Friends of Garret Facebook page

Friends of Garret Facebook page

Friends of Garret Mountain Reservation is now on Facebook. Find us here FACEBOOK PAGE

Tree Cutting and Removal at Garret Mountain Reservation

More tree cutting is being done at Garret Mountain Reservation. There seems to be an agenda to remove trees before they fall on people. It's being done to make the park safer for us. This ludicrous plan is destroying critical habitat for the sake of giving the county tree cutters some work. There's a bunch of work needed in the park but removing healthy trees because they are close to picnic areas, trails or roads is just plain ignorant. We have reported some of the problems at our Facebook page with more information and photos to follow. This is a tree scheduled for removal or severe pruning.

Follow this story on our Facebook page FACEBOOK PAGE

Friends of Garret Facebook Posts

February 29 at 3:18pm

I was up at Garret today and to be honest I am at a loss as to what the great plan is for the park. They seem to be trying to cut down every tree is sight. There are trees all marked for cutting all around the Crows nest.
I later found the culprit of the tree marking. Standing beside his truck on a pedestrian walkway south of the warming room and near the junction of the stream trail and the trail that goes off to the east. I asked him what was going on and he explained that he was marking trees to protect walkers from deadly beams that could fall and hit someone. His only solution I can see is to remove every tree that is close to the paths as they have recently made wider so trucks could navigate around the park. I asked him sarcastic " Who in the management used to work for a Golf course" He immediately answer himself. He than asked why and said it was obviously his ambition was to make the park a treeless golf course. He then explained he had been on a forestry course. I think they need to send him back on a county park Wildlife preservation course. This man is single handedly destroying the habitat in the park. When asked about all the trees he is marking he told me they are invasive, which is true. However the point being he is taking them away but doing nothing about replanting or deer eradication. { They have planted 4 trees up at the top and a few near the entrance} They seem to have no concept of the wildlife potential of dead or dying standing wood, woodpeckers, owls, insects, beetles and other wildlife use this for years. We then had a stand off about Emerald Ash Borer and the chance of them returning after an infestation. I have had first hand experience as I called an Arboriculturists to cut one of my own trees down as it looked dead " I was told and it has since been to shown to be true they can come back"
http://www.ncforestservice.gov/forest_health/fh_eabfaq.htm
Clipped here >>>Insecticides are available for those wishing to protect high-value ornamental trees, an option recommended when the beetle is known to be within 15 miles of the tree. If a tree is already infested and over half the crown is still alive, insecticides may be used therapeutically to help trees recover. Recovery is slow and improvement in tree health might not be noticeable for one to two years. Re-treatment must take place every one to two years. <<< Mine came back without insecticides.
I see no planning going on here, just removal of trees and hoarding of wood chips in the upper dump. Gravel paths are a complete and utter nonsense. They lay down a new ground cover every time we get a heavy rain and it all washes away with the next rain into streams or forest and the answer is to re application of more gravel.
I have been going to Garret mountain since 1992 and have bird 20,000 records of birds since then, I am not a new comer to Garret. I have watched it change with the deer eating everything below browse height and now there is hardly any under story. I see the expansion of the stables into the forest and the obvious destruction of those trees by horse browse. I also believe they used the county workers to the removal, I have photos! I think however the biggest danger to the Garret Mtn parks trees is this incompetent person who is marking trees for removal.
You have to remember we have had several huge storm taking trees down in the last few years the last thing we now need is unnecessary removal of any tree without adequate provision for the future.
I also saw three felling experts going 8 trees into the woods and just doing a TIMBER ! felling crashing through many healthy trees just to get paid for the removal of said dangerous trees. I was told by this person it was not his guys, great news but it happened and no one was there to supervise that new damage to the healthy trees.
I have almost given up hope of the park ever regaining its health.

Friends of Garret Facebook page

Friends of Garret Mountain Reservation is now on Facebook. Find us here FACEBOOK PAGE

Swainson's Warbler, a breeder from the southeast US and very rare to Northern NJ showed up today at Garret. Found by Bruce McWhorter and later seen by loads of birders. First ever sighting of this bird on Garret Mountain.

Meetings

The Friends of Garret Mountain meeting is this Saturday, April 19th 11:00am To be held at Rifle Camp Nature Center. For anyone that can go – Passaic Valley Water Commission is holding their regularly scheduled meeting 4/16/14 at 9:30am, at the PVWC offices at 1525 Main Ave. in Clifton. The meeting is open to the public and you can ask the commissioners about any issue, including their plans for the reservoirs.

Friends of Garret Mountain Reservation meeting Nov. 23

Friends of Garret Mountain Reservation will be having a meeting on SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 23rd The meeting will begin at 11:00am - at the RIFLE CAMP NATURE CENTER (note: this is the weekend before Thanksgiving)

Say goodbye to Garret's reservoirs!!

