Mickey Raine captured this snapping turtle traversing the Mill Creek Marsh on Wednesday at a glacial pace. Also included are some great photos of the Atlantic Cedar stumps that dot the marsh, a view of Manhattan taken from behind the bridge, and a photo of another intrepid photographer along the trail.
Chris Takacs spotted this Black-bellied Plover on the Transco Trail berm in DeKorte at lunchtime today. The bird is somewhat uncommon in DeKorte and usually on people’s list of shorebirds to see in the spring. So hopefully this guy stays around for the weekend, but I guess you’ll just have to come out and see for yourself!
Check out this sequence Mickey Raine sent of an Egret at Mill Creek Marsh stalking a snack. Poor little fish never had a chance.
Join the Bergen County Audubon Society this Sunday, May 1, for a nature walk through Losen Slote Creek Park in Little Ferry. The free walk through this scenic urban woodland is from 10 am to noon and we’ll be looking for warblers, spring migrants and other birds of interest. It will be muddy, so bring boots and bug spray.
Losen Slote Creek Park is one of the last stands of hardwood lowland forest in the Meadowlands District and the last that is accessible to the general public. Check out BCAS President Don Torino’s column on Losen Slote, which was posted on Thursday.
Losen Slote Creek Park is located at the end of Mehrhof Road. For directions click here. Information: greatauk4@gmail.com or 201-230-4983.
We finished yesterday with a photo of a mallard mom and her adorable newborns taken by Mickey Raine. So to start off today, here’s another mallard, who Mickey said was a ham who kept coming over the bridge where he was stationed to show off! Great pics!
Below are photos from Mickey and Elaine Raine’s trips to Mill Creek Marsh on Tuesday and Wednesday. We’ve got a momma mallard leading her charges, what we believe is a Cecropia Moth cocoon (correct us if we’re wrong), Tree Swallows, a Least Sandpiper and the mudflats at low tide. Enjoy!
A warm welcome to our newest contributor, Hector Vilches! Hector sent in these fantastic Tree Swallow photos he took last weekend at DeKorte. It’s always great to have new contributors. Everyone is encouraged to send their photos, siting reports, observations and thoughts on the Meadowlands to the blog. Just drop me an email at brian.aberback@njmeadowlands.gov.
The sweet smelling white flowers of the Summersweet glow like a woodland candelabra through the Sweet gums, Oaks and Sassafras trees, the Mayapples are raised like tiny turtle umbrellas along the forest floor and the Ostrich ferns stand in tribute to a time long ago. A Hairy Woodpecker suddenly clings to a tree right over your head and a Red-Tailed Hawk watches your every move from its perch.
You are in Losen Slote Creek Park in Little Ferry, one of the last stands of hardwood lowland forest in the Meadowlands District and the last that is accessible to the general public. It is a 22-acre hidden gem in an otherwise congested part of Bergen County, where birders can see migrants such as Hooded and Blackburnian Warblers, where Wood and Swainsons Thrush have the run of the forest floor and the Kingfisher’s rattling call can be heard through the woods.
Here’s the last batch of Mickey Raine photos from his trip on Monday, with the sole focus on the Common Grackle. Hope you’ve enjoyed Mickey’s photos today!
Dennis Cheeseman was minding his business earlier today at Mill Creek Marsh when a rather rude fox trotted right by him. He didn’t even stop to pose! Dennis said.