The Meadowlands Commission is pleased to announce that the Transco Trail is now open again for its entire length, from the AMVETS Carillon on Disposal Road all the way to the western spur of the New Jersey Turnpike — nearly a mile long.

You can now take the Marsh Discovery Trail and Transco Trail and do a loop back to the parking lot again. The trail had been scheduled to be closed through June 30, so this is especially good news.

Thank you for your patience. Williams (Transco Pipeline) was conducting a pressure test of the natural-gas pipeline, and the testing is now done.

Ron Shields reports:

With an incoming tide, the Saw Mill Creek Trail was extremely active one night last week just before dusk. 

Highlights included at least ten Black-crowned Night Herons huddled on the mudflats at the beginning of the trail, a flyover Osprey with the catch of the day, a Gray Ghost retreating to Harrier Meadow, three Black Skimmers (7:45PM) that made several passes throughout the impoundments, and a Peregrine Falcon that made a few unsuccessful attempts at supper before catching and devouring a shorebird. 

With all that, it was the low pressure clouds and the light they reflected that really stole the show for me.

Roy Woodford writes:

All those hours standing on Disposal Road waiting for Northern Harrier fly-bys with Ron Shields definitely didn't go to waste.  The stories of what he was able to see and photograph convinced me to go buy a kayak. 

I'll have to admit, shooting from a boat gives some unique perspectives and opportunities that you wouldn't otherwise get … and it's more difficult than I thought it would be.

 Nonetheless, in the four hours I was out there I found tons of Tree Swallows, Barn Swallows and Red-winged Blackbirds all buzzing by within feet of my head.  I also came across Common Moorhens, American Coots, Wood Ducks, Mallards, Semipalmated Sandpipers (I think – check the picture), Killdeer, Osprey, one Least Bittern , Swamp Sparrows, Great Egrets, Great Blue Herons, and Black-crowned Night Herons (and many other species I can't identify). 

There are lots of Painted Turtles (I think) and Snapping Turtles as well.  I'm sure I missed a ton of things … I could spend all day out there.

Three more pix follow.

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