NJMC photo by Angelo Urato
As Environmental Jim O'Neill of The Record writes in today's editions, there appears to be a very good chance of a successful Osprey nest in Kearny this spring — the first in recent memory, and only the second along the lower Hackensack in decades. The other is in Jersey City near the PSE&G plant.
The Record's story, which also goes into fascinating detail about the Common Ravens of Laurel Hill in Secaucus, is here. It's an excellent read.
We took this photo of Double-Crested Cormorants — and many more images — during one of our first Ecotourism pontoon boat trips of the season this week.
Click here to view information on how to join us on one of our inexpensive two-hour tours of the Hackensack River, Mill Creek Marsh and the Saw Mill Creek Wildlife Management Area.
Click "Continue reading …" to see more photos from this weekday cruise — including a Peregrine Falcon, two nifty bridges, an Osprey, Harmon Cove and a Great Egret.
We passed through a North Arlington construction site on the way to check on the progress of a new Osprey nest, and the workers pointed out this Killdeer guarding her nest, right next to a chainlink fence.
The nest was just a few feet from a narrow roadway choc
k-a-block with construction vehicles and machinery. The noise was non-stop, but the Killdeer did not seem to mind.
When a construction worker approached the nest, the Killdeer scurried away, making that high-pitched whir they like to make.
We looked at the ground where the Killdeer had been, and discovered four well-hidden eggs. when we came back the next day, we couldn't find them though they were no doubt in view.
The William D. McDowell Observatory in DeKorte Park has a full schedule for May, including several free public observation nights, a month-long Tuesday-night astronomy course, and a special program on how NASA technology has been applied to everyday life.
Public Viewing Schedule
Observe the skies through the 20-inch diameter telescope of the William D. McDowell Observatory each Monday and Wednesday evening. Because of the later sunsets, the viewing hours will begin at 9 pm.
Each free session focuses on two major objects on the night sky, plus one or two other celestial objects or events depending on the observing conditions.
Observing is weather dependent and will be canceled for that night if the skies are cloudy at the beginning of the observing session.
Click "Continue reading …" to view entire May observatory schedule.
One thing about American Robins — they don't seem to mind making their nests in the middle of things.
This robin built her nest atop a light fixture above the entrance to the Meadowlands Environment Center, and don't seem to mind all the visitors walking back and forth under their apartment.
She and Pops have been feeding their young — we've seen at least two — like clockwork.
More on America Robins here.
The Meadowlands is looking more and more like an avian maternity ward. Stay tuned for some nifty news.
Kate Ruskin of New Jersey Audubon writes:
Citizen scientists are needed for heron surveys [and you can take a training session right here in the Meadowlands]!
The New Jersey Audubon Society (NJAS) is recruiting volunteers for wading bird surveys coordinated through its Citizen Science program.
The study, now in its second year, will run from May until October in the
Hackensack Meadowlands, Raritan Bay, and surrounding watersheds.
Volunteers are asked to commit to two surveys per month over the course of the study period and one pre-season training workshop.
Click "Continue reading" to learn more.
A bit of news regarding the Monk Parakeets of Ridgefield.
Bill Boyle of the New Jersey Bird Records Committee reports:
"At the Spring 2008 meeting [last month], the committee voted to add Monk Parakeet to the New Jersey State List. The population in Bergen County, which has been present for many years, has been growing and spreading and is unlikely to be extirpated by natural causes."
Click "Continue reading…" for the rest of his comments.
The New Jersey Meadowlands Commission has begun its annual nesting box program for tree swallows this week, and the beautiful iridescent-blue birds are grabbing up the boxes as soon as they are placed along the edge of wetlands.
In some instances (see photo at right), 
the birds have flown into the nesting boxes while the boxes were still on the boat.
Tree swallows are a popular bird for many people, not just for their iridescent beauty and graceful speed, but also because they love to eat insects. It has been estimated that a family of tree swallows can eat hundreds upon hundreds of midges, mosquitoes and other insects in a day.
With the help of local scout troops, families and other groups, the Meadowlands Commission has erected some 250 nesting boxes in marshes throughout the 30.4-square-mile district.
Last year, Meadowlands Commission naturalists used GPS devices to help keep track of tree-swallow activity in all of the nesting boxes.
COMING SOON: Tree Swallow Video
Click here to read Bergen Record Environmental Writer Jim O'Neill's nifty story today about the Tree Swallow Project.
"Continue reading…" for more info and pics.
We did this very short (34-second) video for tonight’s talk at the Kearny Library. We made the video a week or two ago at the Gunnell Oval. The water segment was videoed at the nearby Kearny Marsh.
We don’t see American Coots out of water too often, but there they were — walking around by the ballfield, acting almost like chickens.
These red-eyed little birds are often mistaken for ducks, but as you might see from the video, their feet are not webbed.
If you scroll down the blog to this week’s Tuesday Teaser, you can see what a coot’s foot looks like and click on a link for more info about these odd birds.
