Now that the warm weather is upon us, we thought it best to remind everyone that tick season is upon us as well.
When you exploring nature and looking for birds or butterflies, it's best to stay on trails, use bug spray with DEET, and inspect yourself for ticks after you've been walking in a park or natural area.
More about safeguarding yourself against ticks is here.
Help the legendary Meadowlands Marsh Hawks!
They are preparing for their second World Series of Birding on Saturday, May 12. They will be competing in the county-wide category, trying to see as many species of birds in Bergen County in 24 hours as they can — and raise money for a new native butterfly/bird garden planned for the Carillon area on Disposal Road.
Last year, the Marsh Hawks raised hundreds of dollars for bird research in the Meadowlands.
For more information on supporting the Marsh Hawks, download the Pledge Sheet here: Download Pledge sheet
If you contribute $25 or more, you will have a chance to win a spiffy official Meadowlands Marsh Hawks cap and T shirt.
Or e-mail Team Captain Mike Newhouse at michael.newhouse (at) njmeadowlands.gov.
We had 55 folks praticipate in yesterday's "Birding for Beginners" class and walk, run by Bergen County Audubon Society and hosted by the Meadowlands Commission.
We had 37 species of birds on our walk — including a pair of Ospreys hunting over the Shorebird Pool, a couple of Forster's Terns and swallows everywhere.
Full list follows. (Thanks to Roy Woodford for the Barn Swallow photo above from yesterday, and thanks to all who participated!)
We have seen Ospreys on two of the three established Osprey nests in the Meadowlands — in Kearny (above) and Carlstadt along the Hackensack River. Have not checked on the Jersey City nest yet.
Please let us know if you see activity at the Jersey City nest — or any new nesting sites.
Just a reminder: Our Third-Tuesday-of-the-Month Bird Walk with the NJMC and BCAS takes us to the legendary Harrier Meadow in North Arlington, where we'll see a bird-banding demonstration before venturing into this 70-acre natural area.
The two-hour walk starts at 10 a.m. — you can meet us at the entrance to Harrier Meadow at 10 sharp or meet us in the visitor's parking lot at DeKorte Park by 9:40 a.m. Directions to both places are in the lefthand column of this blog.
Harrier Meadow, usually off limits to the public, features ponds and tidal impoundments and birds aplenty.
The walk is run by the N.J. Meadowlands Commission and the Bergen County Audubon Society. Check meadowblog.net for last-minute updates. You will have to sign a standard liability release that is good for NJMC/BCAS events throughout the year. To rsvp, contact Don Torino of the BCAS at greatauk4@aol.com or 201-230-4983.
Nellie Tsipoura of New Jersey Audubon writes:
Dear Shorebird Citizen Scientist,
It is time to start thinking about the spring migration surveys!
Please let us know if you are able to participate in the 2012 survey.
The spring migration surveys should be conducted once a week between April 27 and June 10. The data sheet is available at: http://www.njaudubon.org/Portals/10/CitizenScience/PDF/Shorebird_Survey_spring2012_datasheet.pdf.
For those of you who are interested in surveying for the fall migration, fall surveys start in mid-July and counts are conducted once every 10 days.
Please email me or Nellie (nellie.tsipoura@njaudubon.org) if you have any questions. Counters are especially needed in South Jersey, so spread the word.