The pair of American white pelicans we posted about in the middle of last week stuck around for the weekend. Chris Takacs reports that on Saturday at 7 am the duo was spotted from Laurel Hill in Secaucus briefly flying around the Hackensack River and Saw Mill Wildlife Management Area. This breed of bird is a very rare sight for the Meadowlands region.

Next, the pelicans were seen at 12:30 pm from DeKorte Park in the mudflats near Saw Mill Creek – Chris’ photo was taken from DeKorte. They then moved to the corner of the Transco Trail and the NJ Turnpike and at about 2 pm flew back over the Turnpike and settled in the water just near the Turnpike Bridge. They were later scene from Laurel Hill at 5:30 pm

Last summer a lone American white pelican was spotted on the Saw Mill Creek mudflats in DeKorte Park. George, as the pelican was called, could be seen all the way through Oct. 17, at least 104 days.

Could one of these pelicans be George? Hopefully they stick around.

Big announcement coming tomorrow on our new guest columnist! Check back in tomorrow morning to find out. And no, it is not Jim Wright.

Regina Geoghan sent along these awesome butterfly photos she snapped on Friday evening near DeKorte Park. The first two are Red Admirals and the Third a Silver-spotted Skipper.

Don’t forget, Sunday July 26 is the Sixth Annual Butterfly Day here at DeKorte. There will butterfly walks and talks for all ages, a host of kids activities including face painting, coloring, a scavenger hunt, and a costume contest for those ages 12 and under. Don’t worry if you’re a novice: Experts from the Bergen County Audubon Society and the North Jersey Chapter of the North American Butterfly Association will be onsite to help identify all the beautiful winged marvels. They’ll also have handouts about how to attract butterflies to your home garden and much more.

Butterfly Day is Sunday, July 26, from 10 am to 3 pm. Email me at brian.aberback@njmeadowlands.gov with any questions. Hope to see you there!

Greetings! I’d like to introduce myself as the new keeper of the Meadowlands Nature Blog. My name is Brian Aberback and  I began maintaining the blog in early July. In the coming weeks and months I look forward to continuing to populate the blog with Meadowlands-related posts, including bird and other wildlife sightings, nature photos and news.

We’ll highlight the Meadowlands’ parks, wetlands, gardens and the region’s overall natural beauty. NJSEA naturalists and scientists will provide field work reports, and we’ll keep you posted on news about our public programs, including our great twice-monthly free guided nature walks with the Bergen County Audubon Society. Continue reading →

Monday, July 20, 8:30 – 9:30 pm
DeKorte Park, Lyndhurst

Learn about these amazing, lesser-known cousins of butterflies. Representatives of National Moth Week will give a presentation on these spectacular yet misunderstood creatures. Industrial-strength lamps and white sheets will be set up and “sugaring” will be used to attract moths. This family-friendly event is co-sponsored by the Bergen County Audubon Society. Register here.