Mill Creek Marsh



Mill Creek Marsh (5/21/2010)

This is the hike of the week for 12/18/2008 as described on the NYNJTC site. Like the Hackensack Meadows hike that we did last year, many may be put off by this park, where much of the trail is within sight, and sound, of the New Jersey Turnpike (the trail head is actually in the parking lot of the Mill Creek Mall). But despite the man-made noises, the trail is filled with bird songs, and birds. It's an oasis in the midst of modern chaos, which you can see in the photos. Here you'll find stumps of ancient Atlantic white cedar trees -- and the Empire State Building looming over them in the background. This park was badly damaged by thunderstorms and windstorms earlier this year and was actually closed to the public for a month or two. Storm damage can still be seen all over, but it's coming back to life and definitely worth a visit.

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Parking at trail head

Trail head



Beautiful moth


House sparrow

 

Empire State Building

House sparrow


Ancient cedar stumps
 


Tree swallow

Tree swallow

View towards Manhattan

Tree swallow
 




Mallard couple

Turtle on stump
 


Queen Anne's Lace



Dan on bridge [photo by Laura]
 





 



Mallard grooming

Ancient cedar stumps

Bench in the shade
 



Juniper berries


 


Sandpipers and Plovers


Great egret

 


Great egret and gull

Fish

Canadian Goose

Sandpipers with skeletal remains
 



Gull in flight

Informative signs abound

 


Goose with Egret (on one leg)


Gull feeding

 





 


Mallard

Lone gull


 



View of Manhattan

Canadian goose family

Gosling
 


Protective parents



Peaking tree swallow
 


Peaking house sparrow

House sparrow

Birches line the path

 

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