Tag: NJ

Osprey Cam reveals winter scenery

Posted on by Ben Wurst
Polar vortex, peregrines, and lots of snow geese

The extreme cold weather in January brought some really neat winter scenery to the coastal saltmarsh. One of the most productive ecosystems in the world is almost totally desolate in the middle of winter. There are still a few signs of life though, which have been captured by our Osprey Cam, including top tiers predators, peregrine falcons, and herbivores, snow geese. There’s no doubt that each plays a role in the ecosystem. The snow geese eat any kind of vegetation that they can find and they consume any part of the plant, seeds, stems, leaves, tubers, and roots.  The osprey cam showed them sticking there heads underground to forage on the rhizoidial roots of saltmarsh cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora).  Here’s an interesting fact from Cornell University’s All About Birds website: “Food passes through the Snow Goose’s digestive tract in only an hour or two, generating 6 to 15 droppings per hour. The defecation rate is highest when a goose is grubbing for rhizomes, because such food is very high in fiber and the goose inevitably swallows mud.” Their droppings will no doubt help to fertilize the marsh in the spring!

Ice floe.
Ice floe.
A few adult peregrine falcons have been perching on the platform.
A few adult peregrine falcons have been perching on the platform.
Snow and geese.
Snow and geese.
More snow geese...
More snow geese…
Snow geese have been foraging all around the osprey nest.
YUM! Roots and tubers!
Snow goose
Got a napkin?
Looks like the arctic...
Looks like the arctic…
6" of fresh snow.
6″ of fresh snow.

 

 

New Jersey’s 1st Annual Super Bowl

Posted on by Ben Wurst
This Week, Play in New Jersey’s Super Bowl…of Wildlife

wildlife superbowl

This Sunday, for the first time ever, New Jersey will host the Super Bowl. Millions await the drama between two evenly matched high-flying teams.

You mean the Seahawks versus Broncos in the NFL Super Bowl?

Guess again.

Try the Falcons versus Eagles in the CWF Super Bowl!

As in peregrine falcons, the fastest animal on earth, against the bald eagles, the symbol of All-American grandeur. These two “teams” have overcome incredible odds to make it to the biggest stage imaginable: the Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey (CWF) battle for the first annual state wildlife championship. The winner will be announced on Monday morning, after a week of Facebook “likes” and donations in favor of the Falcons, or of the Eagles.

All donations will help support CWF’s work on that species, with falcon support dedicated to our Jersey City webcam program and eagle support helping our statewide stewardship work. At stake is not the NFL’s Lombardi Trophy, but an extra boost in CWF’s efforts to protect one of these imperiled species and ensure its inspiring recovery continues.

Surviving the Regular Season

How did these CWF champions make it this far? From their home stadium in downtown Jersey City (and 23 other nests across New Jersey), the Falcons have soared through the season in a continued recovery from decades of struggle against opponents like DDT and pollution. The Falcons then entered the CWF playoffs with momentum, defeating the Bobcats, Terrapins, Ravens, and Fishhawks (ospreys) in succession to reach this big stage.

Their opponent, the Eagles, play the majority of their home games on the windswept Delaware Bayshore, but also play at 118 other nests across the state. Like the Falcons, the Eagles had decades with seemingly no hope because of DDT and a rapidly changing landscape. Yet the Eagles bounced back with an inspiring few seasons, capped by victories over the Bog Turtles, Plovers, Tigers (salamanders), and Dolphins.

Among the teams that continued struggling this season were the Rattlers, the Bats, the Tree Frogs, the Skippers (butterflies), and the Goldenwings (warblers). Conversely, the Seals and Snowy Owls had strong winter seasons. Two closely rivaled teams, the Red Knots and the Horseshoe Crabs, overcame the loss of their stadium to Hurricane Sandy with a newly built New Jersey home that greatly improved their odds of success.

Now that the game is on – what are the rules for the CWF Super Bowl?
Do you win, too, if you support the winning team?

All supporters of the winning team will be eligible for a drawing to join a banding of the winning raptor this summer, with eligibility weighted by donations and points – the greater the donation or support, the greater your chance of winning! But EVERYONE is eligible, even for as simple as a Facebook like!

