Monthly Archives: March 2011

Tuesday Teaser Answer

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Michael Addis reports: "This photo was taken at 6:57 p.m. on Monday, March 7, as the International Space Station (bright white line) and the Shuttle Discovery (fainter line in bottom right corner) crossed overhead. 

"We watched until it went into the Earth's shadow at which time it disappeared from view.

"There appears to be a third satellite in the photo.  The ISS is only visible in our area until March 19.  Information is available on NASA's website."

(Thanks, Michael, and congrats to Dave Rotondi for getting the right answer!)

Blog Post on Ridgefield Conservationists

Don Torino of the Bergen County Audubon Society, who help lead the Meadowlands Commission regular walks, filed a post on wildnewjersey.tv about Karen and Bruce Riede of Ridgefield, a pair of conservationists who have helped with the town's natural areas immeasurably and have helped protect Ridgefield's Monk Parakeets.

The link is here.

Tuesday’s Walk: the Full List

P1080136Tuesday really felt like a change of seasons — Sunshine, a light breeze and some nice new arrivals — Tree Swallows and Greater Yellowlegs. 

 A congenial group of birders was treated to great looks at a Horned Grebe and nine species of duck on our monthly Third-Tuesday Walk at DeKorte Park, sponsored by the Meadowlands Commission and Bergen County Audubon Society. In all we had 31 species.

Full list follows.

Continue reading →

Harp Seal Update

Seal_Kane Bank 022311 #4-1 We have heard of no more Harp Seal sightings in the Meadowlands since last month, and we are still looking for earlier records of any.

Erik Kiviat, executive director of Hudsonia, a non-profit environmental research institute, reports: "I have no Newark Bay or Hackensack River records of harp seal from the Marine Mammal Stranding Center as of 2008. There are two Hudson County records from Bayonne in NY Harbor, and many records from Monmouth Co."

But Tom Shinskey, principal environmental scientist for The Louis Berger Group, found this:  "NOAA [National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration] has noted the harp seal increase in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic and released this on Monday:  http://www.nero.noaa.gov/nero/hotnews/arcticseals/ (Thanks, Erik and Tom!)

Here's a snippet the NOAA press release: "NOAA reported today that there has been a large influx of harp seals into Northeast region waters. Harp seals typically are found from the Arctic to the southeast coast of Atlantic Canada, but they have been known to venture much further south." [The press release notes that one was seen as far south as North Carolina this year.]

Link to our original blog post is here.

Horned Grebe Update

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A Horned Grebe was still present as of 12:15 today. Please e-mail Jim Wright here or call if you want a closer view of the grebe — 201-469-7349 — during weekday working hours.

We will post daily updates on this blog for as long as the grebe is seen.

Today’s Walk: Horned Grebe, Tree Swallows Plus

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Great morning for our Third Tuesday walk, highlighted by great looks at the Horned Grebe in transitional plumage in Teal Pool.

Other highlights included first-of-the-year Tree Swallows (above). More than 20 folks participated — thanks for coming out on this beautiful day.

We will post a full list of birds, plus more pix, later this week.

Horned Grebe, Breeding Plumage

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A second Horned Grebe is now at DeKorte, in the Saw Mill Creek Tidal Impoundment. Ron Shields photographed the bird this afternoon.

Best way to see these birds — if they are still around on Tuesday — is on the 10 a.m. free guided walk. We will go out the path beyond the locked gate, usually off limits because of flooding and footing concerns. Details on the walk below.

Horned Grebe at DeKorte: Free Walk Tomorrow

IMG_6094Chris Takacs spotted a Horned Grebe in the southwestern corner of Teal Pool — can be seen with a spotting scope from the Lyndhurst Nature IMG_6097 Reserve part of DeKorte. (Thanks, Chris!)

Note: The trail is closed just past the reserve because of bad footing and flooding. We'll keep track of the bird and let you know if it is seen in a more-accessible place.

The Meadowlands Commission and Bergen County Audubon Society are sponsoring a DeKorte walk tomorrow at 10 a.m. at DeKorte, and we will look for it then as well.

Let's hope it sticks around.

More on Horned Grebes here.

Scroll down for info on the walk.