Regina Geoghan writes:
"Had to share – so excited that I finally got the opportunity to get a shot of one of these beauties.
"Couldn't believe that he stayed close enough for long enough to get the shot in nice light.
"Mill Creek a little after 4 on Tuesday as the tide was starting to come in.
(Thansk, Regina!)
We had a great walk in Harrier Meadow on Tuesday, kicked off with a bird-banding demonstration by the Meadowlands Commission's Mike Newhouse. (Great to see so many new faces and familiar faces!)
Walk highlights included a Blue-winged Teal, a Spotted Sandpiper and lots of raptors.
Full list follows. (Thanks, Denise, for help with the list, and thanks to Marie Longo for the photo!)
Yesterday we asked you to test your observation skills by counting the number of charismatic juncos you could see in the above photo.
The answer is four, nicely numbered for all to see.
Congrats to Jim Kuehlke for posting the right answer (and Mike G. for hedging his bet), and thanks again to Mickey Raine for supplying the teaser!
This amazing swallow box arrived Tuesday — it's really too nice to put outdoors. Think of it as the Faberge egg of nest boxes.
We'll post more pix, with more info, later.
We have a great free, family-friendly lineup at DeKorte Park this Sunday:
10 – 10:25 a.m. "Rebounding Raptors of the Meadowlands," slide show and talk by Jim Wright, who keeps this blog. Meadowlands Environment Center.
10:30 – noon. Bird walk along the Marsh Discovery Trail and Transco Trail, looking for Ospreys, other raptors and other birds. Starts inside the Meadowlands Environment Center.
12:20 – 12:50 p.m. "Meadowlands, a Wetlands Survival Story," slide show, talk and book signing with the acclaimed children's author Tom Yezerski. Meadowlands Environment Center.
1 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. "Birding for Beginners," slide show and talk on birding optics. Meadowlands Environment Center.
1:30 – 3 p.m.: 10:30 -noon. Bird walk along the Marsh Discovery Trail, looking for Ospreys and other birds. Starts inside the Meadowlands Environment Center.
Mickey Raine asks: "How many Dark-eyed Juncos are in this photo, taken earlier this month in DeKorte?" (There were still plenty around as of late last week.)
Test your observation skills and let us know. (Thanks, Mickey!)
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.