As for you non-football fans out there…just as the NFL Super Bowl attracts attention far beyond regular football fanatics, our CWF Championship is meaningful to all of us who care about imperiled wildlife in New Jersey. Here is a chance to ensure that a magnificent raptor – a bald eagle or a peregrine falcon – continues to grace New Jersey’s skies. Either way, score a win for New Jersey’s wildlife!

So consider this the opening kickoff! Getting out on the field is as easy as clicking a link in this email – but choose wisely. The champion awaits!

Month of the Falcon – Bonus shots – Holgate

Posted on by Ben Wurst
Our barrier island predators

by Ben Wurst, Habitat Program Manager

New Jersey’s geographic location along the Atlantic Coast helps make it a unique place for wildlife and a globally recognized stopover for migratory birds, bats, and invertebrates. Peregrine falcons are a common sight along our barrier islands during fall and winter months. Peregrines hang out in areas with high prey densities and many of those areas are our coastal and urban areas. Those areas have large flocks of shorebirds, ducks, blackbirds, pigeons, and common backyard birds.

One photographer, Northside Jim, has been documenting peregrines on Long Beach Island. I first started following Jim’s blog, “Readings from the Northside,” after seeing his attraction to capturing the natural ecology of the beach on Long Beach Island, and especially his attraction to taking photos of the ospreys that he saw flying overhead in North Beach. I later contacted Jim and he came out osprey banding with me on Barnegat Bay to “meet” the ospreys that he was seeing fly overhead.  Jim’s been hooked ever since!

His compassion for wildlife is apparent as well. Rescuing injured gulls, showing photos of boats that are way too close to marine mammals, etc… In addition, Jim’s clever and witty writing style, photo captions and subject matter make learning about wildlife and the natural environment enjoyable and entertaining. Most importantly, his audience is mostly tourists on LBI, so educating them about our impacts on wildlife and coastal barrier islands is key.

Jim doesn’t like to call himself a photographer, but in fact he is a very talented one, and it’s his photo-journalistic style that captures the eye. This past fall Jim photographed several peregrine falcons in the Holgate Unit of Edwin B. Forsythe NWR, which is at the south end of Long Beach Island. One of his most remarkable discoveries was a juvenile (first photo below) peregrine that I banded in the summer of 2013. “Bridgette” was banded with an auxiliary band reading “59/AN (black/green),” so Jim was able to read the band from his photos. She was from a new nest that we built last spring as a mitigation project for the construction of a bridge over the Garden State Parkway. A pair a had previously nested underneath the bridge but young never fledged the nest. We had no idea if the pair would use the new platform after we installed it, but they did! You can read more about this encounter on Jim’s blog. Enjoy!

Jim has become quite the fan of peregrine falcons and ospreys in NJ. Photo by Northside Jim.
Jim has become quite the fan of peregrine falcons and ospreys in NJ. Photo by Northside Jim.
You can tell that he has a lot of experience (and patience) when it comes to getting a good shot. Photo by Northside Jim.
You can tell that he has a lot of experience (and patience) when it comes to getting a good shot. Photo by Northside Jim.
Percy, the juvenile peregrine from the Holgate Unit of Forsythe NWR. Photo by Northside Jim.
Percy, the juvenile peregrine from the Holgate Unit of Forsythe NWR. Photo by Northside Jim.
Jim's enthusiasm for engaging unwary visitors of the rare (wild) residents of LBI through his popular blog and remarkable photography is a huge benefit to raising awareness for these species. Photo by Northside Jim.
Jim’s enthusiasm for engaging unwary visitors of the rare (wild) residents of LBI through his popular blog and remarkable photography is a huge benefit to raising awareness for these species. Photo by Northside Jim.
This juvenile Jim aptly named "Bridgette" after the nest where it originated, which was installed in 2013 for mitigation for a nest that was once on the GSP bridge over Egg Harbor Bay. Photo by Northside Jim.
This juvenile Jim aptly named “Bridgette” after the nest where it originated (she has a leg band that is readable), which was installed in 2013 for mitigation for a nest that was once on the GSP bridge over Egg Harbor Bay. Photo by Northside Jim.

