Author: CWF

Birding by Kayak in Island Beach State Park

Posted on by CWF
Where the birds are!

by Skyler Streich, Barnegat Bay Birder-In-Residence

Adult osprey perched in a holly tree. © Bill Dalton

Every  Thursday this summer, I am leading birding trips throughout Island Beach State Park.  One week we walk, the next week we paddle.  This Thursday, August 5th, I will lead a walk amongst the sand dunes and along the bay.  The following Thursday, August 12th, we will paddle throughout the Sedge Islands.

Over the past couple of weeks we have seen a number of uncommon birds as well as some more common species.  The interesting birds of the July 15th trip included numerous ospreys collecting nesting material and hunting and capturing fish to take back to their nest and feed their young; a great view of a flock of glossy ibis flying in the distance; and great views of Forster’s terns and double crested cormorants. The highlights of the trip on July 29th included a marbled godwit on a sandbar directly in front of the kayak launch; 12 whimbrels flying overhead; and a single brant near the mouth of Spizzle Creek.  The number of shorebirds are steadily increasing in the bay as we move towards fall migration.

I hope you can join me on a walk or a paddle this August.  The remaining walks for the season are August 5th, August 19th, and September 2nd.  For more information about the bird walks, please call (609) 984-0621.  The remaining kayak trips are August 12th and August 26th.  Kayak trips are $25.00 and include a kayak, paddle, and life jacket.

  • For more information or to register for a kayak tour, please call 732-250-6314

Monitoring Oystercatchers in New Jersey

Posted on by CWF
Banding American Oystercatchers

By Christopher Haxter, Seasonal Steward

American Oystercatcher. © Chris Davidson

The American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliates) may not get as much attention as some other species since it’s not listed as endangered or threatened in New Jersey. However, it is listed as a species of special concern because the population is thought to be in decline. On Stone Harbor Point, the site I mainly monitor for my job, I spend a good deal of time finding oystercatcher nests and chicks. Together with Piping Plovers and Least Terns, oystercatchers constitute a large portion of the beach nesting birds found on “the Point”.

Oystercatchers are hard to miss; they stand nearly one and a half feet tall, are boldly colored, and have very loud calls. On average, they lay three eggs per nest, and incubate their eggs from April-June and care for their chicks from May-July. They tend to have much more trouble with predators and flooding during the egg laying stage. Once hatched, the chicks tend to have better survival rates. As of right now on Stone Harbor Point we have at least ten pairs of American Oystercatchers with offspring. One pair is still incubating a nest, nine pairs are brooding a total of thirteen chicks, and one pair has successfully fledged two chicks.

One of the ways to track these birds year after year is to put colored bands on their legs that are marked with letters and numbers so individual birds can be identified. Tom Virzi, one of our research partners (from Rutgers University), has been studying oystercatchers in New Jersey since 2004. Last week I had the privilege of helping two of his interns, Jason Pietrzak and Allison Anholt, band some oystercatcher chicks on Stone Harbor Point.

CWF Seasonal Chris Haxter holding captured American Oystercatcher chick in preparation for banding. Photo courtesy of Tara Hewitt.

The first step was to capture the chicks. Since the chicks can’t fly yet, all we had to do was surround and grab them. Sometimes easier said than done – the two chicks we went after were already a month old, so they were quite fast. Once captured we inspected the chicks, making sure they were healthy and their legs were fully grown. The band that goes around the leg of the chick is a small orange plastic cylinder with a black number/letter code (each state participating in this banding project has a unique color). After banding, we took measurements, including beak/head/wing length, and then collected a few feathers so the chicks could be sexed using DNA analysis.

The chicks were surprisingly calm throughout the process and the parents stood near us watching carefully. When we were finished we released the chicks back to the parents and kept an eye on them to make sure the parents accepted the chicks.

