April 21, 2020, Three Bridges adult with 2 chicks@ Daniel Kroon
The following was written by NJ Eagle Project volunteer, Daniel Kroon. He monitors this nest along with several other dedicated volunteers whose photos are featured in this blog.
The Three Bridges (Hunterdon County) eagle nest is located on the top arm of an electric transmission tower. This pair has successfully nested on the tower for the past five years. This line of towers is scheduled to be replaced with new monopoles and the work on it has recently begun. PSE&G is cooperating with the NJ Bald Eagle program to move this nest to a new pole platform. Unfortunately, the pair is already on territory and have been observed bringing a stick to the old nest. It is an interesting story of how these eagles are adapting to the human-created environment and how we are trying to accommodate them.
The pair at nest October 17, 2020 before work begins @ Mary Ellen Hill
On November 4, PSE&G removed the top of the tower, keeping the nest intact, and lowered it to the ground where they carefully removed the nest from the tower structure. The nest is stored in a shed and will be re-installed on a platform affixed to the new tower when it is erected. We hope the eagle pair accept their remodeled home.
@Barb McKee
@Barb McKee
@Barb Mckee
nest@ Diane Cook
The evening of the nest removal, volunteer Mary Ellen Hill observed the pair sitting together on the adjacent tower.
November 4th, 2020 @ Mary Ellen HillNovember 4th, 2020, pair on adjacent tower after nest removal@ Mary Ellen Hill
We will follow up with part two of this story once the new monopole tower is installed and the nest is placed back up on the platform. We thank all the nest monitors, PSE&G and everyone involved to make this as successful as possible.
Blog written by Eagle Project volunteer, Frank Budney
On June 15th, 2020 a juvenile Bald Eagle was rescued in a most unlikely location; on a major highway, located in an industrial area of Union County. At first glance stories like this usually have an unfortunate ending, considering the location, but the timely arrival of a local Police Officer on patrol saved the day.
This is only part of the story. The eagle in question was one of two nestlings that hatched from a nearby nest back on March 24. Its sibling fledged sometime in late May or early June while this individual remained on nest, branching next to it but never attempting to fly. By June 14, the juvenile in question was still perched next to the nest with no indication that it was about to fly until the following morning when it was rescued.
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!
About the author: Annabel is a sophomore at Indian Hills High School in Oakland, New Jersey. When not helping amphibians cross the road she enjoys photography, the beach and badminton. Thank you for volunteering and sharing your experience Annabel!
Please note: the Amphibian Crossing Project activity described here occurred before restrictions for COVID-19 were in place. At this time CWF is only performing essential wildlife monitoring and conservation duties while practicing social distancing and following all state and CDC guidelines.
In early March, my dad Rick got an email from wildlife biologist Allegra Mitchell of the Conserve Wildlife Foundation of NJ (CWF) saying tonight was the night. My dad came home from work excited, got the flashlights and rain coats out, and called my Aunt June and cousin Sarah asking if they wanted to go with us. We had all signed up to be CWF amphibian crossing volunteers.
Many of our projects have depended on the hard work and dedication of volunteers for years. While some activities have been scaled back this year to keep everyone safe and comply with COVID 19 restrictions, our appreciation is stronger than ever.
Results from 2019 Osprey Nest Surveys highlight another productive year.
by Ben Wurst, Habitat Program Manager
An osprey nest in a snag on Barnegat Bay. July 2019.
Surveys of osprey nests in New Jersey have occurred annually for the past forty five years. They are conducted to help determine the overall size and health of the population. The first aerial survey over Barnegat Bay counted only five active nests. Ten years earlier there had been over 50. The combined effects of DDT and habitat loss had taken their toll. No osprey nests were productive and the population at risk of being extirpated from the state.
“In 1974 there were only five active osprey nests on Barnegat Bay. Today there are approximately one hundred and fifty.”
After ospreys were listed as endangered an innovative effort to transplant viable eggs from the Chesapeake Bay to Barnegat Bay began. In addition, to help replace natural nest sites that were lost to development, man-made nest platforms were designed and installed away from human disturbance. Slowly osprey pairs became productive thanks to the die hard effort of State biologists like Pete McLain, Kathy Clark and many volunteers and partners. It’s encouraging for us to look back to see how far we’ve come in the statewide recovery of ospreys in New Jersey.
Greater Newark community invited to January 16 training with Ridge Street School students to locate Atlantic Coast Leopard Frogs
The Atlantic Coast Leopard Frog Photo by Brian R Curry
Conserve Wildlife Foundation is excited to extend an invitation to the Greater Newark community to train as citizen scientists and help a newly discovered frog species.
reTURN the Favor Honored with 2019 New Jersey Governor’s Excellence Award
By: Meghan Kolk, Wildlife Biologist
Volunteers making piles of rubble at Seabreeze. Photo by Meghan Kolk.
Conserve Wildlife Foundation has been a partner in the reTURN the Favor (RTF) program since its establishment in 2013. This multi-partner program organizes a large group of trained and dedicated volunteers who collectively spend thousands of hours covering miles of Delaware Bay beaches to rescue stranded horseshoe crabs.
This year RTF was honored with a New Jersey’s Governor’s Environmental Excellence Award, New Jersey’s premier awards program for recognizing outstanding environmental performance, programs and projects throughout the state, in the Healthy Ecosystems & Habitats Category.
Atlantic Coast Leopard Frog. Photo by Brian R. Curry.
Amphibians are among the most vulnerable and rapidly declining wildlife groups in the world. Do you want to get out in the field and help frogs here in New Jersey?
Join CWF biologist Allegra Mitchell and be a part of the Kauffeld’s Calling Frogs Citizen Science Monitoring Project.
by Marissa Murdock, 2019 NJ Osprey Project Intern; Rider University ’21
Marissa holds osprey 83/K who was banded after pre-maturely fledging and landing on the ground.
This past summer I was lucky enough to work with Conserve Wildlife Foundation as a volunteer student intern. I worked alongside Ben Wurst, CWF’s Habitat Program Manager, helping with the New Jersey Osprey Project. My internship consisted of assisting with osprey surveys, banding young, and recording data so that we can estimate the health of the population in New Jersey.
