Observatory: September’s Schedule

IMG_9258 The William D. McDowell Observatory in  DeKorte Park begins a new schedule of programming on wednesday night with free public access at 8 and 10 p.m. — weather permitting, of course.

Dress for the weather; with the dome open, you are basically outside.

Each evening two major objects in the night sky will be viewed, plus one or two other celestial objects or events depending on the observing conditions.

Pictured at left is the observatory's state-of-the-art telescope with a 20-inch mirror, housed beneath a retractable dome.

The telescope, one of the largest in the area, is equipped with cameras to record the stars and planets. Special filters block light pollution.

For detailed information, click here.  The full September schedule will be posted when it becomes available.

 

Sunday’s DeKorte Walk

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IMG_1182Another great walk at DeKorte today, with more birders than we could count — and some great birds.

What can you say when the first bird seen on the walk was a Pied-billed Grebe, and the last bird (on Valley Brook) was a way distant Bald Eagle?

We'll post more on Tuesday — including the list we came up between 11 and noon, when a lot of birds seemed to go into hiding. :- )

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Ron Shields: Scenes from the Kearny Marsh

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Ron Shields writes: The Kearny Marsh has been alive and well as of late.  Included is an image of a flock of greenCopy of IMG_1511-winged teals along with at least one blue-winged teal .  They have beenfrequent visitors lately. 

 
In addition, there is a close-up shot of a Short-billed Dowitcher as photographed on the mudflats.  Finally, a lone Monarch Butterfly is captured against a sea of pink — Marsh Fleabane (?).
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Kearny Marsh: Turtle and Y.C. Night Heron

Copy of IMG_0112Ron Shields filed this report from Kearny Marsh recently:

"Here are images of an immature yellow-crowned night heron and his/her encounter with a well-disguised snapping turtle on Saturday evening.

"I had wondered what caught the attention of the heron when a section of the marsh floor began to slowly move."

(Thanks, Ron!)

 

 

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