Adult oystercathers are also banded, but because they can fly the process is much different and involves some trickery. To try to capture the adults we set up a decoy, played some oystercatcher calls, and placed a board lined with many tiny nooses in the sand to capture the foot of the bird. When the adults defend their territory and fight with the decoy they get caught in the trap. We did attempt this but were not successful this time.

When a banded bird is re-sighted, and the code is observed and recorded, we are able to follow them for years. The data gathered from banding oystercatchers is essential in studying their long term habits, population trends, chick survival rates, and movement patterns.

Barnegat Bay Birder-in-Residence

Posted on by CWF
Educating people about Barnegat Bay and its bird populations

By Skyler Streich, Barnegat Bay Birder-in-Residence

My name is Skyler Streich.  I am an avid birder with excellent identification skills of eastern bird species of the United States.  I have been birdwatching intensely for 5 years and since then have accumulated quite a knowledge and understanding of birds, their habitats and behavior.  My background is a BS in Geology with a concentration in Paleontology. I got into birds when I was studying abroad in Costa Rica and one day on my campus in San Jose I saw a hummingbird fly to a flower to drink the nectar.  Since then I became hooked and fascinated with birds. I have had positions with the Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife as a Piping Plover Monitor, The Nature Conservancy as a Seasonal Field Biologist working with the endangered Black-capped Vireo, and a Natural Educator for both Island Beach State Park and Cattus Island Park, NJ. I have also conducted numerous bird surveys for The Audubon Society of Rhode Island, International Shorebird Surveys and CBC counts.   Nationally I have birded all through the eastern states as well as through southern Florida, Texas, southeast Arizona, western Washington, here and there throughout the interior states and Hawaii.  Internationally I have birded in Costa Rica, Panama, Australia, Trinidad and Tobago, Nova Scotia and PEI, British Columbia, England, France, Spain and Portugal and Tanzania.  For my position with Conserve Wildlife Foundation of NJ as a Barnegat Bay Birder-in-Residence I will be conducting morning bird walks and kayak birding tours at Island Beach State Park, NJ.  I will also be a roving interpreter at IBSP and helping out with research with the marsh and beach-nesting birds in NJ.

A Day in the Field: Banding Osprey Chicks on Sedge Island

Posted on by CWF
By Agata Kaczkowski, Summer Intern

Hello all! I’m new to this blog so I’m going to introduce myself. My name is Agata Kaczkowski and I’m a student in New Jersey City University. Currently I’m lucky enough to be completing my internship for Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey. In May, 2012 I’m expecting to graduate with a B.S. in Biology (which explains my love for nature).

As the temperature outside reached 95°F. Ben Wurst and I arrived on Sedge Island on 06/28/2010. A camp composed of middle school students greeted us as we approached the island. I was pleasantly surprised to find out how knowledgeable these kids were on the subject of ospreys! After a brief introduction, Ben and I started our journey to visit over 20 nests with hopes of finding healthy osprey chicks. Even though the weather was extremely hot the cool breeze from the ocean and the ability to soak my feet from time to time in the water made all the difference. The students followed us to the first couple of nests, where they got to hold an osprey chick as it was banded, and they took some photographs with the chicks. As we approached the second nest, the female osprey was flying really low and seemed very aggressively protective of her young. The female is usually larger and more protective of the chicks than the male. She was soaring really low as Ben was banding the chicks at the nest site, the kids observed the whole incident from their kayaks. Ben and I had over 20 nests to visit, so as the kids went back to the island we continued our journey. At the fourth nest we encountered an unpleasant situation- deceased three-week-old chick. Of the two that hatched, one had died, most likely of natural causes. We cleaned the nest and moved along.

The boat was a great way of getting from one nest to the other, although at times we had to push it because the water was too shallow for the boat. My job was to record the nest type, the number of chicks hatched, number of chicks banded and the band number (that was only if Ben thought it safe enough to band them). Most of the chicks were banded, although a couple were too young to band. We ended up banding about 26 osprey chicks around the island.

