Richard W. DeKorte Park, NJ

ABOUT THE PARK:
Richard W. DeKorte Park - New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 40.78642, -74.10260

TRAIL MAP:
DeKorte Park Trail Guide - NJSEA

HIKE DISTANCE:  4.5 miles

THE HIKE:

The cousins are hiking together again.

After a whole week of rain and more of the same on Sunday morning with clearing promised later in the day, we opted for an urban hike.

It was a constant contrast of nature and development.

Tons of tree swallows as well as barn swallows but I didn't get clear pictures of the barn swallows.

Tree swallow in flight.

The Marshview Pavillion

A great egret ...

... eating a fish ...

... then flying over to ...

... another great egret.

New York City covered in fog.

Some sort of really gross caterpillar nest.

Getting on the Transco Trail.

This bird was sitting on the nest and I could just see the poor thing holding her breath hoping I would hurry up and move along.

A family of Canada geese out for a Mother's Day stroll.

Transco Trail

Cormorants

Another cormorant flying in.

A cat!

A house sparrow having a bad feather day.

Someone had thrown out some bread and there were all kinds of birds chowing down.  But bread is not a good bird diet :(

AMVETS Carillon

Mourning dove at the AMVETS Carillon.

Sadly, when we turned on to the Saw Mill Creek Trail ...

... we found that it was closed.

Heading back.

Red-winged Blackbird

She hits every puddle just like a toddler.

House Sparrow

We saw this big buy preening over on the other side but would be around that way shortly to get a better look.

A different big bird flying over.

American Goldfinch

And there he is - a Black-crowned Night Heron!

And off he goes.

A sandpiper and a greater yellowlegs.

Based on all of the comings and goings, I think it is safe to say all of these bird houses are occupied.

Heading into Lyndhurst Nature Reserve.

Then on to see if a different part of the Saw Mill Creek Trail can be accessed.

That would be a NO.  A man who was there said it has been closed for at least two years.  Contrary to what the sign says, the web site does not state that all of this trail is closed.

Heading back.

It took us a while to figure out what these were.  Roosting posts for birds?  No ....

... when you look into the cylinder, you see what is printed on the post.

Mallards

Back on the Transco Trail.

Common Terns

The one on the left was quite a character.

And off they go.

A balloon that I could not reach out in the water.

Before the Transco Trail turns left ...

Yikes!

Mockingbird

On the part of the Transco Trail that runs parallel to the NJ Turnpike.

The fencing was down at the end so we continued a little farther.  No signs saying not to, just those cancer signs.

We turned around at the railroad tracks.

And I found me a balloon that I could reach.

Heading back along the turnpike.

And time for a break.

Airplanes flew over constantly so I decided to see how many different ones I could get - United Airlines.

Taking the Marsh Discovery Trail.

Neither of our dogs did this.  This is appalling.  We picked it up because it is things like this that result in no dogs being allowed at these places.

There was a trash can not 10 steps ahead.

Heading to a wildlife blind.

Scandinavian Airlines

Sebastian wants to watch wildlife from the blinds, too.

The Meadowlands Environment Center where the hike started.

Southwest Airlines.

Fish in the water.

British Airways

Looking back at the Marsh Discovery Trail after finishing.

Straight across from the Marsh Discovery Trail is the Kingsland Overlook.

New York City from the Kingsland Overlook Trail.

American Eagle Airlines

Sandpipers

Jet Blue Airlines

Swans

A much clearer skyline than when we started right after the rain started to pull out.

MetLife Stadium

Another balloon that I could not reach.

More fish!

Sebastian must not have fully recovered from last weekend's 9.3 mile hike because this one was only 4.5 miles and he is done!

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