Saturday was our fourth annual Kevin Karlson Shorebird Day, highlighted by the young Tricolored Heron, several Least Bitterns, a Peregrine Falcon and — at day's end — an American White Pelican. (Full list is below.)

Erinn Connor of The Record wrote a nifty story for Sunday's editions. The link is here.

We want to thank Kevin Karlson and his fellow professional nature photographer Lloyd Spitalnik for joining us for a great day of walks, talks, slide shows and workshops.

We also want to thank the folks who helped us on the walks, including Denise Farrell, Don Torino, Rob Fanning, and Peggy O'Neill, plus everyone who participated in the nifty annual event.

Finally, we want to thank NJMC naturalsit Mike Newhouse for lowering the water levels in the Shorebird Pool, a key factor in attracting so many awesome birds. Adjusting water levels is an art, and a lot of hard work. (Thanks, Mike!)

The full list of birds follows.

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Chris Takacs reports:

"I saw the American White Pelican this morning at Kearny Marsh East on the north side of the Belleville Turnpike, (Route 7).

"I saw the bird 3 separate occasions until it took to the air at 9 a.m. flying off toward Jersey City. Tricolored Heron was also seen at Kearny East"

[Note: Could be a different Tricolored, since we still are seeing one at DeKorte.]

(Thanks for the report and above photo, Chris!)

We saw two young Least Bitterns and the young Tricolored along the Marsh Discovery Trail on our lunch hour today.

Chris Takacs reports that a total of four young Least Bitterns and two adults have been seen since Friday — or six total. (Chris also took the shot above; thanks, Chris!)

The Tricolored Heron was seen working the shoreline along the East Pool of the Shorebird Pool.

We hope to post the full bird list from Saturday's Kevin Karlson Shorebird Day on Tuesday.

Please let us know of any good sightings — jim.wright (at) njmeadowlands.gov

In all the hoopla surrounding Kevin Karlson Shorebird Day and the great birds we have been getting in the Shorebird Pool, we neglected to post this great shot of a Laughing Gull at DeKorte, taken earlier this month by Stephen Buckingham.

We don't get many of these each summer, so this was a particularly welcome shot.  (Thanks, Steve!)

More of Steve's Laughing Gull pics are here.

Nature Photographer Marco van Brabant, a major contributor to the Meadowlands Commission's upcoming coffee-table book "The Nature of the Meadowlands," has a gallery show at the Englewood Library throught the end of this month.

The show is entitled "My Wilderness, Urban Landscapes of the Meadowlands." A link is here.

The library is located at 31 Engle Street in Englewood.

Chris Takacs and Roy Woodford report that the Least Bitterns and young Tricolored Heron continue at DeKorte Park. Chris counted at least four fuzzy-headed young bitterns.

(Thanks, Chris and Roy! Above photo by Roy Woodford.)

Ray Duffy reports:

The pelican is viewable from Laurel Hill as of 7:52 a.m. Sunday.

Bird is in impoundment north of eastern spur viewable from closed train bridge. 

Technically may be Kearny Marsh East or the part of the water by wmca radio towers.  I got a report it was roosting last night at Anderson Marsh.

Thanks, Ray, and thanks to Roy Woodford for the photo — taken yesterday at DeKorte.

Fourth Annual Kevin Karlson Shorebird Day at DeKorte was a great success, with some amazing birds — including the young and mostly cooperative Tricolored Heron, several Least Bitterns, an American White Pelican (below, thanks to Fred Virazzi and Chris Takacs) , a Peregrine, Ospreys … Well, you get the picture.

Between the walks, the talks and the photography workshop, the event drew more than 100 people. A big thank you to Kevin, his colleague Lloyd Spitalnik, and to all the fine folks who shared their day with us.

We will post more pix and a ful bird list in the coming week.

Toward the beginning of the Marsh Discovery Trail by the front gate… about 150 yards in… (Time for a bigger lens….)