This is just looking for an excuse to run this insane photo by Dennis Cheeseman again.

This DeKorte Park Groundhog just keeps getting better and better looking.

Besides, we don’t run enough Groundhog photos.

Seen in one of its usual spots, in the water to the left of the Turnpike’s Exit 15E sign. This is the 26th day in a row it has been seen.

Ray Duffy writes:

On Sunday morning, I got the Semipalmated Sandpipers lining the driftwood at Mill Creek Marsh.

In their midst, I found one with a Semipalmated Sandpiper with a yellow leg flag.  I’ve sent in the report to USGS, I’ll let you know if I get info on the bird.

(Thanks, Ray!  The goal for photographers now is to get a photo of a young banded Peregrine going after a flagged Semipalmated Sandpiper.)

A few folks were wondering what was our best Butterfly Day in terms of total number of species.

The answer: 2012, with 21 species.

Here are the links to the full lists for all five years:

2014 (19 species)

2013 (14 species)

2012 (21 species)

2011 (15 species)

2010 (16 species)

Composite five-year list follows. Guess how many species total! Continue reading →

We think it has something to do with the Marsh Discovery Trail repairs. (Thanks to Dennis Cheeseman for pointing this out…)

The Meadowlands Commission would like to thank all our partners who helped make Butterfly day 2014 so memorable.

Here are the groups and individuals, and a link to their websites (where available:

Bergen County Audubon Society.

The North Jersey Chapter of the North American Butterfly Association.

The Lyndhurst Police Emergency Squad.

Children’s Book Author Illustrator Tom Yezerski.

Face Painter Myra Tang. (Please e-mail Jim Wright at jim.wright (at) meadowblog.net for contact info.

Folk musician Steve Kelman.

Last week, we posted a photo of a Cicada Killer, a wasp that preys on (you guessed it) Cicadas.

At Butterfly Day, folks witnessed a wasp dragging a spider all the way across the road, for similar nefarious motives — and managed to get photos of same. Good times again.

According to Bergen County Audubon Society’s bug consultant, Hadel Go, this gal “looks like Tachypompilus ferrugineus,” a spider wasp (aptly named, though “spider killer” might be better if she wanted to jazz up her image).

More on this wasp here.

Natalie Gregorio took the above photo of the wasp in action. Roy Woodford took the photo below. (Thanks, Hadel, Natalie and Roy!)

This tattered Mourning Cloak arrived in DeKorte Park the morning after Butterfly Day.

Must have put the wrong date on its calendar. BTW, we have not had a Mourning Cloak on Butterfly Day.

Don Torino photographed this Eastern Box Turtle in Little Ferry recently.

More on Eastern Box Turtles here.

While Marsh Discovery Trail are under way, contractors are also building a new observation dock for the Shorebird Pool, just off the Transco Trail.

Should be done in the near future.