This year's Harbor Herons Project surveys in the Meadowlands are now completed, and the volunteers who kept regular tabs on all these magnificent birds can catch their breath.

  It was a real team effort. Credit goes to Nellie Tsipoura of the New Jersey Audubon Society for running the volunteer effort, Kate Ruskin of NJAS for coordinating it.

   What's more, a big thank you goes out to the following volunteers for all their dedication and hard work…

   Kingsland Impoundment- Camille Gutmore, Kim Mendillo
   Sawmill Creek- John and Sue Schmerler, Jerry Golub
   Harrier Meadows- Tom and Judy Honohan, Jay Wiggins, Heidi Cleven, Joanne Kornoelje
   Secaucus H.S./Mill Creek Marshes- Mary Jo Marino, John Jegla, Chris Takacs, John Tyler
   Richard P. Kane Natural Area- Scott McCoy
   MRI- Lorraine Novinski
   Kearny Brackish and Freshwater Marshes- John Kandybowicz
   Skeetkill Creek Marsh- Don Torino
   Overpeck Creek: Terry Milligan and Andrew Burmester

NJMC naturalists rescued a Snowy Egret by the Barge Club in Carlstadt today. It appeared to have an injured wing and was generally in sad shape.
  With the help  of Naturalist Michael Newhouse, Erica Mueller (pictured above with the egret) went into the marsh to recover the bird.
     Erica took the bird to the Raptor Trust in Millington, where it is said to be resting comfortably.
   Preliminary diagnosis: swollen elbow and dehydration. Prognosis: After it regains strength in several days, the egret will be X-rayed, assessed and treated accordingly.
     Click here for more information on the Raptor Trust, a wonderful haven for orphanned and injured birds.

    We hope to post an update next Wednesday.

    Ever try to identify a feather — like this Pheasant feather found in Harrier Meadow?

    The federal government has a great feather identification Web site. The link is here…

    The Star-Ledger has an informative story on Mute Swans today. Click here for the link.

   We have been getting all sports of Kestrels, Redtails, Ospreys and Harriers along Disposal Road, but the guy in the photo above took us by surprise the other day.
   We were at the beginning of the Saw Mill Creek Trail when this guy flew past, within 20 feet of us.
   He flew down the trail and landed on a rock by the tidal impoundment on the right.
   He is an accipiter, we figure, but need help. He (she) was fairly large. Any suggestions?

  That migrating Peregrne Falcon that was headed in our direction a week ago instead took a route to the east, flying over water to miss the metro area and later flying over the ocean again to take the shortest route south.
   The falcon is now in the Florida Keys.
   Read more here.

     With winter approaching, these large migratory woodpeckers seem to be extra busy these days. We photographed this guy in the North Arlington.
     Curious fact of the day: Northern Flickers have incredibly long tongues — the better to catch ants and other insects with.
   More on Northern Flickers here.
 

  We took Don Torino’s advice and visited Mill Creek Marsh on Thursday.

   The twilight of early October made  the marsh seem almost incandescent, right down tothe ancient cedar stumps. We were there until 6:30 and watched more than a dozen snowy egrets fly across the marsh at low tide.

 The Meadowlands Commission restored the site and opened it to the public in 2002. It is a great place to watch birds, take a walk, or just chill.

 Click “Continue reading…” immediately below for more images of the marsh at sunset.

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