The 2017 Species on the Edge Art and Essay contest drew in more than 2,500 entries from students throughout New Jersey. This contest is designed to empower 5th grade students through the arts by writing a creative essay and drawing an original art piece of a threatened or endangered New Jersey species. Continue reading “Species on the Edge Contest Art on Display at D&R Greenway Land Trust”
by Genevieve Tarino
Hundreds of high school students from across the state competed in Conserve Wildlife Foundation’s “Species on the Edge 2.0 Multimedia Contest”, engaging more than 23,000 people on social media with messages of wildlife protection. Of the entrants, three select winners earned scholarship funds.
“Today’s high schoolers grow up with an inherent expertise with technology and multimedia, yet it is far too easy for them to grow disconnected from the stunning nature and wildlife all around us. This contest utilizes their talents for technology to engage thousands of people across New Jersey and beyond with the wonders of wildlife – and a reminder for all of us to balance our lives by getting outdoors as well as online,” said David Wheeler, Executive Director of the nonprofit Conserve Wildlife Foundation.
Thanks to the generosity of corporate sponsor PSEG, Conserve Wildlife Foundation’s third annual multimedia contest focused on social media, giving students the opportunity to submit an original social media campaign showing why wildlife is important to protect and preserve in New Jersey and beyond. Winners were recognized this summer at a ceremony at PSE&G headquarters in Newark.
In addition to the student winners, CWF recognized Claire Ang, a marine science teacher from the Marine Academy for Science and Technology. Ms. Ang’s exceptional leadership engaged her high school in the contest, raising awareness about species protection.
Fifteen-year old Ethan Chang from Woodbridge High School won first place, while second and third place winners were Caitlyn Drace from Woodbridge High School and Olivia Gemarro from the Marine Academy of Science and Technology. In addition, Sarina Schmidt of Manchester Township High School and Nina Colagiovanni of Point Pleasant Beach High School were recognized for their wildlife videos. Each of the honorees plan to pursue wildlife conservation in various ways.
All three winners were awarded a gift bag, scholarships, and a special invitation to an eco-tour at Sedge Islands. Off the coast of Barnegat Bay, winners will have the unique opportunity to spend the day fishing, clamming, and wildlife watching.
Director of Education Stephanie DAlessio said, “The Species on the Edge 2.0 contest capitalizes on high school students’ expertise with social media platforms and provides them with the opportunity to showcase their talents, creativity, and their love for nature. This year’s contest allows high school students to advocate for wildlife conservation and to help raise awareness on social media about the importance of preserving and protecting wildlife.”
PSEG’s commitment to environmental stewardship made the contest possible by supporting funding for the scholarships. PSEG is a leader in conservation and restoration projects, including efforts to increase numbers of pollinators in the state.
The video submissions for Species on the Edge 2.0 can be viewed here.
By Dr. Larry Niles, LJ Niles Associates, LLC
I am reviewing a new paper by Sjoerd Duijns, a student working on the benefits of being a fat shorebird. Still, a draft, the paper analyses data from radio-tagged red knots leaving the Bay in good condition (i.e. fat) and finds they may leave later from Delaware Bay than lighter birds but arrive earlier in the breeding grounds because they can pick the best time to leave. They are also more likely to breed successfully and survive the Arctic breeding season to the following fall. In other words, being a fat knot on Delaware Bay makes life good.
So, in light of this new information, how did the red knots and other shorebirds fare in this year’s Delaware Bay Stopover? One must not be firm, with so many unknowns, but here’s a working biologist’s best guess.
By all accounts it was one of the worst years in recent memory, but with a twist that offers a glimmer of hope.
First, the Bay’s water reflected an unusually cool May and never really warmed to the levels necessary for a really good horseshoe crab spawn until the very end. This caused odd occurrences of crab spawning. For example, crabs bred in greater densities at the southern beaches this year, more than in previous years. The spawn at Norburys Landing, just south of the commercial oyster aquaculture development zone (ADZ), was one of the best this year, and knots and other shorebirds used the area in great number. One can only guess the water temperatures warmed over the wide inter-tidal flats provided just enough to elicit spawning. The same process was true of all the creeks on the Bay.
Second, the knot numbers never really climbed to the levels of the last three years. I’m guessing this was illusory, a consequence of the count being done on two days at the peak. It’s likely many more birds came to the Bay and seeing many birds for too few eggs, left for better resources elsewhere. Those that left were probably short distance winterers – those from relatively close in Florida and other nearby areas. The Bay’s horseshoe crab eggs would help them too, but they can get by on Atlantic Coast clams and mussels. The long-distance birds are the ones that need the Bay’s resources.
