A colleague phoned us to say that a turtle was crossing Disposal Road by the Amvets Carillon in North Arlington. She was afraid it would get hit by a car.
We found this guy about a third of the way across Disposal. We moved him out of harm's way, closer to the nearest tidal impoundment, but not before taking a few photos for posterity.
These guys are usually seen sliding into the water, 50 feet away.
Click "Continue reading..." to see more photos.
We saw this chap catching some rays in the MRI wetlands in Carlstadt while we were putting up Tree Swallow boxes earlier this week.
Its shell was still dirty from a winter's nap in the mud.
It was a little more sluggish than usual, so we were able to get a photo or two.
The turtle was not easy to ID, covered with mud, but we've narrowed it to Diamondback Terrapin or Snapping Turtle. Any thoughts?
More on Diamondback Terrapins here.
Other posts on Meadowlands reptiles and amphibians here.
We did see three marbled godwits (thanks to birder Fred Weber), a semi-palmated plover, two peregrine falcons, an osprey, and a diamondback terrapin (below) -- among other sightings on two trips to Harrier Meadow today.
The Meadow will be open to the public on a limited basis during the Meadowlands Festival of Birding, and we are in the process of setting up some guided tours of the site.
Click here for more on Harrier Meadow and birding festival.
Two great places for nature walks are at the north end of the Meadowlands District in Little Ferry -- the BCUA Nature Preserve and Losen Slote Creek Park.
The nature preserve is part of an old brick-making site that provided the bricks for major cities along the East Coast.
After the brick factory went out of business a long time ago, the land reverted to its natural state, with a clay pit becoming a large pond -- Mehrhof Pond.
It's a beautiful place, and known amongst birders for the waterfowl it attracts -- notably ruddy ducks and other waterfowl by the hundreds in November.
The one caveat is that because the nature preserve is located on Bergen County Utilities Authority property, it is inaccessible without advance permission. You need to go as part of an organized group. You need advance permission to gain admittance. You need to sign an insurance waiver. And it's not open on weekends or holidays.
But the preserve is worth the effort. Because it is not open to the public -- for safety, security and insurance reasons -- it is well-kept and largely undisturbed.
On a recent trip I saw quite a few amazing sights, including a gorgeous Eastern box turtle and a field full of cedar waxwings.
Click "Continue reading" for more information and a look at more images from the BCUA preserve.
One of the great things about walking in the Meadowlands is you never know who you'll run into. I encountered this guy on the first day of summer.
He saw me before I saw him, and froze. That appears to be a major terrapin defense mechanism: Act like part of the scenery until you decide it's time for Plan B.
In the photo above, it's time for Plan B: Make a run for it.
For a previous post on diamondback terrapins, including a short video, click here.
-- Jim Wright for NJMC
