Just yesterday, as February comes to a close, I saw my first pair of American oystercatchers on breeding territory on Long Beach Island. The first piping plover of the season will likely be sighted in New Jersey sometime next week or so. Still, as we remain in the midst of one of the harshest and snowiest winters in a long time here on the New Jersey coast, it’s hard to believe that CWF staff will be back out at Horseshoe Island in just over a month to start biological monitoring for the 2026 beach nesting bird season.
The Duke Farms eagle pair are beloved by cam viewers who watched them lay three eggs in January and incubate during two weeks of freezing cold weather. Unfortunately, one of the eggs prematurely cracked on February 20th and wasn’t viable.
In our last American oystercatcher Re-sight Round Up, we checked in with some NJ breeders on their wintering grounds further south. This time, we’re switching gears to focus on some recent banded bird sightings in New Jersey! New Jersey hosts both staging and wintering oystercatcher flocks, and is generally considered to represent the northernmost boundary of the wintering range for oystercatchers on the East Coast. This fall, CWF biologists and volunteers conducted weekly ground surveys to track locations and numbers of the staging/wintering roost of American oystercatchers at Holgate Unit of Edwin F. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge (“Holgate”) as part of a new NFWF-funded pilot study that includes researching marsh-nesting oystercatchers in the surrounding back-bay marsh habitats within Great Bay Boulevard Wildlife Management Area.
We identified 25 unique banded individuals throughout the course of the survey period, many of which were recorded in the roost multiple times from October to December. Of the 25 banded individuals, most birds were originally banded in New Jersey and New York (nine birds from each state), five were banded in the South (three in Virginia and two in Georgia), and two were banded in New England states. This Re-sight Roundup highlights just some of the interesting stories we were able to uncover in the band record database.
Roosting American oystercatchers during high tide at Holgate Unit of Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge. During low tides, the roost could be seen foraging at nearby marsh habitats like the marsh surrounding Rutgers University Marine Field Station, which can be seen along the horizon in this image. Photo courtesy of Teri Bowers.
As I finalize our annual report summarizing last year’s data, I often find myself looking back to reflect and compare trends over time. I’ve worked with ospreys long enough to have witnessed their population in New Jersey more than double. Their recovery has long been a clear sign of improving ecological health in our coastal waters.
As snowstorms and frigid temperatures take over New Jersey, I’ve been thinking a lot about how our beach nesting birds are doing in their more southern (and hopefully much warmer!) wintering grounds. Thanks to recorded sightings of banded birds, we’ve been able to learn a significant amount about American oystercatcher movement and track birds to their wintering locations. In this Re-sight Round Up, we’re catching up with three of CWF’s recently banded American oystercatchers to see how they’re spending the cold winter months.
Lift off. 04/M takes off from a channel marker nest on Barnegat Bay.
During our osprey nest surveys we are always looking for auxiliary banded birds. Last summer over 40 red banded ospreys were re-sighted, which is the most ever encountered in a single year. The majority were breeding birds, photographed on their nests and others were photographed in flight or perched, often with prey. Some were even re-sighted several times throughout the year.
Duke Farms eagle incubates their three egg clutch, despite the snow surrounding the egg bowl 1_26_26
The Duke Farms eagle pair are the stars of their own reality show. The pair has a huge following who tune in each season to watch with anticipation as the pair lays eggs and wait for hatching and fledging. This cam views a pair of eagles on Duke Farms property in Hillsborough, New Jersey. Duke Farms has hosted the cam since 2008. Over the years there has been drama and heartbreak at the nest, but despite this viewers tune in to watch the pair every year. To learn about the history of the cam please see the Conserve Wildlife Foundations Duke Farms webpage and scroll down to Duke Farms Eagle Cam FAQ’s
This year the female laid the first egg on January 12th, the earliest for the Duke Farms pair and one of the earliest eagle pairs in NJ in 2026 to begin incubation. The second egg was laid on January 15th and a third egg was laid in the snow on January 18th.
The female laid her third egg during a snowstorm 1-18-2026
Eagle cam viewers watched in amazement as the pair incubated during the recent snow and ice storm.
