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Saturday is the Big day!

Pledge sheet 2014

Stunning nature photography and seldom-seen archival images from the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission (NJMC) coffee-table book, “The Nature of the Meadowlands,” will be on display in the Meadowlands Environment Center’s Flyway Gallery from Thursday, May 15, through Friday, June 27. A reception is scheduled for Sunday, June 1, from noon to 2 p.m.

The show will feature images by the three prinicipal photographers for the book — Ron Shields, Marco Van Brabant and the NJMC’s Jim Wright — as well as illustrator Thomas Yezerski and several other North Jersey photographers.

Archival images from the acclaimed book, published by Schiffer Books, will be on view as well — including one of the last days of a Secaucus pig farm. The June 1 reception will be preceded by a two-hour nature walk beginning at 10 a.m. in Dekorte Park in Lyndhurst, the home of the NJMC and the Flyway Gallery.

Continue reading →

We have two free guided bird walks with Bergen County Audubon Society on Sunday at Losen Creek Park in Little Ferry. Wear waterproof boots!

Details follow.

Continue reading →

Bergen County Audubon Society & the Ridgefield Environmental Commission are presenting a Bald Eagle Awareness Day on Sunday, May 4, from 2 to 4 p.m.

Meet at the dead end on Bell Drive in Ridgefield. The Ridgefield Park Bald eagles have nested successfully near the site the past three years. The nest failed this spring, but the eagles are still seen in the area often.

For more info, contact:Don Torino at greatauk4@aol.com or 201-230-4983.

Chris Takacs reports:

Had a Purple Martin (left) by the tide gate and 2 bobolinks elsewhere in the Meadowlands this morning in fog.

(Thanks, Chris!)

Jim Wright, who keeps this blog for the NJMC, also writes a twice-monthly column for the South Bergenite. His latest is on the amazing recent bird activity in this region. Here it is:

Don’t just sit there! Grab a pair of binoculars, go outside, and check out the amazing bird activity in the Meadowlands.

From a Snowy Owl in Carlstadt to Snowy Egrets in Lyndhurst, the Meadowlands has been home to some amazing birds in recent weeks.  A Glossy Ibis in North Arlington and a Yellow-headed  Blackbird in Secaucus are two more examples of the diverse and stunningly beautiful array of birds that have been spotted.

And although you may not be able to see some of these winged wonders anymore — the Snowy Owl and Yellow-Headed Blackbird have likely continued on their travels — there are more and more birds arriving in the region and plenty of chances to see them on a free guided walk in the next week or two. (More on that later).

NCMC Naturalist Mike Newhouse points to two reasons why now is such a great time of year to go birding in the Meadowlands.     Continue reading →

River Barge Park and Marina’s  Public Boat Ramp is closed temporarily so that the debris that came in during the last couple of high tides can be removed.

Valley Brook Avenue is flooded. Until the water subsides after high tide, might be more prudent to use the Disposal Road approach when visiting DeKorte today (Thursday).

The William D. McDowell Observatory in DeKorte Park has an exciting month of programming in May — beginning  Monday night.

Free public access is from 8:30 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.