We stopped by the bird-banding station by Harrier Meadow/former Erie Landfill today in time to catch Mike Newhouse (above right) and a few of his trusty volunteers (Danielle Klimiciak, Holly Ellerbusch and Zach Batren), close their field station for the year.
The last bird banded: Tree Sparrow.
A hearty thank you to Mike and his team for all their work — and all those Teaser-palooza photo-ops!
We received a complaint earlier this week that this blog has not featured groundhogs in quite some time — even though we did post something just last month (link here).
The bizarre complaint did give us an excuse to run this equally bizarre 2012 Meadowlands groundhog photo by Dennis Cheeseman.
Can anybody help with some new groundhog pix?
Looking for a great way to beat the “Black Friday” day-after-Thanksgiving shopping crush and work off that turkey dinner?
Visit the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission’s DeKorte Park in Lyndhurst for a free “Green Friday” guided nature walk beginning at noon inside the Meadowlands Environment Center.
The Nov. 29 event, sponsored by the NJMC and the Bergen County Audubon Society, will feature a walk on DeKorte Park’s Shore Walk and Lyndhurst Nature Reserve.
The walk runs from noon to to 1:45 p.m. Bring a brownbag lunch if you like.
For more information, contact Jim Wright at jim.wright@njmeadowlands.gov or 201-460-2002, or go the NJMC nature blog, www.meadowblog.net. Bad weather cancels.
Don Torino’s latest column for wildnewjersey.tv is on the wonderful rebound of Peregrine Falcons in the Meadowlands.
Here’s a sample.
Still listed as an Endangered species in New Jersey, The Peregrine Falcon had a total of 24 nests and produced 57 young in New Jersey in 2013. In the Meadowlands area they now nest on bridges and buildings and display their lethal hunting skills plunging into their relentless deadly dives at almost 200mph over places like DeKorte Park, Mill Creek Marsh Trail and along the legendary Disposal road.
The Meadowlands is also prime hunting territory where you might find them preying on birds as large as a Great Blue Heron and as small as a Kinglet. The timeless hunter has finally returned home.
Peregrines search the skies over places like the New Jersey Meadowlands once again as monarchs of their domain, fearless and unafraid. We should be diligent never to take the sight of this extraordinary bird for granted, not even once. Not even a single glance should go without the proper reverence as it would lessen the struggle and triumph of such an incredible creature.
Here’s the link.