Mike Britt posted the following bird report on Jersey Birds a short while ago — with highlights including 15,000 Semipalmated Sandpipers, a Blue Grosbeak (along Disposal Road).

Full list follows. (Thanks, Mike!)

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Our first-Sunday walk for August at DeKorte Park attracted dozens of birders and hundreds upon hundreds upon hundreds of peeps.

The tide was coming in, covering the mud flats and pushing the birds into the Shorebird Pool, where water levels have been reduced for the next eight days.

Repeat: Shorebird Pool water levels will be lower for the next eight days.

Highlights included Short-billed Dowitchers, an estimated gazillion Semipalmated Sandpipers, a Black-crowned Night Heron and fishing Ospreys.

We also had some great butterflies (Fiery Skipper, Painted Lady, eyc.) and a Hummingbird Clear-winged Moth.

The free walk was sponsored by the N.J. Meadowlands Commission of the Bergen County Audubon Society. Thanks to all who participated! We will post a full list later in the week.

Our latest Focus on the Meadowlands for the wildnewjersey.tv blog features a Diamondback Terrapin photographed on one of the Meadowlands Commission's pontoon-boat cruises (available to the public), and a most-unusual sign at DeKorte Park, and Plume Moth (in honor of National Moth Week last week).

The link is here.

Our next walk with the Bergen County Audubon Society is Sunday at 10 a.m. in DeKorte Park.

We'll be looking for shorebirds, butterflies, you name it.

With a little luck, we'll have lower water levels in the Shore Bird Pool, too!

Details follow.

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Chris Takacs reports:

"I took this Tuesday night Northern Shoveler in Shore Bird Pool from Transco Trail."  (Thanks, Chris!)

Here some recent images from DeKorte Park. They include one of several kestrels, a pair of inquisitive ravens and some gadwall ducklings (above).

Now, take a close look at the red-tailed hawk (below).Notice anything familiar?  It's the falconer's hawk from the fall with jesses (visible) and bells (not visible). You can still hear the jingling as the raptor takes flight.

Pix of kestrel and ravens follow.

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One of the neat things we saw on Moth Night at DeKorte Park last week, in conjunction with National Moth Week, was a  Cicada molting.

The whole sequence follows.

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  It's August, and we are asking for Meadowlands Big Year participants to e-mail us their totals so far (if they have not done so already; please include the words "Meadowlands Big Year" in the e-mail). 

There's five months left, so feel free to jump in and join the fun. It costs nothing to participate, and we are offering some nifty prizes.

If you are competing off the radar, please e-mail Jim Wright at jim.wright (at) njmeadowlands.gov so we know you are out there. 

Much appreciated, and good luck to all.  Thanks to those who have updated their numbers already!

Competition details are here.

Now is a great time to see Marsh Mallows in the Meadowlands.

These are just off Disposal Road in Lyndhurst/North Arlington. (Thanks, Marcia!)

All about Marsh Mallows and marshmallows here.

To anticipate what we might see in the Meadowlands this month, we thought we'd look back to see what was seen last year at this time.

Here are some August 2011 highlights:

August 5: Osprey Report

August 15: DeKorte Park's Disabled-friendly Trails

August 18: A Thatched Roof From Phrags

August 22: Kevin Karlson Day: The Full List

August 22: Stilt Sandpipers

August 29: American Avocet, Harrier Meadow