon. It dove off the tower towards the Carillon, apparently trying to get lunch, but I didn't see what exactly it was targeting.
A few minutes later it dove off again, this time heading east over the Teal Pool, and attacked a Sharp-shinned Hawk, diving at it at least 3 times. It repeated the general diving-and-returning to a tower routine 2 more times, gradually moving south along the Saw Mill Creek trail.
 
Other raptor activity was a little slower then the past few days, but still plenty of Northern Harriers (including at least 1 Gray Ghost). 2 Red-tails were spotted, and the end-of-day finale was a juvenile Sharp-shinned Hawk (perhaps the same one attacked by the Peregrine earlier?) catching an adult White-crowned Sparrow near the yellow Transco Trail gate.
 
The Carillon area has certainly been living up to it's raptor-magnet reputation.

Thanks, Mike!