Rich Romano photographed this (released/escaped) bird at Mill Creek Point in Secaucus nine days ago. What do you think it is? (Thanks, Rich!)

6 Bald Eagles were successfully raised by Alice & Al. Photo Credit: Jill Homcy

Don Torino, who leads so many of our Meadowlands guided walks, has a new column on wildnewjersey.tv about the Bald Eagles of Ridgefield Park.

Here’s a sample:

Alice & Al, the now legendary pair of Bald Eagles, continue to utilize their nest area as they wait for a decision from U.S. Fish & Wildlife and the NJDEP to see if they will be allowed to remain on the Overpeck in Ridgefield Park for another season.

More than 4 years ago a pair of Bald Eagles decided to raise their young in a most unlikely setting, an industrial part of Ridgefield Park, within sight and sound of the roaring trucks and cars on the NJ Turnpike and Route 46.

Unfortunately the tree they chose to build their huge nest is located on a toxic waste site scheduled to be remediated for a proposed $660 million development project — threatening the future of this magnificent pair of endangered birds.

The link is here.

Can you ID this four dudes?  All banded on the same day earlier this month at the NJMC bird-banding station in North Arlington.

Here’s the latest batch of pix from Ron Shields.

Ron has been photographing regularly along Disposal Road of late, and he says that if you park on the Carillon side of Disposal Road from the Carillon bend to the bend at the hill near DeKorte when the wind is out of the south, the raptors will come down closer to the roadway.

He adds that when wind is out of the north or west, he parks on the landfill side of Disposal Road and photographs near the Eternal Flame. (Thanks, Ron!)

Do you have any Disposal Road photography advice you’d care share?  Just leave a comment.

Beyond Losen Slote Creek Park, finding fall foliage photo subjects in the Meadowlands can be tough. If you have any you’d care to pass along…

The photo above was taken in Harrier Meadow on a bird-banding day last week.

DeKorte Park is open today (Monday) but the Meadowlands Environment Center is closed for the Columbus Day state holiday.

Roy Woodford reports:

I got a text that somebody located a Marbled Godwit just as I was pulling into DeKorte on Sunday morning.

The bird flew in closer as I walked up to the group that was looking at it.

Lucky day.  (For all of us — thanks, Roy!)

Muhammad Faizan writes:

Attaching a few bird pics form River Barge Park in the last couple of days.

Park is full of sparrows right now, and in among them were the two attached. ID help would be appreciated.

Also a very distant Pied-billed Grebe from this Wednesday.

(Thanks, Faizan!)

Faizan’s first batch of River Barge Park birds can be seen here.

Thinking of visiting DeKorte Park or nearby Disposal Road this weekend?

To see what’s being reported at DeKorte on eBird Hotspot Explorer, click here. (Above, mystery goose on nearby landfill on Friday afternoon.)

To see what’s being reported along Disposal Road on eBird Hotspot Explorer, click here.

A quick list of what one birder saw at DeKorte on Friday afternoon follows. Continue reading →

Just sayin’.  He’ll grow out of it…

Seen in a local natural area this a.m.