Ron Shields photographed this little guy — a baby Killdeer — recently by the AmVets Carillon. Please drive slowly on Disposal Road.

(Thanks to Ron Shields for the photo! Just wait till you see another Killeer shot fropm Ron later this week.)

We have some tallies as of April 30 from the dozen folks in the Meadowlands Big Year for 2013.

Congrats to all for competing. We hope you are having fun near to home, and seeing lots of great birds.

Keep in mind that some birders are in the Meadowlands all the time, and others get here occasionally, so their birdage may differ drastically.

If you're name's not on the list, please e-mail Jim Wright at jim.wright (at) njmeadowlands.gov. It's still not too late! Sign up now!

Here is the leader board as of April 30:

1. Chris Takacs: 130, (2012 reigning champion, ineligible for prizes in 2013 as a result, lives in district)
2. Mike Newhouse 119 (NJMC, setting a target number for competitors)
3. Ray Duffy, 111 (in district)
4. Jackie DeMarco, 116 (out of district)
5. Mike Wolfe,  96 species (out of district)
6. Dennis Cheeseman, 107 (out of district)
7. Jim Wright,  100  (NJMC staff, ineligible for prizes)
8. Julie McCall, 95 (in district)
9. Mike Turso 90 (out of district)
10. Oliver Stringham, 89  (in district)
11.  Roy Woodford 88 (out of district)
12. Rob Fanning 76  (out of district)

Leader boards as of April 30 last year and March 31 of this year follow.

Continue reading →

On our Losen Slote Park guided walk yesterday, we saw a Bald Eagle flying over the meadow. Joe Koscielny got a photo.

When he inspected the image, he realized that eagle had a transmitter on its back.

That meant, in all likelihood, that it was Alice the Eagle, our local Bald eagle with a transmitter on her back. She is nesting nearby in Ridgefield Park.

Joe also took a photo of her on the nest yesterday, just after noon, from across Overpeck Creek. We have seen two eaglets in the nest. She is a busy mom. (Thanks, Joe!)

Regina Geoghan reports:

"Here are a couple of photos of the flowering trees in bloom at DeKorte from yesterday (Sunday)."

Another (even prettier) photo follows.

Continue reading →

Kearny Marsh is still in shock from Hurricane Sandy, which rearranged the Phragmites in terrible fashion, but live goes on. We got this shot last Thursday of a Tree Swallow house call. The male later assumed his post.

This is  the Meadowlands Commission's fifth annual Mother's Day Walk with Bergen County Audubon Society and the Ridgefield Environmental Commission, and it is — as they say in France — a doozie.

We'll start at the Ridgefield Nature Center, once the home of the Great Bear Water Co.

We'll check out the community gardens across the street.

We'll hop in our cars and look at the Ridgefield Monk Parakeets on the way to Skeetkill Creek Marsh.

When we're done, those who would like to see a nearby Bald Eagle nest can follow us to an undisclosed location.

Full info follows.

Continue reading →