DeKorte Park’s Teal Pool was in the news in late May because of a couple of rare birds that stopped by — a Cinnamon Teal (only three previous records statewide) and a Ruddy Turnstone (first Bergen County record).

Folks were wondering how Teal Pool got its name, especially when a Cinnamon Teal showed up there.

Here’s the story: When we were updating the DeKorte Park Trail Map several years ago, we realized that no one had ever given this body of water a name, and that we needed a name so folks could locate it more quickly.

Since we liked “Harrier Meadow” as a name, we thought we’d name this tidal impoundment in similar fashion. At the time, a long Eurasian Green-winged Teal would show up in the impoundment every winter, in addition to the more frequent Green-winged Teal.

Thus Teal Pool came to be.  (And the rare teal moved on to Mill Creek Marsh.)