CWF had a busy summer at the Long Beach Island Foundation of the Arts and Sciences (LBIF), having launched a new partnership this year to help strengthen their science programming through a grant from the Osprey Foundation. A number of offerings targeting both adults and kids, highlighted by three week-long science camps for ages 7-9 and 10-12, were developed and led by CWF’s staff. The LBIF facility, with its close proximity to both the ocean and bay, is an ideal location to feature New Jersey’s coastal species and their unique conservation challenges.
Campers watch as summer intern Victoria Rosikiewicz moves a clutch of terrapin eggs to a safe new nest.
Every May the Delaware Bay is host to the largest concentration of spawning horseshoe crabs in the world. The shorebirds come to feast on these high-energy eggs, fueling up for their journey north to their breeding grounds. Since the 1990’s the number of horseshoe crabs has been in decline which has led to a decrease in the shorebird population.
CWF Intern, Cara FranceschiniShorebird Steward, Tony Natale
There are many different organizations that have been researching these species and trying to protect and help increase the numbers of both the horseshoe crabs and shorebirds. One way to help protect the feeding shorebirds is to restrict access to beaches, May 7th-June 7th, where the birds concentrate in high numbers when feeding. Trained Shorebird Stewards are posted at these restricted access beaches in Cape May and Cumberland counties, to help educate the public and answer questions about the birds and horseshoe crabs. So far this season the horseshoe crabs have been spawning and the shorebirds are slowly trickling onto the beaches. Over the next two weeks the numbers of shorebirds arriving should be increasing. It’s a great time to stop by one of the bay beaches.
Shorebird Stewards mascot. John & Sandra Ochoa‘s dog.Shorebird Steward, Kate Mihal
Spring is in the air! With the days getting warmer and longer, now is the perfect time to pick a sunny spot outside and read a book. Here are some of my all time favorites that I hope will inspire you to get out in nature. Happy reading!
In honor of Earth Day, which is just a couple weeks away, I’d like to recommend the beautifully written Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer. As a botanist, university professor, and member of Citizen Potawatomi Nation, Kimmerer intertwines her scientific knowledge of plants with an indigenous worldview, culminating in a powerful collection of reflections and teachings about our relationship with nature. Science is often considered an objective field (a scientist observes an object), but Kimmerer offers a more holistic perspective where the objects (in this case, plants) can be teachers, offering wisdom instead of just scientific knowledge. Her stories share a central theme of reciprocity and a reminder that we are responsible to protect the natural world in exchange for its many gifts. In a time when humans have become so disconnected with nature, Braiding Sweetgrass is an important and inspiring book I think everyone could benefit from.
One of my graduate school professors assigned The Invention of Nature by Andrea Wulf as reading material for our Conservation Biology class. Up until that point, I had never heard of Alexander von Humboldt, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that there are so many things named after him! Humboldt County, Humboldt squid, Humboldt Current…the list goes on. Although Humboldt was a widely famous naturalist and geographer during his lifetime, he remains largely forgotten today. If you aren’t familiar with Alexander von Humboldt, I highly recommend this engaging biography about his life and contributions to science. You’ll follow Humboldt throughout his many explorations and learn how his writings shaped ecology as we know it today. You may be surprised to learn how much his work inspired well known historical figures including Charles Darwin, Henry David Thoreau, Thomas Jefferson, and John Muir! I still think about this biography regularly, and those who know me know I’m a bit passionate about Humboldt – I even named a piping plover chick after him! If you also enjoy the biography, definitely check out the companion illustrated book, The Adventures of Alexander von Humboldt featuring beautiful original artwork by Lillian Melcher interlaced with Humboldt’s original notes and drawings from his journeys in the Americas.
