Where's Waldo (the Hooded Merganser)? (Click "Continue reading…" below for the answer.
The above shot was taken at Mehrhof Pond in Little Ferry late last week. In addition to seeing hundreds upon hundreds of 
Ruddy Ducks, a quick glance around this huge pond brought several Northern Pintails, Common Mergansers, Green-winged Teal, that hidden-away Hoodie, and a Great Blue Heron.
Most views were distant: Bring a spotting scope if you go.
For everyone keeping score at home, we thought we would post our bird-banding totals for fall 2008.
You can download the complete tally below:
Download Final tally — banded birds
Here's the top of an article on the bird-banding in this week's Leader:
By Alexis Tarrazi
Senior Reporter
NORTH ARLINGTON (Dec. 4, 2008) — In an effort to determine just how many migratory birds utilize and rely upon the Meadowlands landfills as a resting location, naturalists with the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission conducted their first-ever expansive study at the Erie landfill in North Arlington in the spring and fall of this year.
“As the environmental stewards of the region, we are putting old landfills to new uses,” stated Robert Ceberio, NJMC executive director in a press release. “We not only are capping and closing those landfills, but we are also making the most of them — whether it’s installing solar panels or helping migratory and threatened species.”
Naturalists were able to weigh, measure and band a total of 4,032 birds, including 23 species of warblers and 583 Savannah Sparrows -— a threatened species in New Jersey. In all, 88 species of birds were recorded, including five birds on New Jersey’s threatened, endangered or special-concern lists — the American Kestrel, Savannah Sparrow, Grasshopper Sparrow, Vesper Sparrow and Bobolink, according to a press release.
Photo by JJ Rusher/NJMC
If you haven't been to the McDowell Observatory yet, the view above is just a sample of what you've been missing. 
The observatory, in DeKorte Park in Lyndhurst, is open to the public Mondays and Wednesdays from 7 to 10 p.m.
Note: Observing is weather dependent and will be canceled for the night if the skies are cloudy or if there’s any type of precipitation.
Click here for more posts and information on the observatory.
Click "Continue reading…" to see next week's schedule and highlights.
We had an other beautiful morning for the guided Harrier Meadow walk yesterday.
Our nine participants were rewarded with a Bald Eagle, a Merlin, three other raptor species, an Orange-crowned Warbler and six species of ducks.
The last Harrier Meadow walk of the year is next Wednesday, Dec. 10, and there is still plenty of room.
We are still hoping to see Rough-legged Hawks, Snow Buntings, and the usual raptor fest. Just e-mail us.
Saw this Redtail kiting over Kingsland.
Click "Continue reading…" for new flight photos of an American Kestrel, a Great Egret and a Northern Harrier.
In case you missed it last night, Venus, Jupiter and a crescent Moon will appear to be bunched together in the night sky tonight after dusk.
Look to the southwest an hour after sunset.
John Sloan of NJMC's McDowell Observatory at DeKorte Park in Lyndhurst says that Venus and Jupiter should also be visible on Wednesday night when the observatory opens to the public at 7 p.m. — but that they will be getting low in the sky.
More on this astronomical event here.
Can you identify this bird? Clue: It's a female juvenile, and it's feeling a little bluer than it looks …
For the answer, click on "Continue reading…" immediately below.
For more Tuesday Teasers, click here.
Welcome to the Meadowlands in December, a month that promises to be filled with raptors and waterfowl.
The male Northern Harrier pictured above was hunting a North Arlington landfill last week. We also saw a Peregrine, two Kestrels, two female Northern Harriers and five Redtails not far away within a one-hour span that day.
