We're pleased to announce that Tom Yezerski, author the acclaimed Children's book "Meadowlands," will join us at DeKorte Park on Earth Day (Sunday, Aptr. 22) for a talk and book signing.

The free, family-friendly event runs from 12:20 p.m. to 1 p.m. in the Meadowlands Environment Center. It is sponsored by the Meadwolands Commission and the Begen County Audubon Society.

Also Earth Day: at 10 a.m., the NJMC's Jim Wright will do a brief talk and slide show on the rebounding Raptors of the Meadowlands (and you thought they played in Toronto), followed by a nature walk that runs until noon.

At 1 p.m., following Tom's talk and signing, there'll be a Birding for Beginners Class on birding optics, followed by another walk to test drive what you learned…

Julie McCall reports:

I was at Laurel Hill Tuesday morning, and counted FIFTY Black-crowned Night Herons.  That's not an estimate, I actually counted each individual bird.  Pretty nifty.  

I also had at least 4 Osprey – 4 was the high count I had in sight at once.  There was an awful lot of interaction among them.  They seemed to be squabbling for the rights to sit on top of the lights over the fields.

I stood next to one of the ballfields for about ten minutes while the Ospreys bickered right over my head.  At one point, one Osprey got too close to the nest for comfort, and it was promptly chased off by one of the Common 
Ravens.  Other raptors included an American Kestrel, a Peregrine Falcon, an adult Bald Eagle, and the silhouettes of 3 Buteos.

Also of note: 1 Yellow-rumped Warbler, 1 flyover Common Loon, and 2 Tree Swallows fighting with a Northern Mockingbird that was too close to their nest box.  (That Mockingbird must have aspirations to be an Osprey.)

(Thanks, Julie!)

Yesterday's Teaser asked: What is this? 

It's a Northern Mockingbird's eye, photographed last fall at the bird-banding station. Not to worry — the photo is really cropped (as is the one below).

Congrats to Ray Duffy and others who put the right  "eye" in ID.