Several Blackpolls seen again in DeKorte this a.m., off the Transco Trail by the admin building parking lot. Also: a yellow trifecta –Common Yellow-throats, Yellow-rumps (surprise!), and Yellow Warblers.

Also: Yellows and yellow-rumps. Along the Transco Trail by the parking lot.  Cape May seen as recently as 3:30 by Chris Takacs.

Pix  of Blackpoll on Wednesday.

Bay-breasted Warbler feeding low in trees just past the Administration Building parking lot as of 1:15 p.m. Tuesday.

Much easier to see than yesterday afternoon, and much better lighting. (Not sure who first found the bird yesterday, but thank you!)

More on Bay-breasted Warblers here.

Thanks much to the Meadowlands Commission’s Parks Department for providing this nifty feature.

The Hackensack River’s modern name may stem from one of two Lenape phases: Hackink Saquik, meaning “a stream that unites with another on low ground” or Hocquan Sakuwit, meaning “hooked mouth of a river.”

Both reference the River’s curving junction with the Passaic River at Newark Bay.

The name may also be derived from the Lenape word, Hackingh, meaning “land of the pipe” from the clay material found in the meadows and used in pipe making.

(Reference: Fields of Sun & Grass by John Quinn)

Henry Kocanda writes:

“I’m sending you picture of Bay-breasted Warbler I took [Monday afternoon at DeKorte].

(Thanks, Henry!)  

The Meadowlands Marsh Hawks (NJMC Naturalist Mike Newhouse, Chris Takacs, and Mike Wolfe) placed second out of 18 teams in their division in Saturday’s 31st annual World Series of Birding and raised more than $3,000 for projects benefiting wildlife in the Meadowlands. Congratulations, Marsh Hawks!

The team set a Bergen County World Series of Birding record with an incredible 149 species in less than 24 hours, including 26 warbler species, 4 owls, and all three falcons. Some of the rarities found by the Marsh Hawks are Cerulean and Hooded Warbler, Glossy Ibis, and Seaside Sparrow.

In case you were clamoring for a wonderful photograph of a snail, you are in luck. Ron Shields photographed this no-longer-shy guy last week at the Kearny Marsh. (Thanks, Ron!)

Our next free guided walk is Tuesday, May 20, at 10 a.m. at Mill Creek Marsh in Secaucus.  The photo of the Snowy Egret above was taken on last year’s May MCM walk.

For a list of birds seen on that walk, click here.

Full details follow.  Directions to Mill Creek Marsh are on the right side of this blog. Continue reading →

Ron Shields reports:

I photographed two Black-billed Cuckoos  in back of Gunnell Oval on Sunday morning.

One was sharing tent caterpillars with the other.  (Thanks, Ron!

The Sixth Annual Mother’s Day Bird Walk in Ridgefield turned out great — fine weather and a strong turnout by both people and birds.

Highlights included appearances by Redstarts, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, Ovenbirds, Ms. New York (you can’t make this stuff up), and a giant squirrel.

The Record’s coverage of the event is here.

Bird pix from yesterday’s walk are here.

Full list follows. Continue reading →