Chris Takacs filed an amazing list of sightings from the Meadowlands the past few days, including Black Skimmers, a Peregrine Falcon, an American Kestrel, a Gray Ghost, 2 Blue Grosbeaks and a Clapper Rail.

 Full list follows. (Thanks, Chris!)

Continue reading →

 
   Because of a scheduling conflict, today's (Tuesday's noon) Marsh Discovery Trail walk in DeKorte Park is cancelled. The next noon walk is Thursday.
   Last Thursday we had a great (but brief) look at a Least Bittern flying, and an amazing Forster's Terns show. It all began with this perched Forster's Tern and a juvenile floating in the Shorebird Pool.
    The adult took off with the fish …

   Full sequence follows…

Continue reading →

   Thought we'd post some of the birds that NJMC Naturalist Mike Newhouse and his stalwart band of volunteers banded this spring.
   Who's this?
   Click below for the answer and more about this bird.

Continue reading →

    
  Nellie Tsipoura of the New Jersey Audubon Society writes:

    NJAS is currently recruiting volunteers for bird surveys coordinated through the Citizen Science Program. Participants must have some prior experience in shorebird identification and be willing to commit three days a month in August, September and October to conducting bird surveys.
   Shorebird survey volunteers are needed for the New Jersey Meadowlands and some coastal sites. Shorebird Associates are required to survey their site every 10 days (and at least 5 days apart) during southbound (fall) migration: Now to October 31st.
   For more information on this project, contact Nellie Tsipoura,  nellie.tsipoura@njaudubon.org.
   Training in identification and count methodology will be provided by NJ Audubon.
   The NJAS Citizen Science program is a collaborative effort of NJAS, the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife's Endangered and Nongame Species Program (ENSP) Data collected will further our knowledge of bird distribution and abundance in New Jersey.

 
   Today, July 17, is the 14th anniversary of the crash of TWA Flight 800. The Jill Ann Ziemkiewicz Butterfly Garden is named for the youngest member of the flight crew, a 23-year-old Rutherford.
   An article about the Jill and the garden is here.
 

 
   R.T. Geoghan took this recent shot of a Black Swallowtail on a Coneflower at DeKorte. (Thanks, Regina!)

   Not the best time for a butterfly count — didn't start till 4 p.m. Thursday — but had a Monarch, a clearwing moth and plenty of Red Admirals, Broad-winged Skippers and Cabbage Whites.

   Full list follows. You can download your own DeKorte checklist here: Download DeKorte Butterfly Count Sheet.

Continue reading →

   We saw three Least Terns yesterday afternoon over one of the impoundments at Harrier, and another was seen near the entrance to the Saw Mill Creek Trail earlier in the day.
   We are also seeing Greater Yellowlegs and assorted sandpipers, including the Solitary Sandpiper below. Fall migration appears to be under way…

    For the past week or so, we have been getting reports of one or more Bald Eagles hanging out at the Keegan Landfill in Kearny.
   Alas, we have not had the opportunity to get dwon to the landfill and see for ourselves.
   Fortunately, Ron Shields took a few shots from his kayak in the Kearny Marsh. He writes that the two shots were taken roughly 30 minutes apart, but that he thinks the photos are of the same bird.
   At least one other Bald Eagle has been seen at Keegan of late — a mature Bald Eagle. (Thanks, Ron!)

   We do get Bald Eagle sightings at DeKorte from time to time, including this one from March, when Bald Eagles and gulls were competing for fish. They are always awesome to see in the wild.