Third, when finally, the spawn got underway, a freak concurrence of wind and tide killed many thousands of crabs, potentially damaging the population and very likely ending any possibility of a really great spawn. The cobblestone road of crabs on the water’s edge. We saw none of that this year. Not once.
Grim results, but here’s the twist. In good years, knots leave near the 27th of May. One day they jam the beach gobbling up eggs, the next day there gone. In bad years, they linger. In 2003, we caught birds on the June 10th. There’s a cost to this of course, in lower survival and failing production. This year was a new in between. By the time of departure on May 27th, less than a quarter of the knots were prepared to leave. But they hung on until the 30th, blessed with a new flush of horseshoe crab eggs created by a middling spawn and a northwesterly wind churning up the beaches and exposing deeply buried eggs. Did the birds gain enough weight?
It’s hard to say, our last catch of just 33 knots suggests they might have, but an end-of-the-season catch makes a poor assessment. Once birds start leaving, the ones behind could be the light birds not ready to leave, or the heavy birds waiting for better weather. We won’t really know until the fall counts in the southbound stopover or the winter count in Tierra del Fuego.
This, our 21st season of intense research and conservation on Delaware Bay by all accounts will be like no other. Throughout all of it, the team of scientists and volunteers remained inspired, energetic and resourceful. In this one month, we conducted more scientific investigation and conservation than most projects do in an entire year. Whatever the outcome of this year’s stopover season, our team can look hopefully to the north and know that all that could be done for the birds was done.
Those of us that were paid for our time sincerely thank those who volunteered their time including; the stewards that manned the closed beaches helping hundreds of people understand why closures were needed; the volunteers in the banding team who endured long hours of preparing equipment, making bands, sewing nets and keeping cages and of course counting, catching and processing birds; the volunteers who doggedly pursue opportunities to resight flagged birds to estimate numbers and yearly survival; the volunteers that provided meals every single night, a welcome relief from a hard day’s work; and finally, the volunteers that went out all over the Bay to save horseshoe crabs in weather both good and bad. We all did our best. God help the birds and horseshoe crabs.
Dr. Larry Niles has led efforts to protect red knots and horseshoe crabs for over 30 years.
LEARN MORE
Fifth graders from across New Jersey recognized for their talent and conservation advocacy
On Thursday, June 1, Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey and sponsors PSEG, New Jersey Education Association, Church & Dwight, GAF, and ShopRite celebrated and recognized the winners of the 2017 Species on the Edge Art & Essay Contest at the NJEA building in Trenton, New Jersey.
Continue reading “2017 SPECIES ON THE EDGE ART & ESSAY CONTEST AWARD CEREMONY”
Thousands of volunteers, many of them students, are joining the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) this Wednesday, June 7, for the eighth annual Barnegat Bay Blitz, a day-long cleanup that draws attention to efforts to protect and enhance the bay and its watershed.
The Blitz highlights the focus of the NJDEP and many organizations to clean up and restore the Barnegat Bay Watershed by enhancing public awareness and stewardship of this natural resource. On Blitz day, thousands of volunteers will work to clear litter, storm debris, and illegal dumpsites from the waterways and land of the bay’s 660-square-mile watershed, which spans all or parts of 37 municipalities in Ocean and Monmouth Counties.
Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey is one of the event’s long-time sponsors, along with the NJDEP, New Jersey Clean Communities, the New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Trust, Wawa, Waste Management, TowBoat US, the U.S. Geological Survey, New Jersey Natural Gas, Rowbear, Ocean Spray, Suez-United Water; Ocean County government, PS&S, Firestone, ReClam the Bay, AmeriCorps Watershed Ambassadors, the Barnegat Bay Partnership and the U.S. Coast Guard.
Sign up today at www.nj.gov/dep/barnegatbay/bbblitz.htm
“As the former governor of New Jersey, I’m surprised to say I’ve never been to Hiram Blauvelt Museum before,” said Governor Tom Kean. “But now that I have, you can bet I’ll be back.”
That sentiment was widely shared that night in Oradell, at the state’s only wildlife art museum.
Art and animal lovers gathered on May 19 at the Hiram Blauvelt Museum to celebrate “Rare Wildlife Revealed: The James Fiorentino Traveling Art Exhibit.” The exhibit came to life in the gorgeous galleries of the museum, which was formerly a carriage house, accompanied by soothing harp music.
