Author Archives: NJMC

Shrike Update (Plus!) 123009

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   The Northern Shrike continues along Disposal Road. It was spotted around 11:45 a.m. by Jamie Glydon, and also seen by several others.

    IMG_4553Glydon has tried for 10 years to see the bird in New Jersey, including three hours on Disposal Road in the wind and cold yesterday. 

   Glydon had been looking for more than an hour today before he found the bird high on a bare tree across the retention pond. (Thanks, Jamie!)

   Also of note: We are thinking the bird above is a Cackling Goose, seen today in the Saw Mill Tidal Impoundent near the Lyndhurst Nature Preserve in DeKorte Park. Smaller bill, smaller size than the Canada in the background. 

   In the same general area (or beyond): Pintails, Gadwalls, Bufflehead, Common Mergs, Hooded Mergs. Also had a Merlin on Valley Brook just outside DeKorte (thanks, Charley!). Will post a pic later today.

 

Disposal Road Harrier (but No Shrike)

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   Ron Shields took this shot of a Northern Harrier riding the winds on Disposal Road yesterday. (Thanks, Ron.)

   To our knowledge, the Northern Shrike has not been seen yesterday or so far today, but we are optimistic. The shrike can be a challenge to see.

   If you see the shrike (or better yet, take some good shots of it), please e-mail Jim Wright here.

End-of the-Year Walk: The Report

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    The rumors are true: We really did have a bird walk at DeKorte Park today, with nearly 18 undaunted people taking a short trek to look for waterfowl in the few parts of the impoundments that weren't iced up yet.

    Sightings included more than a dozen Canvasback, three Pintail, 8 Gadwall, multiply Mallards, a Black Duck or two, lots of CAGO and a few Mute Swans.

     IMG_4535 After coffee, cocoa and cookies, we drove out to Disposal Road in hopes of spying the Northern Shrike, but the wind and the cold made it a bit of  a masochism clinic.  The Northern Shrike was apparently hunkered down somewhere, like most sensible humans.

   One participant said she was going to the Antarctic next week — seriously. She received a nice dress rehearsal today at DeKorte.

    Thanks to Don Torino and the great folks at Bergen County Audubon Society for leading the walk, and for all their great work during the year.

  We'd also like to thank everyone who participated in our dozens of programs, events and nature walks throughout 2009.

   Thank you, and see you in 2010!

2009, A Look Back: October

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    The year 2009 marked the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission's 40th anniversary and a major expansion of our nature programs. We thought we'd celebrate by looking back at 2009, month by month.

   Here are some highlights from October:

   October 1: Bald Eagle

   October 6: Oyster Toadfish

   October 9: Yellow Bear Caterpillar

   October 15: ?

   October 22: Grasshopper Afternoons

   October 23, Mehrhof Pond, Late October

   October 23: 40th Anniversary Slide Show

   October 26: Great Blue

  October 28: Secaucus Marshes Aerial Photography

Shrike Update 122809

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     The Northern Shrike has been particularly elusive today. We finally saw him just after 3 p.m., on the far side of the retention pond on Disposal Road. He seemed to wait to appear until two vans with birders in them departed.

   He then perched in the Black Locust on the top of the landfill (photo above, taken today and posted solely to give you a feel of what to look for), and zipped low again.

   Let's hope he is more cooperative for tomorrow's walk.

   Also seen — many N. Harriers, several Redtails, and a Sharpie.

Ravens Update

  Ray Duffy reports: "Two Common Ravens were seen at Laurel Hill on Saturday.  Both of them were interacting with each other.  It looked like they were preening each other in the ball field near the nest.  So it sounds like the pair is back." (Thanks, Ray!)

History Project: The Richard W. DeKorte Legacy

6a00e553bb7c20883401287666985e970c  We recently interviewed Paulette Ramsey, who talks about her late husband, Richard W. DeKorte, and his foresight and contributions to the Meadowlands.

   As a state assemblyman in the late 1960s, DeKorte was instrumental in crafting the legislation that created the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission. DeKorte Park is named in his honor.

   DeKorte also laid out the foundation for the region’s environmental restoration and economic development over the past four decades.

 6a00e553bb7c20883401287666a89e970cHe also laid out the foundation for the region’s environmental restoration and economic development over the past four decades.

   In the interviews, Mrs. Ramsey talks about her late husband’s foresight and contributions to the Meadowlands, as well as NJMC’s collaboration with Ramapo College and the district today.

A plaque (above) in the lobby of the NJMC Administration Building at DeKorte Park honors his memory.

Continue reading →

Tomorrow’s DeKorte Walk

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    Tomorrow's "End of the Year" Walk, in cooperation with Bergen County Audubon, meets in the Environmental Center lobby at 10 a.m. on Tuesday because of the severe cold. Be aware that the Meadwolands also gets very windy this time of year, so dress warmly!

   Here's the plan: We'll do a quick walk for ducks at DeKorte, then head out to Disposal Road to look for the Shrike, which has been hanging around for more than two weeks now.

   We'll then head back to the Environment Center for hot cocoa and cookies — we'll fire up the projector and show some pix of the Northern Shrike Winter Raptors and some yet-to-be-posted pix of Snow Buntings and Horned Larks photographed in the Meadowlands last week…

  Walk leader Don Torino notes: "Saw the Shrike today along with a lot of other birders. It was great to see the Shrike but the Raptors were putting on a great show as well, 4 Harriers over the landfill were working the meadow and sparring with each other, along with two Redtails in the mix. Should be a fun trip."

  Thanks to Pam Mistretta for the Northern Shrike photo above — she took it on Sunday.

  (Note: We also have a  New Year's walk with Bergen County Audubon this Sunday at DeKorte at 10 a.m. Will post more later.)


2009, A Look Back: September

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   The year 2009 marked the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission's 40th anniversary and a major expansion of our nature programs. We thought we'd celebrate by looking back at 2009, month by month.

   Here are some highlights from September:

   September 1: DeKorte Park, 5:55 a.m.

   September 4: Princefisher

   September 9: Yellow-crowned at Saw Mill

   September 10: Aerial Photos of Harrier Meadow

   September 14: Touch-Me-Not

   September 15: Joy in Mudville

   September 15: Northern Wheatear Confirmed!

   September 18: More about the DeKorte Wheatear

   September 19: Sora! Sors! Sora! (Above)

   September 20: Wilson's Phalarope 

    September 25: Least Bittern

    September 30. Small-mouth Bass, Kearny Marsh