Don's Jersey Birding: Harrier Meadow, Nature restored
Harrier Meadow.
Photo courtesy of Don Torino
Among many Native American cultures, the hawk is a visionary and bringer of life’s messages. It is said that the hawk teaches us to become more aware and to look at the bigger picture.
In the Meadowlands, there is a place that pays tribute to the spirit of the hawk called Harrier Meadow, an urban wilderness that acknowledges the almost mystical Northern Harrier or as it is sometimes called the “marsh hawk.” These incredible raptors can often be seen hovering over the marshland grasses.
Harrier Meadow, located in the town of North Arlington, is a secret of the New Jersey Meadowlands. Every day, people pass by it, not knowing of its existence. When they finally do enter the meadow, they find themselves transformed to a very different place than the one that endures outside. Gone are the trucks, warehouses, and busy roads that surround the meadow. 
Northern Harrier.
Photo courtesy of Jeff Nichol
Like many places in the Meadowlands’ past, it was exploited and abused. Harrier was once a dumping ground for construction debris from route 280, but in 1996 the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission acquired the property and by 1998 they had restored the former landfill to the important wildlife habitat it is today. 
Nature walk at Harrier Meadow.
Photo courtesy of Don Torino
Mike continued to talk about some of the more rare bird species that have visited Harrier over the past few years: Curlew Sandpipers, Black-Necked Stilts, White Ibis, Grasshopper Sparrows, Orange-Crowned Warblers, Connecticut Warblers and Blue Grosbeaks. Mike credits the diverse habitats within the 77-acre site for the many bird species that visit the meadow. 
Photo courtesy of New Jersey Meadowlands Commission
If the Native Americans are right and the hawk is a visionary that helps us to look at the bigger picture, then the Northern Harrier must have brought that insight to the people that helped create such an extraordinary place, a haven for both the wildlife that thrives there and the people that are lucky enough to visit Harrier Meadow.
Access to Harrier Meadow is limited and not open to the general public. You can, however, attend group walks which are scheduled throughout the year. The next scheduled walk is on Tuesday, September 20th at 10 a.m. The walks are free and open to everyone. To register for the trip, send an e-mail to
Don Torino is the Education Chairperson for Bergen County Audubon Society.
Categories: Don's Jersey Birding
Tags: Meadowlands birding Northern Harrier Harrier Meadow Bird species
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