Rob sez:  An early BANK SWALLOW was coursing over the lake Tueday evening--viewed from Pirie.
    At least 5 ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOWS were flying and perching in front of the stand along with good #'s of Barn and Tree.
    A MERLIN buzzed by both the W-Watch and Pirie (same bird?) Also heard a Gr. Yellowlges, and 5+ Gadwall continue to linger.

   Spring is here,and the Little Brown Bats are back, zipping around the dusk sky at the Celery Farm.
   For the past few years, I have done local bat surveys for the state DEP.
   Do you know where bats may be roosting near your home? I will post information on how you can participte, too, as it becomes available.
   Ideally, the surveys are done in May and in August, before and after a new crop of bats is born.
   Bat surveys are increasingly important as the LBB species suffers declines from White-Nosed Fungus.
   More on the disease here. More on LBBs here.

The bird in the photo is almost certainly a racing pigeon -- think of a rock pigeon on steroids.

   Racing pigeons have been seen at the CF on at least three other occasions over the years-- by Marsh Warden Stiles Thomas, Ace Birder Rob Fanning, and Seymour Drakes (although Drakes was reportedly the only one to have his sighting notarized.)

Typically, they stop at Lake Appert for water (and to get their bearings or catch their breath).
  
   A racing pigeon also hung out at DeKorte Park in the Meadowlands last fall.
Photo and link are here.

Answer to last week's Monday Morning Mystery: Dried Ironweed flowers.

    Rob saw an American Bittern Saturday evening and and again on Sunday at the CF.
   Click immediately below for his full report.

    Saw this guy just before noon on Saturday -- big, muscular, white-winged and fast. He circled Lake Appert for a good five minutes before zipping off.

   Click here for other Monday Morning Mysteries.

  Click immediately below for another look.