Cleaning up the fishing nets and balloon ribbons from nests was a must because the young may get tangled in the debris and not survive. I personally found bottles and shopping bags all over, which was frustrating because this is how the habitat gets destroyed. I will keep you all updated on my next field experiences…

Our Bat Project Begins to Take Flight

Posted on by CWF
Musings from Austin, TX as our own project gets underway in New Jersey.

By Brian Henderson, GIS Specialist

In April I attended the Anabat Techniques Workshop in Illinois with MacKenzie Hall. The following month I took a brief trip to Austin, TX.

Onlookers watch as Mexican free-tailed bats exit the Congress Avenue Bridge. © Justin Boyle
Onlookers watch as Mexican free-tailed bats exit the Congress Avenue Bridge. © Justin Boyle

The trip wasn’t work related, and was planned before I knew I would be helping with our bat monitoring work in New Jersey.  But it was appropriate because Austin happens to be home to the largest urban bat colony in North America.

Located near the center of the city, the Congress Avenue Bridge spans Lady Bird Lake, a reservoir on the Colorado River.  Renovations made in 1980 created ideal roosting habitat along the bottom of the bridge and it wasn’t long before migrating bats discovered it.  Now, estimates are that 1-1.5 million Mexican free-tailed bats roost below the bridge between March and November.  Each night around dusk the bats exit the bridge to forage for insects along the river.  When conditions are right the effect is dramatic: a column of bats silhouetted against the setting sun that can last for 45 minutes as the bats exit the bridge.  Although there were petitions to eradicate the bats when they first took up residence, the city has come to embrace them and it isn’t unusual for several hundred people to line up along the bridge on summer nights to watch the bats exit and begin foraging.

Unfortunately, it was cloudy and slightly cool on the evening I visited the bridge and the bats waited until nearly dark before starting to emerge.  It was difficult to observe the bats except in the illumination of the streetlights lining the bridge or when they veered closer to the shore.  Although it wasn’t the spectacle I’d been hoping for, it was still impressive.  Even under less than ideal conditions I saw hundreds (possibly thousands) of bats-more than I observed in the week of training in Illinois, and probably more than in the rest of my life combined.

Here in New Jersey we don’t have Mexican free-tailed bat and we certainly don’t have any bat populations that rival the numbers of the Congress Avenue Bridge Colony.  Even before the arrival of white-nose syndrome populations at our largest hibernacula numbered in the tens of thousands, not millions.  So it was exciting and encouraging to see such a thriving bat population in person.  It was also impressive to see how the city has embraced the colony as a beneficial, unique and interesting attraction.  Similarly, the response to our acoustic monitoring project in New Jersey has been overwhelmingly positive.  Landowners and the general public all seem interested in learning about bats, concerned about white-nose syndrome, and are eager to help however they can.

Our bat project involves acoustic surveys and forest management practices to benefit Indiana bats (above) as well as more common species. © Justin Boyle

My experience in Austin was also a reminder that even at the best locations, there are  variables that affect what you observe on any single night.  Rain or cool weather reduce bat activity, and there’s still a lot we don’t know about bat foraging behavior; for instance they may actively forage in an area one night but not the next.  So negative results during one visit isn’t enough evidence to decide bats aren’t in the area.  Ideally we would visit each site multiple times to control for this variability.  However with fifteen sites to monitor, only a few staff members and a fairly short survey period (roughly June 1st to July 31st) we know getting to each site once will keep us busy.  As a result, we may have to survey some sites even though the conditions aren’t ideal.  Unfortunately, these are common problems when surveying for endangered species and are something that many at CWF have had to deal with.

Our acoustic bat monitoring project is just getting underway; we’re taking the lessons learned in Illinois and using that knowledge to monitor for bats in New Jersey.  Expect more updates on our techniques and preliminary results as we have a chance to visit more sites.

