Writer Dana Jennings has a nifty article today in The New York Times today about the Meadowlands.

Writes Jennings:  "Monet had his haystacks, Degas had his dancers, and I have the New Jersey Meadowlands from the window of my Midtown Direct train as I travel to and from Manhattan.

"…the Meadowlands never disappoints. Its shifting weave of light, color and texture hone and enchant the eye. The sure and subtle muscle of the Hackensack River is sometimes just a blue mirror, but when riled and roiled by wind and rain it becomes home to slate-gray runes. The scruff, scrub and brush are prickly and persistent, just like certain denizens of New Jersey."

The link is here.

This butterfly is a Pipevine Swallowtail, seen at DeKorte on the July 1 Butterfly Walk — for the first time this year.

With Butterfly Day just 11 days away, we have compiled a Butterfly Checklist for DeKorte Park, combining our observations over the past four years with the North American Butterly Association's checklist for DeKorte Park (Thanks, NABA!)

The list is below — copy and paste to make your own checklist.

You can also download our free "Butterflies of DeKorte Park" brochure, featuring photos of the most common butterflies seen in the park.

(We know, enough with the Monarchs already!)

Link is here.

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We saw this at toward the end of our July 1 "Butterflies for Beginners (and Experts)" event at DeKorte Park.

Yes, it's a swallowtail, but what variety? (Side view below.)

Next Tuesday is our next birding event with the Bergen County Audubon Society — our third annual Birding By Boat cruise on the Hackensack River and its marshes. We hope to see Ospreys, shorebirds, waders and more.

The two-hour cruise is on Tuesday, July 17, at 10 a.m. Suggested donation is (the bargain price of) $15.  Reserve your seat now!

For a list of birds we saw on last July's trip, click here.

Note: You can also sign up for a Birding by Boat cruise scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 28, at 10 a.m.

Full info follows.

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Chris Takacs writes:

"Took photos of a young(?) fox across the road in Secaucus Sunday early morning." (Thanks, Chris!)

We have tallies through June for the folks involved in the Meadowlands Big Year competition.

Although there has been a change atiop the laederboard, we have to say the birding must have been a tad slow in June.

Congrats to all for competing. We hope you are having fun close to home, and we hope you start seeing new species again real soon.

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!

The leader board as of June 30 follows below (just to heighten the suspense).  Also posting the standings as of May 31 below…

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Ron Shields writes:

At high noon on the hottest day of the year, what would be a more suitable visitor to Disposal Road than a vulture. 

In this case, it's a turkey vulture cruising low and slow over the arid and hot landfill. 

Recent raptor sightings have included both the male and female
Northern Harrier, Osprey, Peregrine Falcon and Kestrel (Kearny Marsh).

Had 13 species of butterflies in very good numbers (including Common Buckeye, above), plus a
Clear-winged Moth (right), in Jill's Garden at DeKorte Park this afternoon.

We are seeing a lot more species, and in better numbers than we have at this time in the past few years.

Full list follows.

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The figures are almost in for the Meadowlands Big Year participants as of June 30.

Will publish on Monday all the counts we have.