And now a field guide recommendation. Since spring migration is upon us, a bird field guide seems appropriate. I know many birders are die hard fans of Sibley guides. Don’t get me wrong, I also love his illustrations and keep a portable copy of his guide on my phone. That said, The Crossley ID Guide by Richard Crossley is one of my all-time favorite reference resources for birds. Instead of illustrations, this guide features photographs (taken by the author!) depicting each species in various plumages and behaviors. Crossley even layers the photographs on backgrounds depicting the birds’ natural habitats so that the reader can learn what the birds may look like in different behaviors and from various distances (see the American oystercatcher plate above). It’s a very approachable field guide that can be helpful to any birder regardless of skill level.
Hi there! My name is Emmy Casper. I’d like to take this opportunity to introduce myself as a new staff member of Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey. I am so excited to join the CWF team as a Wildlife Biologist working primarily on beach nesting and marsh nesting bird projects.
Relaxing with Bella and Peanut, two of my three dachshunds.
Red-headed Woodpecker by Anya Pole (Franklin Montessori School, Somerset County)
Thank You to Everyone Who Participated in the 2021 Species on the Edge Art & Essay Contest
Congratulations to the hundreds of hardworking and creative 5th grade students who advocated for an endangered or threatened species from New Jersey through an art piece and essay. You have inspired everyone at Conserve Wildlife Foundation with your enthusiasm for protecting our cherished wildlife.
Our exciting tournament came to a conclusion last week! For those of you who have been following along, here’s the update on the final battles.
Round 5: Shorebirds & Raptors vs. Reptiles & Amphibians
The start of the semi-finals featured a rather surprising match-up as the #1 seeded peregrine falcon took to the arena against the #9 seeded bog turtle. Our peregrine pair habitually nested on the Delaware Memorial Bridge and were thus quite familiar with the surrounding area. Father falcon was in the mood for red-winged blackbird and flew to a wetland where he knew they were plentiful. On the way, he reminisced about a most unusual creature, distinguishable from the mud by two orange patches flanking its tiny head, that he had once seen nearby. Upon arrival, he noticed that the wetland, formerly characterized by tussock sedge and sphagnum moss was now thick with tall phragmites. The invasive vegetation rendered the habitat unsuitable for bog turtle, and forced a once-thriving population to abandon it. Peregrine falcon successfully caught his dinner but was left wondering why his opponent never turned up. Habitat loss eliminated bog turtle from the competition, propelling our mighty raptor into the championship.
Round 5: Mammals vs. Grassland Birds and Invertebrates
The semi-finals continued with the harbor seal vs. the bobolink. This unlikely duo met in Atlantic City after unseasonable temperatures encouraged bobolink to begin its migration back from Bolivia earlier than usual. Upon entering NJ airspace, a severe gale blew bobolink off course and nearly out to sea! Finding shelter underneath a patch of dune grass, bobolink waited out the storm. Unbeknownst to him, he caught the eye of a nearby harbor seal. Mistaking the black and white bird for a tiny eider, which seals will occasionally eat despite their largely piscivorous diet, harbor seal quickly captured bobolink who was no match for his unbelievable bite force.
CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND!
And so, it was harbor seal and peregrine falcon that ultimately earned the right to compete for the prestigious CWF Darwin Award! Both animals are adapted to make them favorable competitors within their respective niches. Though not one to spend much time on the beach, peregrine falcon was lured to Liberty State Park by the promise of an easy meal of seagulls. The seagull that had caught his eye also happened to be the target of harbor seal’s attentions, though our marine mammal was much more interested in the large fish that the gull was picking at. Harbor seal approached the bird at the same time that peregrine falcon stooped down on it- mutilating it and causing absolute bedlam among the flock. The motion and noise were too much for harbor seal, who quickly fled back to the security of the surf. Peregrine was left with the seagull, the fish, and the glory, as he became the worthy winner of the competition!
Congratulations to Peregrine Falcon and thanks to everyone who cheered all of our competitors on from the sidelines!