Under federal mandate PVWC will replace the reservoirs on Garret Mountain with beautiful concrete water tanks. Read the full "story" here Reservoirs

Birds are coming in

10+ Phoebes, 12+ Fox Sparrows joined 150+ Juncos and 100+ Robins around Garret Mountain Reservation today. Bluebirds were seen in the trees of the Overlook Meadow, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker was seen off the white trail near Rocky Hollow Picnic area. 35-40 species total were seen. Turtles are out on Barbour's Pond. 2 Ring-necked Ducks on the pond are actually showing the ringed neck. County trail work continues throughout the park. There's still much more to be done.

It's tick season!

As the weather warms, ticks come out. Take precautions to avoid tick bites.
Preventing Tick Bites

While it is a good idea to take preventive measures against ticks year-round, be extra vigilant in warmer months (April-September) when ticks are most active.
Avoid Direct Contact with Ticks

Avoid wooded and bushy areas with high grass and leaf litter.
Walk in the center of trails.

Repel Ticks with DEET or Permethrin

Use repellents that contain 20% or more DEET (N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide) on the exposed skin for protection that lasts up to several hours. Always follow product instructions. Parents should apply this product to their children, avoiding hands, eyes, and mouth.
Use products that contain permethrin on clothing. Treat clothing and gear, such as boots, pants, socks and tents. It remains protective through several washings. Pre-treated clothing is available and remains protective for up to 70 washings.
Other repellents registered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) may be found at http://cfpub.epa.gov/oppref/insect/.External Web Site Icon

Find and Remove Ticks from Your Body

Bathe or shower as soon as possible after coming indoors (preferably within two hours) to wash off and more easily find ticks that are crawling on you.
Conduct a full-body tick check using a hand-held or full-length mirror to view all parts of your body upon return from tick-infested areas. Parents should check their children for ticks under the arms, in and around the ears, inside the belly button, behind the knees, between the legs, around the waist, and especially in their hair.
Examine gear and pets. Ticks can ride into the home on clothing and pets, then attach to a person later, so carefully examine pets, coats, and day packs. Tumble clothes in a dryer on high heat for an hour to kill remaining ticks.


Here are links to ticks and the diseases they can cause.
DEER TICKS
TICKBORNE DISEASES

Some migration begins

There have been some reports of spring migration beginning. Eastern Pheobe has been spotted as well a a couple of Woodcocks. Red-shouldered Hawk was seen high over the mountain heading north this week. I'll try to update sightings as the migration moves along. It's still a bit slow. The female Hooded Merganser from this past autumn is still on Barbour's Pond. A highlight from the winter was a new Garret Mountain bird - Cackling Goose, which spent a couple of weeks here even being tallied on the Christmas Count. Photo of the Woodcock is from the area between the stables and the dump.

Palms, Pines and Yellow-rumps

Palms, Pines and Yellow-rumps seemed to be the birds around Barbour's Pond yesterday before the rains came. Some Common Loons were flying over. Chipping Sparrows were seen in a few flocks of 30-40 birds. Many more White-throated Sparrows were seen in the park as well. Construction crews are working on replacing the old wood and concrete benches in the reservation. Work is currently being done in the field just south of Lambert's Observation Tower.

6 Warbler species still here

All six Warbler species seen on Wednesday were still at Garret on Thursday. Many Pine and Palm Warblers were still seen around Barbour's Pond. Brown Creepers, Kinglets and Phoebes were still present in good numbers. Sapsuckers and Flickers were seen around Barbour's Pond and some of the higher elevations of the park. 5 Pied-billed Grebes were seen on Great Notch Reservoir on Wednesday morning with 2 Great Blue herons, 2 Common Mergansers, 8 Ring-necked Ducks, 2 Buffleheads and a few Hooded Mergansers. Levine Reservoir had 8 Buffleheads and a handful of Killdeer. Today's photo of Northern Parula is courtesy of Kevin Bolton. Thanks Kevin!

Another Banner Day for Birds

Today is the 3rd day in a row at Garret with great numbers of birds and a few new arrivals. Parula and Prairie Warbler were 2 more Warblers seen today, making 6 total species today. Barbour's Pond and Wilson Ave. were the hotbeds of activity today. 30+ Phoebes, 30+ Palm Warblers and 20+ Pine Warblers were seen on the sunny side of Barbour's Pond this morning. A Parula and a couple of Yellow-rumped Warblers as well as Brown Creepers and both kinglets were seen in the mix. Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers were still seen in good numbers around the park with 4 birds on Wilson Ave., 5 north of the basketball courts, and more in the higher elevations of the park. 20+ were seen again. Hermit Thrush numbers are increasing with at least 10 seen around. Winter Wrens were seen all over the park with at least 15 seen. Creepers numbered 15+ as well. Adult Bald Eagle, 2 Ospreys, Sharpie and Cooper's Hawk was some of the flyovers. Prairie Warbler photos were taken at the base of Wilson Ave.

