Author Archives: NJMC

Help the Marsh Hawks! Four Days to the Big Day!

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Help the Meadowlands Marsh Hawks  in our third annual World Series of Birding competition this Saturday.

We will be exploring every woodlot, marsh, and mud flat in Bergen County in search of as many bird species as we can find.

In 2012, we had an amazing day where we counted 139 species, which gave us first place in our category, and helped us raise more than $2,000 four new native plant garden by the carillon on Disposal Road (pPledge sheet-1-page-001ictured above).

This year we need your support so we can defend our title against some strong competition  – and create a better wildlife habitat for birds along the Kingsland Overlook trail in DeKorte Park.

More information — including how to contribute — follows.

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Roy Woodford’s Orchard Oriole Pix

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Roy Woodford writes:

Things are a little slow these days at DeKorte (and everywhere else).  

 Still … there are a few things around if you're patient.  Ron [Shields] and I managed to get some really good shots of some Orchard Orioles.  

The immature male was by the retention pond and the mature male was up on the Kingsland Overlook Trail.  

Sadly, I missed the trifecta … we saw the female but I didn't get any shots of her.

Thanks, Roy!

Roy Orchard Oriole

Big Year Totals Through April

DSCN9973We have some tallies as of April 30 from the dozen folks in the Meadowlands Big Year for 2013.

Congrats to all for competing. We hope you are having fun near to home, and seeing lots of great birds.

Keep in mind that some birders are in the Meadowlands all the time, and others get here occasionally, so their birdage may differ drastically.

If you're name's not on the list, please e-mail Jim Wright at jim.wright (at) njmeadowlands.gov. It's still not too late! Sign up now!

Here is the leader board as of April 30:

1. Chris Takacs: 130, (2012 reigning champion, ineligible for prizes in 2013 as a result, lives in district)
2. Mike Newhouse 119 (NJMC, setting a target number for competitors)
3. Ray Duffy, 111 (in district)
4. Jackie DeMarco, 116 (out of district)
5. Mike Wolfe,  96 species (out of district)
6. Dennis Cheeseman, 107 (out of district)
7. Jim Wright,  100  (NJMC staff, ineligible for prizes)
8. Julie McCall, 95 (in district)
9. Mike Turso 90 (out of district)
10. Oliver Stringham, 89  (in district)
11.  Roy Woodford 88 (out of district)
12. Rob Fanning 76  (out of district)

Leader boards as of April 30 last year and March 31 of this year follow.

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Ridgefield Park Eagle Update

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On our Losen Slote Park guided walk yesterday, we saw a Bald Eagle flying over the meadow. Joe Koscielny got a photo.AliceRP_5-4-014

When he inspected the image, he realized that eagle had a transmitter on its back.

That meant, in all likelihood, that it was Alice the Eagle, our local Bald eagle with a transmitter on her back. She is nesting nearby in Ridgefield Park.

Joe also took a photo of her on the nest yesterday, just after noon, from across Overpeck Creek. We have seen two eaglets in the nest. She is a busy mom. (Thanks, Joe!)

Coming Sunday: Mother’s Day Walk in Ridgefield

This is  the Meadowlands Commission's IMG_8133 fifth annual Mother's Day Walk with Bergen County Audubon Society and the Ridgefield Environmental Commission, and it is — as they say in France — a doozie.

We'll start at the Ridgefield Nature Center, once the home of the Great Bear Water Co.

We'll check out the community gardens across the street.

We'll hop in our cars and look at the Ridgefield Monk Parakeets on the way to Skeetkill Creek Marsh.

When we're done, those who would like to see a nearby Bald Eagle nest can follow us to an undisclosed location.

Full info follows.

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