Thank you, Jim, for all of your efforts to help promote our mission of protecting NJ’s rare wildlife. Make sure to check out his blog to see more spectacular photography: http://exit63.wordpress.com/

 

 

Peregrine pair on Osprey platform

Posted on by Ben Wurst

This morning a pair of peregrine falcons have been hanging on the osprey cam nest at Edwin B. Forsythe NWR. First a female was perched on the nest, then she flew off a couple times, only to circle around and land on the nest again. Then a male landed on the platform and was seen calling out, most likely to the female. We’re not sure if they are a breeding pair or not. The female only had a silver federal band on her right leg and the male has a black federal band (which means he’s a Jersey bird) and a black/green auxiliary band on his left leg. It is unreadable since it’s pretty covered in dirt/mud. By the looks of him it looks like he just finished breakfast…

This morning a female peregrine was perched on the osprey cam nest at Forsythe NWR.
This morning a female peregrine was perched on the osprey cam nest at Forsythe NWR.
Who's that?
Who’s that?
Then a male showed up and stole the show.
Then a male showed up and stole the show.

 

 

Month of the Falcon – Part III

Posted on by Ben Wurst
History of the Jersey City Falcon nest

 by Ben Wurst, Habitat Program Manager

Peregrine nestlings in the nestbox at 101 Hudson St.
Peregrine nestlings as viewed from the nest cam at 101 Hudson St.

We hope you’re enjoying the “Month of the Falcon” series! The summary below was created to tell the story of a peregrine nest (also referred to as an eyrie) at 101 Hudson St. in Jersey City where a live webcam broadcast the live view of the nest during the nesting season. It’s important to remember that we would not know any of this without the use of the camera to monitor the nest. The summary was written using posts to Nestbox News and from banding and re-sighting data from Kathy Clark, Supervisory Zoologist with the Endangered and Nongame Species Program.

1999

A pair of peregrines were first spotted by observant building managers at 101 Hudson St. more than 10 years ago. They often caught glimpses of peregrines streaking through the sky, in pursuit of prey, with the NYC skyline in the background. They knew what they were witnessing was rare and wanted to help. They contacted biologists with the Endangered and Nongame Species Program and a plan was made to help establish a nesting pair there. In 1999 there were only 15 known pairs of peregrine falcons in the state. Continue reading “Month of the Falcon – Part III”

Save the Jersey City Falcon Cam!!

Posted on by Ben Wurst
Tiercel peregrine falcon at Jersey City. © Kathy Clark/ENSP
Tiercel peregrine falcon at Jersey City. © Kathy Clark/ENSP

Since 2000, a pair of state endangered peregrine falcons have nested on a building in Jersey City, New Jersey. Peregrine falcons are drawn to urban areas since there are high levels of prey (pigeons) and suitable areas to nest (building ledges and outcrops). To follow along with their daily life cycle a webcam was first installed in 2001. Since then it has broadcast their success and struggles over the years to reproduce and help bolster the population in the state.

Peregrines have made a remarkable recovery in New Jersey since their reintroduction in the 1970s, and the Falcon Cam has allowed us to help raise awareness for their conservation. This past year we learned that the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife, who hosted the camera since it’s installation, no longer has funding to maintain the webcam. Over the next month we’ll be fundraising to help keep the webcam online! At the same time we’ll also be featuring a weekly series “The Month of the Falcon” with insight from biologists and awesome photos of peregrines from New Jersey.

Get Wild! Silent Auction

Posted on by Ben Wurst
100% of proceeds support our conservation efforts!!

by Ben Wurst, Habitat Program Manager

auction

Each item from our auction was donated by wildlife enthusiasts and CWF supporters in New Jersey. Their donation of an item, trip, or service will directly support our mission to “Protect New Jersey’s Wildlife.” This is our largest fundraising effort of the year and will help us to make sure salamanders will cross safely on a rainy night. It will also help make sure piping plovers can successfully nest on our beaches without getting trampled by tourists. It will give a pair of ospreys a safe place to nest on our coastal saltmarshes. Lastly, it will make sure that our future generations learn why it’s important to protect wildlife and the habitat that they depend on to survive.

Win a trip to band peregrines, ospreys or bald eagles! All support our mission!!

Please check out our online silent auction to get some awesome gifts for wildlife lovers in your family this holiday season. There are plenty of items for everyone, especially for outdoor enthusiasts! We have several outdoor “excursions” which put you in touch with some of species we work so hard to protect.

Sampling of items:


Special thanks to everyone who donated towards our silent auction!!

Introducing the 2013 Women & Wildlife Honorees!

Posted on by Ben Wurst
Introducing the 2013 Women & Wildlife Honorees.
Introducing the 2013 Women & Wildlife Honorees.

Through our annual Women & Wildlife Awards we recognize women who represent a broad range of wildlife protectors in our state:

  • Tracy Leaver, who rehabilitates orphaned and injured animals, including bobcats and bears;
  • Linda J. Mead, who has a distinguished record in permanently preserving over 15,000 acres of natural habitats, farms, and open space for New Jersey’s wildlife;
  • Jo Ann Frier-Murza, who played an important role in protecting our most charismatic wildlife as part of the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife;
  • Pat Sutton, who has educated about the natural world in New Jersey, especially in Cape May, for over 30 years; and
  • Dr. Edith Wallace, who has devoted more than half a century to inspiring people, young and old, to make the wild places of New Jersey part of their everyday experiences.

At the event we will also commemorate the 40th Anniversary of New Jersey’s Endangered Species Conservation Act. This landmark legislation directed the Department of Environmental Protection to protect, manage and restore the State’s endangered and nongame wildlife species and allowed state biologists to bring key species back from the brink of extinction – species such as the bald eagle, peregrine falcon, and osprey.

When: Wednesday, December 4th, 6:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Where: Trenton Country Club, 201 Sullivan Way, Ewing, New Jersey

Tickets: $75 individual ticket

$250, $500 and $1,000 sponsorships will be listed in the event program

All proceeds will benefit our work to protect our rare and imperiled wildlife!

For more information, please contact Liz Silvernail at (609) 292-3707.

Jersey City’s Peregrine Falcons

Posted on by Ben Wurst
Meet the nesting pair!

by Ben Wurst, Habitat Program Manager

Peregrine falcons are the largest falcon in New Jersey. They are found world-wide and are the fastest bird. They were once extirpated from the state (and all areas east of the Mississippi River) by 1964, after DDT decimated their population. A recovery program spearheaded by The Peregrine Fund helped to re-establish the eastern population by releasing captive bred birds. The birds were “hacked” on towers on the coastal saltmarsh where prey was readily available and predators (great horned owls) were minimal. The program was successful and by 1980 the first wild nesting of peregrines occurred at Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge in Oceanville. Since then the population has steadily increased because of the dedicated biologists and volunteers who help to monitor and manage them. Continue reading “Jersey City’s Peregrine Falcons”

Photo(s) from the field

Posted on by Ben Wurst
Volunteers help to “re-plant” leaning osprey platform

by Ben Wurst, Habitat Program Manager

This past week I was joined by a large group of volunteers to remove and re-plant a leaning osprey tower in Point Pleasant. It all began after Superstorm Sandy barreled through the area a little over a year ago…

This nest, along with many others, were uprooted from where they were originally installed. Many homes in the area were flooded by the storm surge associated with the storm (and many were still rebuilding when we were there). Any and all debris that was created ended up being pushed to the high areas of the marsh and in turn, people’s yards. This platform ended up in a homeowners backyard. Fortunately the platform was not lost and was thankfully re-installed by a bulkheading company who was working on the homeowners house. This was great news for the ospreys! Their nest had been returned to the saltmarsh and was, in turn, used again by them this past summer. They raised one nestling on the platform.

Things a-drift…a strong Nor’easter ended up pushing over the platform, which caused it to lean…significantly. However, the ospreys adapted and added nesting material to make sure their only nestling would not fall out. At the same time we made plans to re-plant the platform in a section of marsh with more soil, so the platform would have a firm foundation and support. A crew of strong and able volunteers met up with me to help fix the problem. They pulled out the platform and then we transported it to the new location. There we dug a new hole (around 2-3′ deep) and they easily dropped the short (around 12′ high) platform into the hole. These volunteers did a great job, and I was happy to see that many of them lived in the local area. It’s great to see locals getting involved in their local environment and I know that they’ll continue to watch over the nest if anything should happen to it in the future. I’m planning on working with the local community association (who owns the land) to install a couple more platforms for ospreys. There’s little suitable nesting habitat for ospreys up on N. Barnegat Bay and in the past we’ve had problems with birds nesting on houses, so this will only help reduce those occurrences.

Not exactly stable...
Not exactly stable…
Not much dry land either...
Not much dry land either…
Down she goes...
Down she goes…
All better!
All better!