The free reception opened with remarks by Governor Kean, who shared the reverence felt by many in attendance. A longtime champion of Fiorentino, he also wrote the foreword to the exhibition’s hardcover book. After a riveting speech, the excitement was palpable.
David Wheeler, Executive Director of Conserve Wildlife Foundation, spoke next.
“The evocative artwork of James Fiorentino helps highlight the amazing diversity of New Jersey wildlife, from the humpback whale to the little brown bat. Our partnership seeks to bring attention to the very tangible steps that people can take to save and strengthen these wildlife populations.”
After two generous introductions, James Fiorentino finally took center stage. As the youngest artist ever featured in the National Baseball Hall of Fame, he was gracious with his words.
“As I look around the room I see many familiar faces and am reminded of how many have helped me along the way.” After thanking specific members of the audience, he continued, “I want to thank all of you for coming tonight and hope that you are inspired by New Jersey’s wildlife as much as I am. This is a very special place and I feel honored to be here among such amazing work.”
Amidst a backdrop that would awe even the most seasoned art collector, it was impossible not to feel inspired. Established in 1957, the Hiram Blauvelt Museum boasts a world-famous collection of wildlife paintings, sculptures and big game trophies. Along with the 25 watercolors of Rare Wildlife Revealed: The James Fiorentino Traveling Art Exhibition, an artistic atmosphere driven by conservation is sure to inspire you as well. Pay a visit while you have a chance!
Rare Wildlife Revealed will be shown at Hiram Blauvelt Museum through July 30, 2017.
Sales of the exhibition book, original paintings, limited edition digital prints, and wildlife merchandise will benefit Conserve Wildlife Foundation.
To learn more about hosting a future showing of Rare Wildlife Revealed – whether for an extended exhibition or a single night’s event – please contact Liz Silvernail, CWF Director of Development at 609.292.3707.
Photography by Bryan Duggan
By Dr. Larry Niles, LJ Niles Associates, LLC
Our latest catch of red knots and ruddy turnstones two days ago (May 27) suggests 2017 to be one of the most challenging years for our 20 years of work on Delaware Bay. It challenged the birds for certain.
For example, as of two days ago (May 27), the average weights of red knots remain mired in the mid 160’s when it should be in the 180-gram range. This seems a minor difference but to red knots it means a flight through the cold and often inhospitable north country of Canada and dropping out of the sky never to be seen again or landing and never attempting to breed. We really don’t know for sure what happens to ill-prepared shorebirds, except they are less likely to be seen ever again. In 2017 most birds will be ill prepared.
This season also challenged our understanding because it lies so far outside the norm. To be sure the cause of this dramatic scarcity of horseshoe crab eggs springs from the cold weather this May. We started with a good crab spawn in the first week of May, when water temperatures rose somewhat faster than normal, a consequence no doubt of one of the warmest winters on record. Then cold and wet weather dogged the Bayshore until the day of this post. Today, temperatures will rise no higher than 70 degrees Fahrenheit and the prospects for warmer weather are unlikely for the rest of the week. The cold air temperatures forced down the bay temperature in the second week and although it has gradually improved it is still low by normal standards.
All of this led to generally diminished horseshoe crab eggs especially on the beaches, the mainstay of most stopovers of the past. This year crabs mostly spawned in the creek mouth and outer creeks shoals, mostly spurred to spawn by tidal waters warmed by the movement in and out of the small estuarine systems. Water moves in with the tide and out again to the creek mouths twice a day warming the shoals.
The creeks also accumulate sand leaving them loose and perfect for crab spawning. Even in good years, egg densities in the creeks top all beaches, no matter where they occur. The sands of the shoals loosen by the waves of the Bay and release more buried eggs than those buried in the beaches, making more available to the birds. The creek mouths on the Cape May peninsula from Green Creek to Moores Creek saved the birds from an even worse fate this year and the best were those that benefited from the restoration of Reeds, Cooks, Kimbles and Pierce Point Beaches. As it happens a major portion of the Bay’s knots stayed in this area throughout the entire month but flying widely in search of pockets of good spawning in other places. This year Norbury’s in the south and Goshen in the north stood out, and extended the core stopover area.
Then in the last three days all changed. The new moon tides, reaching around 8 feet for four nights in a row, spurred spawning despite the relatively cool water. Today, May 29, the crabs shifted into high gear.
