Part of the Meadowlands Commission's mission is to boost both the economy and the environment by pushing for renewable energy. To that end, the commission announced three initiatives yesterday at its monthly meeting.

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   Taken earlier this week, dusk, on Valley Brook Avenue.

      Sure, this late February weather is a drag, snow is in the forecast (again), and the waterfowl and other birds of the Meadowlands have hunkered down, but we can't help but fell a touch of spring in the air. Judging from last year, there should be a lot going on here real soon.

   March 2: Monk Parakeet Video

   March 6: Of Redtails and Redwings

   March 12: The Killdeer Are Back

   March 13: First Great Egret of the Year

   March 23: K Rations

    We also have three nature events next month.

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  On Friday, on the heels of reports of Dolphin sightings on the Hackensack River, we set out in a small outboard boat to repair a water-quality monitor by Kearny Point.
   Although we did not see any Dolphins, we did see a dozen Black-crowned Night Herons (across the river from the Laurel Hill Boat Launch), Common Mergansers and Great Cormorants.
  On Monday, we got the monitor up and running again. The solar-powered monitor measures six different sets of water data, including dissolved oxygen, and then sends the information by modem to the Meadowlands Environmental Research Institute.
   Click here — Download 2009DOupdate — for last year's encouraging 1-page report on dissolved oxygen trends  in the river. Dissolved oxygen levels are increasing, which is good for the entire food chain.
   Click here for the very informative MERI Web site.

   Click "Continue reading…" immediately below for a photo of a Dolphin who visited the Meadowlands last year.

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Shrike was seen earlier today on Disposal Road.
Mike Newhouse & Co. had an American Kestrel on the Erie Landfill this a.m. We also had a Pied-billed Grebe (Ron Shields took the above shot at Kearny Marsh recently), a Common Moorhen (right),  multiple American Coots and a handful of Common Mergs (below)at the Kearny Marsh around noon.

   Julie McCall reports: "The Northern Shrike continues in the area of the AmVets Carillon, on both sides of the road.  Fun stuff from Sunday at the end of the post, pre-empted for those who are tired of hearing about him. "
   Thanks, Julie!

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    Because of popular demand, we are adding a walk to our upcoming schedule — a special Harrier Meadow weekend walk on Sunday, Apr. 11.
   As you no doubt know, Apr. 11 is National Cheese Fondue Day, but we have decided against serving any during the walk. It's strictly BYOF.
   Complete details follow. Directions to Harrier are in left-hand column.

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    Another possibility for all those keeping Disposal Road raptor lists for 2010. Seen last Thursday, near the North Arlington DPW. Disposal Road is the place to be seen, the birds know it.

    Ron Shields photographed this immature Bald Eagle on Monday as it flew over Disposal Road, the epicenter of Meadowlands birding these days.
    The bird the perched on the ice in a nearby impoundment. (Thanks, Ron!)
    On Wednesday, Chris Takacs saw an eagle perched on a distant snag in the Saw Mill Impoundment.  (Last Sunday, walk participants saw an eagle over that impoundment, flushing a couple of Golden Eyes and other nervous waterfowl.

  
  Just in time for weekend birders, Ray Duffy reports: "I did a loop around the area. My first stop was at Braddock (North Hudson) Park in North Bergen. A drake Mandarin Duck was found here a few weeks ago and was still present. It's not countable, but it is a very pretty duck. Also on the pond were a female Hooded Merganser, and some northern shovelers.
   "From there I made a stop at Skeetkill and the Hendricks Causeway. Nothing going on at Skeetkill. I had a 6 six Monk Parakeets on the nests by the railroad bridge.  
   "After another stop or two, I finished off at DeKorte Park. I missed out on the Northern Shrike by a minute or two. The female Common Goldeneye continues in the Teal Pond. I had a number of northern harriers along the landfills including a Gray Ghost [blog note: photo is from yesterday]. Only 2 or 3 Fox Sparrows on the Kingsland Overlook, no sign of any White-Crowned Sparrows.
    Ray's Photo of the Mandarin Duck is also here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rayduffy/4369172070/  

   Thanks, Ray!