This Ain’t the Midwest…

Posted on by CWF
Switchgrass seeds
Native grass and wildflower seeds are loaded into a no-till planter. Photo: M. Hall

By MacKenzie Hall, Private Lands Biologist

New Jersey isn’t a corn belt state and probably isn’t what you picture when you think “prairie.”  Fair enough.  But New Jersey is an incredible medley of ecosystems, and for the past five years we’ve been working to make sure that native grasslands remain in the mix. 

Switchgrass, big bluestem, and other native warm-season grasses provide excellent habitat for ground-nesting birds like the threatened bobolink and grasshopper sparrow (which is why we like them).  But they have many other uses, too, such as livestock forage, mulch, and even bio-energy (which is why farmers like them). 

Planting native grasses
Pat Hilton plants a prairie mix for wildlife and agriculture. Photo: M. Hall

More and more NJ farms are incorporating warm-season grasses and bird-friendly practices.  Pat Hilton just converted eighteen acres of her Readington Township farm to native grasses and is delaying the hay harvest on another thirty acres.  This will allow ground-nesting birds to fledge their young before the grass is cut. 

Pat’s rolling farm – call it “midwest-reminiscent” – is highly suitable for grassland wildlife and has already attracted eastern meadowlarks, kestrels, grasshopper sparrows, and northern harriers.

After another busy restoration season, we’re delighted to watch as the summer sun brings these grassland ecosystems to life.

Are you a farmer or farm owner?  Check out the NJ Landowner Incentive Program for a grassland grant.  Applications are due July 15, 2010!

We Have Liftoff!

Posted on by CWF
First Piping Plover Fledges at Stone Harbor Point

By Christopher Haxter, Seasonal Steward

Piping plover chicks exercise their wings. © Bill Dalton

Back on May 20th, we had our first Piping Plover nest hatch at Stone Harbor Point.  Three out of the four eggs hatched, and since hatching only one chick was lost.  On June 12th, I was delighted to witness the two chicks flying!  When a chick survives to the point where it can fly, we call it a fledge or fledgling; usually about 25 days after hatching for piping plovers.  I observed the pair of chicks flying even before their estimated fledge date; they grew up fast!
Watching the chicks over the last month has been fascinating.  Within a day of hatching they are out of the nest feeding, not straying far from their parents.  They grew quickly in the last month, now they’re just a bit smaller than the parents.  The most discernable difference between the parent and the chicks now is the color of the beak; the chick’s beak is black while the parent’s is still yellow.

It is great news when a chick fledges; it has a much better chance of survival.  As of right now there are three more chicks from another pair at Stone Harbor Point.  Hopefully these chicks are just as successful. Sure makes all the hard work that goes into protecting them seem more worthwhile!

Endangered Species Sculptures

Posted on by CWF
Creative Students Help to Conserve Wildlife

By Maria Grace, Education & Outreach Manager

A student at Unity Charter School shows off his bald eagle sculpture (c) Maria Grace

Recently, I went to Unity Charter School in Morristown to give a presentation to the 3rd and 4th graders about NJ’s endangered wildlife. The students in Julia Kelly’s class raised over $100 for Conserve Wildlife Foundation as part of a unit on endangered species.

These students impressed me with their breadth of knowledge and genuine passion to try and protect NJ’s rare wildlife. Ms. Kelly did a fantastic job using New Jersey wildlife as a focus to teach about the global issue of endangered species. Each student selected an endangered species that lives in NJ (there are 73 currently listed as either endangered or threatened). They did some research about its habits and habitats and wrote a report.

But as a finale to their projects, each student created a sculpture of their animal in its preferred habitat. I was overwhelmed by these sculptures and completely amazed by the students’ attention to detail and their comprehensive knowledge of their chosen animal. They really wowed me with their art creations and I wanted to share it with the masses in the hopes that these students will move more of us to support the work of Conserve Wildlife Foundation.

Working with Wildlife

Posted on by CWF
Protecting Beach Nesting birds in New Jersey

By Christopher Haxter, Seasonal Steward

Piping Plover returning to its nest. © Christopher Haxter.

