Neil Maruca reports: Disposal Rd had the Northern Shrike, seen twice briefly between 11am and noon near the retention pond. Also around DeKorte today, American Pipit, 5 harriers, and a Rough-legged Hawk (light phase).
Mehrhof had 14 Lesser Scaup, 2 Ring Neck Ducks, 40 GW Teal, 150 Ruddies, 8 Common & 9 Hooded Mergs, Kingfisher.
Cromakill Marsh held 100 Ring-billed Gull, 150 GW Teal, and 20 Ruddies. (Thanks, Neil!)
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 August:
August 3: Hummingbird Moths Are Here
August 5: Skeetkill Marsh, Mid-Summer (Above)
August 19: Cedar Waxwing at Harrier Meadow
August 31: More Cormorant Antics
Ron Shields took this shot of an immature Bald Eagle flying over Disposal Road on Thursday. A while later, he got a shot an adult Bald Eagle in nearby DeKorte Park. (Thanks, Ron!)
Julie McCall reports: "I saw the shrike Friday from 11:45 til about noon, squabbling with a mockingbird (and a downy woodpecker, of all things), and singing like nobody's business, close enough to watch without my binoculars."
Thanks, Julie!
For her extended report, including a mention of a cane she found, click "Continue reading…" immediately below.
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 July:
July 6: A Walk to Remember (Black Skimmers)
July 10: (Young) Peregrine's Progress
July 15: Osprey Nest in Kearny
July 28: Butterfly Report (Viceroy)
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 June:
June 5: Snowy Egret, Breeding Plumage
June 8: Black-necked Stilt at Harrier
June 10: Awesome Aerial Photography
June 11: Diamondback Terrapin Up-close
June 15: DeKorte's First Daylily
June 17: Silver-spotted Skipper
June 24: Amazing Cormorant Rescue
June 25: Exciting News: Partnership with BCAS
June 26: Forster's Terns in Love at DeKorte
June 29: Peregrines Thriving on Hackensack River Bridges
Dave Blinder passed along some great shots late last week, before the storm and the Christmas Bird Count, and we are only now posting them.
Dave's photos on Flickr can be found here.
Click continue reading…" below for shots of a Yellow-throat and a Redtail.
Quite a few birders and photographers on Disposal Road today looking for the Northern Shrike, and most got to see him in action at some point– eating a mouse, defending his territory and singing like Caruso.
The bird does seem to disappear for long stretches and then pop up. Also seen today from the road: immature Bald Eagle (we hope to post a photo by Ron Shields soon), a Gray Ghost and a female harrier or two.
Just a reminder to be careful on Disposal Road. The road is not supposed to be a through street, and neither North Arlington nor Lyndhurst maintains it, but there are a lot of trucks and other traffic that may not expect birders on the road.
Earlier helpful posts on the Shrike, directions, etc., are here.
Mike Britt reports that the totals for this side of the Hudson River on the Lower Hudson Christmas Bird Count on Sunday were 88 species and 15,153 individual birds.
Highlights included: Long-tailed Duck, Great Cormorant (3), American Bittern, Black-crowned Night Heron (19), Bald Eagle, Northern Harrier (18), Rough-legged Hawk, American Kestrel (3), Wilson's Snipe (2), Iceland Gull, Barn Owl, Long-eared Owl (2), Common Raven (2), Horned Lark (48), Marsh Wren, American Pipit, Grasshopper Sparrow, Snow Bunting (129), Eastern Meadowlark, Rusty Blackbird, White-crowned Sparrow (14).
Photo above is a Savannah Sparrow on the Avon Landfill taken on Count Day. (Thanks, Chris!)
We also had a Snowy Owl, a Red-shouldered Hawk (yesterday by Disposal Road), 3 Greater Yellowlegs, and the Northern Shrike during count week.
Click "Continue reading…" below to see the full list, with the count for each bird.
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 May:
May 4: Tree Swallow Nest Box Project
May 11: Glossy Ibis and Friend
May 14: Scenes Along the Hackensack Await
May 20: DeKorte Finery — With Labels