It’s been a chaotic week in our tournament with contestants undergoing two rounds of battle to determine the champion that will be representing each division in the semi-finals. For those who missed it, here’s the breakdown:
Shorebirds & Raptors Division:
First up in round 3, it was least tern vs. peregrine falcon. Our shorebird “terned” heads and sparked outrage when it defeated fan favorite, the bald eagle in round two. Unfortunately for least tern, the representative this week was only a baby! Patiently awaiting the return of mom, our competitor was hiding in vegetation when an off-road vehicle drove by and scared the chick away from its shelter. Cruising around on the hunt for pigeons, the movement did not go unnoticed by our keen-eyed peregrine. The raptor stooped down on tern and quickly snatched the victory.
Next, we had eastern screech owl vs. black skimmer. The skimmer, our #6 seed, also upset some fans with a shocking win over the #3 seeded osprey last week. Like the least tern, however, the shorebird’s shot at the trophy was dashed when beach litter, strewn about by vacationers, lured hungry rats and gulls toward their nest. Screech owl opportunistically snagged a rat for dinner, but a gang of gulls closed in on our skimmers, viciously driving the parents away while smashing and feasting on the eggs. Just a friendly reminder to all those with plans to recreate on the beach this summer (or in any natural area) to be courteous and respectful guests!
Eastern screech owl and peregrine falcon then went head-to-head in round 4. Deciding to try a different path while hunting for lizards in the NJ Palisades, eastern screech owl failed to pay heed to mother falcon’s angry warnings that he was getting too close to her nest. Father falcon stooped in to teach our owl a lesson about trespassing, stealthily slamming in to him from above and sending the feathered pair spiraling toward the ground. Screech owl disengaged from the falcon’s talons and high-tailed it off the battlefield, leaving the peregrine falcon the win and the title of champion for the shorebirds and raptors division!
Peregrine Falcon and Ben Wurst. Photo by Northside Jim.
Reptiles & Amphibians Division:
The first matchup for round 3 in the reptiles and amphibians division was all about the turtles! It was fan-favorite diamondback terrapin vs. lucky “under”dog, bog turtle. This battle was rather unconventional, as it occurred at a head start facility where conservationists were attempting to hatch eggs for release into the wild. A series of unfortunate events led to the incubation area experiencing very high temperatures all summer long. For bog turtles, this didn’t matter so much, as sex is determined genetically by chromosomes, however, like many other reptile species, terrapins have temperature dependent sex determination. All hatchling terrapins were females, while there was a healthy mix among the baby bog turtles. As diversity is important for recruitment, the bog turtle was deemed the winner.
Northern copperhead and eastern tiger salamander then entered the arena to put their toxins to the test. Or would have, if they ever encountered one another. The salamander dipped into a vernal pool to deposit her eggs, while northern copperhead lazily enjoyed the warmth of his hibernaculum. Our venomous snakes’ failure to turn up left tiger salamander the de facto winner.
Bog turtle’s unbelievable streak continued due to very sad circumstances in round 4, when opponent eastern tiger salamander was squished by a careless ATV rider. In pursuit of an epic splash picture to post on social media, he drove right through a highly sensitive vernal pool habitat, causing untold damage. Please stick to designated trails, folks!
Bog turtle advances to the semi-finals as the champion of the herptiles, leaving CWF biologist Christine Healy absolutely dumbfounded… It was the #9 seed!?
Bog Turtle. Photo by Lynn Sambol.
Mammals Division:
First up for the mammals, it was river otter vs. bobcat! As was the case in round 2 against the red fox, the river otter had the upper hand in this aquatic competition. Though bobcats are more at home in water than other felids and will happily hunt for beaver in the shallows, pursuing the speedy river otter through deep water was simply not worth the calories…
Our two relative behemoths, harbor seal and black bear, accidentally met on a beach in Jersey City, after black bear’s dispersal along an abandoned railway brought him to uncharted territory. Mistaking the hauled out seals for moving rocks, black bear got too close, which prompted a divide in seal behavior with some taking to the water and some adopting vigilant stances. Safety in numbers and the bears’ confusion allowed our marine mammal to seal the deal.
