Liberty Valance and Jeanie Curtis took some amazing photos of a baby Diamondback Terrapin at Mill Creek Marsh on Saturday. Liberty explains:
"We found a baby turtle/terrapin walking on the path…Jeanie almost stepped on it…we pu t it near the shore and it promptly buried itself."
Two more pix — and more info from the NJMC's resident Diamondback Terrapin expert, Brett Bragin — follows. (Thanks, Liberty, Jeanie and Brett!)
Liberty Valance and Jeanie Curtis took some amazing photos of a baby Diamondback Terrapin at Mill Creek Marsh last weekend.
We'll post more pix and more information about baby Diamondbacks tomorrow.
Just returned from the Carillon area along Disposal Road in North Arlington/Lyndhurst. Across from the Carillon is a detention pond with at least two Wilson's Snipe in it.
Above is a pic where we saw them moments ago — look for the gate across the pond.
Below is a shot of a Wilson's Snipe with a Killdeer. Barn Swallows and Brown-headed Cowbirds also about, along with the usual Am. Kestrel action.
(Thanks to Jackie DeMarco and Allan Sanford for the heads up!)
The answer to yesterday's Tuesday Teaser Times Ten (Minus One):
They are all sparrows!
Oh, you wanted to know the ID for each one? Sorry about that.
Answers, verified by ace NJMC naturalist Mike Newhouse, follow.
Marco Van Brabant reports:
"I had a Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher on Disposal Road [Tuesday] morning.
Sometimes it pays to do a 'drive-thru' before work. (Thanks, Marco!)
Jackie DeMarco reports:
"Last night [Tuesday night] Allan and I drove through the Meadowlands and decided to take a look at the Retention Pond across from the Carillon.
"Normally we just give it a quick once-over but last night we gave it the attention it deserves.
"It was chock-full of amazing birds! We spotted 2 Wilson's Snipes, a Spotted Sandpiper, 4 Palm Warblers and a Northern Waterthrush."
"In addition, we has just come from visiting Clay Ave. pond and spotted 4 Wilson's Snipe (pictured above), Greater Yellowlegs and a Snowy Egret. It was a busy evening for the Meadowlands! We are looking forward to the coming weeks!"
(Thanks, Jackie and Allan!)
Bergen County Audubon Society had a great turnout for its first of three free Birding For Beginners classes and walks this year — more then 60 people, and a bevy of birds.
The folks above are checking out a pair of close-in Blue-wing Teal (no lie!) We also had nice views of Am. Kestrels, and Tree Swallows galore.
The next Beginners talk and walk is this Sunday at 1 p.m. in the Meadowlands Environment Center in DeKorte Park, Lyndhurst.
Full list follows, followed by the listings for the remaining two Birding For Beginners talks and walks.
(Thanks to Marie Longo for the photo above, and the Modo Nest pic that follows!)
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.
Don Torino's latest column for the wildnewjersey.tv blog is about growing up in the Meadowlands and staying 
connected to nature.
A sample: "I am a proud child of the Meadowlands. I grew up thinking that the Red-winged Blackbird was our National symbol and Phragmities the state flower.
"I believed the Muskrat was more beautiful than any other animal on earth and jokes about Jimmy Hoffa being buried in the Meadowlands are in really poor taste.
"I also understood that getting stuck in mud was a rite of passage; a coming of age for all Meadowlands kids. After all, if you wanted the privilege and enjoyment of having the Meadowlands as your backyard playground and relish all the wonders it had to offer, you better get used to sinking in the muck more than a few times throughout your youth."
The link is here.
Two Blue-winged Teal continue at DeKorte Park, near shore, between the Environment Center and the Administration Building. Last seen 4:40 p.m. today.