Join the Bergen County Audubon Society for a nature walk at Mill Creek Marsh in Secaucus next Tuesday, July 19, from 10 am to noon. The marsh trail is a great place for birding, and they’ll be looking for herons, egrets, shorebirds and other birds of interest. If the tide is low you’ll be able to see the dozens of Atlantic White Cedar stumps that dot the marsh.

Park in the lot near Bob’s Discount Furniture at Mill Creek Mall. For more information email greatauk4@gmail.com or call 201-230-4983.

Regina Geoghan sent these great bee photos from DeKorte last week, including a colorful bumble bee on a purple coneflower and an Augochlora sweet bee on a coneflower. We need your help in identifying the small bee in the last photo!

Thanks Regina!

A horizontal format view of a bumble bee gathering pollen on a purple coneflower.

Augochlora pura is a solitary sweat bee found primarily in the Eastern United States. It is known for its bright green color. It forages on a variety of plants to feed on nectar first and then to collect pollen. It has pollen pockets on its legs.

A close up macro view of a bee gathering pollen on a purple coneflower,

Great story in today’s Record on the Bergen County Audubon Society walk at Teaneck Creek yesterday that stressed the importance of creating wildlife habitats in your own backyard. You can make your backyard a haven for birds and butterflies by planting native plants that attracts and provides food sources, such as milkweed for Monarch butterflies.

Read the story here. See how you can create a BCAS Certified Wildlife Garden here.