HACKENSACK WATERSHED FIELD NOTES
By Hugh M. Carola
We are also entering the time of year when some marine mammals make their way up our rivers in search of herring and other prey species. If you live, work, or just spend a lot of time near the Hackensack River, Passaic River or Newark Bay, PLEASE keep a lookout for seals and porpoises. If you see one, be sure report it to the Marine Mammal Stranding Center in Brigantine, NJ at 609-266-0538 then report it to us. The Center keeps records of all marine mammals observed in New Jersey waters. For more info, visit www.mmsc.org. And now, the rest of the story…American Kestrel - One of these now- rare falcons was seen hunting over Riverbend Marsh in Secaucus on August 23. Black-throated Blue Warbler - A male noted at Flat Rock Brook Nature Center in Englewood on October 7. Blue-headed Vireo - One observed in Schmidt's Woods Park in Secaucus on October 15. Blue-winged Teal - a flock of six observed on August 25 at Mill Creek Marsh in Secaucus. Bobolink - a flock of twenty-five was noted on August 22 at the MRI Marsh in Carlstadt. Brown Creeper - Two seen at Flat Rock on October 7. Caspian Tern - One was observed over Kearny Marsh from Gunnel Oval on August 4; another was seen over the river between Carlstadt and Secaucus on September 9. Cedar Waxwing - Small flocks seen throughout the watershed with a large group of about fifty observed flying over DeKorte Park on October 24. Eastern Coyote - Sighting reports came in from two Ridgefield locations in June. Eastern Phoebe - One seen at Flat Rock on October 7. Eastern Towhee - Several seen at the same place & date as Phoebe. Eastern Wood-pewee - Four observed at Schmidt's Woods on October 15. Field Sparrow - One observed at Mill Creek Point Park in Secaucus on October 15. Forster's Tern - A small flock of six birds seen at Gunnel Oval on August 4; flocks of 100+ seen feeding and roosting around the Majestic Boat Club dock in Carlstadt throughout the fall. Golden Crowned Kinglet - One bird noted at Flat Rock on October 7. Great Egret - A group of twenty-three were observed around the outfall of the Bergen County Utilities Authority treatment plant in Little Ferry on October 21. Green-winged Teal - Flocks of several hundred began arriving in Mill Creek Marsh in mid-September. This is one of the more numerous waterfowl in the Meadowlands. Hudsonian Godwit - An adult in nonbreeding plumage, a rare visitor to our area, was seen on October 15 in Mill Creek Marsh during our Eco-Walk there. Killdeer - Large flocks, including a group of fifteen in Harrier Meadow on August 13 and a group of twenty flying over Laurel Hill on October 7 were reported. Least Tern -Two individuals of this federally-listed Endangered Species were noted over the river off Ridgefield on August 19. Northern Harrier - One seen over Laurel Hill on October 10, another observed over the Saw Mill Creek Marsh on October 21. Northern Pintail - LOTS of these strikingly-patterned ducks now inhabit the marshes south of DeKorte Park in Lyndhurst. Osprey - Many were noted feeding, roosting and moving through our area including two birds seen in Jersey City on September 17 and one seen with prey over the river on October 12. Palm Warbler - a late migrant was noted feeding on Yew berries in Hackensack on October 27. Pied-billed Grebe - Two individuals of this Threatened Species were observed in the Saw Mill Marsh on October 18. Pileated Woodpecker - One bird observed at Flat Rock on September 11. Ruby-crowned Kinglet - Five seen at Flat Rock on October 15 and one seen at Brett Park in Teaneck on October 22. Ruddy Duck - As usual, thousands of these small ducks are now overwintering in the northern Meadowlands around Mehrhof Pond in Little Ferry. Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow - One observed on August 23 in Riverbend Marsh. Seal (sp., possible Hooded Seal) - One individual was seen swimming in the Hackensack River south of the Upper Hack railroad bridge by fifteen persons on August 25. According to the Marine Mammal Stranding Center, the animal was most likely a Hooded seal, a species much more at home in Arctic and sub-Arctic waters but which has been seen with increasing frequency in our waters as of late. Sharp-shinned Hawk - One bird reported hunting (unsuccessfully) at Mill Creek Point on October 15, another was observed at Laurel Hill Park on October 21 and another was seen harassing a Red-tailed Hawk over Main Street, Hackensack on October 27. Snowy Egret - Thirty-three were counted on August 16 at the Secaucus High School Marsh.
Whitetail deer - A doe and fawn were observed in Ridgefield Park near the Palisades Park border on June 28; a herd of at least fifteen, including two antlered bucks, was reported at Flat Rock on October 7. Wood Duck - Six striking individuals were observed on August 4 at Kearny Marsh. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - This early visitor to our area was observed pecking sap holes in a maple tree and feeding in Schmidt's Woods on October 15. Yellow-rumped Warbler - As usual, LARGE flocks of this common fall warbler are in our area including 60+ observed at DeKorte and at least that many seen in Schmidt's Woods on Oct.15. An important note on handling injured wildlife: ALWAYS seek professional assistance from state-licensed rehabilitators BEFORE acting. In northern New Jersey, The Raptor Trust (908-647-2393) and Dolores Garbowski (973-839-4597) handle birds of all kinds, while Carol Case (201-664-8090), Mary Ellen Stout (201-752-4260) and Ms. Garbowski take care of small mammals. For injured reptiles or amphibians, the one to call is Bill Boesenberg at 973-248-9964. As always, kudos to all our observers for making Field Notes interesting: Ray Duffy, Gene Dunton, Don Freiday, Linda Gangi, Karen Riede, George Reskakis, Steve Royka, Diane Saccoccia, Capt. Bill Sheehan, Kyle Spendiff, Nick Vos-Wein & Ken Witkowski. Don't you wish YOUR name was here? It can be; just email your wildlife sightings to me at Hugh@HackensackRiverkeeper.org. I may not use them all but I certainly appreciate them all. |
Can you say, "Peregrine Falcon?” I hope so because
lately our watershed has been hosting lots of them. The most notable was a
nonbreeding pair that took up residence on the Route 3 bridges between Secaucus
and East Rutherford. On October 14, I and my boat full of Eco-Cruise
participants watched as the female (the larger of the two) attacked and barely
missed making a meal of a Ruddy Duck. FYI, we were evenly divided between those
rooting for the falcon and those rooting for the duck. In addition, our good
friend Linn Pierson at the Palisades Interstate Park reported some great news:
three of the four pairs of
Closer to home, we received a call on October 26 from Paul
Van Gendt at Hackensack's Johnson Library about a migrating American Woodcock
that had struck a window. After getting instructions from Pete Both at Bergen
County's McFaul Environmental Center, we placed the stunned bird in a padded
box to allow it to recover overnight. Although it did, the bird was unable to
fly well (probably due to a concussion). Fortunately, thanks to the assistance
of Riverkeeper volunteer John Kodjak who transported it, the bird is recovering
at The Raptor Trust in Millington, NJ.
Sparrows (sp.) - A large mixed flock of
White-throated and Swamp Sparrows was seen at Flat Rock on October 7; also a
large fallout of Savannah, Song and White-throated Sparrows was observed at
Brett Park on October 22.