We were fortunate last Thursday to see a Ring-necked Pheasant take wing from a landfill near DeKorte Park.
Yes, we know that what we call a pheasant is what the local Coyote calls dinner, but we are delighted that we still have pheasants in the Meadowlands. There simply aren't many places in this region where they still exist in the wild.
We saw one a couple of times last month in Harrier Meadow, and they have been seen on the former 1-E Landfill in North Arlington, but as habitat has vanished, so have they.
Yes, we know — they aren't non-native species, etc., blah-blah-blah, but they are still a spectacular bird. We'd love to see them every day.
More pix follow.