Megan Helsel writes:

Not the greatest cellphone shot, but check out the harvest moon by kayak in Mill Creek!

(Thanks, Megan!)

Folks who enjoy birding along Disposal Road should be aware that two new speed bumps have been installed on Disposal Road near the access point of the North Arlington DPW (as you travel towards Schuyler).

These bumps were installed in order to create a safer roadway and, in particular, a safer intersection.

As always, be on the lookout for vehicles on all stretches of the roadway.

Mike Girone writes:

I put together an album from Tuesday’s “reunion” on Saw Mill Creek trail with the blue-taped juvenile Peregrine:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/80696806@N06/sets/72157635626483025/

Despite not having the actual band numbers, this is probably still likely the same blue-taped falcon seen exactly 1 month earlier on August 17 on this trail:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/80696806@N06/sets/72157635170720765/

Pretty cool that both times it’s been observed, it has had success hunting at DeKorte. It really is a perfect place for these young hunters to learn their craft! (Thanks, Mike!)

As promised, here’s the full bird list from Tuesday’s walk — a wonderful morning for a walk in the Meadowlands.  We had eagle, falcon, raven, cardinal, seahawk (Osprey) and more. Go team!

(A big thank you to Denise Farrell, Marie Longo and Ramon Gomez for their help in compiling the list!)

Full list follows. Continue reading →

The Meadowlands Environment Center in DeKorte Park is offering two great nature-themed programs in coming days.

First, the Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey offers a program on New Jersey’s threatened and endangered birds tomorrow afternoon (including Peregrine Falcons, like the one on right), followed by a talk by the legendary NJMC naturalist emeritus Don Smith on Sunday.

Both talks promise to be excellent.

Details follow.

Continue reading →

We are going with Patrick Carney’s Teaser answer (Mourning Underwing) and Denise Farrell’s answer (Sweetheart Underwing).

Denise points out that both moths resemble the one in the photo, and adds: “Makes ‘confusing fall’ warblers seem easy.   (Thanks, Patrick and Denise!)

More than 30 folks joined us for a beautiful walk in Harrier Meadow this morning. We tallied more than three-dozen species.

We hope to print the full bird list later this week.  The only down-side: It was too windy for NJMC Naturalist Mike Newhouse’s bird-banding demonstration.

A big thank you to everyone who participated.

MEC’s Maria Manzo found this large and wonderfully camouflaged moth chilling on the side of Meadowlands Environment Center in DeKorte Park last week. It was roughly two inches from head to stern.

What is it?

Mike Maddaloni, also known as “Sunset Mike” was in the Meadowlands recently for both the Sept. 11 Tribute in Light and a lightning storm. He was nice enough to share some of his photos, Thanks, Mike!:

Totally insane thunderstorm with lightning all over the place
passed through late last week.

Got some long exposure shots of it, each one you see is about 30 seconds
of letting the camera stay open before it takes a new shot.  The fact that
there’s this many bolts per shot is a testament to how much lightning
there really was.  Probably the best lightning shots I’ve gotten in the
Meadowlands in my life, wish it happened more often. Enjoy.

Also attached are the shots from DeKorte and Disposal Road of the Tribute
in Light, truth be told the days when they were testing them on the 9th
and 10th we had better conditions for the distance we were at.  Win some,
lose some.  (Thanks, Mike!)

Links to other posts featuring Mikes images and video are here, here, here and here.

Mike Newhouse and others saw the Wilson’s Phalarope this afternoon, and Ray Duffy and Chris Takacs saw the Sora.

We have created a crude map to help folks find the birds.  Where the map says “.33 mile” is where you stand looking out from the Shorewalk.  The Big O is the vicinity of where the birds are being seen… The visitors parking lot just after the guard booth is between the “.25 mile” and the “.33 mile.”

Best to bring a scope…

Two Kingfishers and a Coop were seen around 5 today.