As many of you know, DeKorte Park and its trails have taken a beating from recent hurricanes. That’s why the Meadowlands Commission is delighted to announce that the Lyndhurst Nature Reserve is officially reopening today, along with the trail from administration building out to the Saw Mill Creek Trail.

What’s more, the 1.25-mile loop trail from the administration building to the Saw Mill Creek Trail to The Carillon and back to the administration building (via the Transco Trail) should be opening soon as well.

We’re sorry for the inconvenience. The great news is these trails — and the Lyndhurst Nature Reserve — will be more beautiful than before. Still left to to do: To seed some of the barren areas adjacent to the trail.  We’ll be seeding with an annual rye for now since we’ve missed the window for seeding with a more expensive meadow mix.  We’ll seed the meadow in the fall.

(A big thank you to the NJMC’s Joanne DiLorenzo for her work on this project.)

The shot above is the trail  now.  We will have our first official walk on this trail with Bergen County Audubon Society on Sunday, July 7.

The photo below, by Marco Van Brabant, is the trail just past Lyndhurst Nature Reserve during Superstorm Sandy. (Thanks, Marco, but not recommended!)

Regina Geoghan reminds us that DeKorte Park’s gardens and patches of day lilies are going full tilt these days.   Just check out Regina’s photo (above) and another that follows.

Continue reading →

These guys are everywhere these days, if not ubiquitous!

What are they?

Chris Takacs writes:

Saw this guy [Sunday] morning from a distance and very briefly along Saw Mill flats and 1-E landfill.

This is the best shot of a Meadowlands coyote we’ve ever seen. Thanks, Chris!

The Meadowlands Commission and Bergen County Audubon have a full plate of awesome events for July:

* A free nature walk at DeKorte Park on Sunday, July 7, at 10 a.m.

*A free Butterflies for Beginners talk and walk at DeKorte Parkon Sunday, July 7, at 1 p.m.

*A Birding by Boat pontoon boat cruise from River Barge Park  on Tuesday, July 16, at 10 a.m. ($15 person, suggested donation; seating limited; sIgn up now.)

*A free Moth Night at DeKorte Park on Monday, July 22, 8:30 p.m. to 11 p.m.

A free Butterfly Day at DeKorte Park on Sunday, July 28 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Details follow. Continue reading →

Ron Shields writes:

The Killdeer eggs in the nest at the bus parking lot off Disposal Road  hatched on 6/21/13. I managed to get a pic of two Killfawns from the batch looking for mom in the early evening.

The Baltimore Oriole chick (below) was found above its nest this morning (6/22/13). After a few feedings by dad, the Oriolette returned to the safety of the nest.  (Thanks, Ron!)

We had a great walk at Laurel Hill on Tuesday, featuring some very nice folks and  — as co-leader
Don Torino boasted — we had “Ravens, Osprey, Peregrine and a Pterodactyl.”

The latter was a lifer for many.

Also had six butterfly species (nice!).

The walk was sponsored by the Bergen County Audubon Society and the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission.

Full list follows, thanks to Denise Farrell. Continue reading →

Our mystery tree from last week has been identified by botanist extraordinaire Edith Wallace as “Siberian elm. Ulmus pumila. Unusual elm as the base of the leaf of symmetrical. Invasive tree in some areas.”

(Thanks, Edith!)

We are switching blog providers, and it will take some time to make all the necessary changes and transfers.

Please bear with us, and e-mail us if you have any suggestions for improving the blog.  E-mail us at jim.wright (at) njmeadowlands.gov (Thanks to Dennis Cheeseman for the groundhog shot!)

Dennis Cheeseman, who took the photo late last week at MCM,  wonders if this duck is early or late….

Not sure, but it is safe to say this No. Sho. is no no-show.

(Thanks, Dennis!)