This could be another great winter for Snowy Owls, according to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

For their forecast, click here. The article also explains why we had so many last year.

At one point, we had four Snowys in DeKorte Park last winter.

Heck, we’d settle for only one this winter. If you see any, please let us know.

(The photo above was taken in DeKorte Park last winter by Steve Birmingham. Thanks, Steve!)

For more Meadowlands Snowy Owl pix, just search the blog, using the search engine in the upper right corner of this blog.

eBird’s Bergen County rare bird alert this morning included three sightings of an Orange-crowned Warbler along DeKorte Park’s Transco Trail or on the Kingsland Overlook.

We’d love a photo…

Resident ace photographer Ron Shields passed along some sunset shots from last night — hard to decide which of the three is more amazing.

If you are a big fan of Ron’s photography (and who isn’t?), don’t miss his talk “Birds of the Meadowlands in just over two weeks in DeKorte Park. Maybe he’ll even include a sunset or two. Details follow.

Continue reading →

We thought we’d look back at some of blog highlights from 2014, month by month, and showcase some of the great photography that folks have contributed. (Thanks to all!)

Just click on the text to link to the post.

November 4: Praying Mantis, Laurel Hill

November 5: More on that New Meadowlands Frog

November 7: Laurel Hill Falcons

November 10: Banded Peregrine in North Arlington

November 13: Now Appearing @ Mill Creek Marsh

November 20: Bird’s Eye Views of the Meadowlands

November 20: Hackensackian Godwit

November 21: Artist’s View of River Barge Park

November 24: Gray Ghost Patrols Disposal Road  (above)

November 26: Adult Bald Eagle by Disposal Road

Trying to find something on the blog — an upcoming walk, a certain photographer’s photos, posts on Muskrats, sightings of a favorite raptor?

Don’t forget that you can search 5 years of blog posts by using the Google search engine in the upper-right part of the blog. Let the searches begin.

The Ridgefield Monk Parakeet population seemed huge — up to 50 birds when we visited on Friday. Someone is ground-feeding the birds, for better or worse.

The birds are everywhere around the railroad bridge — but you’ll probably hear them before you see them. They are that loud.

Northern Shoveler photographed by Ron Shields

We thought we’d look back at some of blog highlights from 2014, month by month, and showcase some of the great photography that folks have contributed. (Thanks to all!)

Just click on the text to link to the post.

Oct. 3: Am. Woodcock @ Our Banding Station

Oct. 8: Thapthucker @ River Barge Park

Oct. 9: Find the Moth!

Oct. 10: Unattractive Little Blue Heron

Oct. 12: Marbled Godwit @ DeKorte

Oct. 13: Ron Shields + Disposal Road = ‘Nuff Said

Oct. 20: What in the …?

Oct. 24: The Pelican Contest Winner Is…

Oct. 28: Losen Slote Creek Park Upgrade

Oct. 30: Ridgefield Park Bald Eagle Update

Oct. 30: Another Great Sunset Shot

Oct. 30: Banded Bird of the Day

Oct. 31: Lark Sparrow displaying.

We thought we’d look back at some of blog highlights from 2014, month by month, and showcase some of the great photography that folks have contributed. (Thanks to all!)

Just click on the text to link to the post.

Sept. 3: Where ‘Stool Pigeon’ Came From

Sept. 5: George the Pelican Up-close

Sept. 9: How Many of these Birds Can You ID?

Sept. 12: Banded Peregrine

September 19: Rare Turkey/Kestrel Hybrid?

Sept. 22: Mill Creek Marsh, Late September

Sept. 23: We’re Talkin’ Turtles Here

Sept. 25: The Birds of River Barge Park (Photo above by Muhammad Faizan)

Sept. 29: Take the Butterfly Challenge

Jim O’Neill of The Record has a cool story in today’s editions about how a new species of frog was discovered in the Meadowlands.

The link is here.

“Look, Ma! One foot!”

Kick off 2015 the right way with a free guided nature walk along the trails of scenic Mill Creek Marsh on New Year’s Day.

We are offering a 25-cent reward to the first person to see a Eurasian Green-winged Teal, a dollar (U.S.) to anyone who sees a Gyrfalcon, and a pat on the back to anyone who sees a No-Sho (Northern Shoveler, above).

Details follow. Continue reading →