Tag: NJ
Three New Jersey Women Recognized at Tenth Annual Women & Wildlife Awards
MacKenzie Hall, Pat Hamilton, Tanya Oznowich honored at Conserve Wildlife Foundation’s 10th Annual Women & Wildlife Awards
by Lindsay McNamara, Communications Manager
Our Tenth Annual Women & Wildlife Awards, held at Duke Farms, recognized three women – MacKenzie Hall, Pat Hamilton, and Tanya Oznowich – for their leadership in protecting wildlife in New Jersey. The Honorable Christine Todd Whitman served as the keynote speaker.
The Women & Wildlife Awards celebrated Conserve Wildlife Foundation’s past decade of honoring women for their success in protecting, managing, restoring, and raising awareness for the Garden State’s endangered and imperiled wildlife species.
“The inspiring leadership of MacKenzie Hall, Pat Hamilton, and Tanya Oznowich not only benefits New Jersey’s wildlife and the countless people who care strongly for our outdoors – it provides successful role models for the next generation of girls in scientific fields that have for too long held a glass ceiling for young women,” said CWF Executive Director David Wheeler. “Their unparalleled dedication and hard work – like that of the Women & Wildlife honorees over the past decade – has helped make New Jersey a national leader in wildlife conservation.”
The three honorees were recognized individually with awards in Inspiration, Leadership, and Education:
MacKenzie Hall, a powerful force behind the conservation of wildlife in New Jersey, who began working as a wildlife biologist for Conserve Wildlife Foundation in 2004 before joining the Endangered and Nongame Species Program in 2014, is the recipient of the Women & Wildlife Inspiration Award. She has been involved in a number of projects spanning bat colonies, migrating amphibians, and grassland birds.
In her work to implement conservation programs such as the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program, Ms. Hall’s keen understanding of the process and positive attitude turned many farmers and landowners into dedicated environmental stewards. What may be most remarkable about Ms. Hall is her ability to motivate the public and inspire non-scientists of all ages to become passionate conservationists.
Women & Wildlife Leadership Award Winner Pat Hamilton has worked for the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife Bureau of Freshwater Fisheries since 1980. She is considered to be the champion for Eastern brook trout, the state’s only native salmonid, and a species once extirpated from over 50% of its historical habitat due to human impacts.
Ms. Hamilton is one of three fisheries biologists in New Jersey endeavoring to strengthen the state regulations to further conserve native brook trout streams. Thanks to her efforts, more than 200 northern New Jersey streams have been designated as Trout Production Streams, which afford the streams higher levels of state protection.
The recipient of the Women & Wildlife Education Award is Tanya Oznowich, Environmental Education Supervisor of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, who has championed environmental education for over three decades.
Schools across New Jersey are incorporating environmental education into their curriculum, a new movement inspired by a growing awareness of environmental issues and our shared role in understanding and resolving them. To a large degree, this growing prominence is thanks to Tanya Oznowich. She has been engaging the public in natural resources since 1979. Since beginning her tenure with the NJDEP in 1988, she has dedicated herself to integrating environmental science into New Jersey’s classrooms, from kindergarten to college.
The Tenth Annual Women & Wildlife Awards, held on Wednesday, October 28 at Duke Farms in Hillsborough, New Jersey, included a presentation of the awards to the recipients, hors d’oeuvres, cash bar and a silent auction.
Learn More:
- Conserve Wildlife Foundation’s Women & Wildlife Awards
- Conserve Wildlife Foundation’s Facebook Photo Album
- [Video]: Celebrating Ten Years of Women & Wildlife
We gratefully thank our generous Eagle Sponsors who made the Women & Wildlife Awards possible: PSEG, Atlantic City Electric, Janice King and Bill Masonheimer, and Eric Sambol.
Lindsay McNamara is the Communications Manager for Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey.
