On Tuesday, Sept. 20, I will present a free Zoom talk for the Master Gardeners of  Bergen County... I will post the link when it becomes available. here's the info...

All About High Mountain and the Clove

High Mountain is a 1,160-acre nature preserve in nearby Passaic County. The Clove is a geological and historic gem located at the north end of the preserve. Too few people know about either.

Local nature writer Jim Wright, who does the Bird Watcher column for The Record, has been visiting and learning about High Mountain and its Clove for over a decade.

Attractions include the scenic small ravine itself, a nearby waterfall, rare plants, local wildlife and a human history that predates the Lenapes by more than a millennium.

Jim will also talk briefly about local efforts to get New Jersey to ban rat-poison bait stations. These poisons are lethal to raptors, other wildlife, and pets.

Jim apologizes for the use of the third person in this writeup.

Photo of the Clove courtesy of Jim Wright/TNC/LightHawk

On Tuesday, Sept. 20, I will present a free Zoom talk for the Master Gardeners of  Bergen County... I will post the link when it becomes available. here's the info...

All About High Mountain and the Clove

High Mountain is a 1,160-acre nature preserve in nearby Passaic County. The Clove is a geological and historic gem located at the north end of the preserve. Too few people know about either.

Local nature writer Jim Wright, who does the Bird Watcher column for The Record, has been visiting and learning about High Mountain and its Clove for over a decade.

Attractions include the scenic small ravine itself, a nearby waterfall, rare plants, local wildlife and a human history that predates the Lenapes by more than a millennium.

Jim will also talk briefly about local efforts to get New Jersey to ban rat-poison bait stations. These poisons are lethal to raptors, other wildlife, and pets.

Jim apologizes for the use of the third person in this writeup.

Photo of the Clove courtesy of Jim Wright/TNC/LightHawk

An Allendale neighbor found this guy on her sunflowers.

We have determined it's a hornworm and are now trying to figure out what it feeds on. Did not seem interested in a tomato plant. It's approx. two inches lone.

Elena Tartaglia, our moth-expert friend, says it is a Eumorpha sp.

Thoughts?

We hope to bring it to the Lee Memorial Library this morning to see if it is also a bookworm.

Alan Pomerantz took this shot from the Warden's Watch this morning during the Hour on the Tower and was nice enough to let me share it here.

He calls it "the elusive green of the Green Heron."

(Wow! Thanks, Alan.)

September 23, 2022, Friday – 8 p.m., Allendale Municipal Building

African Safari: Big Game and Birds, Kevin Watson

Birder and photographer Kevin Watson returns with a program about the incredible wildlife in Africa. This will be a "highlights show," with Kevin's best images from visits to three countries, Zambia, Kenya and Uganda.

There will be large mammals - lions, leopards, elephants, giraffes, hippos and so on. But Africa is also home to an amazing variety of bird life, and Kevin will present images of many of the star attractions, including Hornbills, Bee-eaters, Turacos, Owls, Eagles and the prehistoric-looking Shoebill.

Kevin is a terrific speaker. Not to be missed!

The talk is free and open to the public.

The Municipal Building is at 500 W. Crescent Ave. in Allendale. The talk will be on the second floor.

A video of the presentation will be available online for a short time afterward. I will post a link here.

Since 2015 Fyke's monthly speaker costs have been funded by a generous grant from the Winifred M. and George P. Pitkin Foundation