The Meadowlands Blog

Neat Story -- Plus Two Book Events Saturday

Jim Wright, who maintains this blog, is speaking about his new book for the NJMC, "The Nature of the Meadowlands," at Wild Birds Unlimited in Paramus tomorrow (Saturday) from 11 a.m. to noon.

Jim and Governor Tom Kean, who wrote the book's foreword, will be signing copies at Bookends in Ridgewood from 1 to 2 p.m. tomorrow (Saturday).

Sean Sullivan wrote an in-depth story about the book, posted on the nj.com website today. The link is here.

Disposal Road Bald Eagle

Disposal Road action has seemed a bit slow of late, but Ron Shields did get this Bald Eagle shot recently. We have a walk along the road on Sunday. Scroll down for details. (Thanks, Ron!)

 

Observer Story on Storm Damage, Harrier Meadow Cleanup

Karen Zautyk has a lengthy article on storm damage to DeKorte Park, plus cleanup efforts at Harrier Meadow, in The Observer today.

The link is here.

Jersey Journal Article on Kearny Marsh Damage

Rose Duger of The Jersey Journal has a story in yesterday's editions about the impacts of Hurricane Sandy on the Kearny Marsh. (Above is a photo of the bench at the entrance to the marsh at Gunnell Oval -- that entrance is now totally blocked by uprooted Phragmites.

The link is here.

South Bergenite Web Article on Mill Creek Marsh

Jaimie Julia Winters of The South Bergenite wrote an article on the  cleanup and reopening of Mill Creek Marsh, with an update on other NJMC sites. (Photo above is post-cleanup on Sunday.)

Will post links to articles on Harrier Meadow cleanup and Kearny Marsh later today.

The link is here.

Raptor Dogfight on Disposal Road (Where else?)

Dennis Cheeseman passed along these recent photos of an American Kestrel mixing it up with a Red-tailed Hawk along Disposal Road. (Thanks, Dennis!)

Two more pix in the sequence follow.

Sunday: Our Next Cleanup and Walk (Note times)

To help address storm-related damage to DeKorte Park, we have adjusted our plans for the first-Sunday walk on Disposal Road this Sunday -- and added a cleanup of parts of DeKorte Park.

[Note: A press report has the incorrect times for the DeKorte Cleanup: It's from 10 a.m. to noon on Sunday.]

The Raptor Walk along Disposal Road now begins at 9 a.m. on Sunday at the AmVets Carillon (halfway down Disposal Road).

The DeKorte Park Cleanup runs from 10 a.m. to noon on Sunday at DeKorte Park. We will clean up the Shorewalk in front of the visitors parking lot and the area around the "beach" at Teal Pool -- we'll explain in detail on Sunday. :- )

Both the walk and cleanup are sponsored by the N.J. Meadowlands Commission and the Bergen County Audubon Society. We apprciate your help. We hope to announce more cleanup dates next week.

Full listings and information on both Sunday events follow.

(Belated) Disposal Road Report

(Editor's Note: Here's a possible preview of Sunday's Raptor Walk along Disposal Road.)

Mike Girone writes:

Apologies for the lateness of this.

Spent much of last Friday afternoon on Disposal Road. The usual cast of characters (both human and avian) was present, especially later in the afternoon. We watched at least 2 Northern Harriers patrolling the landfill (they never got along with each other).

A few fiesty American Kestrels were present, as was an adult Cooper's Hawk. Also seen was a juvenile Red-tailed Hawk (a Northern Harrier escorted it along), and a juvenile Peregrine Falcon that landed in one of the Kestrels' trees atop the landfill, much to the annoyance of one kestrel in particular.

It chased the larger falcon off, and escorted it over the retention pond (the Peregrine ended up atop a nearby high-tension tower). Beautiful weather that day was capped off by a beautiful sunset.

As Ron Shields recently said, in light of recent events, it's good to see the nice side of nature again. (Thanks, Mike!)

Tomorrow: Disposal Road Raptor Dogfight

Friday: Recent Disposal Road Bald Eagle

More pix follow.

Recent Baltimore Oriole in Lyndhurst

Chris Takacs took this photo of one of two Baltimore Orioles he saw on Chubb Avenue on Sunday.  (Thanks, Chris!)

Late November Snow

Sunday: Our Next Cleanup and Walk (Change of tImes)

To help address storm-related damage to DeKorte Park, we have adjusted our plans for the first-Sunday walk on Disposal Road this Sunday -- and added a cleanup of parts of DeKorte Park.

The Raptor Walk along Disposal Road now begins at 9 a.m. on Sunday at the AmVets Carillon (halfway down Disposal Road). The DeKorte Park Cleanup runs from 10 a.m. to noon on Sunday at DeKorte Park. We will clean up the Shorewalk in front of the visitors parking lot and the area around the "beach" at Teal Pool -- we'll explain in detail on Sunday. :- )

Both the walk and cleanup are sponsored by the N.J. Meadowlands Commission and the Bergen County Audubon Society. We apprciate your help. We hope to announce more cleanup dates next week.

Full listings and information on both Sunday events follow.

Tuesday Teaser: 112712

What bird left these tracks at Losen Slote Park in Little Ferry recently?  Thanks to Don Torino for submitting this Tuesday Teaser. Feel free to send in some of your own!  (Thanks, Don!)