Meet the 2015 Honorees: MacKenzie Hall, Women & Wildlife Inspiration Award Winner
Wildlife Biologist Celebrated for Inspiring Non-Scientists of All Ages to Become Passionate Conservationists
by Lindsay McNamara, Communications Manager
A powerful force behind the conservation of wildlife in New Jersey, MacKenzie Hall began working as a wildlife biologist for Conserve Wildlife Foundation in 2004 and was been involved with projects spanning bat colonies, migrating amphibians, and grassland birds. What is most remarkable about Ms. Hall, however, is her ability to motivate the public to participate in these projects, inspiring non-scientists of all ages to become passionate conservationists.
Ms. Hall has supported and participated in bat research projects throughout the state. She took part in colony monitoring, mist-netting, and banding, working through many nights in order to benefit these enormously important species. In 2012, she launched a “Bats in Buildings” program offering New Jersey homeowners bat-friendly “eviction” resources, as well as free bat houses for displaced colonies.
In addition to her involvement in bat conservation, Ms. Hall is a passionate advocate for New Jersey’s amphibians and reptiles. She worked to address amphibian mortality on state roads, teaming up with working groups to help species of frogs and salamanders safely cross roads during their spring breeding season. She successfully coordinated amphibian surveys throughout the state, a task requiring road closures, the cooperation of multiple municipalities, the recruitment and training of volunteers, and the willingness to work outdoors overnight on cold, rainy nights!
In her work to implement conservation programs such as the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program, Ms. Hall’s keen understanding of the process and positive attitude turned many farmers and landowners alike into dedicated environmental stewards.
Join us to honor MacKenzie and the two other 2015 Women & Wildlife Award Winners on Wednesday, October 28 beginning at 6pm. Purchase events tickets and find more information.
We asked MacKenzie a few questions about what working in wildlife conservation means to her:
What motivates you to get out of bed each morning and go to work?
So much to do! Somehow the day always ends with more on the to-do list than it started with. Working statewide means a lot of ground to cover, a lot of emails to answer, and a lot of people to convince that the bats in their eaves aren’t looking to murder their family. Every day is a different adventure, even if I never leave my desk. Days that I actually get to spend up-close with animals or see our work making a difference – like finding kestrel eggs in a nest box we put up for them, or cupping a beautiful salamander in my hands and moving her to the safe side of the road – those are the little moments of glory that make it all feel so simple. It’s also really great to work with people who look at the world the same way I do, and who I can keep learning from.
What do you find most challenging about your profession?
Same answer as the last one, I think. This is work that’s never done. We rarely get to clap our hands together and say, “Ok, that species is saved, who’s next?” Most of our successes take years and years, a lot of educating others, a lot of help from others, and endurance.
Name one thing you can’t live without.
Sunshine…summertime. These crisp October days feel clean and refreshing, but I don’t want to close the windows and put a coat on! I want to bask in the sun like a turtle. I want sand that’s almost too hot to stand on. I want to run around in a tank top and pick berries and stay out in the balmy night in flip-flops, with frogs screaming from the trees.
What interests you the most about New Jersey’s wildlife?
Most of them live at or near some interface with the human world, because so much of New Jersey is covered in our footprints. We’ve got falcons on skyscrapers and shorebirds raising their chicks between houses and beach umbrellas. And yah, colonies of bats living up in the eaves. There’s a sense of sharing, because we’re all trying to make the most of our little spaces. We have so many chances to connect and commune with wildlife on common ground, if we just pay attention and learn to share nice.
Name one piece of advice you would give to someone who wants to change the world.
Figure out what you want the change to look like, and start with you. Be a positive example for the people who are close to you, and they’ll help you pass it forward. Don’t get too frustrated by the ones who don’t.
Please join us on Wednesday, October 28, 2015, from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. at Duke Farms in Hillsborough, New Jersey to honor the contributions that MacKenzie Hall, Tanya Oznowich, and Pat Hamilton have made to wildlife in New Jersey.
This year’s very special event will feature keynote speaker Governor Christine Todd Whitman. The event will also celebrate CWF’s past decade of honoring women for their success in protecting, managing, restoring, and raising awareness for the Garden State’s endangered and threatened wildlife species.
