NJSEA Naturalist Drew McQuade came upon this little guy on the Mill Creek Marsh Trail on Tuesday. Drew writes:
Grabbed these shots of a young terrapin on the Mill Creek trail Tuesday, a first of the year for me. It’s way too early for it to be from a new nest, so this terp likely over-wintered in the nest from last season. It was sluggish and dry, so we moved it to a better spot on the edge of the marsh. Also saw a few garter snakes out and about.
Ron Shields snapped these great photos yesterday of a hunting Kestrel hovering over the landfill just across the tracks on Valley Brook Avenue. Enjoy!
As we speak one of the most amazing events in nature is taking place: the spring migration of the Ruby-throated Hummingbird. Checking out the migration map the hummers have now reached southern Virginia, not far from the New Jersey border. This incredible and grueling journey of one of the tiniest birds in the world takes it clear across the Gulf of Mexico, a distance of approximately 1,300 kilometres (800 miles). It’s an almost implausible journey which is flown in one stretch, without stopping or even resting.
Your backyard is an important stepping stone, a rest stop and sometimes a nesting place along the migration highway for these magical little creatures. Having the right plants in your garden to help them along may play a big part in their survival.