The Freedom Tower, on right, is now New York City's tallest building, and quite apparent from many vantage points in the Meadowlands. One-hundred floors have now been completed. Photo was taken at DeKorte Park at sunrise last week.
More info on the building is here.
The spring blooms are out in full force in DeKorte Park these days.
Regina Geoghan was nice enough to share some of the photos she took of nature's finery in the park last weekend. The photo above is of a Lenten Rose. The photo below is of Forsythia. (Thanks, Regina!)
Two more photos follow.
We had a veritable three-way tie in Sunday's contest to identify the most bogus bird species on our April Fool's Day walk. (Bogus birds are here.)
As a tiebreaker, we pulled a name out of an N.J. Meadowlands Commission cap. The grand-prize winner, of a two-hour NJMC pontoon-boat cruise this summer, is Lee Magadini of Hoboken.
First runners-up were Toy Gordon of North Bergen and Kathy Sauerborn. They won a signed copy of a print of an illustration of an Osprey over DeKorte Park — from "Meadowlands," by Thomas F. Yezerski (below), now available at the Tideland Treasures Gift Shop in the MEC.
Greg Miller passed along some recent shots, including this odd Canada Goose, above. Is it in molt, a tad leucistic or…? Your thoughts most welcome.
Photo of an Osprey with a fish, and a Brown Creeper, follow. There have been many Brown Creeper sightings in the Lyndhurst Nature Reserve of late, and Edna Duffy reports seeing an Osrey bringing nesting materials to the Kearny nest.
(Thanks, Greg, and thanks, Edna.)
Roy Woodford got this shot of an American Widgeon late yesterday afternoon from the Lyndhurst Nature Reserve. (Thanks, Roy!)
We have tallies through March for most of the folks involved in the Meadowlands Big Year competition.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:
1. Julie McCall: 87 species (lives in district)
2. Mike Newhouse 86 (NJMC naturalist, setting a target number for competitors)
3. Chris Takacs: 84 (lives in district; counting birds within district boundaries, not district towns)
4. Ray Duffy: 83 (lives in district)
5. Doug Morel: 80 (out of district)
6. Ramon and Lillian Gomez of West New York: 79 (out of district)
7. Jim Wright: 78 (NJMC staff)
8. Roy Woodford: 69 (out of district)
9. Dennis Cheeseman: 64 (out of district)
10. Rob Fanning: 47 (out of district)
Still time to join the fun! (Congrats to all!)
P.S. If any competitors would like to join Mike Newhouse for his daily morning bird-banding, let us know. You can reach him via Jim Wright at the e-mail address above.
As part of Sunday's April Fool's Day Bird Walk, we challenged participants to find and ID as many as seven bogus birds or bird groupings placed along the Marsh Discovery Trail, including the Upland Sandpiper (in a somewhat wooden pose, above) and the egret species (below).
Four more photos and IDs follow — including one obscure bird from Central America that (not surprisingly) nobody correctly ID'd.
Ron Shields writes:
"Although the action at Disposal Road has slowed, there are still some remarkable moments if you put in the time. Throughout last week, Turkey Vultures (a rarity?) were seen regularly flying low over the Kingsland Landfill.
"In addition, the Gray Ghost (above) has been patrolling Disposal Road for food and what seemed to be nesting materials. He has been quite consistent and predictable in his movements.
"Kestrels have become common again, with as many as three birds perching and hunting from the various pipes/trees.
"On Sunday, I saw the 'lost" falconer's Red-tailed Hawk for the first time in about a month perched along Valley Brook Road."
American Kestrels are a threatened species in New Jersey; they breed here. Breeding Northern Harriers are an endangered species; they breed here as well. And Turkey Vultures just aren't seen that much around here.
Photo of an American Kestrel and of a Turkey Vulture follow. (Thanks, Ron!)
DeKorte Park will be open Sunday, April 8, but the Meadowlands Environment Center (and its restrooms) will be closed.
