Jim Wright, who maintains this blog for the N.J. Meadowlands Commission, also writes a twice-monthly nature column for the South Bergenite. His latest column is all about the recent big improvements to the blog:

Want to know what nifty events are coming up in the Meadowlands? Want to know what unusual birds are being seen in DeKorte Park or else nearby these days? Or just want to enjoy some wonderful local nature photography?

The answer to all those questions is simple: the N.J. Meadowlands Commission’s nature blog, www.meadowblog.net.

The NJMC created the blog more than five years ago to celebrate the region’s overlooked natural beauty and to remind folks that this is not your father’s Meadowlands anymore.

But you need to know about some pretty cool recent upgrades to the blog that make it the go-to website for all things nature-related in the Meadowlands. Continue reading →

Mike Maddaloni has a new YouTube video on the Meadowlands, featuring some really cool time-lapse photography by the World Trade Center Cove. You can watch it above, though Mike cautions….

“In the past few weeks I was able to put together seven or eight 10-minute-long slideshows on Youtube of some of my photos.  But honestly, even when I watch these videos I begin to doze off, very relaxing. The music is very soothing, almost too much so. Don’t trouble yourself to watch past the first 60 seconds, I just LOVE the WTC Cove footage.”

So do we. Definitely worth a look.

Part II of yesterday’s Teaser-palooza is (drum roll…) an American Kestrel from the banding station. This is one awesome bird. A gallery follows. (click to enlarge.)

Congrats to all who said “Northern Flicker” for the first part of the question. It seems even larger up-close. Continue reading →

Our next free guided walk with Bergen County Audubon is Tuesday, Oct. 15, at 10 a.m. at Losen Slote Creek Park in Little Ferry — a great time of year to visit this little-known diamond in the rough. You gotta love those birches (above).

Don Torino of BCAS did some weed-whacking this morning to make the trails passable (thanks, Don!), but prepared to navigate some trails that can be occasionally challenging, including a few fallen trees.

Some photos from this morning follow — just to give you an idea how amazing this place is — and that’s not even the wooded part.

Full listing below.

Continue reading →

Oh, no! Not another two-fer Tuesday Teaser!  (last one, we promise.)

Can you ID these two birds just from their tail feathers?

The above bird was photographed late last month at the NJMC’s banding station, thanks to the NJMC’s Mike Newhouse and his awesome band of bird banders. The bird below was photographed last week, same place, same great folks.

To give you an added incentive, we are offering a prize to the person who correctly identifies the most Tuesday Teasers in October and November. (In the case of a tie, the winner’s name will be drawn from a cap.)

The prize? Rick Wright of WINGS Birding Tours is graciously donating a copy of “The Warbler Guide” by Tom Stephenson and Scott Whittle. (Thanks, Rick!)

There will be nine total birds, some easy, some tough. Please e-mail your bird-ID to Jim Wright each Tuesday by midnight (just click” e-mail us” in the right-hand column of this blog). IDs received after midnight will not be counted. Also, the “comments” section of the Teaser will be closed so no one can post their answer.  (Just trying to be fair.)

Ray Duffy — who found the Nelosn’s Sparrow at Mill Creek Marsh on Sunday morning, and was nce enough to show it to many folks on the Sunday guided walk also took a photo that not only “captured” the bird but captured what it is like to see this fairly secretive sparrow.

Ray writes: “I did get one shot of the bird, not totally in the clear, but at least some documentation.”

(Thanks, Ray!) More on Nelon’s Sparrows here.

Starting last week and running through October and November, our Tuesday Teaser is a banded bird from this fall’s bird-banding project at Harrier Meadow.

To give you an added incentive, we are offering a prize to the person who correctly identifies the most birds. (In the case of a tie, the winner’s name will be drawn from a cap.)

The prize? Rick Wright of WINGS Birding Tours is graciously donating a copy of “The Warbler Guide” by Tom Stephenson and Scott Whittle. (Thanks, Rick!)

There are nine total birds, some easy, some tough — including a pair of two-part questions, for 11 correct answers. Please e-mail your bird-ID to Jim Wright each Tuesday by midnight (just click” e-mail us” in the right-hand column of this blog). IDs received after midnight will not be counted. Also, the “comments” section of the Teaser will be closed so no one can post their answer.  (Just trying to be fair.)

Mike Newhouse and his dedicated team of banders have come up with some real challenges, including last week’s mystery bird above left. (Thanks, Mike and crew!)

To ensure a level playing field, the contest is closed to NJMC employees and banding volunteers. (Sorry, crew!)

We had a request for information on where Ray Duffy and others saw the Nelson’s Sparrows yesterday, and thought we’d share.

Above is a map of Mill Creek Marsh to help those interested in looking for the Nelson’s and a Sora that Ray saw on the same trail. “X’ marks the Nelson’s; “Y” marks the Sora — with the understanding that these birds may be nowhere near these spots 24 hours later.

Park in the Mill Creek Marsh Parking Lot next to Bob’s Discount Furniture. Start following the dotted blue line at “Walking Trail Entrance” in lower right hand corner of map. At first fork, bear left. (Sora was seen hanging out on left near two smallish downed trees, across from a wooden platform.) At second fork, stay left. Pass the first cul de sac on left. Nelson’s Sparrows were seen on the left, just before the second cul de sac on left, in the Spartina. They occasionally popped up. (Thanks again, Ray!)

Directions to Mill Creek Marsh are in the right-hand column of this blog.

Good luck, and e-mail us any photos you get!

We had a very entertaining walk yesterday — 42 species in all. The highlight for many was a pair of Nelson’s Sparrows that popped up from under the Spartina every once in a while.

When we went back after the walk to try to photograph them (and a Sora that Ray Duffy reported), we struck out — but the Osprey above was nice to fly overhead close enough to show how it holds a small fish in its talons.

Full list follows. Thanks to all who participated! Continue reading →