Category: Wildlife Protection

Species Spotlight

Posted on by Ben Wurst
American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)

Kestrels are the smallest falcon (about the same size as an American Robin) in North America. Its plumage is striking with rufous coloration its back and tail. Although the American kestrel is widespread, meaning they live year round throughout much of the United States, the northeastern kestrel population is declining. Today the kestrel is listed as a Species of Special Concern in New Jersey (not yet endangered or threatened but on its way).

American kestrels are versatile, opportunistic hunters feeding on assorted small prey, such as grasshoppers, lizards, mice, snakes and small birds. © Robert Lin

Kestrels are found in open, grassy habitats – especially ones that have cavities for nesting and perches for hunting. Kestrels can be seen hovering in grasslands, pastures and parklands or perched along the road on telephone lines. The decline of kestrels in New Jersey is likely due to destruction of grasslands from development. Also, nesting cavities are lost. As we clean up our fields, we remove trees with nest cavities the kestrels use.

Researchers have not determined the exact reason for kestrel declines but, we do know that the availability of cavities for nesting appears to be a limiting factor. Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey, in partnership with the Endangered and Nongame Species Program implemented a nest box installation and monitoring program in 2006.

Eagle Scout helps NJ’s bats

Posted on by Ben Wurst
Bat houses provide roosting and maternity sites in South Jersey

by Ben Wurst, Habitat Program Manager

Nicolas built 60 bat houses with materials that were donated to help NJ's bats. Image courtesy Dan Fuzer

New Jersey’s bats got some new maternity and roosting sites near Mt. Holly and the Rancocas Creek late last year. A Boy Scout, Nicolas Fuzer, chose to construct and install bat houses for his Eagle Scout Project after learning more about bats and the perils they face including White-nose syndrome. He hopes that by building and installing these houses NJ’s bats will not have a problem finding adequate areas to roost and reproduce.

Amazingly enough, Nicolas completed the construction of a total of 60 bat houses with the help of his fellow Scouts. He was planning on installing all of the bat houses, some with our help. But after realizing the daunting task of finding suitable habitat and installing all 60 of the bat houses, he decided to donate some to CWF. He installed 20 of houses in suitable habitat near the Rancocas Creek.

The donated bat houses will be installed in areas where we would like to enhance roosting habitat or maternity sites. There is a possibility for us to give away some bat houses to homeowners who 1) Have suitable habitat, i.e. a structure/building that has south/southwest exposure with full sun and at least a 15ft. drop and 2) would participate in our Summer Bat Count where volunteers count bats as they emerge from their roost sites at dusk. If you’re interested in obtaining a bat house from CWF, please contact me for more information.

Thank you Nicolas for all of your hard work and generous donation!!

Benefits of Bats
Nicholas installs a bat house as part of his Eagle Scout Project. Image courtesy Dan Fuzer

Bats have a reputation as being spooky or even dangerous, but they are actually some of the most beneficial animals to people. All of New Jersey’s bats are insectivores. They feed on night-flying insects, including the pesty mosquitoes. A single little brown bat can eat 3,000 mosquito-sized insects a night, and a colony of 150 big brown bats can eat enough cucumber beetles to save farmers almost a billion dollars annually in crop damages and pesticide costs. Without bats, we would be more dependent on toxic chemicals to control unwanted insects. Some garden pests even detect the sounds that bats make while feeding and will avoid areas where bats are present. In turn, guano (bat droppings) makes for a terrific garden fertilizer!

In other areas of the world, bats play a major role in pollinating flowers and dispersing seeds for plants such as bananas, avocados, cashews, and mangoes. By dispersing a wide variety of plant seeds over open areas, bats also help to restore the tropical rainforests following logging, fire, and other disturbances.

Many scientific advancements are owed to bats as well: navigational aids for the blind, blood-clot medication, artificial insemination techniques, low-temperature surgery on people, and military sonar have all been inspired by our night-flying friends.

Learn More:

Happy New Year from CWF!

Posted on by Ben Wurst
Our “Wildlife” New Year’s Resolutions

by Ben Wurst, Habitat Program Manager

A juvenile osprey peers out of its nest while Ben Wurst performs a nest check. © Eric Sambol

We always like to think of more ways we can help protect rare wildlife in New Jersey. Last year CWF staff made “wildlife” New Year’s resolutions. From protecting terrapins and bats to encouraging teachers to use our Eagle and Peregrine Cams and of course to get out in the field more! We were certainly busy this past year and many species of wildlife had a banner year. Check out our annual status report to read more about some of our achievements in 2010. Thank you to all of our members and donors for your support! Here are a few more “wildlife” resolutions from the CWF team for 2011. Happy New Year!!

