Can you identify this bird?

This weekend is our 2nd annual free Nature Walk with the incomparable Edith Wallace at DeKorte from 10 a.m. to 11:45 a.m., followed by our free Butterflies for Beginners class and walk at 1 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. at DeKorte.

Both events are sponsored by the Meadowlands Commission and Bergen County Audubon.

Speaking of butterflies, on Friday we had a Black Swallowtail, Siver-spotted Skippers, Painted Lady, Orange Sulfur and Cabbage White in the Salvia in the far parking lot at DeKorte.

Dennis Cheeseman photographed this banded Tree Swallow on the Marsh Discovery Trail yesterday.  Looks like an NJMC banding project bird to us, but what do we know?

Spectacular photos of Bald Eagles, owls, hawks and other wildlife will be on display at the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission (NJMC) Flyway Gallery during June and July.

The exhibit, “Herb Houghton Wildlife Photography,” runs from today (Monday, June 6) through Friday, July 29.

A reception for the artist is scheduled for Saturday, June 11, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

 Houghton has photographed hundreds of species of  birds, butterflies, mammals and marine life up and down the East Coast and in Mexico.

His Flyway Gallery show features stunning  photographs of Bald Eagles in mid-flight and Snowy Owls (above) and Black Skimmers skimming waterways in search of prey.

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Wow!  What a great job Bergen County Audubon, the Northern New Jersey Cachers and other volunteers did today at the Kearny Marsh for our second annual cleanup.

Not only did they haul five cubic yards of trash and bottles (much of it in the Waste Management Bagsters below), but they also groomed the trail from the top of Gunnell Oval all the way to the Bellevile Pike.

Waste Management donated these really cool Bagsters (and their removal) — an enormous help.

A huge thank you to everyone.

Whoever found the pair of strange longjohns, please e-mail the NJMC's Jim Wright at jim.wright (at) njmeadowlands.gov. For finding the strangest piece of trash, you are the winner of two eco-cruises on one of our pontoon boat tours this summer!

Yesterday evening, on a Meadowlands Commission pontoon boat cruise, Ron Shields photographed a large bird working the western bank of the Hackensack River in Carlstadt. 

With the fading light, the bird appeared to be a Great Blue Heron, but when Ron reviewed his photos and saw the red on the head, he immediately thought "Sandhill Crane."

Here is his (abridged) account:

"The shots were taken from the boat on the river north of the departure point at the River Barge, on the western bank near the two large white tanks. 

 "It was seen latter in the trip as we headed north to Mill Creek after traveling south to the Saw Mill Creek Conservation Zone.

"The shots were from a distance due to low tide and the overall feeling that it was a Great Blue Heron."   (Thanks, Ron!) 

Might be seen from Mill Creek Point if it is still around.

A larger cropped view follows.

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Don Torino's latest blog post for wildnewjersey.tv can be found here.

Don leads many walks for Bergen County Audubon's partnership with the Meadowlands Commission, and his columns are always first-rate.

Please help! As part of National Trail Day Weekend, the N.J. Meadowlands Commission, Bergen County Audubon Society, and the Northern New Jersey Cachers are sponsoring a two-hour cleanup of the Kearny Marsh.   

We plan to clean and trim the marsh's trail by foot and clean the marsh by canoe. All are welcome to participate.

The cleanup begins at the northeast corner of the Gunnell Oval off Schuyler Avenue  at 10 a.m. (directions are on the left-hand column of this blog).  

The NJMC is supplying trash bags and water, but bring your own weed clippers and gloves.

We’ll also provide canoes, paddles and life jackets. 

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Mike Gempp reports:

There's really not much shorebird activity over the last week or so, and since the Moorhen has flown the coop, there's not much to see on the Discovery Trail. The water level is low, but it hasn't helped the birding. Just a few highlights from Memorial Day to now:

Mill Creek:
Peregrines often hunt from a stoop, but this one came in flying horizontally low and stealthily and ambushed a few Lesser Yellowlegs that were sitting on a cedar stump. I had scanned the stumps beforehand and saw nothing but sea gulls, but the falcon had better eyesight than me. The birds did not see it coming either, and didn't even have time to scatter. One was seized instantly and carried off westward in the general direction of the RT. 3 bridge.

I saw a Snapping Turtle actively digging out a nest, and also saw some other freshly turned ground along the trail in several other places. I marked the nest site, though I will not disturb it. I just want to watch and see what happens.

Disposal Road:
Eastern Kingbird, Yellow Warbler.

Clay Ave:
Cedar Waxwing.

DeKorte Park:
Look for a Blue Grosbeak near the entrance to The Disc. Trail, where I saw one early Wednesday evening.

There are lots of biting flies and no-see-ums happy to drink your blood, so don't go anywhere this time of year without repellent. I've spent the last week with itchy legs.

(Thanks, Mike!)

The latest edition of The South Bergenite has a nice profile of the author of the new children's book "Meadowlands," Thomas F. Yezerski.

The profile, by Staff Writer Daniel O'Keefe, provides insights to Yezerski's background and how the book came to be.

Signed copies of the book are on sale at the Tidelands Gift Shop at the Environment Center in DeKorte Park.

Tom Yezerski will be reading from his book and talking about it in a free children-oriented event at the Environment Center on Saturday, June 25, at 10:30 a.m.

Link to The South Bergenite story is here.