Learn more:
Lindsay McNamara is the Communications Manager for Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey.
Meet the 2015 Honorees: Tanya Oznowich, Women & Wildlife Education Award Winner
Ms. Oznowich Recognized for Championing Environmental Education in New Jersey for Over Three Decades
by Lindsay McNamara, Communications Manager
Schools across New Jersey are incorporating environmental education into their curriculum, a new movement inspired by a growing awareness of environmental issues and our shared role in understanding and resolving them. To a large degree, this growing prominence is thanks to Tanya Oznowich, Environmental Education Supervisor of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, who has championed environmental education for over three decades.
Ms. Oznowich earned her Bachelor’s degree in Parks and Recreation/Interpretive Sciences from Slippery Rock University in 1981 and her Master’s in Educational Leadership from Delaware Valley College in 2004. She has been engaging the public in natural resources since 1979. Since beginning her tenure with the NJDEP in 1988, she has dedicated herself to integrating environmental science into New Jersey’s classrooms, from kindergarten to college.
In addition to her role as a program developer, Ms. Oznowich is also a workshop facilitator, public speaker, environmental educator, and a grant writer. For her accomplishments in bringing environmental education to so many classrooms and communities, she has been honored by numerous state and non-profit agencies, including the New Jersey Education Association, New Jersey Audubon Society, and the New Jersey Chapter of the Society for Women in Environmental Professions.
Join us to honor Tanya and the two other 2015 Women & Wildlife Award Winners on Wednesday, October 28 beginning at 6pm. Purchase events tickets and find more information.
We asked Tanya a few questions about what working in environmental education means to her:
Name one thing you can’t live without.
I cannot live without experiencing nature. To see and smell it, listen to it, explore it in different seasons, different types of weather and different times of day and night; to walk, drive, paddle, sit or sleep in it. It is soothing, intriguing and invigorating. In it I find my God and my truest self.
What do you find most challenging about your profession?
In social studies elementary students learn about home, community and responsibility. In science they learn about the basic needs of animals and plants and the life-sustaining connections that we have with water, air, shelter, energy and land; then, the depth and breadth of what students must know and be able to do swallow these up. We each have an intimate relationship with our surroundings – we each are part of the Earth’s natural systems. This is our common ground and it beckons us to act as “we” societies instead of “me” individuals. I am grateful that green practices and sustainability have entered our worlds of education, business, development and government; our relationship with Earth systems must be considered and understood in all we do.
What motivates you to get out of bed each morning and go to work?
I have always been driven by passion and commitment but this is now fueled by excitement. I believe that education about the environment is a necessity. Is it becoming more common in New Jersey schools? Yes! There are increasing examples of it to being woven into science, social studies, health, the arts – all subjects and all grades. Many schools offer specialized courses and utilize outdoor classrooms, gardens, stewardship and citizen science projects. We have growing programs for green schools, eco-schools, healthy schools, urban schools and sustainable schools. Colleges and universities are pursuing similar initiatives and sustainability programs for businesses, municipalities and faith-based organizations are on the rise; and, nature-based pursuits are doing battle with our uses of technology. Do we still have barriers, challenges and needs to confront? Yes; but our environmental education efforts are taking hold and producing results, and the push for sustainability is strong.
Number one piece of advice you would give to someone who wants to change the world.
Embrace the value of what you believe in, determine a course of action, and then begin; as Nike says, “Just Do It.”
What interests you the most about New Jersey wildlife?
Watching wildlife fascinates me and I love to sit still and quiet in nature to wait, watch and listen for the wildlife that eventually creeps, crawls, flies or swims by me. I love to look under rocks and logs and collect bugs from streams; to examine nests and tracks and turn over the soil to see what moves. What interests me most about wildlife is that wildlife captivates people of all ages. For many of us, they are the ambassadors to nature. I admire and appreciate the work of New Jersey’s wildlife experts who have the passion and commitment to study, protect and manage our diverse wildlife populations.
