Just a heads up:  Due to damage caused by Hurricane Sandy, several waste water treatment facilities in the state are off-line, resulting in the temporary runoff of effluents into certain waterways, including parts of the Hackensack River.

As a public health and safety precaution, the Department of Environmental Protection is advising recreational boaters, anglers and crabbers to temporarily avoid these waterways and is advising residents not to eat any fish, crustaceans or shellfish from these waters due to contamination from pathogens – bacteria and viruses.

For more DEP hurricane-related information, click here.

For the Meadowlands Commission's annual report, we needed to mention some of the unusual or charismatic birds seen in the Meadowlands this year  — like the Least Bitterns, the Tricolored Heron, the Soras and so forth.

That got us to thinking — what will be next major sighting in the Meadowlands, and when?  Rough-legged Hawks?  Snowy Owl? Northern Shrike? Perhaps the ill wind of Hurricane Sandy will bring in a "good bird."

What do you think? E-mail your prediction to us.

The winner gets a pat on the back and an Osprey print (above) by illustrator Tom Yezerski (the print is also available at the awesome gift shop in DeKorte Park's Environment Center, along with some awesome new Meadowlands notecards).

What with Hurrcane Sandy and all, we lost track of our Big Year event. We are asking for Meadowlands Big Year participants to e-mail us their totals through October if they have not done so already.

Please send them to jim.wright (at) njmeadowlands.gov and include the words "Meadowlands Big Year" in the e-mail). 

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

Competition details are here.