A big thank you to everyone who submitted a name for our World Series of Birding team. Although we had lots of great choices from the 49 suggested names, we have decided to go with the Meadowlands Marsh Hawks, submitted by Mike Gempp. (Thanks, Mike!)

Although we had thought we wanted a Bergen-oriented name, we decided that the Meadowlands Marsh Hawks made us more recognizable.

We are now frantically putting together a "logo-type thing," which we will post shortly, along with more info on our team and the bird-banding project we are raising money for. Thanks again to all.

In recent days, DeKorte's Center for Environmental and Scientific Education has been providing young students with unusual looks at the Sun as part of the Meadowlands Environment Center's Solar Energy program.

Above, a class from Elizabeth is getting a peek at sunspots (below) through a Coronado SolarMax 90 telescope with a hydrogen-alpha filter. (That's why the Sun appears to be red in the photo, taken by the MEC's John Rusher. Thanks, John).

Marilyn Lobos saw this owl perched in her yard in North Arlington last month and offered to share her photo with the Meadowlands Nature Blog.

The Meadowlands gets a few of these noctural raptors each winter, but they tend to be far more secretive than this.

More on Long-eared Owls here. (Thanks, Marilyn!)

In honor of our upcoming Birders for Beginners Classes, which run the next three Sundays from 1 to 3 p.m. at DeKorte Park, we thought we'd offer a close-up view of a local frequent flyer.

Who is it? Male of female?