Please join us on Wednesday, October 28, 2015, from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. at Duke Farms in Hillsborough, New Jersey to honor the contributions that Tanya Oznowich, Pat Hamilton, and MacKenzie Hall have made to wildlife in New Jersey.
This year’s very special event will feature keynote speaker Governor Christine Todd Whitman. The event will also celebrate CWF’s past decade of honoring women for their success in protecting, managing, restoring, and raising awareness for the Garden State’s endangered and threatened wildlife species.
Learn more:
Lindsay McNamara is the Communications Manager for Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey.
Meet the 2015 Honorees: Pat Hamilton, Women & Wildlife Leadership Award Winner
Fisheries Biologist Honored for her Contribution to Wildlife Conservation
by Lindsay McNamara, Communications Manager
Pat Hamilton has worked for the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife Bureau of Freshwater Fisheries since 1980, most recently as the Principal Fisheries Biologist. Ms. Hamilton has become a leader in managing and conserving coldwater fisheries throughout the state. She is considered to be the champion for Eastern brook trout, the state’s only native salmonid, and a species once extirpated from over 50% of its historical habitat due to human impacts.
For her Master’s Thesis “Wild Brook Trout Genetics,” she examined the genetic diversity of Eastern brook trout populations in streams throughout the Raritan and Passaic watersheds. In the first study of its kind for the state, Ms. Hamilton determined that the trout present today are part of a lineage dating back to when the last glacier receded from New Jersey – some 16K-18K years ago! Since this landmark study, she has worked to restore and protect not only this ancient fish, but also the pristine habitat on which it depends.
Currently, Ms. Hamilton is one of three fisheries biologists in New Jersey endeavoring to strengthen the state regulations to further conserve native brook trout streams. Thanks to her efforts, more than 200 northern New Jersey streams have been designated as Trout Production Streams, which afford the streams higher levels of state protection.
Join us to honor Pat and the two other 2015 Women & Wildlife Award Winners on Wednesday, October 28 beginning at 6pm. Purchase events tickets and find more information.
We asked Pat a few questions about what working in wildlife conservation means to her:
Do you have a New Jersey wildlife species that you like best? Why?
When I was 12 years old I caught the most beautiful fish I had ever seen. Carefully thumbing through a fish ID booklet, I realized I just caught my first Brook Trout. Even its scientific name, Salvelinus fontinalis, meaning living in springs, captivated me and, as I committed this name to memory, I vowed to become a fisheries biologist when I grew up. Now as a professional, I value this species for reasons well beyond my childhood memories. The Brook Trout is a Jersey native. Their wild, naturally reproducing populations inhabit small streams scattered primarily across North Jersey. The species is synonymous with cold, clean water. A host of other wildlife species benefit from their presence because these streams and their watersheds receive greater protections through NJDEP regulatory programs that govern land use. My first Brook Trout encounter was definitely a life altering experience for me!
What is your favorite thing about your job?
The variety – no day is the same – and in particular, any fieldwork that puts me in the middle of a trout stream!
What do you find most challenging about your profession?
Fisheries management has become very complex. Our science is better plus there is greater public involvement in our decision-making process. I find balancing ecological, economic, and social/cultural values to be the most challenging because often there are competing interests that must be addressed as part of that process.
What is your favorite thing to do when you aren’t working?
Spending time outdoors fishing, especially when combined with kayaking. If the fish aren’t biting, it’s still a win-win.
Name one thing you can’t live without.
Water. Pure and simple.
Please join us on Wednesday, October 28, 2015, from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. at Duke Farms in Hillsborough, New Jersey to honor the contributions that Pat Hamilton, MacKenzie Hall and Tanya Oznowich have made to wildlife in New Jersey.
This year’s very special event will feature keynote speaker Governor Christine Todd Whitman. The event will also celebrate CWF’s past decade of honoring women for their success in protecting, managing, restoring, and raising awareness for the Garden State’s endangered and threatened wildlife species.
