N.J. birder Rick Radis had a nifty article about Common Ravens in New Jersey on eBird earlier this year, and we somehow missed it. Rick’s article has all sorts of great info — from the bird’s history in the Garden State (including Laurel Hill) to its sometimes zany diet.
The link is here.
The weather held, and the Hermit Thrushes abounded…. 
Ditto the White-throated Sparrows and Eastern Towhees.
Highlights included the thrushes, the towhees and an elusive Black-throated Blue Warbler (at right).
Will post full list tomorrow.
Checked for the American White Pelican at lunchtime today at DeKorte. No luck — just a Bald Eagle perched near where the pelican usually hangs out.
Perhaps the pelican was on break, and the eagle was filling in.
Will continue to monitor the situation.
NJMC naturalist emeritus Don Smith reports seeing a Yellow-headed Blackbird in Carlstadt not far from the Hackensack River yesterday, so be on the lookout. (Thanks, Don!)
We had a few similar sightings in DeKorte earlier this year. The link is here.
Mickey and Elaine Raine were nice enough to share some recent pix from Mill Creek Marsh, herewith. Mickey writes:
Last Friday was such a lovely one, and the latter part took us to Mill Creek Marsh to check out the activity. Many of the songbirds had already migrated south, but the Greater Yellowlegs were still present in large numbers, and the recent arrival of the Northern Shovelers was a reminder that winter is not all that far away now.
The fall foliage has not reached peak, yet, so we did not experience the brilliant rainbow of colors; however, the sumac leaves and the Virginia Creepers added a beautiful reddish accent to the scenery.
We were there toward the end of the day, just as the sun began its final descent, so the tones were wonderful. (Thanks, Elaine and Mickey!)
Banded earlier this month but not treated with Visine. What species?
Took you a second, right? (Photographed on Disposal Road by Ron Shields last week. (Thanks, Ron!)
Dennis Cheeseman reports Buffleheads and Pintails at DeKorte today. (Thanks, Dennis! )
The Meadowlands Commission is considering creating a new free color brochure called “Common Birds of the Meadowlands,” with an emphasis on frequently seen birds that can be seen in DeKorte Park and along the Hackensack River.
We are thinking of dividing the birds into three sections — colder months, warmer months and year-round — with a total of 25 birds altogether.
The idea is produce a pamphlet for young people, new birders and folks on our popular pontoon boat cruises.
(For example, we have omitted two very common birds — the Northern Cardinal and the American Robin — because we figure almost everybody recognizes them. And such rarities as Snowy Owls, Tri-colored Herons and Cinnamon Teal are just too uncommon.)
A preliminary list follows. What do you think should be added — or subtracted?
Our next walk w
ith Bergen County Audubon Society is at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 21, at Losen Slote Creek Park in Little Ferry, where we’ll look for fall migrants and take a gander at the new butterfly garden (right).
To see what we saw on October Losen Slote walk last fall, click here.
(We saw the thrush, above, on our October Losen Slote walk two years ago.)