  • “My New Year’s Resolution is to get out in the field more often with the wonderful biologists at CWF. As Executive Director, I spend a lot of time in the office making sure that everything is running smoothly or, out on the road raising funds to support our mission.  As such, I rarely get to witness the hard work of the biologists who are engaged every day, on the ground doing projects to recover and grow populations of rare wildlife. Each time I visit with a biologist, I come away with more energy and more passion for the work we all do which in turn makes me better at my job.” – Margaret O’Gorman, Executive Director
  • “I’m going to resolve to spend every opportunity outdoors this summer, unlike the last.” – Mike Davenport, Marine Species and GIS Programs Manager
  • “New Jersey’s piping plover produced a record number of chicks in 2010, so here’s hoping that translates into a much needed increase in the breeding population in 2011. Also, wishing that our conservation partners on the beach nesting bird project (and for all projects for that matter) continue to work together to advance our conservation goals in the state.” – Todd Pover, Beach Nesting Bird Project Manager
  • I would just like for people to be more aware of wildlife while driving. Stop and help that turtle to cross the road!

New Jersey’s Rare Wildlife

Posted on by Ben Wurst
A year in review: Weather and Disease Impact Populations
It was generally a good season for peregrine falcons, except for no successful nesting at the cliff habitats. © Kathy Clark

Biologists with the Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey help monitor and manage many endangered and threatened species in New Jersey. We work very closely with the Endangered and Nongame Species Program in the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife. Each year we summarize the results of many surveys and monitoring programs to show the most current information about the status of New Jersey’s wildlife. Whether good or bad news, we like to share this information with the public to make them aware of the conservation needs and successes.

Weather had a huge impact on wildlife this past year. The cold winter lead to a higher than normal loss of young bald eagles while the hot dry summer was favorable to those species impacted by coastal floods, the piping plover, least tern and black skimmer. The hot dry climate also helped ospreys produce a record high number of young. However, disease still impacts our state’s bats and disturbance by people or predators plays a role in fledging success. Check out the full report for detailed information for over 15 species listed as endangered or threatened in New Jersey.

Photo(s) from the field

Posted on by Ben Wurst
Protecting peregrine falcon nest sites

by Ben Wurst, Habitat Program Manager

Ice covers a sheltered creek along the D. Bay. © Ben Wurst

While cold temperatures may have many people enjoying some time getting office work done, I enjoy working outside despite temperatures in the 30s. Yesterday, with help from Bill Pitts, a wildlife technician with NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife’s Endangered and Nongame Species Program and Alf Breed, a seasonal technician with Conserve Wildlife Foundation we set out on the Delaware Bay to install a set of new predator guards on a peregrine falcon nesting tower near Heislerville. The new predator guards require little maintenance and more importantly help protect their nestlings from being predated by ground predators, like raccoons.

No doubt it was cold and windy. The small creek where we launched our boat already had ice on it! An uncommon sight in early December. This was a clear indication that winter is here to stay, but that it didn’t dampen our mood. So we launched boat and set out to the nest site. After a short boat ride we arrived at the site. One adult peregrine (a female) was perched on the tower. In New Jersey, nesting pairs are territorial throughout the year. She called to defend her nest site and flew off and watched us from a nearby perch. We unloaded gear and started removing the old predator guards.

Alf Breed attaches a predator guard to a pole on a peregrine tower. © Ben Wurst

In 2009, I began to install these new inverted cone predator type guards on peregrine nesting towers. The guards were custom fabricated by Babbitt Manufacturing, Inc. in Vineland. The new cones replace antiquated metal sleeve type predator guards which required annual maintenance during the non-breeding season. We first installed a prototype on a nest tower located inside Forsythe NWR in Oceanville. The new cone passed the test by withstanding 70 mph wind gusts during the winter of 2009. A complete set (of four cones) was then installed there and at another nest site on the saltmarsh in Manahawkin.

The finished product. © Ben Wurst

There are nine towers where peregrines nest along the coast of New Jersey. After the peregrine population was decimated by DDT in the 1960s, efforts were made to help re-establish the population.  It began in the 1970s after the federal ban of DDT in 1972. The first tower was installed in 1975 inside Sedge Island Wildlife Management Area. The Peregrine Fund and the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife began to “hack” peregrine falcons at this site to help re-establish breeding pairs to New Jersey and the Mid-Atlantic region. In the following years the program was expanded, and in 1980 a pair of wild peregrines nested on a tower. Since then, the population has slowly rebounded.  Today, peregrines nest on a variety of structures in New Jersey including buildings, bridges, natural cliff sites, and these old “hacking” towers. In 2009, a total of 14 pairs nested in New Jersey.

Monitoring New Jersey’s Amphibians

Posted on by larissasmith
Volunteers needed for 2011 season

by Larissa Smith, Assistant Biologist and Volunteer Manager

Vibrant green and boldly marked, the Pine Barrens treefrog is one of New Jersey’s most beautiful amphibians. © George Cevera

If you enjoy hearing the sounds of frogs and toads and like a bit of adventure then the NJ Calling Amphibian Project (CAMP) might be the right project for you!  Each of the 16 species of frogs and toads in NJ has a unique vocalization or “call” that can be heard during their mating season.  The Conserve Wildlife Foundation of NJ is actively recruiting  volunteers to participate in a statewide Calling Amphibian Monitoring Program (CAMP). Fourteen CAMP routes are currently available for the 2011 season.