Learn more:
Lindsay McNamara is the Communications Manager for Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey.
Jersey City Falcon ruffles some Canadian feathers!
79/AN or “Ivy” thriving in Toronto
by Ben Wurst, Habitat Program Manager
I’ll never forget banding this particular eyas. Here’s a flashback entry of Nestbox News after the banding:
“The banding day when as smooth as it could. I found I would be all alone with banding there the evening before (Kathy was too engulfed in budgeting to join me). So, for the first time I would be banding at JC (Jersey City) all alone. I have banded young falcons before, so I wasn’t worried. If you know me, I like a good challenge! Six guests joined me to watch at 101 Hudson St. and our Executive Director, David Wheeler would be joining us to help. However, things changed rapidly.. Shortly after arriving I got a call from David that he had vehicles issues while only 1 mile away! He was stuck and could not abandon his car, which was a rental…bummer! I was all on my own now. For safety reasons, I was the only person allowed on the roof to grab the eyas. Easy, right? I thought so… I had all my gear: helmet, umbrella, gloves, box. Check. I headed out onto the roof to grab the eyas. As soon as I opened the door the adult female came diving down from the upper parapet to drive me off. We use an umbrella to ward her off. Since Kathy had the usual umbrella, I brought my wife’s. When I had to grab the eyas I needed two hands, so with no helper (to hold the umbrella) I sat it down on the edge of the nestbox and on my helmet. I quickly load the eyas in the box. I hear the female swoop down towards my head. The umbrella is gone! She took my wife’s umbrella and flew off with it! I bring the eyas inside, examined her (determined its a female) and band her legs for future tracking. All in all, everything went well considering the circumstances. I never found the umbrella…” —Fast forward to this past March… I got the umbrella back!! Building engineers at 101 Hudson St. found my wife’s umbrella on a ledge of the building.
After an uneventful season for all of us Falcon Cam viewers this year we need some positive news… Well, last week 79/AN or “Ivy” was re-captured at a banding station outside of Toronto, Canada. She has also caused quite a news storm up there! After she was captured Tracy Simpson, Raptor Centre and Education Coordinator with the Canadian Peregrine Foundation started to piece together the puzzle…
“We were talking about her last night and thinking, “Oh yeah, remember that sub (adult) that showed up at that one nest a few times… …and don’t forget that other incident downtown. Could that have been Ivy?” So she is suspect number one in several incursion incidents around the southern province all along the lakeshore area.” said Tracy. Apparently Ivy is working her way into the local peregrine falcon scene, which looks to be pretty active up there.
Ivy was caught in a mist net at a hawk watch/banding station, called the Tommy Thompson Park Bird Research Station. She was described as a “cracking female Peregrine falcon” who was already banded. They assumed she was a Toronto hatched falcon but after being caught they reported the bands to USGS and found out that she’s a Jersey City girl! Here’s a link to their post on Facebook with more photos.
Tracy informed me that they have some volunteers who are watching her interaction with the local resident pairs. She also said that Ivy “stands a real chance at finding a home here in Toronto.” We’re happy to know that 79/AN is alive and well in Canada. Hopefully we’ll get some more news on her in the future, all because she was banded!
Learn more:
- Conserve Wildlife Foundation’s Peregrine Project
- Conserve Wildlife Foundation’s FalconCam
- Conserve Wildlife Foundation’s Online Field Guide: Peregrine Falcons
Ben Wurst is the Habitat Program Manager for Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey.
A Second Chance At Life
CWF Biologist and Volunteers Find Foster Home for Osprey Chick
by Meghan Kolk, Volunteer
On July 6, I had the opportunity to participate in an osprey banding project with Larissa Smith (Wildlife Biologist/Volunteer Manager) and her husband Matt, who have been banding ospreys for many years. I was thrilled that Larissa invited me to tag along because I knew that it would be an amazing experience, but I had no idea it would be a day that I would never forget. I was expecting to get some good pictures and maybe even get to hold an osprey, but we came upon a situation that would make the day so much more rewarding.
