With hundreds of Tree Swallow nesting boxes in the Meadowlands, we thought we’d put up one with our logo on it to see how the swallows would respond.
It was love at first sight — and second sight. Here’s a sample of photos taken within the first minute of its installation in Teal Pool in DeKorte Park.
To see what might be seen in the Maedowlands in May, we thought we’d show some highlights from last May..
Just click on the text to link to the post.
May 3: Mill Creek Marsh from the Air
May 5: Severe Outbreak of Warbler Neck @ Losen Slote!
May 6: DeKorte Park in Bloom
May 8: Unusual Mill Creek Mammal
May 9: An Early Happy Mother’s Day! (Above)
May 12: The Marsh Hawks Win! The Marsh Hawks Win!
May 14: Ridgefield Mother’s Day Walk: The Full List
May 16: Losen Slote: Warbler Capital!!
May 25: Look Out for Snapping Turtles!
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 reprinting the best of them here, every Tuesday, for 11 weeks. This week: Jim Kazalis.
Growing up in Kearny in the 1950s, lifelong Meadowlands resident Jim Kazalis spent much of his free time hunting and fishing with his dad on the Hackensack River near Laurel Hill and exploring local landfills.
In the following audio interview, Jim shares several detailed recollections of his boyhood adventures hunting, trapping and seeking treasure in the Meadows.
Now a Rutherford resident, Jim brings the conversation full circle as he talks about introducing the next generation – his 6-year-old grandson – to the Meadowlands’ wonders.
Click “Continue reading …” below to hear Jim’s stories, read his account about growing up in the Meadowlands, and view archival photos. Continue reading
Ron Shields photographed these Common Gallinules (nee Moorhens) at the Kearny Marsh on Friday. (Thanks, Ron!)
Just in time for our free Mother’s Day guided walk, Karen Riede reports:
Above is a photo of the Skeetkill clean up team consisting of students from Ridgefield Memorial High School (RMHS) that were sent to Skeetkill with team leaders Kathy Meyer and Michele Gillies and RMHS Spanish Language Teacher Olga Escobar.
It was the 10th Annual Town-wide Clean Up Day sponsored by the Ridgefield Environmental Commission. Counting all involved was 130. Other sites cleaned were Bell Dr., Railroad Ave., Broad Ave. and sites around Veterans Memorial Park, Nature Center, 2 schools and the Community Center.
(Thanks, RMHS! Our walk will be visiting three of those places on Mother’s day )
We have two free guided bird walks with Bergen County Audubon Society on Sunday at Losen Creek Park in Little Ferry. Details follow.
Want to help birds in the Meadowlands? You can start by clicking the link below!
Chris Takacs reports:
Heard and saw a Yellow Warbler singing near Disposal Road on Saturday morning.
(Thanks, Chris! May the warbler migration begin in full.)
The Meadowlands Commission and the Meadowlands Environment Center have some great May events lined up — including four free bird walks, a scavenger hunt and a mud marathon.
The Meadowlands Commission are done in a partnership with the Bergen County Audubon Society.
Listings follow. Continue reading
Thinking of visiting DeKorte Park or nearby Disposal Road this weekend?
To see what’s being reported at DeKorte on eBird Hotspot Explorer, click here.
To see what’s being reported along Disposal Road on eBird Hotspot Explorer, click here.
Note: As of Friday, part of Disposal Road near DeKorte Park had a very deep puddle covering the entire roadway. You may want to park in DeKorte and walk down the Transco Trail or take the Schuyler Road entrance to Disposal Road.