Author: Ben Wurst

Help Ensure Ospreys Have a Future in New Jersey

Posted on by Ben Wurst

ACTION ALERT: Support ecological management of the most valuable public resource for our coastal ecosystem and economy

by Ben Wurst, Habitat Program Manager

Menhaden is a common food source for ospreys during their nesting season in New Jersey. Photo by Northside Jim.

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission is accepting public comment on the establishment of ecological management of Atlantic menhaden (Brevoortia tyrannus), which is a keystone species. Basically, a keystone species is one that plays a large role in the ecosystem where it lives. If a keystone species is lost then the ecosystem would dramatically change or cease to function, causing widespread effects to other species that benefit. In New Jersey, ospreys have largely benefited from a healthy menhaden population as we’ve had relatively high reproductive rates (more than double what’s needed to sustain population) over the past decade. From 2006 to 2016, the population has grown by 30% and above the pre-DDT, historic milestone of over 500 nesting pairs. Around 82% of the state population of ospreys nests along the Atlantic Coast and we observe menhaden at a huge number of nests during our mid-summer surveys. If menhaden numbers drop, then we will likely see osprey numbers follow suite, as reproductive rates will decline, as they are in the Chesapeake Bay.

Continue reading “Help Ensure Ospreys Have a Future in New Jersey”

Osprey 78/D: A Second Chance

Posted on by Ben Wurst
“Chump” is rescued, rehabbed, and released

by Ben Wurst, Habitat Program Manager

Chump, what are you doing down there? Photo by Northside Jim.

On Sunday, July 30th I woke and checked my email early that morning. I had an urgent message from Deb Traster, who lives adjacent to the Long Beach Island Foundation of the Arts & Sciences (LBIF). She said that something was not right with one of the young ospreys that fledged from a nearby nesting platform where I banded three nestlings with red bands on July 5. One was on the ground and could not take off. Fearing the worst (entanglement), she checked it out and sought help. After getting in touch with me, I reached out to my buddy, Northside Jim to see if he could get there that morning. Continue reading “Osprey 78/D: A Second Chance”

Helping wildlife at home

Posted on by Ben Wurst
Create a wildflower meadow to attract butterflies, bees and birds

by Ben Wurst, Habitat Program Manager

Annual wildflowers provide a big “bang for your buck” in backyard habitats.

Providing habitat for wildlife in your own backyard can be a very rewarding experience for your entire family. My kids love to help prep the soil and broadcast seeds, while my wife loves cutting some flowers that are produced. Beneficial habitat can be as simple as choosing to plant native instead of non-native plants in your yard. If you want to go all out, then consider replacing part of your lawn with a wildflower meadow. Colorful wildflowers add aesthetic beauty to your yard while providing food for pollinators and songbirds. Continue reading “Helping wildlife at home”

Calling all Osprey Lovers!

Posted on by Ben Wurst
Citizen Scientists Needed to help collect data on nesting ospreys

by Ben Wurst, Habitat Program Manager

Two young ospreys and an adult on a nest in Ocean County.

This year we are hoping to get a better estimate of the size and health of the osprey population in New Jersey. Up from only 50 pairs in the early 1970s to an estimated 600+ pairs today. Ospreys are an indicator species and as top tier predators, they show the effects of contaminants in the environment before many other long lived species. They are our new age “canary in the coal mine” so keeping tabs on the health of their population is key to assessing the health of our estuarine and marine ecosystems. Continue reading “Calling all Osprey Lovers!”

LBIF Earth Day Native Plant Sale: The Leftovers

Posted on by Ben Wurst
Give back to nature by planting native this spring!

by Ben Wurst, Habitat Program Manager

Beach plum (prunus maritima) trees act as great source of food for pollinators when in bloom in late April.

This past weekend we held our second annual native plant sale, in partnership with the Long Beach Island Foundation of the Arts and Sciences in Loveladies, NJ. Despite some light rain, we had a great turnout at the event. All of the plants that we offered for sale were grown in New Jersey and without the use of harmful pesticides and herbicides. They also provide a great source of food and cover for wildlife, especially pollinators.

If we all reduced the amount of lawn that we maintain and planted native, then in turn, our local environment would benefit. With the native plant sale at LBIF, we stress the need to plant native to help provide habitat for wildlife and reduce runoff to Barnegat Bay. If we all do a little, then our combined efforts will make an impact.

The perennials, shrubs, and trees that we sold were hand selected for their environmental benefits and aesthetic beauty. Without being sure what people wanted, we sold out some some species very quickly, so we are looking into holding a follow up sale at LBIF next month.

