The Jill Ann Ziemkiewicz Butterfly Garden at DeKorte Park received a major facelift this spring, with new brick walkways, new plantings and a new memorial plaque to Jill Ann.

The fountain is working again, and yesterday we saw a male Orchard Oriole bathing there.

We hope you'll come down to DeKorte and see for yourself soon.

The Meadowlands Commission and Bergen Audubon are sponsoring a free Butterflies for Beginners class and nature walk on Sunday, June 12, at 1 p.m.

A South Bergenite column about the garden from last summer is here.

Want to predict what we might see in the Meadowlands in June? Here are some of the highlights from this time last year.

Here are some June highlights:

June 6: Kearny Marsh Cleanup

June 9: Black Skimmer, DeKorte, Noon

June 14: Nesting Cliff Swallows at DeKorte

June 17: Mystery Spider Solved

June 18: Ringside Seat, Osprey With Fish

June 21: Now That's a Ruddy Duck!

June 21: Studying Swamp Sparrows

June 25: Rehabbed Black Skimmer Released

June 29: DeKorte Butterflies, 11 Species

 
Ron Shields took these photos of a female and a male Orchard Oriole out by the Carillon Disposal Road this past week.

Thanks, Ron!

We are getting Cedar Waxwings at DeKorte in the trees near the Butterfly Garden, a half-dozen or more at a time.

Answer: Brown Thrasher.  Looks a bit like a Hermit Thrush at first glance.

More on Brown Thrashers here.

Ron Shields took this shot of a Common Moorhen on the Marsh Discovery Trail late last week  — bird was first spotted by Mike Gempp.  Not sure if it is still around, but we’ll try to find out.  (Thanks Mike and Ron!)

The William D. McDowell Observatory in DeKorte Park begins a new month of programming tonight with free public access from 9 to 10:30 p.m. on Monday and Wednesday nights — weather permitting, of course.

Dress for the weather; with the dome open, you are basically outside.

Each evening at least two major objects in the night sky will be viewed, plus one or two other celestial objects or events depending on the observing conditions.

For more information about free public viewing nights and to check out the observatory's new website, click here.

For a South Bergenite column by the NJMC's Jim Wright about the observatory, click here.