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.

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

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

Environmental Writer Jim O’Neill of The Record wrote an article for The Record today that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has ruled that developers cannot remove the Bald Eagle nest in Ridgefield Park, giving hope that Alice and Al, the nesting pair, will succeed again next spring.

The article is here.

Looking for a great way to beat the “Black Friday” day-after-Thanksgiving shopping crush and work off that turkey dinner?

Visit the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission’s DeKorte Park in Lyndhurst for a free “Green Friday” guided nature walk beginning at noon inside the Meadowlands Environment Center.

The Nov. 28 event, sponsored by the NJMC and the Bergen County Audubon Society, will include a walk on DeKorte Park’s Marsh Discovery Trail and Lyndhurst Nature Reserve.

The walk runs from noon to to 1:45 p.m. Bring a brownbag lunch if you like.

For more information, contact Jim Wright at jim.wright@njmeadowlands.gov or 201-460-2002, or go the NJMC nature blog, www.meadowblog.net.  Bad weather cancels.

“Our photos can give people who may not be “into” wildlife a chance to see the beauty of the magnificent wildlife we share this world with.” Photo Credit: Mike Girone

The latest column by Don Torino of the Bergen County Audubon Society is about the growing connection between photography and conservation.

Here’s a sample:

As some endangered species learn to adapt to the Garden State and others try to hang on and survive, making sure their presence is well documented can play an important part in our struggle to protect them.

Thanks to some dedicated photographer/conservationists, photography has become a new tool in the battle to protect threatened and endangered species of wildlife.

Photos of everything from Bald Eagles to Box Turtles and Plovers to Peregrines have helped wildlife agencies work to preserve these important species.

The link is here.

On Monday, bird-bander Chris Takacs steered us to this young Peregrine perched in Harrier Meadow.

We could see the silver federal band, but not any other band — until it decided to fly. When it took off and headed for the mud flats, Green-winged Teal took off and flew faster than we’ve ever seen them before.

Turns out that Jill Homcy saw and photographed the same bird last month at River Barge Park. She just heard back that the bird was banded in New York City on June 5 of this year. Now we are trying to find out exactly where in NYC.  (Thanks, Jill!)

Elaine Raine took these two shots earlier this week at Mill Creek Marsh. She and Mickey write:

The sun was beginning to wane and the shadow was somewhat pronounced, but the combination allowed for a very warm quality.

The turtle resting high upon a thick bent branch of some type was a mystery, for it was several feet above water, and even at the highest tide which occurred about two hours prior, the spot on which the turtle was resting would still have been far above the water level.

Elaine saw no possible way that it could have reached such heights.  The two vertical ends of the curved piece of wood were too steep for the critter to manage from the water surface to the top . . .

The Great Blue Heron was taken just as she was about to leave the park.  She spotted it from the trail leading to the gate, but could not gain any possible decent vantage points from that end, so upon passing the gate she walked up to the fence and eventually found a decent spot from which to shoot.  (Thanks, Elaine, and Mickey! Might be an always awesome Diamondback Terrapin… Let’s hope we see them on the Nov. 18 walk.)

Our next walk with Bergen County Audubon is next Tuesday at 10 a.m. at Mill Creek Marsh. We are hoping for major duckage (including this Green-winged Teal).  Details follow. Continue reading →

Bird-bander Chris Takacs saw this Orange-crowned Warbler in Harrier Meadow last week while he was checking the nets, and was nice enough to pass it along.

Getting to be that time of year.

It just might the answer to yesterday’s teaser — though a different individual.

(Thanks, Chris!)

Due to continuing repaving work at the entrance to DeKorte Park, please use the temporary entrance on Disposal Road all day on Wednesday.