Last week, the commission’s new River Barge Park in Carlstadt was dedicated. It should open by month’s end, providing kayakers, canoeists and others a launch ramp that provides great access to the Hackensack River. The park itself provides great birding – on the morning of the dedication we spied a Bald eagle, four Ospreys, a Northern Harrier and two Sharpies. NJMC Naturalist Gabrielle Bennett-Meany checked out the launching ramp and nearby river sights and approved, big-time.
 
Wednesday, Sept. 28, marked the dedication of the Meadowlands Commission’s 5.5-acre River Barge Park and Marina on the Hackensack River in Carlstadt. The marina’s launching ramp will soon provide the first public boating access to the river’s western shore in Bergen County in decades. There will also be launch points for canoes, kayaks and sculls.

Thought we’d better post this right away, while the Ospreys are still migrating big-time. We took this photo last week on Valley Brook Avenue in Lyndhurst, on the way to DeKorte Park. The bird was too busy eating its sushi to bother to fly away.