Spring has arrived at Garret

Garret Mountain's harbinger of spring Eastern Phoebe has arrived with as many as 7 seen in the reservation alone. Other highlights of spring so far have been Wood Duck, Red-shouldered Hawk, Osprey (3/24 arrival), American Woodcock, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Brown Creeper, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Hermit Thrush, Pine Warbler and Fox Sparrow. Hundreds of Juncos, Robins and Song Sparrows have been moving through as well as 20+ Northern Flickers. View March's complete list through 24th March bird list thru 24th

Red-breasted Nuthatches on Wilson Ave.

I took a quick spin around the Wilson Ave area of Garret Mt. today. The trails are covered with a foot of snow in some places so I stayed along Wilson and Mountain Aves. 3 Red-breasted Nuthatches were low in the trees near Wilson Ave. 2 Black Vultures cruised over Barbour's Pond. The wintering Pine Warblers were not seen. 2 Pine Warblers were seen along Wilson and Mountain Ave pines in December, January and February. - Chris
Birds seen:
Canada Goose 20
Mallard 2
Ring-necked Duck 1
Black Vulture 2
Turkey Vulture 1
Mourning Dove 4
Red-bellied Woodpecker 2
Downy Woodpecker 1
Blue Jay 12
American Crow 18
Black-capped Chickadee 4
Tufted Titmouse 2
Red-breasted Nuthatch 3
White-breasted Nuthatch 2
Brown Creeper 1
American Robin 1
White-throated Sparrow 4
Northern Cardinal 4
Red-winged Blackbird 1
American Goldfinch 15
House Sparrow 6

Bob Busha - Trail Supervisor Garret Mountain

Bob Busha of Clifton passed away February 28, 2010. Bob was the creator of the "White" Trail at Garret Mountain Reservation. He was NY/NJ Trail Conference Trail Supervisor of Garret Mt. and Rifle Camp Park for 12 years before giving it up a few of years ago. He was still seen hiking through Garret frequently in his last years. Bob was a carpenter by trade. Bob's carpentry skills were used on trail blazes that can still be seen on the Yellow and White trails. His blazes are unique at Garret. His painted blazes were chiseled into the bark of many larger trees throughout the Garret Mountain trail system. His efforts will be remembered. Following is his obituary.

BUSHA Robert F. of Clifton on February 28, 2010. Beloved husband of the late Sara ( Esposito). Loving father to Robert B. Busha and his wife Donna of Clifton. Grandfather to Allison Busha. Brother of late Ruth Norton. Mr. Busha was born in Paterson and lived the last 43 years in Clifton. Mr. Busha was a World War II – Army Veteran. He was a Carpenter for 40 years with the Carpenter Union Local # 15 of Hackensack. He was involved in the scouting program serving with Troop #36 at St. Anthony's Church in Passaic as Assistant Scoutmaster and Scoutmaster. He was also a member of Ser-Vis-Plus and the Order of the Arrow with North Jersey Council BSA. He volunteered to provide trail maintenance with the Passaic County Parks and Morris County Parks. Funeral from the Marrocco Memorial Chapel, 470 Colfax Avenue, Clifton on Wednesday at 10 AM. Interment St. Mary's Cemetery . Visiting Tuesday 3-5 and 7-9 PM. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions to the Morris County Park Commission/Pyramid Mountain, c/o Pyramid Mountain Natural Historical Area 472A Boonton Avenue, Boonton, NJ 07005

More support for the deer hunt

This is a letter to the editor 2/16/10 The Record

Overreacting against deer hunt

All I know about the deer hunt on Garret Mountain is what I've read in The Record. In "Questions on hunt mount like deer" (Page L-1, Feb. 11) Columnist Mike Kelly says bow hunting is "medieval," that scientific conclusions about ecosystems seem "overly exaggerated" and that dialogue about deer is "hyper-embellished." With these comments at the heart of his column about the recent deer hunt on Garret Mountain, his general assessment is wrong.

The scientific reason for culling the deer is that they destroy the natural ecosystem because the deer density is too high in the county park. This is a serious problem that should be dealt with. One of the simplest solutions is a bow hunt, and the Passaic County Board of Chosen Freeholders should be given credit for authorizing it.

It appears that Kelly is upset at United Bowhunters because they had not told him or The Record how many deer were killed. Have a little patience; the results should be made public. Similarly, a report on the amount of venison given to homeless people should be forthcoming. Kelly should commend the freeholders for giving the deer meat to homeless people, and not call it a "lame attempt at political correctness."

If the bow hunters were allowed to complete their mission, it could have been a success. However, as the momentum has turned against the hunt, it's easy to jump on the bandwagon and to conclude that the deer hunt was a bad idea.

Michael J. Sebetich

Hawthorne, Feb. 11

The writer, a bow and gun hunter, is an ecologist in William Paterson University's biology department.

Torrey Botanical Society plant walk - April 17, 2010

17 April (Saturday). GARRET MOUNTAIN RESERVATION, WOODLAND PARK/ WEST PATERSON, PASSAIC CO., N.J. Meet at 10:00 AM in the parking lot of Mina’s on the Mountain Restaurant in the strip mall along Rifle Camp Road opposite the Park. By car: via Route. 80, east or west-bound take Squirrelwood Road exit (Exit 56), bearing right and proceed through the light for about 0.5 miles to the intersection of Rifle Camp Road. Look for the strip mall with corner restaurant opposite the New Street Reservoir. By bus: Take NJ Transit 192 bus from Port Authority Bus Terminal in N.Y.C. Get off of the bus at the corner of Valley Road and Fenner Avenue in Clifton and could be met at the Getty Service Station for pick up and short shuttle to the meeting place. Please check most current bus schedule with NJ Transit in advance of the trip. Call first trip co-leader by early Friday evening so local transportation can be arranged. After a brief meeting we will car caravan via the lower Park loop road to the parking lot at the south end of the Pond. We will explore the south end of the Park for early spring flora of the First Watchung Mountain and compare our findings with the last previous trip here in April 2005. The trip will cover the most “natural” area of the Park and will be dedicated to the late Dr. S. Marie Kuhnen, botanist and educator. The trip will finish around 12 noon. Wear sturdy footwear for rocky/wet trails and bring beverage and insect repellant; binoculars and camera optional . Trip Leaders: Joseph A. Labriola, 863 Allwood Road, Apt. D-1, Clifton, N.J. 07012; 973-472-8451; jlabriola49@optimum.net and Dr. Barbara Brummer, State Director, The Nature Conservancy, NJ Chapter, Chester, N.J. , (908) 879-7262, Ext. 350, bbrummer@tnc.org.