About half way through the day as Matt approached an osprey nest and got ready to climb up, he noticed a young osprey chick lying on the ground below the nest. It appeared weak and dehydrated, but uninjured. The nest above contained two older and larger chicks, and it became evident to us that the young runt was most likely pushed out of the nest by it’s competitive siblings. Our first thought was to put the chick back in the nest, however we knew that it would ultimately suffer the same fate, especially in it’s weakened condition. Our second thought was to take it to a rehabilitation facility, but since it did not appear to be injured we thought it would be best to keep it in the wild if possible. This brought us to our third option…find a foster home.
We offered the chick some much needed water and carried it back to the boat. I had the pleasure of holding and comforting our chick on the boat ride as we searched for the perfect nest. We came upon an empty nest holding three eggs which never hatched. The parents were lingering nearby and still seemed interested in parenting. We decided to give it a try. I was really enjoying my time with the chick and quickly grew attached, but I knew we had to get it into the care of some adults as soon as possible. Reluctantly, I climbed the ladder and placed the chick into it’s new home and said goodbye. We got back in the boat and watched from a distance to observe how the adults reacted.
One adult circled the nest many times observing from a distance. After several minutes it landed on the edge of the nest to get a closer look. I can just imagine the surprise and confusion it must have felt, but I was hoping that it was happy to see the little bundle of joy. After a few more minutes the partner joined in the nest, and we continued on with our banding to give them a little time to adjust.
Before finishing for the day, we went back to check on the nest. We were relieved to see both foster parents in the nest, and already protecting their adopted chick by swooping at us as we got close. It seemed as though they had already accepted the chick as their own.
Two days later Matt went back to the nest to check on the foster family. The chick looked stronger and had a full crop. This made it clear that the parents were feeding it since the crop was completely empty on the day we found it. About three weeks later, at the end of July, he checked on the nest once more and found our foster chick in good health and growing. I was so elated to hear the news and to know that our rescue mission was a success and this wonderful bird got a second chance at life.
This experience was so rewarding for me because even though we had to intervene, we were able to let the natural instinct of the osprey take over to raise this abandoned chick in need. I now have an even greater respect for ospreys because they will care for young that are not their own. This is an important characteristic for a threatened species to have in order to keep the population growing.
This particular chick experienced both the competitive instincts of it’s siblings fighting for survival, and also the protective instincts of it’s foster parents who put all of their energy into raising it. I feel so thankful to have been a part of this success story, and it reinforces all the reasons that I will continue to be a volunteer. Being able to make a difference even to just one individual is all the reward I need.
Learn more:
- Conserve Wildlife Foundation’s Osprey Project
- Conserve Wildlife Foundation’s Online Field Guide: Osprey
Meghan Kolk is a Volunteer for the Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey.
Banding Together: When the Shorebird Met the Biologist
Celebrating World Shorebirds Day, Sunday, September 6
by Lindsay McNamara, Communications Manager
As a bird nerd, I’d often look on enviously at photos of biologists posted online holding shorebirds in their “bander’s grip” – the bird’s head in between their index and middle finger, using their thumb and pinky to steady the bird, while allowing its feet to dangle freely.
I always wondered: I wish I could do that! Hold a bird in my hands. Yet I never once thought: Wait, how did the bird end up in their hands in the first place?
I certainly hadn’t thought biologists run all over the beach chasing after shorebirds like a farmer chasing chickens – I just never thought the process all the way through.
This past summer, I was fortunate enough to become part of that process and learned exactly how a shorebird ends up in a biologist’s bander’s grip. The system may surprise you, but the steps have been mastered over nineteen years of practice, each one with shorebird safety as the top priority.
Conserve Wildlife Foundation (CWF)’s Delaware Bay Shorebird Project celebrated its 19th year this summer. The team members, led by Drs. Larry Niles of CWF working with Amanda Dey of New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife, are all extremely passionate about what they do and care deeply for the shorebirds they are studying and protecting.
