We sure have had some crazy wetaher swings in the Meadowlands of late — snow, deep freeze, rain and fog.

Paula Dias was nice enough to pass along many of her moody fog shots from last weekend. (Thanks, Paula!)

Ray Duffy receives his First Place award from Don Torino of the BCAS

Ray Duffy, the overall winner in the Meadowlands 2013 Big Year contest, received his plaque from Bergen County Audubon Society last night from BCAS president Don Torino. (

The BCAS donated $220 in Ray’s name to the Meadowlands Commission for the purchase of native plants. (Thanks, BCAS!)

An interview with Ray and the other Meadowlands Big Year winner, Dennis Cheeseman, will appear in the South Bergenite next week, and we will post it here as well.

Ray’s full list of 187 birds follows. (Again, Congratulations, Ray!) Continue reading →

As this blog reported on Sunday, DeKorte Park was fortunate to have at least two and perhaps three Snowy Owls visit the park over the weekend. We were also pleased to hear that almost everyone stayed on the trails and was mindful of keeping a safe distance from the birds.

We have received many first-rate Snowy Owl shots from last weekend, including these shots by Steve Buckingham. Over the next two days, we will post more photos.

You can see more of Steve’s Snowy Owl shots here. (Thanks, Steve!)

Disposal Road certainly has proved to be a popular destination for birders, nature photographers, and winter raptors, but the Meadowlands Commission is concerned about everyone’s safety — especially when some of the best photo opportunities appear to be around dusk, when visibility is poor and Meadowlands Commission employees are leaving work.

We have urged employees once again to drive slowly on Disposal Road, but photographers and birders should be mindful that they need to be aware of vehicular traffic at all times. The road was designed for trash transport, not bird-watching, and drivers are also navigating speed bumps and potholes.

The Commission asks that folks be mindful of the potential dangers posed by a roadway that was not designed for pedestrians. For example, if you are wearing drab or camouflage clothing, you should not stand on the roadway.

The Commission is considering a couple of ideas to improve the situation. In the meantime, the Commission also welcomes ideas from the public.

If you would like to suggest any realistic solutions to the Disposal Road traffic safety issue, please e-mail Jim Wright at jim.wright@njmeadowlands.gov.

You will be happy to hear that we have thus far rejected the idea of valet parking.

These two plants have been common at Losen Slote — and they are invasive.

The plant on the left is mugwort. The plant on the right is the dreaded Mile-a- Minute vine.

Don Torino, president of the Bergen County Audubon Society  and frequent leader of the NJMC/BCAS nature walk, has a new column on wildnewjersey.tv, about the abundance of Bald Eagles in our region and the 40th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act. Here’s a sample:

This past month was the 40th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act (ESA), signed into law by President Nixon on December 28th 1973.

For the last 40 years the ESA has saved hundreds of animals, plants, birds, and fish and protected thousands of acres of critical wildlife habitat that is enjoyed not only by endangered species but by we humans also.

Here in New Jersey and even in Bergen County we can see the benefits of this groundbreaking piece of legislation by looking at places like the Hackensack River. The Endangered Species Act has brought back the Peregrine Falcons, the Osprey and none more dramatic a sight than the Bald Eagle, not only to the Hackensack but to rivers in communities all over the United States, a sight that was not possible for the last Century.

Growing up in the Hackensack Meadowlands, I never thought I would see the day when I could point out these magnificent birds to schoolchildren — an honor that my generation was never able to enjoy.

Link is here.

Mike Girone took these pix of Short-eared Owls and a Barn Owl last week in the Meadowlands.  We will publish photos of the DeKorte Park Snowy Owls from last weekend later this week.

(Thanks, Mike!)

Welcome to the another in a series of Tuesday Teaser’s devoted to Losen Slote Creek Park, the site of our fifth annual Super Bird Sunday Walk on Feb. 2. Between now and then, we will offer a different Losen Slote-based Teaser presented by the Bergen County Audubon Society. To participate, just e-mail your answer to the Teaser each week to Jim Wright at jim.wright@njmeadowlands.gov by each Tuesday at midnight, with “Teaser” marked in the subject field. The person with the highest number of correct answers will win something or other.

Today’s Teasers are pictured above. What are they?

2013 was our most successful Meadowlands Big Year ever, and we’d like to thank the winners and all the other great participants.

The top three winners in district are:
1.Ray Duffy 
2. Oliver Stringham
3. Julie McCall

The top three winners out of district are:
1. Dennis Cheeseman
2.  Jackie DeMarco
3. Zach Batren

Here are the prizes: Ray Duffy, the overall winner, will have $220 donated by the Bergen County Audubon in his name to the NJ Meadowlands Commission to buy native plants. (Thank you, BCAS!!)

First-place-in-their-category winners Ray Duffy and Dennis Cheeseman will each receive: An amazing NJMC pontoon boat trip for two; their choice of the NJMC’s coffee-table book “The Nature of the Meadowlands” (signed by the author) or Tom Yezerski’s children’s book: “Meadowlands, a Wetlands Survival Story”;· a year’s membership in the Meadowlands Environment Center, featuring an amazing array of nature programs;  their choice of an awesome NJMC cap or T-shirt, and the eternal admiration of their peers.

All six winners will receive a certificate from the Bergen County Audubon Society and a Tom Yezerski Meadowlands Osprey print.

The award ceremony is this Wednesday night, Jan. 16, at the BCAS meeting at the Teaneck Creek Conservancy, 20 Puffin Way, Teaneck.  Meeting starts at 7:30; presentation begins at 8.

The complete results are here.

Again, congratulations to all!

DeKorte Park is open but the Meadowlands Environment Center is closed on Monday, Jan. 20, Martin Luther King Jr. Day.