Here are some of the more recent sightings, reports and pictures from our area. These can include birds, butterflies and moths, other insects, flowers, etc. Please send in your sightings, observations and photos. Include as much information as you can. Also, do you have a question, or perhaps a picture you can’t identify? Send it in. We have a very well versed group of readers who would be more than willing to help.

9/17/2009 On September 17th, Ray Deeney and I decided to try for the Northern Wheatear which had been reported at DeKorte Park in the Meadowlands, Lyndhurst, New Jersey. This bird had reliably been seen for several days and we wanted to find it before the weather changed and it moved on to parts unknown.

The first shot of this bird is very crisp so please view Large and On Black.

The Northern Wheatear spent most of its time between the rocks, the shrubs and the few trees that lined this trail along a dike that separated two very large impoundments. The water to the left had been drained significantly and was a shorebird haven, loaded with Great and Snowy Egrets, Gadwall, many, many yellowlegs (mostly, but not all Lesser Yellowlegs), a Ruddy Duck (still in breeding plumage) and other species. This is a wonderful place!

This particular shot indicates how close we were able to approach. It is a 'very slightly' cropped image (eliminating only a distracting unfocused branch from the far left). Many shots were nearly 'full-frame'. You can't ask for a better opportunity when photographing birds.

What makes this bird so worth chasing? For one thing, it is said to show up in New Jersey, on average, only every other year. The range map indicates the Northern Wheatear's normal range, and may be seen here.

As you can easily see, it's usual range is from Western Alaska through Northern Canada, to Greenland. Seeing one here is really a treat.

It would seem (to my untrained eye) that this is likely an immature male. Mature males (not females) are substantially gray, and this one shows a definite indication of gray feathers beginning to emerge on the nape of the neck.

Again, with the second shot, excellent detail that shows the emergence of adult plumage on the back of the neck, so view On Black, please. 

Numerous posts on Jerseybirds had indicated where it was to be found and we headed directly for the Transco Trail at the park. Within a minute of walking onto the trail, we spotted several people who were knowingly pointing to a spot on the rocks that formed the edge of the dike that separated two very large water impoundments. There was the Wheatie, and as advertised, it wasn't very skittish. We got some good views, enough to confirm a life bird, but not good enough for photographing. As I moved closer it took off about 100 feet further down the trail. This happened twice again before I was able to get a clear shot of it. Above is the very first photo of this beautiful bird.

Yesterday, we had many Parula Warblers and many Redstarts in the yard, along with a single, female Scarlet Tanager. Nice!

9/15/2009 Generally, I post bird sightings here but we just might expand a bit. Birding has been slow this Summer but there HAVE been other things to see. Last night the Friends held the first Cricket Crawl…an event to listen for certain species in the region to aid in an inventory effort by the NY Museum of Natural History. About 12 of us ventured out into the woods of East Brunswick and tallied (I believe) 5 different species of crickets and katydids.

The list of our auditory observations can be found HERE, on Bug Addiction.

Coincidentally, I did just have a female Black and White Warbler in the backyard. And, apparently, American Goldfinches may have at least 2 clutches a Summer as I just watched a juvenile begging for food from daddy.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Please send your entries to us.

Use the ‘Email Me’ button at the bottom of this page.

From The Effective Club

        A man sat at a metro station in Washington DC and started to play the violin; it was a cold January morning. He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, since it was rush hour, it was calculated that thousand of people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.

        Three minutes went by and a middle aged man noticed there was musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried up to meet his schedule.

A minute later, the violinist received his first dollar tip: a woman threw the money in the till and without stopping continued to walk.

        A few minutes later, someone leaned against the wall to listen to him, but the man looked at his watch and started to walk again. Clearly he was late for work.

        The one who paid the most attention was a 3 year old boy. His mother tagged him along, hurried but the kid stopped to look at the violinist. Finally the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. All the parents, without exception, forced them to move on.

        In the 45 minutes the musician played, only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 gave him money but continued to walk their normal pace. He collected $32. When he finished playing and silence took over, no one noticed it. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the best musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written,with a violin worth 3.5 million dollars.

Two days before his playing in the subway, Joshua Bell sold out at a theater in Boston and the seats average $100.

        This is a real story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of an social experiment about perception, taste and priorities of people. The outlines were: in a commonplace environment at an inappropriate hour: Do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize the talent in an unexpected context?

        One of the possible conclusions from this experience could be:

        If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing the best music ever written, how many other things are we missing?