I arrived at the team’s house on Reeds Beach, along the Delaware Bayshore, early in the morning. Dr. Niles was concerned about the wind and had scoped out the safest beach for the banding that day. Our group of scientists, volunteers, supporters, interns and staff caravanned to Villas and joined our partner, American Littoral Society, at the site. We all picked up large, colorful plastic tubs, which had cloth covers that fit securely over the top of the box. The cloth cover had a Velcro pocket. We were told that these boxes would help in the shorebird “catch” that day. Larry and Mandy gave us instructions for how the banding day would go, safety tips and background information on the Delaware Bay Shorebird Project. We all listened intently and couldn’t wait for the day to begin!
Well, we waited a bit before the day truly started. Dr. Niles and his team had binoculars with them and sat down in the sand, watching the shorebirds from afar for about an hour and a half. We waited by the cars up near the houses along the beach. The reason for the long wait? Dr. Niles and his team were waiting for the perfect moment to fire the net over top of the shorebirds along the coastline.
Cannons with gun powder charges fire heavy projectiles that carry the net over the birds only at the perfect moment – when birds are catchable and none in danger. Luckily, it was not a “wet catch,” that day, as the net did not go into the water. As soon as the cannon was shot, we all spirited single file carrying our tubs down the beach, following the biologists. The biologists immediately knelt at the base of the net and started picking up birds and shouting their identification and passing them to us, as they went they rolled the net away to reveal more birds.
It was very exciting! The idea was to get the birds out from under the net and into our carrying boxes and sealed in with a Velcro flap, as fast as possible, for the safety of everyone involved.
Each bin became devoted to the same bird species, so if the first bird that was handed to us was a sanderling, we kept putting only sanderlings in our bin. Once we had several birds in our bin, our pace completely changed. We walked very slowly away from the net, keeping the bin level at all times, towards the path in the sand at the beginning of the beach, to make the journey as safe for the birds as possible. There, biologists had burlap “keeping cages” for the birds to wait in. Birds were also sorted by species into these cages.
When every bird was taken out from under the net, and sitting in their temporary burlap enclosure, we formed “circles.” Each circle was composed of about 6 volunteers led by a core banding team member. Once formed birds were handed to us and finally, I learned how to safely hold a shorebird in my very own bander’s grip!
Each bird received a metal band with a federal identification number, and a green tag with a three letter code. One person in the circle put the band on the bird and passed the bird to the next person, who placed the green tag on each birds’ leg and glued them shut. A recorder took notes on the band number and tag letters. Next, the birds’ wingspan and other data points were measured by other members in the circle. Lastly, the bird was weighed before it was released. During my trip with the banding team, we caught a large number of sanderlings and a few ruddy turnstones, federally listed red knots, and semipalmated plovers.
Holding a shorebird in my bander’s grip was an amazing experience, but what I enjoyed most of all was taking part in the science of shorebird conservation. I placed the green tags on the shorebirds, which will tell other scientists who may recapture the birds that they once traveled to New Jersey. Our circle helped collect valuable data points, which will be combined with the data from the other years of the Shorebird Project, to assess the health of shorebird populations.
I wasn’t just holding a bird, I was helping the bird have a brighter future – and that is the best feeling any bird nerd can have.
Today is World Shorebirds Day! You can help shorebirds have a brighter future today by participating in the Global Counting Day Program. Join the hundreds of participants at over 93 locations that will count shorebirds and share their sightings online. Register today!
Learn more:
- Conserve Wildlife Foundation’s Delaware Bay Shorebird Project
- Conserve Wildlife Foundation’s Delaware Bay Restoration Project
Lindsay McNamara is the Communications Manager for Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey.
