HARRIER MEADOW, North Arlington Directions take you to the parking area on Disposal Road, accessible from Schuyler Avenue in North Arlington and Valley Brook Avenue in Lyndhurst (by DeKorte Park).
RIVER BARGE PARK & MARINA, Carlstadt Directions take you to Outwater Lane in Carlstadt. Follow Outwater Lane to end for the River Barge Park & Marina.
SCHMIDT'S WOODS, Secaucus Entrance to Schmidt's Woods is roughly 100 yards to the west on Millridge Road.
SKEETKILL CREEK MARSH, Ridgefield After turning onto Pleasant View Terrace West, go about 100 yards, and marsh entrance will be on your left.
MONK PARAKEETS, Ridgefield When you reach Railroad Avenue, head south under Hendricks Causeway Bridge. Park car near the bridge and listen; Monk Parakeets live in nests on underside of the bridge.
KEARNY FRESH-WATER MARSH, Kearny Camman Drive is the road the loops around Gunnell Oval; the marsh is to the east of the easternmost corner of the drive. You can launch kayaks and canoes at this location.
On Sunday's Native Plant walk, along came a spider that we could not identify. Not to worry. The walk's leader, Edith Wallace, was on the case. An expert pal of hers passed along a link about the Goldrenrod Crab Spider, which -- as it turns out -- is even more amazing than we had thought. Link is here. (Thanks, Edith!)
When we put up American Kestrel boxes at the Erie Landfill, we didn't expect so many tenants, and of the "wrong" species.
We now have a healthy hive of Honey Bees filling the box.
What to do?
We brought in a local beekeeper, who says that the bees should make it through the winter, and that he can transport them to a conventional hive in the spring.
Since Honey Bees have been under stress of late -- colony collapse disorder has killed these bees by the millions in the past few years -- we were glad that we have a happy healthy hive in North Arlington.
This spider was found in the Girls Scout Butterfly Garden in the Ridgefield Community Garden earlier this month, with bats, flying squirrels, and a doe and 2 fawns. Photo by Bruce Riede. Thanks, Bruce!
A sharp-eyed NJMC naturalist saw this on a juniper tree in Harrier Meadow last week. Do you know what it is? Click "Continue reading ..." for the answer. Click here for more Tuesday Teasers.
COMING THURSDAY: More neat stuff from Harrier Meadow
We saw this praying mantis the other day at the base of the Erie Landfill in North Arlington.
He was huge, and totally unfazed by humans walking by -- to the point we almost accidentally stepped on him. More on praying mantises here. Riddle: What is a praying mantis' favorite plant? Click "Continue reading..." for the answer.