Next Wednesday, starting around 8 p.m., several folks are planning an informal, unofficial gathering in the Visitors Parking Lot in DeKorte Park to view the Tribute in Light in Lower Manhattan.

Roughly two dozen folks were on hand at DeKorte Park a year ago to see the twin beams of light that marked the 11th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks.

Most were there with cameras, others were there just to reflect.

DeKorte Park’s William K. McDowell Observatory will also be open that night for free public viewing.

NJ Audubon Citizen Science has another sandpiper counting challenge from River Barge Park on its Facebook page.

The link is here.

Patrick Carney writes:

I stayed after Sunday’s walk to look around more in the Lyndhurst Nature Reserve area and found a pair of Yellow-Billed Cuckoos! (Patrick, thanks for the report and photos.) Continue reading →

Our next free guided walk with Bergen County Audubon is on Tuesday, Sept. 17 from 10 a.m. to noon, and it’s a terrific Tuesday two-fer — a walk in Harrier Meadow, plus a bird-banding demonstration there by NJMC Naturalist Mike Newhouse.

Harrier Meadow — where we recently saw that wing-tagged Great Egret — is usually closed to the public, and Mike’s bird-banding demos are always the best. Mike banded the mystery warbler pictured above on Tuesday  — the same day we saw the tagged egret.

Details — and ID of mystery warbler — follow. Continue reading →

Earlier this week The Record published a fascinating article by staff environmental writer Scott Fallon about the Meadowlands marshes.

MITSU YASUKAWA / THE RECORD

Fallon writes:

Julie McCall found this neat caterpillar on Sunday’s walk as well.  Any ideas on ID?

Marie Longo took this shot of a cool Eastern Tiger Swallowtail caterpillar during Sunday’s walk. (Thanks, Marie!)

Dennis Cheeseman photographed this Semipalmated Plover at Clay Avenue Wetlands in Lyndhurst this morning. (Thanks, Dennis!)

A Ruby-throated Hummingbird was seen at Jill’s Garden at 2:10 p.m.

Regina Geoghan writes:  “Finally – my first bird photos of the summer.  Quite a few Snowy Egrets at Mill Creek this morning (Labor Day).   Hard to get a clear shot of them through the reeds and shrubs and the lighting was rather dull but did get a few. ”  (Thanks, Regina!) Continue reading →

Don Torino’s latest column for wildnewjersey.tv is about a recent NJMC pontoon-boat cruise he took.

Here’s a sample:

I was fortunate enough to grow up meandering the marshes and creeks of the New Jersey Meadowlands. 

I am still very privileged as I get to help introduce folks from all over to all the wonders of the Meadowlands by leading nature walks.

But as much as I adore walking the trails of places like DeKorte Park and Mill Creek Marsh, a pontoon boat cruise on the Hackensack River can put the people, history and environment in a beautiful natural perspective that I never get tired of.

Link is here.