In conjunction with our latest South Bergenite column, which follows, we are asking members of the Meadowblog community to vote for their favorite Meadowlands bird of 2014. So read the column by the NJMC’s Jim Wright — and then vote!

For local nature lovers, this past year will be remembered as a year of rare and unexpected birds — so many, in fact that we at the N.J. Meadowlands Commission would like you to vote for the 2014 Meadowlands Bird of the Year.

You can credit NJMC Naturalist Mike Newhouse for the idea. “We have seen so many amazing birds this year,” he said recently. “Why don’t we have local nature lovers vote for their favorite?”

When Mike speaks, I listen.

We started going over a list of cool birds that had been seen in the past 12 months — in addition to our usual array of terrific birds – and soon realized we had our work cut out for us. Continue reading →

Our next free walk is Sunday at DeKorte Park and nearby Disposal Road. We’ll look for raptors (and keep an eye out for Snowy Owls) as well as wintering waterfowl.

(Last month we had a Rough-legged Hawk; pic above by Ron Shields. Thanks, Ron!)

Full listing follows. Continue reading →

Earlier this week, Richard Brown wrote to the blog about a pair of falcons at Laurel Hill Park in Secaucus.

One of the falcons then perched on a ball field light and I got some photos.He was able to read the band on its leg:  Black 23 / Green AN.

We asked if anyone could provide more info. Peregrine whiz Mike Girone responded immediately:

That is Laurel Hill’s resident female. She was banded as a nestling by Kathy Clark at the Atlantic City Hilton in 2012.

Greg Gard passed along the information to us as well.

(Thanks, Mike, Greg and Richard!)

As promised, we are posting the full list of birds seen on our New Year’s Day Walk with Bergen County Audubon. Highlights included lots of Green-winged Teal, a few Northern Harriers and those two Bald Eagles.

Thanks to Marie Longo for the photos, and thanks to Marie, Mary Kostus and Peggy O’Neill for their help with the following list. Thanks to all our participants, including ths folks into this group shot. We suspect the guy on the right has been birding a tad too long.

Continue reading →

Who can see the most species of birds in Losen Slote Creek Park in 2015?

The Bergen County Audubon Society will donate $2 for every species seen by the winner toward a future conservation project at Losen Slote. For more information or to register, e-mail Don Torino at greatauk4@gmail.com.

Directions to Losen Slote are in the right-hand column of this blog.

It’s a great place, and a great challenge. Thanks, BCAS!