As of Friday, the American Avocet has been in Harrier Meadow for 32 days — ever since Hurricane Irene.
We see hanging out and feeding with Snowy Egrets regularly. (This shot was taken this afternoon at 3:30.)
No one has the heart to tell it that it's an avocet, not an egret.
On Tuesday, we posted an item 
about a mystery object brought in by John and Peggy Koney of Ringwood. They found it on their lawn under a tree. It resembled a very small brown derby, closed top and bottom, clearly hollow — it was as light as a feather.
The Koneys wondered what it could be. We asked for help, and we have gotten requests for other views of this odd object. Peggy sent in photos from other angles. We hope these help. (Thanks, Peggy!)
Any ideas? Please post your answer in the "Comments" section below. 
Don't miss our next guided walk — at Laurel Hill in Secaucus at 10 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 2. We'll look for Ospreys and other raptors, waterfowl, shorebirds and whatever else turns up. The walk is brought to you by the N.J. Meadowlands Commission and the Bergen County Audubon Society.
A visit earlier in the week brought lots of herons and egrets and cormorants along the Hackensack River.
For a list of the 28 species of birds we saw on Oct. 3, 2010, at Laurel Hill, click here.
Full info follows.
The Meadowlands Commission has made some daring bird rescues in the past, but Kirk Weber, one of the guides on our pontoon boat cruises, may have won top prize on Tuesday evening.
His boat was headed along the Hackensack River when someone noticed a gull stuck to a piling.
Annette Hergert of Westfield was on the cruise with her husband and a camera, and she sent Kirk several photos.
Kirk describes her as "a great lady and far and away the strongest proponent of the rescue effort."
The story, more photos, and links to earlier rescues follow.
Our latest post on "Focus on the Meadowlands" on wildnewjersey.tv features a photo that proves a bird in the hand is worth …, plus a shot of the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission's new River Barge Park and Marina, and pic of that American Avocet still hanging out in Harrier Meadow (last time we checked).
The link is here.
John Gavin of The Record had a nice story on the dedication of River Barge park yesterday.
Link is here.
To see what we might expect in the Meadowlands in October, we thought we'd post a few highlights from last October.
Oct. 1: Bird-Banding Totals for September
Oct. 8: Kestrel Eating Praying Mantis in Flight
Oct. 11: How To Photograph a Grasshopper
Oct. 15: Snapping Turtle, Disposal Road
Oct. 21: All About the Transco Trail
Oct. 22: Red-tail, Up-close
Oct. 29: DeKorte Rainbow
Yikes — forgot to link to our "Focus on the Meadowlands" post on wildnewjersey.tv last week.
The pix of the week included an American Kestrel, one of its future meals, and a Gray-cheeked Thrush from NJMC Naturalist Mike Newhouse's bird-banding demonstration at BirdFest earlier this month.
Link is here.
The official dedication of the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission's River Barge Park and Marina in
Carlstadt was this morning.
The 5.5-acre site includes a public boat ramp, a marina, an environmental education pavilion,and great views of the Hackensack River.
We'll post more on the blog when the park and boat ramp open in the near future.
This is a photo of a baby Snapping Turtle making its way to the water on the beach by Teal Pool near the far parking lot, opposite the Science Center and Observatory. (Thanks, Dale!)