Regina Geoghan passed along this shot of an American Lady butterfly — one of the first of the year at DeKorte Park — earlier this week.  (Thanks, Regina!)

Jim Wright, who maintains this blog for the South Bergenite, also writes a twice-monthly column for the South Bergenite. His latest is about the second annual Moth Night at DeKorte Park on Monday, July 22. (We’ll post more about Moth Night tomorrow.)

The link is here.

National Moth week’s Facebook Page is here.

Regina Geoghan writes:

“Two images from noontime Monday. A Black Swallowtail and a Clear-winged Hummingbird Moth (above) at Jill’s Garden.

“Wonderful to start to see the butterflies back.”

(Thanks, Regina!)

Michael Maddaloni writes:

“Here are some new photos for you. Some are sunrises on Disposal & Valley Brook, and some are inside DeKorte. ” (Thanks, Mike!)

Really unusual panorama follows — tilt your laptop sideways!

Continue reading →

We had a great turnout of folks and birds for our fifth annual First-Sunday-of-July walk at DeKorte Park.

Great folks, great birds — including several Great Blue Heron flyovers. (Thanks to Joe Koscielny for the shot above!)

Full list of 39 species, courtesy of Denise Farrell, Julie McCall and Mary Kostus follows. Continue reading →

Here are the tallies as of June 30  in the Meadowlands Big Year for 2013.

Congrats to all for competing. We hope you are having fun near to home, and seeing lots of great birds.

Keep in mind that some birders are in the Meadowlands all the time, and others get here occasionally, so their birdage may differ drastically.

If you’re name’s not on the list, please e-mail Jim Wright at jim.wright (at) njmeadowlands.gov. It’s still not too late! Sign up now!

Here is the leader board as of June 30:

1. Chris Takacs: 178, (2012 reigning champion, ineligible for prizes
in 2013 as a result, lives in district)
2. Mike Newhouse 176 (NJMC, setting a target number for competitors.)
3. Ray Duffy, 167 (in district)
4. Jackie DeMarco, 155 (out of district)
5. Mike Wolfe,  141 species (out of district)
6. Dennis Cheeseman, 136 (out of district)
7. Jim Wright,  131  (NJMC staff, ineligible for prizes)
8. Mike Turso 126 (out of district)
9. Oliver Stringham, 113  (in district)
10. Julie McCall, 113 (in district)
11.  Roy Woodford 112 (out of district)
12. Rob Fanning 108  (out of district)

The leader board as of May 31 follows.

Continue reading →

Our latest Teaser subjectt can be seen on the Kingsland Overlook in DeKorte Park. We know it as Western Salsify, but it’s also called Goats Beard.

Congrats to Deedee Burnside and    Trudy Gerlach for providing the right answer!

More on Goat’s-Beard or Goatsbeard (it is spelled many ways) here.

Dennis Cheeseman writes:

“Looks like the Ravens are already checking out MetLife Stadium for the upcoming football season.”

Thanks, Dennis!

One of the neat things about River Barge Park is the environmental pavilion. Its thatched roof, made from New Jersey Phragmites, took a bit of a beating from Hurricane Sandy.

Thatcher extraordinaire William P. Cahill and his son Liam are doing the repairs.

They could be done by week’s end.

For an earlier post on the amazing thatched roof, click here.

(Thanks to the NJC’s Katy Weidel for the photo above!)