  • Click here to learn more about volunteering.
  • For detailed project information, click here.
  • To view results from the 2010 season, click here.

If you are interested in learning more about the CAMP project please contact Larissa Smith at Larissa.Smith@hughes.net or 609.628.0402

Banner year for New Jersey’s Piping Plovers

Posted on by tpover
GOOD NESTING RESULTS IN 2010

By Todd Pover, Beach Nesting Bird Project Manager

A piping plover nestling. © Kim Steininger

The final results are in and it was a banner year for piping plovers in New Jersey. Statewide, our piping plovers produced an average of 1.39 fledglings per pair – one of the highest rates recorded since monitoring began several decades ago. Those results couldn’t have come at a better time. Fledgling rates had been poor the past several years and at just 108 pairs the breeding population is still extremely low. Because piping plover chicks often return to the same general area where they were born when they are ready to breed, the hope is that this year’s success will help grow the state’s population in the next several years. To find out more about the results of the 2010 piping plover breeding season click here (pdf). And if you want to find out more about how the Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey helps protect piping plovers in our state or how you can help, click here.

Going nuts for Woodrats!

Posted on by CWF
Help collect acorns for the endangered Allengany Woodrat

by Maria Grace, Education and Outreach Manager

Allegheny woodrats are sometimes referred to as “packrats” because of their hoarding behavior. © Mick Valent

The Allegheny woodrat is a state endangered species. It was added to the endangered species list in 1991. There is one remaining population of these small mammals left in the state and they need our help this winter.

This season we are going to help the woodrat by providing it with food. We will distribute acorns, beech nuts, hickory nuts or any other nuts from native New Jersey trees in the area the woodrats live. By providing them with food we will help them survive the winter.

Collecting nuts while learning about the habits and habitat needs of the Allegheny woodrat is a great service learning project! Have your students collect native tree nuts throughout the community and help to protect one of NJ’s rarest wildlife residents.

We are collecting nuts now through November 24th to distribute to the woodrat’s location throughout the winter. If you would like to contribute to the woodrat’s winter food pantry, please drop off nuts from native New Jersey trees to  the Endangered and Nongame Species Program’s office in Clinton, New Jersey.

  • Please contact Maria Grace at Conserve Wildlife Foundation at (609) 984-0621 for specific instructions.
  • Nuts will be collected until November 24th.

Photo from the Field

Posted on by Ben Wurst
Installing Osprey Platforms

By Ben Wurst, Habitat Program Manager

This past week I installed two osprey nesting platforms with the help of some dedicated volunteers. The platforms were installed on two islands known as Little Sedge Islands off Lavallette in Barnegat Bay. I originally planned on only installing one platform there for a woman who donated to help support our osprey project. However, this past spring on the day we were planning to install the platform my wife went into labor with our first child. So I made up for not having the platform installed before this year’s nesting season by installing two this past week.

The islands are preserved as open space and are great habitat for ospreys. They prefer to nest over or near water (their source of food). Islands provide additional protection from ground predators, like raccoons. There are several nesting platforms nearby that are always occupied, so it’s likely that these platforms will be occupied within the next couple years.

Thank you to everyone who helped out!!

Volunteers finish installing an osprey nesting platform on an island on Barnegat Bay. © Ben Wurst

More photos from the installation:

Saving Species Through Partnerships

Posted on by tpover
The American Oystercatcher Working Group

by Todd Pover, Beach Nesting Bird Project Manager

 

American Oystercatcher Working Group annual meeting. Photo by Tracy Borneman.

Working closely with wildlife is the “sexy” part of my job. It is what makes me look forward to work on those days when I find myself less than inspired. It is also what the public most wants to hear about. But it is not necessarily the most important part of my job.

A great deal of my conservation efforts happen in meetings, offices, and behind a computer screen. A good case in point is the American Oystercatcher Working Group meeting I attended in Wellfleet, Massachusetts last week. This annual meeting brings together other managers, biologists, researchers, and policy experts from the Atlantic coast states that are specifically focused on oystercatchers. It is a chance for all us to share ideas, compare “notes” so to speak, build partnerships, and in general leverage the collective knowledge of the group.

This particular meeting is small by most standards, typically just 25-35 attendees, and much more informal than others I attend. It is also one of the most effective. Simply put, we get stuff done! Sure, we have spirited discussions and debate, but at the end of the day there is usually a cooperative spirit.

American Oystercatcher. © Chris Davidson

Projects move forward to benefit oystercatchers in individual states from Massachusetts to Florida, but through the prism of what is best for the range wide conservation of the species. This is how it should be. My job is to help monitor, manage, and protect oystercatchers in New Jersey, but since we only host a portion of the overall breeding population and they only spend a small part of each year in our state, we are just one piece of the puzzle.

You cannot effectively recover or conserve a species without partners. So we will keep telling you sexy, up-close-and-personal stories about wildlife, but once in awhile we will also remind you about the behind the scenes work we do to keep wildlife from disappearing from our state (and beyond).