here are some more photos courtesy of Joe Koscielny from yesterday’s Birding By Boat trip along the Hackensack River.

Our Birding by Boat trip yesterday morning was by all reports a great success. Participants filled three pontoon boats reported seeing osprey, peregrines Yellow crowned Night Herons, a Caspian tern and more. We’ll be posting photos throughout the day so check back often. To start, we’ve got a gallery of great photos from Joe Koscielny

Chris Takacs and Ray Duffy had a fruitful Monday night at DeKorte Park. Ray spotted a Red-necked Phalarope (right), while Chris caught a Glossy Ibis flying through followed by a Ruddy Turnstone (left) heading to the mudflats with five Semi-palmated Plovers. The Turnstone is a rare shorebird in these parts.

The Record reports today that for the 18th year, the American Museum of Natural History will showcase “The Butterfly Conservatory: Tropical Butterflies Alive in Winter,” from Sept. 5 through May 29. The exhibit features 500 butterflies from around the world, and visitors can interact with various species and witness the process as they evolve from pupae to adults. Video panels outside the 1,200-square-foot vivarium will display additional information, such as the effort to preserve butterflies’ habitats. Museum hours: daily from 10 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. Admission: $12.50 to $22. For more info and to get your tickets ahead of time click here.

Photo of American Lady courtesy Regina Geoghan

This sequence of an Osprey trying to unsuccessfully rattle an immature Bald Eagle in Kearny is amazing work by photographer Ron Shields. Says Ron: Here is a sequence of images of a recent dual between a territorial osprey and our immature bald eagle at the Kearny Marsh.

The osprey buzzed the eagle as it sat atop the Keegan Landfill.  Knocked down but not knocked out, the eagle regained its composure as well as its perch high atop the landfill.

Our neighborhood Sora continues to make itself visible. Chris Takacs caught the usually secretive bird this morning in the DeKorte Park Shorebird Pool from his viewpoint along the Marsh Discovery Trail. The bird is not uncommon to the region, but is a rare sight. According to Allaboutbirds.org, the Sora is a small, secretive bird of freshwater marshes and the  most common and widely distributed rail in North America. Its distinctive descending whinny call can be easily heard, but actually seeing the little marsh-walker is much more difficult.

red-winged blackbird credit: Jim Wright

Many years ago I was on a bird walk with a group of people from a local nature center when suddenly a striking black bird with brilliant red markings shot by us like a Ferrari with wings.

The leader barely looked up until someone asked, “what was that?”  “Oh that?” the leader answered flippantly “Just a Red-Winged Blackbird.” Just a Red-Winged Blackbird? How could someone speak so offhandedly about such a  magnificent bird that has meant so much to me ?

Never mind that the leader failed to take a second or two to tell everyone about that wonderful bird in detail. “Just a Red-winged Blackbird”? Was I the only person who cared about the “Spirit of the Marsh,” as the Native Americans called it.  I felt slighted in some way. After all The Red-Winged Blackbird is a special bird. Especially if you happened to grow up in the Meadowlands like I did.

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Chris Takacs took this photo of a Clapper Rail this morning feeding on the eastern end of the Transco Trail in DeKorte Park. This bird doesn’t make many park appearances. It’s much more likely to be seen on the marshy edges of the Hackensack River during NJSEA pontoon boat tours. There are tours throughout the rest of this month and September, so don’t miss out. For more information and to register, click here.

Ron Shields was kind enough to grace us with a series of spectacular eagle shots from throughout the summer. Ron writes: “This summer several eagles graced the Kearny Marsh with their presence, including this immature bird.

“I would like to think that the pictured eagle is a first year bird and possibly from the new nest at Kearny Point. Being a Hudson County resident, that would be simply terrific! The eagle was often found on the stumps of old cedar trees in the middle of the marsh. His flight was often impeded by attacks from red winged blackbirds and territorial ospreys.”

Ron Shields was kind enough to grace us with a series of spectacular eagle shots from throughout the summer. Ron writes: “This summer several eagles graced the Kearny Marsh with their presence, including this immature bird.

“I would like to think that the pictured eagle is a first year bird and possibly from the new nest at Kearny Point. Being a Hudson County resident, that would be simply terrific! The eagle was often found on the stumps of old cedar trees in the middle of the marsh. His flight was often impeded by attacks from red winged blackbirds and territorial ospreys.”