In round 4, river otter and harbor seal found themselves several miles from the NJ coast. Capable of diving >1,500 ft to fish in the mesopelagic zone, harbor seal felt right at home in the deep water, while river otter, whose diving ability is still impressive at 60 ft, was totally out of his element. Best of luck to river otter at getting back to shore and congratulations to harbor seal on his advancement into the semi-finals as mammal division champ!
Harbor Seal. Photo by Brett Klaproth.River Otter. Photo by Maryland Zoo in Baltimore.
Grassland Birds & Invertebrates Division:
The first battle for this division took place at the Atlantic City Airport, where our competitors, cowbird and grasshopper sparrow, were thriving due to recent management activities. Cowbird, a young and inexperienced female, jumps at an opportunity to parasitize grasshopper sparrows’ nest, where she deposits a smaller than typical egg. Recognizing the imposter upon her return, grasshopper sparrow was able to push the heavy egg away from her own eggs and out of the incubation area. Cowbird left the battlefield to plot her revenge.
In the last round 3 battle, our final invertebrate, frosted elfin, took on bobolink. Poor frosted elfin missed out on the hat trick due to extensive herbivory by white-tailed deer. A herd found their way into a managed grassland along a powerline through a weak point in the exclusion fencing. Bobolink could do nothing but watch the habitat destruction occur.
And finally, in the last battle of the quarter-finals, it was bobolink vs. grasshopper sparrow. A vigilant non-parental helper from the previous brood warned grasshopper sparrow about danger near her nest! Returning swiftly, grasshopper sparrow adopted a broken wing display, in the hopes of luring the threat away, not realizing that “threat” was actually just bobolink, trying to return to his nest with a juicy caterpillar for his chicks. The spectacle did, however, attract the attention of a northern harrier that had been hunting nearby. The harrier’s swift predation on grasshopper sparrow’s nest propelled bobolink on to victory.
Frosted Elfin. Photo by Mike Hale.Male boblink in full breeding plumage.
So, it’s peregrine falcon vs. bog turtle and harbor seal vs. bobolink in the semi-finals. We’ll soon discover the worthy winner of the prestigious CWF Darwin Award- stay tuned!
For those of you following along with our Critter Chaos Tournament, we’ve reached the end of round 2!
Here’s a summary of the action.
Shorebirds & Raptors Division:
In battle one, the peregrine falcon and round 1 victor, the red knot, met in the New Jersey Palisades. A severe windstorm had blown red knot off course on its way back from the arctic, rendering it exhausted and in need of some clean water. Stopping to take a drink, the shorebird’s bright plumage made it an easy target for our #1 seeded raptor.
Next, we had the least tern take on fan favorite, the bald eagle. Nesting colonially, the least terns sprang into action upon the approach of the eagle, who was on the hunt to find a tasty morsel to bring back to his chicks. Agitated at being dived bombed, screeched at, and defecated on, Papa eagle abandoned the battlefield on Sandy Hook to locate a meal elsewhere.
The American kestrel returned to test his strengths against the eastern screech owl. Both tracking the same woodland vole in a Somerset County ecotone, the screech owl’s keen vision under low-light conditions enabled him to snag the win from the talons of the small falcon, an outcome that was not supported by the American Kestrel Partnership.
Finally, the osprey threw down with the black skimmer over Barnegat Bay for the last position in round 3 for shorebirds and raptors. With a remarkably high kill ratio of 70%, we all expected the osprey to advance, but black skimmer had the element of surprise on its side. Its unique fishing technique that involves flying very low to the surface of the water allowed the shorebird to claim both a bluefish and the win in a surprising upset.
Peregrine Falcon. Photo by Scott Miller.
