Ron Shields writes:

Here are two comparative images of Tuesday's magnificent sunset taken ten minutes apart in DeKorte Park.

Note the dramatic change in hue that takes place in a relatively brief period. Outstanding!  (Thanks, Ron!)

Greg Miller saw and photographed a Sora at noon today from the "Ruddy Duck" blind at DeKorte Park.  A few of us check about 10 minutes later with no luck but will try again.

(We enlarged and cropped Greg's pic a bit; thanks, Greg!)

Professional nature photographers Kevin Karlson (right) and Lloyd Spitalnik are offering a free day of events at DeKorte Park on Saturday. Kevin sent us the following description of all the programming — which include some amazing stuff you won't want to miss, including a free hands-on photography seminar and a look at their new book:

Two 90-minute bird walks in the morning (8:15 and 10:15 a.m.) will concentrate on shorebirds and any other birds that we see around the Meadowlands Environment Center and on the Marsh Discovery Trail.

After lunch, I will give a short presentation on “Tips for Being a Better Birder” (1/2 hour), after which I will show new digital comparative photo arrays from my upcoming book “Birding by Impression” in the Roger Tory Peterson Reference Series.

Detailed descriptions of the afternoon programs follow.

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Don Torino, a leader on our Meadowlands Commission/Bergen County Audubon Society's regular walks, write a regular column for the wildnewjersey.tv blog.

His latest column is on how a love of nature keeps you young — and mentions the Meadowlands:

"Some of my fondest memories of old friends and family members (Some that have moved on or are no longer with me) always seem to drift back to times we spent as kids.

Summers when we stayed out from dawn till dusk in the Meadowlands, as long our parents had to send other kids out to look for us. …

"The memories are ones I think nature was kind enough to give to us.

"They are the memories that makes us smile when no one is looking, ones that remind us despite our age that the child that always loved nature it still in us, it has never left."

The link is here.

Two weeks ago, we posted an item about spotting a banded Peregrine on a former landfill in Rutherford.

We got close enough to photograph both the bird and the band, and sent the info along to our banding experts. We got a nifty reply from Christopher A. Nadareski,  Section Chief, NYC Environmental Protection:

"Great news! One of three I banded at the Met Life Building on 5/12/2012.  Her FWS band is: 1947-03231.  Had two siblings (one male and one female)."

More information follows.

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Ray Duffy writes:

"No luck with the Tricolored Heron or Least Bittern between 6-7pm.  I had a green-winged teal in the channel near the 4th blind from the main entrance of the Marsh Discovery Trail.

"I also had two Osprey chasing a Common Raven along Valley Brook." (Thanks, Ray!)

NJMC Naturalist Mike Newhouse reports:

"Didn't see the Tricolored Heron yet today but I did get a Least Bittern and White-rumped Sandpiper. Bittern was out near the corner of the Transco and Marsh Discovery Trails and the WRSA was in the front pool near the guard shack."

Mike's full report follows. (Thanks, Mike!)

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Roy Woodford got this shot of a Tricolored Heron in the Shorebird Pool late yesterday afternoon. Looks like you could see it from the shoreline by the VIsitors Parking Lot just inside DeKorte. Not sure if it is still around.

Roy says:  "It was around 5:45 PM on Tuesday … I was standing on the shore walk facing the Turnpike.  Looking in that direction there are two islands.  I had a Green Heron fly in and land on the left island. 

"The Tricolored Heron flew in from the south and landed between the two islands where the rest of the Egrets were hanging out. 

"I only got three shots before he flew around the back of the left island.  It's a huge crop on that shot … even at 800mm."

Will post any more sightings if/when we hear of them. (Thanks, Roy!)

Ron Shields writes:

I had a chance to kayak the Kearny Marsh this weekend and was not disappointed.

As stated in your earlier post on the blog, shorebirds have arrived in big numbers. As these images suggest, Semipalmated Plovers, yellowlegs and Semipalmated Sandpipers dominated the mudflats. 

In addition, a most cooperative pair of juvenile Black-crowned Night Herons allowed for numerous no-crop photos with a 400mm lens. 

I sighted three Least Bitterns throughout the impoundment and had good looks at a half-dozen Common Gallinules (Moorhens), too.

More pix and sightings follow.

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The Meadowlands Commission and the Bergen County Audubon Society are proud to present our 4th Annual Kevin Karlson Shorebird Day on Saturday, Aug. 11.

Water levels in the Shorebird Poll will be lower through next weekend, so we expect to see some great birds.

Bring your own lunch and beverages, sunblock and binoculars.

Download a flyer  here. Details follow.

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