Author Archives: Jim Wright

Mickey Raine @DeKorte: Tanager, Ibis, Fox, Plus

050314 FTD B Tanager Scarlet 001df RchrdDKorte Park Mdwlnds NJ 050314 OK FLICKR  Mickey Raine writes:

Saturday was quite an experience for us at Richard DeKorte Park. in hopes of seeing the GLOSSY IBIS once more.

The GLOSSY IBIS is quite uncommon for the Meadowlands, as per the brochure and what old timers have told us, and yesterday, within a short time, again toward the latter part of the afternoon, we were fortunate in that both the WHITE CROWNED SPARROW and the SCARLET TANAGER were seen, and captured on record.

The WCS was at a pretty good distance from us, so the photos are not nearly as nice as we would have liked, but there is not doubt about its ID. Now, as for the Scarlet Tanager (above) . . . What an amazingly beautiful, rich tone of red.

 

More description and a rainbow photo follow. Continue reading →

Flyway Gallery: ‘Nature of Meadowlands’ Images

Nature of Meadowlands cover lg-001Stunning nature photography and seldom-seen archival images from the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission (NJMC) coffee-table book, “The Nature of the Meadowlands,” will be on display in the Meadowlands Environment Center’s Flyway Gallery from Thursday, May 15, through Friday, June 27. A reception is scheduled for Sunday, June 1, from noon to 2 p.m.

The show will feature images by the three prinicipal photographers for the book — Ron Shields, Marco Van Brabant and the NJMC’s Jim Wright — as well as illustrator Thomas Yezerski and several other North Jersey photographers.

Archival images from the acclaimed book, published by Schiffer Books, will be on view as well — including one of the last days of a Secaucus pig farm. The June 1 reception will be preceded by a two-hour nature walk beginning at 10 a.m. in Dekorte Park in Lyndhurst, the home of the NJMC and the Flyway Gallery.

Continue reading →

Bald Eagle Awareness Day

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Bergen County Audubon Society & the Ridgefield Environmental Commission are presenting a Bald Eagle Awareness Day on Sunday, May 4, from 2 to 4 p.m.

Meet at the dead end on Bell Drive in Ridgefield. The Ridgefield Park Bald eagles have nested successfully near the site the past three years. The nest failed this spring, but the eagles are still seen in the area often.

For more info, contact:Don Torino at greatauk4@aol.com or 201-230-4983.

Our Latest Column: Spring Arrivals

Yellow-headed Blackbird 1Jim Wright, who keeps this blog for the NJMC, also writes a twice-monthly column for the South Bergenite. His latest is on the amazing recent bird activity in this region. Here it is:

Don’t just sit there! Grab a pair of binoculars, go outside, and check out the amazing bird activity in the Meadowlands.

From a Snowy Owl in Carlstadt to Snowy Egrets in Lyndhurst, the Meadowlands has been home to some amazing birds in recent weeks.  A Glossy Ibis in North Arlington and a Yellow-headed  Blackbird in Secaucus are two more examples of the diverse and stunningly beautiful array of birds that have been spotted.

And although you may not be able to see some of these winged wonders anymore — the Snowy Owl and Yellow-Headed Blackbird have likely continued on their travels — there are more and more birds arriving in the region and plenty of chances to see them on a free guided walk in the next week or two. (More on that later).

NCMC Naturalist Mike Newhouse points to two reasons why now is such a great time of year to go birding in the Meadowlands.     Continue reading →