Nature’s Chorus: Amphibian Calls
Conserve Wildlife Foundation Volunteers Survey For New Jersey Frog and Toads
by Larissa Smith, Wildlife Biologist/Volunteer Manager
Each spring, our Calling Amphibian Monitoring Project (CAMP) volunteers drive along a fifteen mile route after dusk, stopping at ten established stops along the route. They are hoping to hear the calls of some of New Jersey’s 17 species of frogs and toads. If they are lucky they’ll get to hear a chorus of several different species, sometimes so loud it’s almost deafening. Other times, they strain to hear a lone call from far away and many times they only hear the passing cars. It takes a dedicated volunteer to spend the time surveying and hearing only a few or no calls. But even the negative data is important, amphibians face many threats in New Jersey and establishing a long term database is key to learning about the population.
This season, twenty-one routes were surveyed and 16 of the 17 New Jersey frog and toad species were heard. The Eastern Spadefoot Frog was not heard this season. This year, the American Green Treefrog was recorded on one route in Salem County. This species of frog was first discovered in New Jersey in June 2011 in Salem County. The Northern Spring Peeper was heard on 19 out of the 21 routes, with Green Frogs heard on 15 routes and Northern Gray Treefrogs heard on 14 routes.
There are 63 CAMP routes through out New Jersey. Currently 34 routes are available for the 2016 CAMP season. If you are interested in volunteering for the CAMP project, please contact Larissa Smith via email.
Learn more:
Larissa Smith is the Wildlife Biologist/Volunteer Manager for Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey.
Project RedBand continues on Barnegat Bay
92 Ospreys Enlisted in Citizen Science Based Re-sighting Project
by Ben Wurst, Habitat Program Manager
This is the critical time of year for monitoring our nesting ospreys. Each year biologists and specially trained volunteers, aka Osprey Banders, conduct ground surveys by boat to monitor the state population. They visit or survey the most densely populated colonies of nesting ospreys: Sandy Hook, Barnegat Bay, Great Bay, Absecon, Ventnor-Margate-Ocean City, Great Egg Harbor Watershed, Sea Isle, Avalon-Stone Harbor, Wildwood, Maurice River, and parts of the Delaware Bay. These surveys have been conducted since the early 1970s when ospreys were not so common, with only 50 pairs in 1973.
Their recovery has been quite remarkable. With an estimated 600 nesting pairs throughout the state, our ospreys are in a much better position today. Why put so much time and effort into monitoring a seemingly healthy population? Even though their population is much larger than it was decades ago, ospreys still face a variety of threats that jeopardize their ultimate survival. It’s commonly known that ospreys face very high mortality rates in their first year of life. Before even leaving the nest their young are so vulnerable. They can fall or be blown out of the nest, predated by raccoons, crows, or eagles, killed by their own siblings, or die from starvation. After they fledge, then they need to learn to find and catch prey and avoid power lines and wind turbines. Then they need to learn to migrate south and avoid being shot in the process. Once they find a suitable wintering site, then they remain in the same area for the next two years. Then they return to their natal areas to find a suitable nest site and start their own osprey family!
Today, we need your help! We cannot reach all active nests in New Jersey. There is still plenty of time to help us keep track of the state population. Citizens are encouraged to submit sightings of activity at osprey nests on Osprey Watch, a global osprey watching community. In 2013 all of the known locations for osprey nests was released on Osprey Watch’s website. As a partner with Osprey Watch, we share and use the data collected to help determine the overall health of the population, which is summarized in our annual report.
To help engage our Osprey Watchers, we started Project RedBand, a citizen science based osprey re-sighting project. This is year two of the project. So far we’ve deployed 92 red bands (out of 100) on young produced at nests on Barnegat Bay (62 in 2014 and 30 in 2015). The young that were banded last year will start to return to New Jersey in 2016. Usually young adults return later than older adults, so the red banded birds might not be seen until May or June. That’s when they’ll find areas with high prey availability and suitable nest sites. Usually males don’t stray far from their natal areas but females do. With these red bands, we hope to learn a little more about where our ospreys are dispersing to and at the same time engaging our coastal communities in osprey conservation.
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Ben Wurst is the Habitat Program Manager for Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey.