The Meadowlands Blog

LITTLE FERRY: Losen Slote Creek Park

 Losen Slote Creek Park is a great place for a hike, and during May and autumn, a good spot to catch warblers moving through.
   The 28-acre park seemed a bit under-utilized  -- perhaps because it's a bit off the beaten path. The first part of the park is woods, then meadows. 
   The trail is blazed with red-dotted markers, with Mehrhof Woods fenced off to the left and houses in the distance to your right.
   That's good to know in case you lose your way.  But bring a cellphone, just in case.
   The meadows portion is a bit overgrown and easy to get lost, but filled with dragonflies and an occasional few of the slow-moving Losen Slote ("slote" being Dutch for "creek."
   On a  recent visit, the bird of the day was an indigo bunting that zipped through the meadow portion.  Standing in the meadow, you feel as though you are in the wild --  despite being in heart of Bergen County.
   Click here  and here for more information.

  Click "Continue reading" for more images from Losen Slot Creek Park.

 

 

LITTLE FERRY: Mehrhof Pond plus

   Two great places for nature walks are at the north end of the Meadowlands District in Little Ferry  -- the BCUA  Nature Preserve and Losen Slote Creek Park.
   The nature preserve is part of an old brick-making site that provided the bricks for major cities along the East Coast.
    After the brick factory went out of business a long time ago, the land reverted to its natural state, with a clay pit becoming a large pond -- Mehrhof Pond. 
   It's a beautiful place, and known amongst birders for the waterfowl it attracts -- notably ruddy ducks and other waterfowl by the hundreds in November.   
   The one caveat is that because the nature preserve is located on Bergen County Utilities Authority property, it is inaccessible without advance permission. You need to go as part of an organized group. You need advance permission to gain admittance. You need to sign an insurance waiver. And it's not open on weekends or holidays.
   But the preserve is worth the effort. Because it is not open to the public -- for safety, security and insurance reasons -- it is well-kept and largely undisturbed.
   On a recent trip I saw quite a few amazing sights, including a gorgeous Eastern box turtle and a field full of cedar waxwings.

    Click "Continue reading" for more information and a look at more images from the BCUA preserve.