Ever since I was young I knew I wanted to work with nature and wildlife.  As I grew up I learned many species were in trouble and needed our help.  Imagine my excitement when I got a job working for the Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey.  I was hired to monitor Hereford Inlet, between Stone Harbor and North Wildwood in Cape May County, for the migratory and breeding bird season.

My first day on the job was the day after my last college final (I just graduated from the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey).  After I met the people I would be working with for the next few months we were off to set up a predator exclosure, which is a special wire cage that protects piping plover nests from its many predators.  This is when I first got to observe a piping plover up close.  To put up a predator exclosure, we needed to temporarily cover the nest while we set up the cage.  The piping plover spent this time trying to draw us away from its nest; their defensive behavior is fascinating.  The first thing you notice is the ‘peep’, their call to distract you from the nest.  When you get closer to the nest, the piping p[lover starts exhibiting a behavior called ‘broken wing’.  The goal is to look injured to further distract a predator from their nest.  Ironically, looking for this behavior is one of the ways we use to find the nests.  After working this job for a few weeks, I have had the exciting experience of finding quite a few nests (including finding American oystercatcher nests).

Before the end of my first day I also got to see Stone Harbor Point, the location that I would be focusing on this summer.  This area is different every year, and this year it is quite large.  After enough exploring and assembling an accurate map I eventually learned the area well.  One area of concern I have for the future of the beach nesting birds at the “Point” is its history of flooding.  Hopefully the weather and tides will cooperate this summer.  This job has been an amazing experience so far; and when the eggs start hatching, I can only imagine things getting more exciting.

POSTSCRIPT: Just after I submitted this blog, the first piping plover nest hatched at the Point. Now I have the challenge of keeping tracking of three highly mobile chicks. On the downside, quite a few nests were lost to flood tides already. Looks like my job as a “beachnester” will have  its share of ups and downs.

Visit the Delaware Bay Beaches!

Posted on by CWF
Get out and don’t miss this amazing phenomenon!

By Larissa Smith, Assistant Biologist

A red knot feeds on horsehsoe crabs on a Delaware Bay beach. © Bill Dalton

The Delaware Bay beaches are a busy place right now and not with sunbathers and beach goers, but with horseshoe crabs and birds!  The horseshoe crabs are coming up onto the beaches to spawn and the shorebirds are arriving to feed on their eggs. It’s a great time to take a trip to the beaches to watch all the activity. The Delaware Bay is the Western Hemisphere’s second-largest spring concentration of shorebirds. The shorebirds arriving on the beaches include red knots, sanderlings, ruddy trunstones and semipalmated sandpipers.  People come from all over the world to view this natural phenomenon taking place right here in NJ.

Beach access is restricted on critical beaches from May 8th through June 4th to allow the shorebirds to feed undisturbed.  But there are still plenty of viewing areas.   In Cape May County Reed’s Beach has a viewing platform that has a great view down the entire beach.  Cook’s, Kimbells, Norburys and the Villas beaches all provide areas for viewing the shorebirds.  In Cumberland County, Fortescue is another wonderful viewing spot.  Please use the designated viewing areas and bring binoculars or a telescope so you can get a good look at the birds.

A sign informs the public about the closure of beaches to protect migratory shorebirds. © Ben Wurst

While you are out visiting the beaches you might run into one of CWF’s shorebird stewards.  These dedicated volunteers are located at the closed beaches educating the public about the shorebirds.  CWF had a new brochure printed this year, Spotting Shorebirds, Along the Delaware Bay, be sure to ask the steward for a copy of this so you can practice your shorebird ID.  The stewards can also let you know on which beaches shorebirds have recently been spotted.

It really is worth the trip to see this spring migration, you won’t be disappointed. To find out the best beaches to view migratory shorebirds, check out our exclusive Wildlife Viewing Map.