American White Pelican is now at Day 31. Stilt Sandpipers in the Shorebird Pool, can be seen from the walkway between the guard booth and the MEC.
Had two Ospreys perched on the towers along the Saw Mill Creek Trail. On Sunday, a Bald Eagle, an Osprey and a Peregrine Falcon were all perched there at one point or another in the morning.
Have not seen the wing-tagged Great Egret today.
(Thanks to Rob Fanning for pointing out the Stilt Sandpipers.)
Mickey Raine writes:
On the NJMC’s recent Butterfly Day, Elaine and I saw three caterpillars that will eventually become the Black Swallowtail Butterfly.
Elaine discovered them toward the end of Transco Trail, the single early stage with more whitish tones, and the two very large ones ready to enter the pupa stage.
A new unknown Damselfly, along with the female Twelve-Spotted Skimmer Dragonfly were nearby.
The William D. McDowell Observatory in DeKorte Park has an exciting month of programming in August — beginning tonight.
Free public access is from 8:30 to 10:30 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.
Least Bittern seen in Shorebird Pool. Stilt Sandpipers in same vicinity. American White Pelican seen today in usual spot. Ditto Peregrine Falcon, on Saw Mill Creek Trail power line towers.
Also seen in DeKorte by Chris Takacs but too distant too photograph: Wing-tagged Great Egret in Shorebird Pool… If you could get a photo…. (Thanks, Chris!)
Beginning today, the Meadowlands Commission’s Flyway Gallery is hosting a digital illustration exhibit featuring nature and wildlife inspired by the beauty of the Meadowlands.
The show, “Nature Draws Itself and Other Works of Art,” by Lyndhurst artist E. Jessie Monaco, will be on display through Thursday, Sept. 25.
The Flyway Gallery is located in the Meadowlands Environment Center in DeKorte Park, the home of the NJMC. Continue reading
We had a delightful Sunday walk in DeKorte Park. The weather cleared up, the birds appeared, and a lot of fine folks participated in the Meadowlands Commission/Bergen County Audubon Society event.
One of the biggest highlights was prolonged great looks at the Least Bittern above, (A big thank you to Roy Woodford for the photo!)
We will post the full list later this week.
Our next free walk with Bergen County Audubon Society is Sunday (Aug. 3) at 10 a.m. in DeKorte Park. maybe that American White Pelican will be here — it has been seen for 26 days in a row, including this morning.
We are also jam-packed with egrets and herons and terns.
Did we mention butterflies?
Full listing follows. Continue reading
The New Jersey Meadowlands Commission and Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey are pleased to announce the imminent arrival of “Bald Eagles in the Meadowlands and Beyond,” a 62-page digital online book about our national symbol’s remarkable comeback in northern New Jersey and across America.
The free eBook features contributions by Kathy Clark of the N.J. Endangered and Nongame Species Program, the American Eagle Foundation, raptor expert Scott Weidensaul, Ron Popowski of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the NJMC’s Jim Wright, who edited the book. CWF’s David Wheeler wrote the foreword.
“Bald Eagles” also showcases beautiful color images by 19 nature photographers and five artists, including John James Audubon (you may have heard of him).
The photographers are, in rough order of appearance: Ron Shields (that’s his shot on the cover, above), Bill Menzel, Greg Gard, Al Barrera, Roy Woodford, Jerry Barrack, Kathy Clark, Mick Valent of N.J. ENSP, Jana Brusich, Jim Wright, Louis Balboa, Allan Sanford, Alice Leurck, Dave Chanda of N.J. Division of Fish and Wildlife, Mike Girone, Greg Miller, Fred Nisenholz, Doug Morel and Muhammad Faizan.
The book will be available for view on line, or as a free downloadable pdf for iPads, Macs, Kindles and PCs. (You will also be able to buy a print copy of the book at cost from a print-on-demand company, so it may be a bit expensive.)
Stay tuned to this blog for more information!
Quite a few good butterflies at DeKorte around lunchtime on Friday, including this incredibly cooperative Monarch.
Last week, the Meadowlands Commission hosted a ribbon cutting for our new tide gate on the West Riser Ditch in Wood-Ridge.
The tide gate, which replaced one built more than 30 years ago, should help reduce flooding at high tide in several towns.
The South Bergenite’s story on the tide gate is here. A pic of the new tide gate is above; a pic of the old tide gate is below.
