​​This northern flicker has been hanging out in my yard of late. Quickie quiz: Is it a male or a female? Read this column to find out.

My latest column for The Record is all about our local woodpeckers. One of the five is a suspect in the knocking on my siding for five minutes every morning.

Join Mike Lefebvre, the publicity chairperson for Fyke, for a guided tour of this 107-acre fresh-water wetlands in Allendale at 10 a.m. Saturday, sponosred by theNative Plant Society of NJ.

Mike is active in leading plant ID walks and talks for Fyke, the Bergen County Audubon Society, the Friends of the NJ School of Conservation and the Friends of the Bonsal Preserve.

In addition to the hunderds of species of birds, mammals, fish, reptiles, butterflies, and insects that inhabit this nature preserve, there are many native trees, shrubs, ferns, grasses and vines.

This land was originally a peat bog but was converted into a farm after it was drained. It was then used to grow onions and celery. Today it is a nature preserve and bird sanctuary.

Parking and Directions:

No need to register. Attendees, please park off the Green Way entrance near the meadow entrance to the Celery Farm. Please note that parking is limited. Do not block driveways or mailboxes.

Click on this link for directions: http://fykenature.org/cfdir.php

Saw this dead critter and this cool plant on the Palisades last week. What are they?

Answer to last week:

I believe the feather is a Peregrine feather.

Sorry for all these Stiles Thomas posts, but he was a dear friend and mentor. This might be the last one for a while.

The following is a pdf of the slide show, which features Stiles throughout, a Stiles yodeling video (click on the image on the third slide), Stiles reading his classic bird-watching poem, and cameos of many of the Allendalers and Fykers who knew him.

Download Stiles memorial slide show-min

Carol Flanagan was kind enough to share many of Stiles' Celery Farm snake carvings. I share them here. (Thanks, Carol!)

A big thank you to Allendale Mayor Wilczynski for reading the proclamation that made yesterday "Stiles Thomas Day" in Allendale, and for sharing for a couple of wonderful stories about Stiles.

You can read the proclamation here:

https://www.celeryfarm.net/2023/06/tomorrow-is-stiles-thomas-day.html