Chris Takacs made it down to DeKorte Park yersterday in the aftermath of the storm and took some amazing photos — including the photo above of Valley Brook Avenue.
Several storm-related shots of DeKorte Park and nearby train tracks follow. (Thanks, Chris!)
The N.J. Meadowlands Commission has two free September guided nature walks planned with Bergen County Audubon — DeKorte Park on Sunday, Sept. 4, and Harrier Meadow on Tuesday, Sept. 20. Both begin at 10 a.m.
Full details follow.
Mike Girone reports: "I birded the Shorebird Pool today from about 2 – 6:15 p.m. During the first part of the afternoon on Marsh Discovery Trail, by the 2nd to last blind on the left, I saw up to 5 Black-crowned Night Herons (4 adults, 1 immature), and possibly an immature Yellow-crowned Night Heron. Also spotted 3 Great Blue Herons at various spots north of the boardwalk.
Mike Britt says: "Took a walk on the boardwalk this evening…the standard mix of shorebirds plus an adult SORA and a single WESTERN SANDPIPER." (Thanks, Mike!)
Chris Takacs reports: "Missed the Western Sandpiper and Long-billed Dowitcher seen by others this evening, but probably because of the juvenile peregrine hunting the shorebirds. An adult Peregrine was perched atop one of the nearby towers. Did find a Sora but not in the area Mike saw his. Barn Owl flew over Valley Brook at 8 P.M. 10 or so Bobolinks this morning over the landfill near Harrier Meadow, seen from Disposal Rd. (Thanks, Chris!)
We have never seen so many young Peregrine Falcons before this summer.
The topper came on a pontoon boat cruise Wednesday morning, when we saw two Peregrines (above) perched near each other on trees overlooking the Hackensack River in Carlstadt.
Much to our surprise, neither bird was banded.
Due to the predicted inclement weather, Richard W. DeKorte Park and the Meadowlands Environment Center will be closed all day Sunday. The gates will be locked.
As promised, here's a full list of the birds we saw on our Tuesday Birding Cruise, sponsored by the NJMC and BCAS. We had 38+ species in all, including some real beauts.
Full list follows, with pix of Laughing Gull (in Sawmill) and Caspian Terns (in the Anderson Creek Marsh).
We're usually not ones to get excited by photos of plants in pots, but the photo above — a dozen butterfly-friendly plants — sure has us beezed up at the Meadowlands Commission.
The plants in question are a donation of the Bergen County Audubon Society, our partner in dozens of events, including Butterfly Day year-round.
To the BCAS, we say: Thank you!
Jim Wright, who keeps this blog for the N.J. Meadowlands Commission, also contributes the photo column "Focus on the Meadowlands" to the wildnewjersey.tv blog every Wdnesday.
This week's photos are two Ospreys with sushi, and a very unusual sparrow.
Link is here.
The Sandpiper is a Spotted Sandpiper. Congrats to all who got it right.
Ron Shields reports: