Ecological Lockdown for Horseshoe Crabs – A Delaware Bay 2020 Update

Guest post by: Dr. Larry Niles

When asked to describe the ecological conditions of any one year of our 23 years of work on Delaware Bay, Humphrey Sitters, one of the first biologists to understand the value of Delaware Bay to shorebirds would respond “every year is unprecedented”. And so it seemed until this year.

Continue reading “Ecological Lockdown for Horseshoe Crabs – A Delaware Bay 2020 Update”

Virtual Eyes on Eagles

Get a little wild while being safe at home! Join Conserve Wildlife Foundation and Mercer County Park Commission to get your eyes on eagles – virtually.

We’re co-hosting hour-long webinars on May 10 and June 7 with Mercer County Park Commission. Each virtual event will feature current footage collected safely from one of the bald eagle nests in the County Park system, along with bald eagle history and interpretation provided by Park naturalists and David Wheeler, Executive Director of Conserve Wildlife Foundation.

Continue reading “Virtual Eyes on Eagles”

Wild for Volunteers Guest Post: Birds, Bats, Frogs and Horseshoe Crabs!

by John King

Some of the species (super) volunteer John King has helped.

When I retired from teaching, one of my first tasks was to search for local organizations that encouraged volunteers, especially in areas of wildlife conservation. Luckily, I found Conserve Wildlife Foundation. I have to say that over the past few years, my volunteer service with CWF has been both rewarding and inspiring!

Continue reading “Wild for Volunteers Guest Post: Birds, Bats, Frogs and Horseshoe Crabs!”

Wild New Jersey: Savoring springtime at Sandy Hook

by David Wheeler

Wild New Jersey and the COVID-19 pandemic: During these stressful times of social distancing and isolation, taking solace in the natural world is more valuable than ever. I want to share some of my favorite outdoor oases with you. My hope is that by visiting on your own, with your family, or in some cases with your beloved dog, that you too will find the peace and happiness I feel when spending time in the wildest parts of our state.

In a time like this, it’s reassuring to find a place where you can admire the New York City skyline across the great New York Harbor – while being surrounded not by people, but by dune grasses, spring migrants, and overhead ospreys carrying fish.

Sandy Hook, New Jersey. Photo by: Tomwsulcer / CC0
Continue reading “Wild New Jersey: Savoring springtime at Sandy Hook”

New Podcast Episode: The Red Knot’s Journey

Conserve Wildlife Foundation is excited to release The Red Knot’s Journey, the second episode of ‘State of Change’, our podcast exploring how climate change is affecting wildlife in New Jersey.

Continue reading “New Podcast Episode: The Red Knot’s Journey”

New CWF podcast series focusing on climate change impacts on New Jersey’s wildlife debuts with beach nesting bird episode

by: Alison Levine, Communications Coordinator

New Jersey has more people per square mile than any other state by far. It’s not an easy place for wildlife to survive. Yet countless wildlife species from bald eagles to bobcats are doing just that.

But what happens when you inject climate change into the mix? Superstorms and sea level rise, coastal erosion and salt water intrusion, invasive species, disrupted life cycles and wildlife disease.

Conserve Wildlife Foundation is excited to introduce the ‘State of Change’ podcast that explores how climate change is affecting wildlife in our state. Hosted by CWF executive director David Wheeler and produced by Matt Wozniak, each episode highlights a different climate change issue – and every story helps paint a portion of the big picture of our changing world.

Continue reading “New CWF podcast series focusing on climate change impacts on New Jersey’s wildlife debuts with beach nesting bird episode”

NJ Eagle Cams

A peek into the lives of Nesting Bald Eagles

by Larissa Smith, CWF Biologist

Duke Farms female November 22, 2019
screen shot taken by Diane Cook

Bald Eagles all over New Jersey are starting to work on their nests for the upcoming nesting season. The next few months are a good time to get outdoors and spot eagles. Wintering eagles will be in NJ during the next few months as well as the NJ nesting pairs. You can also keep an eye on eagles from the comfort and warmth of your home via eagle cams on the CWF website.

Continue reading “NJ Eagle Cams”

Tracking a Duke Farms Eagle

May 25th, 2019. Duke getting fitted with transmitter

A transmitter was placed on a chick from the Duke Farms Eagle Cam nest for the first time this year. This nest cam has been watched by thousands of people over the years and now cam watchers will be able to follow the movements of “Duke” after fledging.

Continue reading “Tracking a Duke Farms Eagle”

New Jersey Bald Eagles Soar to New Highs in 2019

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.

ASBURY PARK STUDENTS EXPERIENCE NATURE ON “WILDLIFE WEDNESDAYS”

Asbury Park students and staff pose with their “talons up” after seeing an
Osprey snatch a fish from the ocean.

Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey (CWF), the Asbury Park mayor’s office and public schools, and New Jersey Natural Gas hosted Wildlife Wednesdays Field Experience at North Beach at the end of July. The hands-on, project-based outing taught elementary school students about Asbury Park’s rare wildlife, and how to protect and preserve the environment the kids – and wildlife- call home.

Continue reading “ASBURY PARK STUDENTS EXPERIENCE NATURE ON “WILDLIFE WEDNESDAYS””