Five years ago, as part of the N.J. Meadowlands Commission’s Oral History Project, we interviewed lots of folks about the region in the old days. We are going to reprint the best of them here, every Tuesday, for the next 10 weeks. First up: Rich Kane, for whom the Richard P. Kane Natural Area is named.

Richard P. Kane has been a key figure in the preservation of the marshes of the Meadowlands, documenting the avian abundance of the region for several decades.

He became interested in birds in 1949 and has frequented the Meadowlands at all times of the year in search of everything from Rough-legged Hawks to White Ibis.

A long-time advocate for the New Jersey Audubon Society, Kane was instrumental in saving was a 600-acre parcel in Moonachie and Carlstadt.

The developers called it “the Empire Tract.” Rich called it the Moonachie-Carlstadt wetlands.

Today it is called neither. It is called the Richard P. Kane Natural Area, in honor of his efforts to save this amazing parcel.

Excerpts from the interview follow: Continue reading →

Joe Koscielny writes:

Attached are some shots from Sunday’s walk — a little stretch for the Snowy. Snowy was a first for me.

(Thanks, Joe — the Snowy photos give folks an idea of the distance involved, and a sense of places to look when looking for Snowies on Disposal Road.)

The William D. McDowell Observatory in DeKorte Park has an exciting month of programming in March — beginning tonight.

Free public access is from 8 to 10 on Monday and Wednesday nights this month — weather permitting, of course.

Dress for the weather; with the dome open, you are basically outside.

Each evening at least two major objects in the night sky will be viewed, plus one or two other celestial objects or events depending on the observing conditions.

For a South Bergenite column by the NJMC’s Jim Wright about the observatory, click here.

For more information about Observatory programming, click here.

We had an amazing First-Sunday Walk at DeKorte Park, with some amazing birds and lots of really nice folks.

How’s this for highlights: The walk began with a Snowy Owl perched on a pipe atop the Kingsland Landfill (seen by everyone on Disposal Road but latecomers), and it ended with a Light-phase Rough-legged Hawk over the entrance to Dekorte.

Interspersed in between were Bald Eagle (perched on 1E), Am. Kestrels, Northern Harriers and a Common Raven.

Thanks to everyone who attended!

Full list follows. Continue reading →