Reptiles & Amphibians Division:
First up, we had the #1 seeded timber rattlesnake vs. the #9 seeded bog turtle. In the most shocking upset of the tournament to date that made CC commentator Christine Healy check the code for her random number generator, assuming it must be faulty, the bog turtle once again claimed the crown. Timber rattlesnake was busy digesting a meal of field mice and was on her way to her hibernaculum, so she had no interest in engaging with bog turtle. That’s the story we’re going with!
Our subsequent battle was a test of testudines, featuring the northern diamondback terrapin and the wood turtle. Favoring differing categories of water (brackish vs. fresh, respectively), these two would not have come across one another if it hadn’t been for an irresponsible person that tried to release their pet wood turtle into the Hudson River! An estuary from New York Harbor to the city of Troy, NY, the salinity was too high for wood turtle, so he left the scene on foot to find more favorable conditions.
Third up, northern copperhead sought redemption for venomous snakes as it entered the arena against eastern spadefoot toad. From its hiding place in an old mulch pile, the copperhead picked up on spadefoot toad’s odd peanut butter-like scent and moved in for the kill. With no warning, spadefoot was unable to bury himself or emit his noxious secretion in time to defend himself.
Last, it was a salamander standoff as an eastern tiger and marbled larva each developed in a vernal pool in Cape May County. Both voracious predators, the eastern tiger salamander larva’s large size enabled him to chow down on marbled salamander larva, successfully achieving both metamorphosis and the win.
Eastern Tiger Salamander. Photo by Bob Cunningham.
Mammals Division:
Indiana bat returned to the competition with New Jersey’s only wild felid- the bobcat. The bat held his own in battle, but ultimately was no match for this stealthy cat. With excellent vision and padded feet that allow them to move almost hobbit-like through the forest, bobcat’s predatory skill is not limited by its small body size.
Our next matchup featured two competitors much admired for both looks and smarts- the northern river otter and the red fox. Unfortunately for the red fox, this tussle took place in water, giving river otter the upper hand. While foxes are good and capable swimmers, they generally like to avoid getting wet when they can and bowed out gracefully.
In another aquatic battle, harbor seal defeated returning champion the Allegheny woodrat this week. The seal’s strong flippers and thick layer of blubber allowed it to feel right at home in the chilly Atlantic current. The same cannot be said for the woodrat…
Rounding out round 2 for the mammals, it was black bear vs. eastern cottontail. Though bears will eat rabbits, they can’t often catch these lively lagomorphs. The cottontail evaded capture but departed the battlefield first, handing a win to NJ’s largest land animal.
Bobcat. Photo by Steve Buckingham.
Grassland Birds & Invertebrates Division:
The crowd’s displeasure at the reappearance of emerald ash borer was palpable as this invasive pest entered the arena alongside the brown-headed cowbird, another species whose contributions are generally unappreciated. Cheers rang out as an unexpected intervention by a pileated woodpecker removed the EAB from the competition and from Hunterdon County ash trees.
The #4 seeded grasshopper sparrow went head-to-head with the #5 seed, horned lark. The early return of the horned lark pair to the breeding ground meant that their second clutch had already hatched and developed to the point that they were running freely around the grassland at the start of our battle at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst! The grasshopper sparrows’ altricial chicks were still in the nest, dependent on mom and dad for everything. When a predatory raccoon entered the fray, grasshopper sparrow defended his nest fiercely, while the horned lark’s independence and inability to fly left him quite unprotected.
In another unbelievable upset, almost on par with timber rattlesnake v. bog turtle, frosted elfin nabbed the win from upland sandpiper in our penultimate round 2 battle! It came down to a waiting game, and luckily for frosted elfin, a > 4,500-mile migration to Paraguay waits for no man. Or butterfly.
Concluding round 2 for all divisions, it was bobolink and Savannah sparrow that met on a recently burned grassland in Burlington County. The management efforts yielded ideal conditions for these birds, which tempted Savannah sparrow to pursue a polygynous lifestyle and reduced his parental investment. A cameo from our sneaky cowbird left the bobolink proud and the Savannah sparrow nest parasitized.