If you missed out on the sale and are still interested in purchasing some plants, here is what we have left:

Perennial wildflowers Quantity left
Solidago sempervirens Seaside goldenrod 7 Quart Quarts = $5
Baptisia tinctoria Wild yellow indigo 0 Quart #1 = $10
Eupatorium perfoliatum Common boneset 3 Quart #2 = $15
Solidago canadensis Canada Goldenrod 0 Quart
Helenium autumnale Common sneezeweed 10 Quart
Liatris spicata Dense blazing star 0 Quart
Lobelia siphilitica Blue lobelia 0 Quart
Rudbeckia laciniata Cutleaf coneflower 8 Quart
Symphyotrichum novi-belgii  New York Aster 3 Quart
Shrubs
Baccharis halimifolia Groundsel tree 2 #1
Iva frutescens High tide bush (marsh alder) 0 #1
Prunus maritima Beach plum 0 #2
Rhus copallinum Winged sumac 2 #2
Trees
Cercis canadensis Eastern red bud 0 #2
Acer rubrum Red maple 0 #2
Betula populifolia Gray birch 1 #2
Pinus virginiana Virginia pine 0 #2
Quercus phellos Willow oak 0 #2
Scientific name Common name   Size container

All plants are available for pickup in the S. Ocean County/N. Atlantic area. Please email Ben Wurst if you are interested in purchasing any of these plants!

 

Studying the Ridgway’s Osprey of Belize: Part III

Posted on by Ben Wurst
Braving the Caribbean Sea to Survey Turneffe Atoll

by Ben Wurst, Habitat Program Manager

Jay T. loads gear into Horace’s boat on Sittee River.

For the final leg of our survey of Ridgway’s ospreys in the northern most part of our study area, we set out for Turneffe Atoll. Turneffe Atoll is an archipelago of mangrove islands and coral reef that’s approximately 20 miles east of Belize City. It’s 30 miles long and 10 miles wide and Belize’s largest coral atoll. Luckily, it was declared a marine reserve in 2012, which protects it from future development. Turneffe is an amazing assemblage of different marine habitats which provide habitat for a variety of many different species of wildlife, including American crocodiles (more on this later!), conch, spiny lobster, manatees, dolphins, sea turtles, and many species of birds, coral and fish. The mangrove islands are large with taller trees on the interior of the island. This is where most, if not all, the ospreys nest. We left on Monday, February 20th. Continue reading “Studying the Ridgway’s Osprey of Belize: Part III”

Studying the Ridgway’s Osprey of Belize: Part II

Posted on by Ben Wurst
Flat calm Caribbean and three young Ridgway’s!

by Ben Wurst, Habitat Program Manager

 

The flat calm beauty of the Caribbean sea.

February 18: Second Survey of nests surrounding Placencia

Our second survey began from Placencia, a small beach resort town on the southern coast of Belize, which is a beautiful place to visit if you’re planning a trip to Belize. It was flat calm that morning, which made for great boating, but it was extremely hot! Life in the tropics was finally setting in… We headed towards the first nest location, which was last surveyed in 2016 by Paul and his team. Paul and Alan have been surveying osprey nests in Belize since 2014, so all known nests have been mapped and surveyed over the past couple years. Through the continued surveys of these nests we should be able to determine if the low productivity of Ridgway’s (around .3-.4 young/active nest) can sustain the population in Belize (the southern most nesting colony of Ridgway’s throughout their range). The work performed as a part of these surveys is critical to their long term survival in Belize. The first nest we visited was very unkept; however a pair was present. This ended up being quite the common sight during this survey. Continue reading “Studying the Ridgway’s Osprey of Belize: Part II”

Studying Ridgway’s Osprey of Belize: Part I

Posted on by Ben Wurst
CWF contributes to conservation of Belizean ospreys

by Ben Wurst, Habitat Program Manager

A male Ridgway’s osprey perched near its nest on a snag off Blue Ground Caye. Photo by Ben Wurst

When I first learned of the work being done by Dr. Paul Spitzer and Alan Poole to study the breeding population of Ridgway’s ospreys (Pandion haliaetus ridgwayi) in Belize, I was instantly captivated. I first met Paul at the Raptor Research Foundation Conference in Cape May last October where he explained the study and the need for partners to assist with this years survey. Some of the aspects that immediately drew my attention was the fact that the estimated size of the population there was around 50 pairs, that those pairs nest exclusively on the coastal cayes (mangrove islands), and that their estimated productivity rate was around .3-.4 young/active nest. The coast of Belize is approximately 170 miles long and protected by barrier reefs and these mangrove islands. Continue reading “Studying Ridgway’s Osprey of Belize: Part I”

Photo from the Field: Ridgway’s osprey

Posted on by Ben Wurst
Back from Belize and summarizing results from our study of the Ridgway’s osprey

by Ben Wurst, Habitat Program Manager

Ridgway’s ospreys (Pandion haliaetus ridgwayi) are lighter than their north american counterparts. With a pale eye stripe and lighter plumage on their wings and back, they appear “white-washed” in appearance. Photo by Ben Wurst.

Stay tuned for a series of blog posts (with plenty of photos) from our work with ospreys in Belize.