Start the fall birding season with a free, NFL-themed “Back to Football” Bird Walk at DeKorte Park in Lyndhurst on Sunday, Sept. 1, at 10 a.m.

The guided, two-hour walk, sponsored by the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission (NJMC) and the Bergen County Audubon Society (BCAS), has a special National Football League theme – and seven nifty prizes.

To celebrate the opening week of the 2013 season, we’re offering prizes to the first person on the walk who sees any bird species with the same name as a pro-football team: Cardinal, Raven, Falcon, Eagle, Seahawk (Osprey), Giant (Great) Egret  and Giant (great) Blue Heron.  All seven team bird species can be seen in the park. The 2013 season culminates with Super Bowl XLVIII at MetLife Stadium in nearby East Rutherford in February 2014.

The walk meets outside the Meadowlands Environment Center. Check meadowblog.net for last-minute weather updates. You will have to sign a standard liability release that is good for NJMC/BCAS events throughout the year. To rsvp, contact Don Torino of the BCAS at greatauk4@aol.com or 201-230-4983. The Meadowlands Environment Center’s phone number is 201-777-2431.