It takes a lot of crabs breeding to bring eggs to the surface on the beaches, there must be enough breeding for one crab to dig up the eggs of another. For the first time, this occurred in the last few night and we finally saw green eggs on the sand. A welcoming sight for the birds, who could barely stand still and gobble up the fat producing eggs. With most of these Arctic nesting shorebirds remaining in the Bay and apparently feeding right into the night, they still might reach the fat gain finish line and only lose a few days reaching the Arctic. The next few days will tell.
Can they though? A good question and just one of the many that have challenged our team’s knowledge of this well-known stopover. With literally centuries of combined experience (many of our team, including this author, are long in the tooth as the Brits would say) we still kept guessing what would happen next throughout the season. Would the birds suffer mighty declines as a consequence of the generally diminished spawn of horseshoe crabs? Or will they build weight in time to get to the Arctic in good condition? This is usually the central question.
An equally intriguing question, however, is why have red knot numbers in Delaware Bay declined this year? We estimate shorebird numbers in two ways, direct observation by aerial and ground counts and a statistically derived estimate based on the resighting of birds flagged with unique IDs. Our aerial and ground counts tell us how one year compares to another because we have been doing shorebirds counts by airplane, boat and on the ground since 1981. This year the number fell dramatically.
At the start of our project on Delaware Bay in 1986, we had nearly 100,000 knots on the Bay and nearly 1.5 million shorebirds of all species. The number of knots declined to around 15,000 in the mid-2000’s, then jumped to over 24,000 over the last four years. This year our best estimate is around 17,969, a 5,000-bird decline. Why did this happen?
One must always consider the possibility of a large group of birds dying. But this is not likely.
More likely, some portion of the knot flock came to the Bay, and on finding too few eggs or too much competition, moved on to better places. The ones moving on could have been the short distance migrants, those who spent their winter in Southeast US or the Caribbean. These birds travel a shorter distance and so have a longer time and lower energy needs than those that winter in South America. These long-distance migrants would have a very difficult time gaining weight on anything other than crab eggs (I explained this in a previous post). There are two reasons to believe the short distance birds moved on from the Bay this year.
The first is the discovery of birds banded in Delaware Bay this year and reported elsewhere. I reported on Mark Faherty’s Ebird report of a knot he saw in Cape Cod, that was flagged by the Delaware Bay Shorebird Team on May 16, 2017. The second line of evidence is the 1,300 birds seen by our team feeding on a 10-mile stretch of the Atlantic Coast marsh from Cape May to Stone Harbor. Play this out over the entire coast of New Jersey and other places with sand and marsh, like Cape Cod, and one could easily imagine 5,000 knots using other places.
But this reduction in population also suggests an explanation for the sudden rise in numbers found in 2013. Did the restoration of habitat on the Delaware Bay coast bring back knots that once used the Bay but stopped because of the lack of available eggs? In other words, did the increase in numbers seen in the Bay reflect a return of birds and not a population increase? This year’s loss may simply be a result of those returning birds, leaving once again.
Let’s hope so. At any rate, eggs are now available to all birds in the Bay and we should start seeing them leave for the Arctic. Let’s hope for that too.
Dr. Larry Niles has led efforts to protect red knots and horseshoe crabs for over 30 years.
LEARN MORE
Conserve Wildlife Foundation’s “Rare Wildlife Revealed: The James Fiorentino Traveling Art Exhibition” can be found at the famed Hiram Blauvelt Museum in Oradell with a free reception this Friday night, May 19 from 6 to 8 PM. Former Governor Tom Kean will join nationally renowned artist James Fiorentino and CWF Executive Director David Wheeler for brief remarks, and guests will also be served refreshments.
The Hiram Blavelt Museum was established in 1957 as a natural history museum to garner support for wildlife conservation. Today, it is one of only five museums in the United States to exclusively display wildlife art. The museum is located at 705 Kinderkamack Road, Oradell, NJ 07649.
This innovative three-year exhibition is spotlighted in a nine-minute video by videographer Ed English focusing on a previous stay at the Studio 7 Fine Art Gallery in Bernardsville. The exhibition has also been featured at D&R Greenway in Princeton, the Mayo Performing Art Center in Morristown, the Flying Fish Brewing Company in Somerdale, the Salmagundi Art Museum in New York City, and the Princeton Environmental Film Festival in Princeton.
Rare Wildlife Revealed will be shown at Hiram Blauvelt Museum through July 30, 2017.
To learn more about hosting a future showing of Rare Wildlife Revealed – whether for an extended exhibition or a single night’s event – please contact Liz Silvernail, CWF Director of Development at 609.292.3707.