Horned Lark. Photo by Blaine Rothauser.
Peregrine falcon, least tern, eastern screech owl, black skimmer, bog turtle, eastern diamondback terrapin, northern copperhead, eastern tiger salamander, bobcat, northern river otter, harbor seal, black bear, brown-headed cowbird, grasshopper sparrow, frosted elfin, and bobolink all advance to round 3!
Our search to find the worthy winner of the 2022 CWF Darwin award has officially begun! In round one of Critter Chaos, 16 competitors headed into the arena to battle for advancement within their division.
First up, representing the Shorebirds & Raptors, were the red knot vs. the American oystercatcher and the American kestrel vs. fan favorite, the piping plover. Despite a valiant attempt by the oystercatcher and her mate to defend their Atlantic County foraging grounds, the territorial pair were out-manned, out-numbered, out-planned by a group of red knot, busy bulking up for an Arctic migration. Guess somebody ate their Wheaties—or should we say horseshoe crab eggs. Similarly, the piping plover and his new mate were driven off their intended nesting grounds in Cape May County by an American kestrel that made a bee line for the young male. Plover’s speed saved him from a grizzly end, but for the good of the species, they had to flee. Perhaps they’ll have better luck at Todd Pover’s Plover Park!
In the Reptiles & Amphibians division, the ground skink took on the federally threatened bog turtle while the eastern spadefoot toad and the pine barrens treefrog went head-to-head. Ground skink was headed toward a cloud of flies, congregating over a pile of cow dung in a Salem County pasture, when he noticed bog turtle basking in a nearby hoof print. Startled by the appearance of such a bizarre creature, ground skink abandoned the flies and sought refuge under a rotting log. That turtle may be small, but hey- so was Napoleon… Unfortunately for the pine barren’s treefrog, it’s battle with the spadefoot coincided with a fierce storm, resulting in an explosive breeding event for the latter. As the spadefoot is part of the family Scaphiopodidae rather than Bufonidae and thus, is not a true toad, pine barren’s treefrog exited to a neighboring vernal pool, unwilling to learn if boils or a thunderstorm of hail and fire were to follow this plague of frogs.
For the Mammals Division, week one was a battle of bats and rats, with the Indiana bat’s impressive appetite for insects fueling a win against the higher ranked (and larger) northern long-eared bat, proving once again that size isn’t a guarantee of strength. Looking at you, bog turtle! The next match up was between the tricolored bat and the Allegheny woodrat, both listed as endangered species in New Jersey. The tricolored bat may have had literal flight on its side, but it would appear it doesn’t matter what you float like if you can punch like a woodrat….
And in our final category, the Grassland Birds & Invertebrates division, we had invasive species enter the scene! You knew they were going to… It was the robust baskettail (a state threatened dragonfly) and the frosted elfin (a state threatened butterfly) vs. the dreaded emerald ash borer and spotted lanternfly, respectively. The battle of dragonfly vs. borer occurred in a wooded wetland in Camden County. One of the top invertebrate predators of the littoral zone, the robust baskettail never stood a chance against a falling swamp ash, weakend by ash borer activity. RIP, soldier. Happily, for the frosted elfin, the recent inclusion of Monmouth County on NJDA’s quarantine list for spotted lanternflies meant that the “see it, stomp it” campaign was fresh on the minds of residents. A group of hikers in Assunpink Wildlife Management Area saved us from a long and likely uneventful standoff.
Red knot, American kestrel, bog turtle, eastern spadefoot toad, Indiana bat, Allegheny woodrat, emerald ash borer, and frosted elfin all move on to round two!
If you’re enjoying Critter Chaos and you’d like to support our work with New Jersey species, consider symbolically adopting your champion!
We have digital certificates for 12 competitors available in our square store
