Wildlife News Archives - Page 11 of 40 - Conserve Wildlife Foundation of NJ

New Jersey Bald Eagles Soar to New Highs in 2019

Posted on September 9, 2019 by larissasmith

January 13, 2019, Mercer County Park. NJ D/99banded at Duke Farms in 2014 @Bob Cook

Conserve Wildlife Foundation of NJ in partnership with the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife’s Endangered & Nongame Species Program, is releasing results of the 2019 NJ Bald Eagle nesting season.

2019 was a record year for NJ eagles with the highest number of active nests and young fledged in the history of the project. This year, 238 eagle nests were monitored, of which 189 were active (laid eggs) and 248 young fledged. This is the highest number of fledges ever, surpassing the previous high of 216 in 2016.

**Bald eagle nesting population and young produced in New Jersey, 1982-2019.**

We owe the incredible amount of information about NJ eagle success to the NJ Eagle Project nest watchers. An extremely dedicated group of approximately 85 volunteers monitor nests during the season, recording the important dates and watching for possible issues at nest sites.

This season two eagle cams were available to watch on the CWF website: one at Duke Farms and another at Mercer County Parks. The Duke Farms nest produced two chicks, and one was outfitted with a satellite transmitter; the movements of this eagle are on CWF’s Eagletrax website .

More details on the 2019 nesting season will be available in the annual eagle report to be posted by December. The report will include individual nest data, state totals, and eagle recoveries and resightings.

CWF partners with PSEG, the Mercer County Park Commission, Mercer County Wildlife Center, and Wildlife Center Friends and Duke Farms to protect bald eagles in New Jersey. Thank you to the Wakefern Food Corp./ShopRite Markets, Wells Fargo, Chemours and the American Eagle Foundation for additional eagle program funding.

Peregrine Falcon Bandings in Jersey City and Union County: The Importance of Banding Chicks

Posted on June 4, 2019 by CWF

Story by Alison Levine

Two sets of peregrine falcon chicks were recently banded high atop buildings in Elizabeth, Union County, and Jersey City. Biologists from Conserve Wildlife Foundation (CWF) and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s Endangered and Nongame Species Program (ENSP) checked the health and measurements of the falcons, while also placing both United States Geological Service bird bands and state auxiliary bands so the birds can be identified in the future.

NJTV and TAPintoUnion captured the banding in Union County, while News 12 New Jersey and CBS-2 covered the Jersey City banding.

HAPPY ENDANGERED SPECIES DAY!

Posted on May 17, 2019 by CWF

Story by Alison Levine

The third Friday in May has been a celebration of our nation’s wildlife and wild places since 2006, when the United States Congress established the holiday. There is a special urgency this year as the United Nations recently reported that nearly one million species worldwide are at risk of extinction within decades (read our post about the UN report for more information).

One of the main points the report makes is that humans are dangerously degrading Earth’s ecosystems, the delicate, interconnected webs of life that we all, people and wildlife alike, need to survive.

UN Report: Nature’s Dangerous Decline ‘Unprecedented’; Species Extinction Rates ‘Accelerating’

Posted on May 14, 2019 by CWF

Story by: Alison Levine

A new report into human impacts on nature shows that nearly one million species risk becoming extinct within decades and that current efforts to conserve the earth’s resources will likely fail without radical action, UN biodiversity experts said this week. The report from the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) found that grave impacts on people around the world are now likely.

The report identifies five main drivers of this unprecedented decline: changes in land and sea use, direct exploitation of organisms, climate change, pollution, and invasion of alien species.

Press of Atlantic City Op-Ed: Osprey recovery successful, but we can still help them thrive, says Ben Wurst

Posted on May 2, 2019 by CWF

By Ben Wurst, CWF Habitat Restoration Manager

Ospreys have made great progress toward recovery in New Jersey, rebounding from a low of 50 nests in 1974 to 589 active nests in 2018. This progress should be celebrated, and victory can and should be declared, as The Press of Atlantic city suggested in their March 1 editorial “Maybe it’s time NJ declares victory in restoration of ospreys.”

But as a biologist who has studied ospreys for many years I also know that declaring victory doesn’t just mean we should walk away and abandon them.

*Ben Wurst banding an osprey nestling. Photo by Northside Jim.*

In Memoriam: Pete Bacinski

Posted on April 15, 2019 by CWF

Story by Rick Weiman, CWF Board of Trustees

*Pete* *Bacinski*
*Photo from New Jersey Audubon*

There is a hole in my heart this week after hearing about the passing of my friend Pete Bacinski. I met Pete many years ago when he used to lead NJ Audubon Sussex County weekends jointly with the Weis Ecology Center.

Skylands Visitor: Rare Herps

Posted on April 9, 2019 by CWF

Story by: Allegra Mitchell, CWF Biologist

Conserve Wildlife Foundation biologist Allegra Mitchell recently wrote about rare herps for Skylands Visitor’s website. Allegra takes you on a tour through the sometimes weird, always wonderful world of amphibians and reptiles.

As the season eases into milder temperatures at the onset of spring, all manner of creatures stretch their bodies and move more freely, searching for food and mates while they patrol their home turfs. Among these creatures are some of the most rare, interesting, and beautiful animals in the Garden State. Though they often go unnoticed or are misunderstood, reptiles and amphibians are vital to the balance of our fragile ecosystems—and some of them are in pretty big trouble. Continue reading on njskylands.com.

Learn more about CWF’s Amphibian Crossing Project
Learn more about habitat connectivity initiatives statewide at New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife’s CHANJ webpage

WHYY: Ospreys begin returning to the Jersey Shore

Posted on March 21, 2019 by CWF

Story by Justin Auciello, WHYY

*An osprey prepares to land on a natural nest in the Barnegat Bay*
*Photo from Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey*

Welcome home!

It’s that time of the year again when ospreys — the raptors that have staged a miraculous comeback in New Jersey since the early 1970s — migrate north from their wintering grounds in Central America, northern South America, and the Caribbean.

In recent days, ospreys, also known as fish hawks, were spotted in Ocean County and as far north as the Meadowlands.

TapINTO.net: Online Cameras Peer into Nests of ‘Rock Star’ New Jersey Predators

Posted on March 18, 2019 by CWF

Story by: TapINTO.net

*Top: Duke Farms Eagle protects two eggs that are expected to hatch soon.*
Photo credit Conserve Wildlife Foundation.
Bottom: Peregrine Falcons in Union County exhibit mating behavior.
*Photo credit Union County.*

A pair of American Eagles tend to their nest atop an 80-foot Sycamore tree at Duke Farms in Hillsborough, days away from the hatching of two eggs, while the courtship season has begun for a female peregrine falcon nesting on the roof of the historic 17-story Union County Courthouse in downtown Elizabeth.

The predators have achieved “rock star” status in classrooms and homes across the state and the country thanks to video cameras that have been installed on trees and within the nests of the birds by wildlife biologists, with live feeds available online.

The Sandpaper: LBI photo exhibit benefits CWF

Posted on March 17, 2019 by CWF

Story by The Sandpaper

Ten percent of artwork sales at a current wildlife photography exhibition – featuring local photographers – at the Long Beach Island Foundation of the Arts and Sciences in Loveladies will be donated to Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey.

“Contributing to this effort will not only support local artists, but also the environment and ecosystem that CWF works to protect,” noted Jillian Schratz, membership and community coordinator.