Five years ago, as part of the N.J. Meadowlands Commission’s Oral History Project, we interviewed lots of folks about the region in the old days. We are reprinting the best of them here, every Tuesday, for 11 weeks. This week: Korean War veteran Earl Jensen of Lyndhurst recalls growing up near Horseshoe Creek.

The area of the swamp where all my activities occurred was east of Lyndhurst and North Arlington.  In 1946 the western spur of the turnpike had not been laid down yet.

The Erie and the Lackawanna Railroads and the Jersey City water line were the only reminders of any modern-day progress passing through the swamp.

To me, the grand swamp was a picture of the past with all its natural wonderment.

Click “Continue reading …” for the rest of Earl’s account, as well as Earl’s old photos.

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Don Torino of Bergen Audubon Society reports:

We had two wonderful walks at Losen Slote Creek park in Little Ferry on Sunday morning,

Northern Water Thrush, Common Yellow-throat, Yellow Warblers, Black-throated Blue and Black-throated Green warblers among many others, plus, Solitary and Spotted Sandpipers.

We ended the trip with great looks at a Scarlet Tanager, but best of all we had a great group of folks along with us.

(Thanks, Don!)

  Mickey Raine writes:

Saturday was quite an experience for us at Richard DeKorte Park. in hopes of seeing the GLOSSY IBIS once more.

The GLOSSY IBIS is quite uncommon for the Meadowlands, as per the brochure and what old timers have told us, and yesterday, within a short time, again toward the latter part of the afternoon, we were fortunate in that both the WHITE CROWNED SPARROW and the SCARLET TANAGER were seen, and captured on record.

The WCS was at a pretty good distance from us, so the photos are not nearly as nice as we would have liked, but there is not doubt about its ID. Now, as for the Scarlet Tanager (above) . . . What an amazingly beautiful, rich tone of red.

More description and a rainbow photo follow. Continue reading →

There are at least five Glossy Ibis in the Shorebird Pool right now along the Shorewalk.

(Mickey Raine took the above shot this weekend at DeKorte. Thanks, Mickey!)

Should have more pix tomorrow.

Want to help birds in the Meadowlands?  You can start by clicking the link below!

Saturday is the Big day!

Pledge sheet 2014

Stunning nature photography and seldom-seen archival images from the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission (NJMC) coffee-table book, “The Nature of the Meadowlands,” will be on display in the Meadowlands Environment Center’s Flyway Gallery from Thursday, May 15, through Friday, June 27. A reception is scheduled for Sunday, June 1, from noon to 2 p.m.

The show will feature images by the three prinicipal photographers for the book — Ron Shields, Marco Van Brabant and the NJMC’s Jim Wright — as well as illustrator Thomas Yezerski and several other North Jersey photographers.

Archival images from the acclaimed book, published by Schiffer Books, will be on view as well — including one of the last days of a Secaucus pig farm. The June 1 reception will be preceded by a two-hour nature walk beginning at 10 a.m. in Dekorte Park in Lyndhurst, the home of the NJMC and the Flyway Gallery.

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We have two free guided bird walks with Bergen County Audubon Society on Sunday at Losen Creek Park in Little Ferry. Wear waterproof boots!

Details follow.

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Bergen County Audubon Society & the Ridgefield Environmental Commission are presenting a Bald Eagle Awareness Day on Sunday, May 4, from 2 to 4 p.m.

Meet at the dead end on Bell Drive in Ridgefield. The Ridgefield Park Bald eagles have nested successfully near the site the past three years. The nest failed this spring, but the eagles are still seen in the area often.

For more info, contact:Don Torino at greatauk4@aol.com or 201-230-4983.

Chris Takacs reports:

Had a Purple Martin (left) by the tide gate and 2 bobolinks elsewhere in the Meadowlands this morning in fog.

(Thanks, Chris!)