By Allegra Mitchell, CWF Biologist
Waterloo Village in Byram Township, Sussex County is more than a tourist attraction and local gem, it is also home to the largest cross-road amphibian migration in New Jersey. Each spring, frogs, toads, and salamanders stir from their hibernation to make their way to their breeding sites. Some of these sites, like the one at Waterloo, are vernal pools – small, temporary bodies of water that appear in early spring as snow melts and rain and groundwater gathers, and disappear throughout the summer as they evaporate. The ephemeral nature of these pools can’t support fish, which would prey on amphibian eggs and larvae. Vernal pools therefore provide some protection for amphibian offspring, with many species such as wood frogs and spotted and Jefferson salamanders – both of which are listed as New Jersey species of Special Concern – relying exclusively on these vernal pools for breeding.
The greatest challenge for amphibians breeding at Waterloo Historic Village is crossing Waterloo Road. Living in the most densely population state takes a toll on many species of wildlife in the form of habitat loss, degradation, and fragmentation. Each year, many amphibians become victim to vehicular collision as they move from their hibernation sites across Waterloo Road to the vernal pool in which they reproduce. Amphibians may be disproportionately affected by vehicle-caused road mortalities compared to other wildlife because of their tendency to migrate en masse to breeding sites. These annual road mortalities can have devastating effects on amphibian population sizes, especially for the local at-risk salamander populations. In fact, as little as about 10% annual risk of road mortality in spotted salamanders can lead to the local extinction of an entire population.
To address this problem, the Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey (CWF) and the New Jersey Endangered and Nongame Species Program (ENSP) organized amphibian rescue efforts. Since 2002, dedicated volunteers have assisted frogs, toads, and salamanders across Waterloo Road during the busiest migration nights. This aid has proven effective in reducing amphibian road mortalities, but it is not a permanent solution to the problem. Efforts are underway to construct under-road tunnels to help guide amphibians safely across Waterloo Road. These tunnels will provide safe passage for these critters throughout the breeding season, including on their migration back into the woods where they will hibernate. Since this return migration is more sporadic and less weather-dependent than migration to the vernal pool, it is much harder to protect amphibians as they make their way back to the forest.
This year, CWF scientists have begun the initial phases of research to understand current amphibian population sizes and the impact of vehicle traffic on these animals at Waterloo. Scientists and volunteers have been out 7 days a week since amphibian migrations began in late February to tally daily roadkill on Waterloo Road. This study will be used to evaluate changes to frog, toad, and salamander populations as the under-road amphibian tunnels are installed. CWF scientists have also conducted egg mass counts in the vernal pool at Waterloo Village to estimate the current population sizes of the different amphibian species in the area. Having this knowledge will allow CWF to improve on future projects to minimize road-related human-wildlife conflicts.
Along with improving conditions for amphibians in this location, CWF’s work at Waterloo Village will serve as an example of New Jersey statewide initiatives to reconnect wildlife habitat as a part of the Connecting Habitat Across New Jersey (CHANJ) program. The goal of CHANJ is to make our state landscapes more permeable to wildlife movement so that all of New Jersey’s residents – human and wildlife – will have the space they need to thrive.
In an effort to bring people and wildlife together in a positive way at Waterloo Village, CWF scientists are leading educational walks for the public and local schools. Through hands-on interaction, local residents can learn about and appreciate the remarkable wildlife right in their own back yards and what they can do to support conservation efforts.
All New Jerseyans can help wildlife this season by planting native plants for their gardens, building bat boxes where bats can roost, and, of course, by keeping an eye out on the roads, especially on warm, rainy nights when amphibians might be migrating.
LEARN MORE
Allegra Mitchell is a biologist for Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey.
Nationally celebrated artist James Fiorentino has been celebrated for his iconic paintings of New York sports icons like Derek Jeter, Yogi Berra, and Odell Beckham, Jr. Now Mr. Fiorentino returns to New York City with a new muse for his prodigious talents – the vulnerable, oft-overlooked wildlife of the metropolitan area.
“Rare Wildlife Revealed: The James Fiorentino Traveling Art Exhibition” will make its New York City debut at the historic Salmagundi Club during the week of April 2-8, 2017. A free reception will be held on Tuesday, April 4 from 6-8 PM at the Salmagundi Art Club Patrons’ Gallery, located at 47 Fifth Ave, New York, NY 10003.
Offered by the nonprofit Conserve Wildlife Foundation, the exhibit is part of a three-year traveling exhibition around the northeastern United States that kicked off this past fall.