The Record ran a story on the Hackensack/Ridgewood CBC yesterday, which included Mehrhof Pond and Losen Slote Creek Park in Little Ferry.

   The story is here.

   More information on Great Egrets (yes, there are still some in the Meadowlands these days) here.
   More information on Rails here and here.

    Today is officially the first day of winter.

   The weather could have been better, but the birds did not seem to mind.
   We had 31 species on yesterday's 90-minute walk, including a Barn Owl flying, a Sharpie, a Cooper's and a Redtail or two — plus a whole lot of ducks.
    Click "Continue reading …" for the full list.

Continue reading →

John Beetham has a solid New Jersey birding blog with an unlikely name — "A D.C. Birding Blog."   

   Click here for John's report. It offers some great perspective on Sunday's Lower Hudson count — which included the Meadowlands.

  Click the button above for more information on the Christmas Bird Count nationwide.
 

     We had said that given the dubious forecast, we'd hold the last Harrier Walk of the year if anybody showed up.
   A birder from Pennsylvania braved the elements to participate, so out we went.
   We'll print the full list tomorrow — highlight was a Barn Owl flying.

   As part of the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission's upcoming 40th anniversary, the Commission's Parks Department has created this weekly feature on how local places, landmarks, and geographical features  got their name.

PLANK ROADS

   During the eighteenth century Paterson Plank Road was literally a road made out of wooden planks. 

   The road was built by laying Atlantic white cedar logs end to end topped with cedar planks. 

    Can you imagine riding in a wagon or on horseback on this plank road?  Maybe that's how the expression “washer board” road was born. 

    The wooden planks were replaced in 1909 with granite cobbles that are still visible in places today.

   Do you have any suggestions for this feature? E-mail us.

   For more What's-in-a-Name Wednesdays, click here.

Our Meadowlands team was part of the Lower Hudson CBC Circle, covering a 15-mile radius.
    Team Leader Mike Britt has posted a highlights list, including many of the birds that our team of three saw on our 11 hours plus of birding Meadowlands Commission sites in North Arlington, Lyndhurst and Carlstadt. The circle saw counted 100 species and more than 13,000 birds overall.

     (Above: Orange-crowned Warbler; at right, a Horned Lark.)

    Click "Continue reading…" below for the highlights list and a photo of a pheasant and an artsy shot of a Bald Eagle.

Continue reading →

   Can you identify this bird?  Hint: It will be "in season" beginning next week.

   For answer, click on "Continue reading…" immediately below.

    For more Tuesday Teasers, click here.

Continue reading →