Kevin Bolton digiscoped this photo of the Boat-Tailed Grackle this weekend on one of the transmission towers on Disposal Road. (Thanks, Kevin!)
   Kevin's photography blog is here.

    Chris Takacs and Ray Duffy boat report seeing/hearing a Boat-tailed Grackle yesterday.  Chris had his bird at his house in Lyndhurst, off Schuyler Ave. Ray had his bird near Laurel Hill County Park in Secaucus.
    This bird is ubiquitous in Florida, and we are told it may nest on Long Island, but it's it's a great bird, so be on the lookout. (Thanks, guys!)

    Here's a link to Chris' photo.

    Here is a link to Ray's video.  Ray also had an Eastern Meadowlark.

     We have some nasty photos of Mill Creek Marsh in Secaucus, taken in the wake of the weekend storm. Much of the vegetation has been washed away, and the entire site looks like a war zone.
   To understand how extensive the damage is, we thought we'd post a few "before" and "after" shots. The shot above was taken in the fall, when everything was thriving. Below is this week — more pix follow "on the jump."
The shots aren't of exactly the same views, but you'll get the idea…

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    To celebrate the arrival of spring, the Meadowlands Commission and the Bergen County Audubon Society are holding a special walk this Sunday at 10 a.m. at Laurel Hill County Park in Secaucus.  Directions are in the left-hand column.
   We are working on an alternate location for the walk on Sunday, April 4. It had been scheduled for Mill Creek Marsh in Secaucus, but that site is closed for storm repairs at least until mid-April. We will post information on the new site for the April 4 walk here.

   Details about this Sunday's walk are below.(Above photo was taken from top of Laurel Hill, looking out at ballfields, the Hackensack River and Saw Mill Creek Wildlife Management Area.)

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    Chris Takacs and Don Torino report seeing a Tree Swallow by the Carillon on Disposal Road — a sure sign of spring.
    Last spring, the swallows were so eager to nest they were flying into the nesting boxes while we still had them in the boat. Link is here. Photo above is a file photo.

  Below, a video we did  last year about Tree Swallows.

   Last week, DeKorte Park and the Meadowlands Environment Center played host to a national conference about improving marsh access for the disabled.   
   Jim O'Neill filed a wonderfully written story for The Record — link is here.
    And NY1 had excellent coverage as well.  Link is here.

On July 4 Weekend, the Meadowlands Environment Center is open Saturday, July 3. On Sunday, July 4, and Monday, July 5, the MEC will be open for restroom-use only.
   MEC weekend hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The William D. McDowell Observatory will be open Monday, July 5, weather permitting. Check the website here for details.
   Because of long-term storm damage, DeKorte Park's Marsh Discovery Trail and part of its Saw Mill Creek Trail are closed. We appreciate your patience.
   Note: We now have 90-minute guided walks on the Marsh Discovery Trail at noon on Tuesdays and Thursdays. See post below or click here.

   Tuesday's 10 a.m. bird walk at DeKorte is canceled. All trails are closed.  In all likelihood, no restrooms will be open at DeKorte Park.
   As a courtesy, we may have an abbreviated walk for those who have not checked the blog and who have thus showed up at 10 a.m. anyway, but if you read this — best not to attend.  More mud than birds.