4 Warblers and lots of Flickers

4 Warbler species were seen today at Garret with an influx of passerines coinciding with the rains in the late morning. Yellow-rumped Warblers joined the other 3 today. In the afternoon, Barbour's Pond area had 25+ Pine Warblers, 30+ Palm Warblers, 4-5 Yellow-rumped Warblers, 25+ Tree Swallows, 4-5 Northern Rough-winged Swallows and at least 1 Barn Swallow. FOS Blue-gray Gnatcatcher was seen on Wilson Ave. Northern Flickers were all around the park with numbers seen in the 50's. Over 50 Species were seen in the park today without a Hawk flight.
Other sightings
Ring-necked Duck 4
Hooded Merganser 4
Common Merganser 2
Double-crested Cormorant 1
Black Vulture 2
Turkey Vulture 3
Cooper's Hawk 1
Red-tailed Hawk 3
Killdeer 1
Wilson's Snipe 1
American Woodcock 1
Ring-billed Gull 1
Mourning Dove 2
Belted Kingfisher 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 8
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 15+
Downy Woodpecker 6
Hairy Woodpecker 2
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 50+
Eastern Phoebe 18
Blue Jay 15
American Crow 3
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 4-5
Tree Swallow 25+
Barn Swallow 1
Black-capped Chickadee 4
Tufted Titmouse 2
White-breasted Nuthatch 3
Brown Creeper 8+
Winter Wren 6
Golden-crowned Kinglet 6
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 2
Eastern Bluebird 2
Hermit Thrush 5
American Robin 300+
Northern Mockingbird 3
Pine Warbler 25+
Palm Warbler (Yellow) 35+
Louisiana Waterthrush 1
Eastern Towhee 3
Chipping Sparrow 75
Fox Sparrow 6
Swamp Sparrow 6
White-throated Sparrow 1
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored) 150+
Northern Cardinal 6
Red-winged Blackbird 10
Rusty Blackbird 3
Common Grackle 12
Brown-headed Cowbird 4
House Finch 3
American Goldfinch 3
House Sparrow 12

Sapsuckers Galore!

Every area of Garret Mountain Reservation on Monday April 4 had Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers. Some were even calling. Palm Warblers joined the Pine Warblers around Barbour's Pond. Pete Both reported an early Orchard Oriole. Other arrivals include Brown Thrasher, Eastern Towhee, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Great Egret and Hermit Thrush. A Hawk flight had 12 Ospreys, 2 Cooper's Hawks, 2 Sharp-shinned Hawks, 4 Kestrels and 3 Red-shouldered Hawks.

More migrants arrive

More migrant birds have arrived at Garret Mt. Reservation in the last few days. April 3 saw the arrival of Louisiana Waterthrush on Slippery Rock Brook, yep that's the name, same location as usual in the spring. Also arriving in the last few days, more Pine Warblers, Chipping Sparrow, Hermit Thrush, multiple Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, Northern Rough-winged Swallows as well as more flyovers from Great Blue Herons, Doulble-crested Cormorants, Osprey, and loads of Robins.

Spring migrants begin to arrive

Over the last 2 weeks a good number of migrants have arrived at Garret.
Pine Warblers, Eastern Phoebes, Tree Swallows, Brown Creepers, Woodcock, Fox Sparrows, Song Sparrows as well as some migrating raptors. 13 Black Vultures (seen 3/19) were migrating north on the ridge as well as Red-tailed Hawks, 1 Osprey (seen 3/23), and numerous Turkey Vultures.

Deer threaten parks

Click here for Jennifer Cunningham's article on deer threatening Garret Mt. Reservation and Riflecamp Park in the Bergen Record Deer threaten parks

May Migration

The May migration has been up and down. A few days this month 20+ species of warbler were seen in the park. On the colder, windier days the south end Barbour's Pond was the place to see Warblers. The "Warbler Tree" near the basketball courts held 10 species of Warbler on May 8. It's still one of the better spots to view Warblers through the 14th. May 14th was highlighted by a Mourning Warbler and 30+ Blackburian Warblers. During the second week of May some rare birds for the park were seen. Mississippi Kite, Blue Grosbeak and Grasshopper Sparrow were seen by a few birders. It's been common to see upwards of 80 species of birds in a day, if you spend the time. Complete list of May sightings can be viewed May Bird list