Forster's Terns were by the Transo Trail entrance to the Marsh Discovery Trail on Friday in the rain. For every thing, there is a season…

Earth Day Cleanup 
Mill Creek Marsh, Secaucus
Sat., April 20, 9:30 – 11:30 a.m.

In honor of Earth Day, the N.J. Meadowlands Commission and the Bergen County Audubon Society are doing a cleanup of the Mill Creek Marsh walking trails on Saturday, April 20, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.  

This beautiful 207-acre marsh and park had several downed trees and lots of washed-up debris from Hurricane Sandy, and we want to remove the remaining brush and downed branches. We’ll also clean up any litter brought in with the tides.

Participants must wear work gloves and protective clothing and footwear and sign a liability release. The release will be available on Saturday, and is also ready for download now (see below). Participants must be at least 16 years old; 16- and 17-year-old participants must have the liability release signed by a parent or guardian.  For more information, e-mail the NJMC’s Jim Wright at jim.wright@njmeadowlands.gov or call him at 201-469-7349.

You can download a release here: Download 2013-njmc-cleanup release

Earth Day Brunch and Talk,

Kearny Public Library, Kearny

Sat., April 20, 12:30 – 3 p.m.

In honor of Earth Day, the Kearny Library is offering a presentation by the Community Garden Club and a slide show and talk about "The Nature of the Meadowlands," featuring author Jim Wright (who wrote the book for the Meadowlands Commission) and principal photographers Ron Shields of Kearny and Marco Van Brabant (who works in Kearny).

The event is free and features a light brunch. Everyone is welcome. The Kearny Public Library is located at 318 Kearny Ave. For more information on this or other programs, call (201) 998-2666 or visit www.kearnylibrary.org.

(Above: Wright, Shields and Van Brabant. Photo by Mike Malzone. Thanks, Mike!)

Ron writes:

"Here are some recent close-up shots from throughout the Meadowlands.

"The pheasant had surprisingly survived multiple Red-tailed Hawk attacks and was under its watchful eye when photographed."

Photos of the Ring-necked Pheasant, and an American Kestrel in flight, follow. (Thanks, Ron!)

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Celebrate the end of income-tax-filing season with this Harrier Meadow spring bird walk in North Arlington on Tuesday, Apr. 16.

We’ll walk around the 70-acre natural area, which is normally closed to the public, and look for Ospreys, early warblers, shorebirds and a snipe or two.

The tide should be out, so the mud flats should have good birds.

The walk starts at 10 a.m. — please park inside the Harrier Meadow gate as a result of PSE&G activity…

Full listing follows.

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To celebrate upcoming Earth Day, join Governor Thomas H. Kean and Jim Wright of the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission (NJMC) on Sunday for a free talk on New Jersey’s environment, featuring “The Nature of the Meadowlands,*” the NJMC’s new coffee-table book written by Jim.

Also appearing will be Bob Allen, Director of Conservation of The Nature Conservancy (TNC) in New Jersey, who will speak about TNC’s vision for land preservation in the Garden State.

The event will run from 2 to 3:30 p.m.at the Ridgewood Public Library, 125 N. Maple Ave. in  Ridgewood. 

More information follows.

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