Two weeks ago we asked you to find a camouflaged bird. This week, let us know how many birds you see in the photo, and what they are.

If you were on last month's Harrier Meadow walk, you have a leg up.

Answer tomorrow.

One of the nifty aspects of a walk with a larger group is that there are so many sets of eyes. Highlights of the Mill Creek guided walk yesterday included a slow-moving Garter Snake out sunning itself. (Thanks, Lillian, for pointing it out!)

Because some folks can't stand photos of snakes we are posting this on the jump.

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We have tallies through February for many of the eight folks involved in the Meadowlands Big Year.

Congrats to all for competing. We hope you are having fun close to home, and seeing lots of great birds.

Keep in mind that some birders are in the Meadowlands all the time, and others get here occasionally, so their birdage may differ.

(These are unofficial numbers, and obviously change all the time.)

If you're name's not on the list, please e-mail Jim Wright at jim.wright (at) njmeadowlands.gov. It's not too late to participate!

Here is the leader board, with the January total in parentheses):

1. Chris Takacs:  76 secies (67 as og Jan. 31, lives in district; counting birds within district boundaries, not district towns)
1. Julie McCall:  76  (66 species, lives in district)
3. Mike Newhouse 72, (66, NJMC naturalist, setting a target number for competitors) 
4. Jim Wright  70 (54, NJMC staff, ineligible)
5. Doug Morel: 67 (53, out of district)
6. Ray Duffy:  66 (51, lives in district)
7. Ramon and Lillian of West New York: 55 (40 species, out of district)
8. Dennis Cheeseman: 52 (31, out of district)

Have not heard from one birder … Still time for any to join the fun!

Ron Shields took an amazing action sequence of the Great Blue Heron catching a fish in more ways than one last week.

Writes Ron: "Attached please find a series of images from Wednesday afternoon featuring the local Great Blue Heron demonstrating its unique fishing abilities in the cove at the beginning of the Marsh
Discovery Trail. 

"I'm assuming the meal is a [former] bluegill."

The sequence goes from speared fish to the fish tossed in the air to the fish caught between the bill.

The photos are a little raw, so to speak, and possibly not for the overly squeamish, so we will post the "food chain" shots on the jump.

 (Thanks, Ron!) 

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Billy Kaselow reports:

My Dad and I did some short birding at DeKorte today. We got the
overwintering Orange-Crowned Warbler as well as some other relatively
notable birds. (Thanks, Billy!)

Here's our list:
1 Orange-Crowned Warbler
1 RC Kinglet
1 Brown Creeper
5 Killdeer
2 Harrier
15+ Red+-Winged Blackbirds
3 Common Mergansers
And all the regular ducks and gulls made appearances as well.

Bergen County Audubon and the Meadowlands Commission walk this a.m. at Mill Creek Marsh had an Orange-crown as well.

Full Mill Creek walk list later in the week…

 On Monday, we plan to post the current tallies for the Meadowlands Big Year competition.

Did someone say it was a very close competition?

If you haven't sent in your tally as of Feb. 29, please do so.  

It's not too late to join in the fun. Just let the NJMC's Jim Wright know if you are competing.

Our next free guided walk is this Sunday at Mill Creek Marsh in Secaucus. Target birds include Bald eagle, Northern Harrier, American Kestrel (we do love our raptors) and lots of duck species, inluding maybe even that elusive Eurasion Teal.

The two-hour walk, brought to you by the Meadowlands Commission and the Bergen County Audubon Society, begins at 10 a.m.

Question: Why is this Sunday the most aggressive day of the year?

The answer — and full information on the walk — follows.

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 R. T. Geoghan and Ron Shields were both on hand on Wednesday when the Great Blue that hangs out by the Marsh Discovery Trail managed to land a nice fish.

We thought we'd post R.T.'s shot today, and Ron's action sequence on Monday… 

(Thanks, R.T.!)

Our latest post for the wildnewjersey.tv nature blog features:

* a lingering Canvasback

* the view from Kearny Marsh

* and some Harrier Meadow birds hidden in plain sight. 

The link is here.

It's March 1, and we are asking for Meadowlands Big Year participants to e-mail us their totals so far (if they have not done so already. 

At last count, seven birders have announced they are competing in this friendly competition to promote birding in the Meadowlands.

As a side contest, they are competing against the NJMC's Mike Newhouse as well.

There's still 10 months left, so feel free to jump in and join the fun. It costs nothing to participate, and we are offering some nifty prizes.

If you are competing off the radar, please e-mail Jim Wright at jim.wright (at) njmeadowlands.gov so we know you are out there. 

Much appreciated, and good luck to all.  Thanks to those who have updated their numbers already!

Competition details are here.