Nest monitor, Diane Cook, writes informative and interesting updates on the Duke Farms pair. Some of the updates include, “Eggs and Cold Winter Weather” and “How to tell the male and female apart”. When on the CWF Duke Farms cam scroll down to the 2026 Nest Updates
Eagles incubate the eggs for 35-40 days and the eggs hatch in the order in which they were laid. Cam viewers can start to watch for hatching around February 16th.
When will the first egg hatch contest
Conserve Wildlife Foundation is holding a contest to guess when the first egg will hatch. The person who guesses the closest date and time to when the chick is fully out of the egg shell will win a CWF hat and eagle sticker.
Please email Larissa.Smith@conservewildlifenj.org with your guess of date and time am or pm.
All entries must be submitted by February 13th at 12pm
Thank you to Duke Farms and all the eagle cam viewers.
Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) is circulating once again this winter and has already been confirmed in New Jersey in Canada geese, Snow geese, and Bald eagles. This virus primarily affects birds and can spread quickly among species that congregate in large numbers or come into close contact with one another.
Waterfowl and raptors — especially scavengers like bald eagles — are particularly vulnerable. Eagles are often exposed when feeding on infected waterfowl or carcasses, which increases the risk of illness and mortality. Monitoring and reporting cases is critical for tracking the spread of the disease and protecting both wildlife and domestic animals.
Members of the public are urged to report sick or dead birds, especially waterfowl and raptors.
Sick or dead bald eagles should be reported immediately to the NJDEP at 1-877-WARN-DEP (1-877-927-6337).
Please remember that precautions should always be taken when encountering sick or dead birds, particularly during the winter months. Avoid direct contact whenever possible. If handling is unavoidable, wear a face mask and disposable gloves, and be sure to disinfect boots and equipment afterward.
Staying informed and reporting observations helps wildlife agencies respond effectively and protects New Jersey’s birds during this ongoing outbreak. For more information, visit the NJ Department of Agriculture’s HPAI page.
Eastern Tiger Salamander 11/22/25 photo by Tony Klock
This time of year most wildlife is hunkering down for the winter either in New Jersey or migrating to southern destinations until the next breeding season. One New Jersey salamander is just getting started, The Eastern Tiger Salamander(ETS) is the largest salamander species found in New Jersey and a state Endangered species. ETS are found in only a few locations in southern NJ. Conserve Wildlife Foundation works with the NJ Endangered and Nongame Species program to monitor ETS breeding pools and populations. ETS spend most of their adult lives in underground borrows they will emerge to breed on warm wet nights beginning in December through February. The females lay egg masses in vernal pools and then return to their burrows. CWF’s website has detailed information on the ETS lifecycle
ENSP Senior Zoologist Bill Pitts and Darby Brant install a water gauge at a ETS breeding pool.
Off road vehicle disturbance to a ETS breeding pool.
These vernal breeding pools are a necessity for the ETS population to survive in New Jersey. In 2025 due to low water levels from a drought, only a few of the deeper breeding pools had enough water for ETS breeding activity. These breeding pools not only face threats from climate change but also from pollution, habitat loss and disturbance from off road vehicles.
It’s important to identify new ETS breeding pools so that they can be monitored and protected. Some exciting new projects are in the future for the ETS project including collecting habitat and water quality data, eDNA study and a VIE (visible implant elastomer) study.
You can help by reporting any Eastern Tiger Salamander Sighting to the NJ Wildlife Tracker
This October, CWF biologists began work on an exciting new pilot project led by The Wetlands Institute to help fill knowledge gaps in the breeding productivity and habitat use of American oystercatchers across New Jersey.
While a significant portion of New Jersey’s oystercatchers nest in marsh habitats, intensive monitoring has historically focused on beach-nesting pairs along the Atlantic Coast due to logistical and resource constraints. In recent years, CWF has played a leading role to gradually expand monitoring to include previously unmonitored sites along the Delaware and Raritan Bays. Now, through this new collaboration with The Wetlands Institute, we are extending our efforts to the estuarine islands and marshes within the Great Bay Boulevard Wildlife Management Area.
Over the next year, CWF biologists will work closely with The Wetlands Institute to survey, monitor, and band oystercatchers in these marsh systems to better understand their breeding productivity, habitat needs, and the conservation challenges they face. As sea-level rise, flooding, and erosion threaten the health and resilience of our state’s marsh ecosystems, understanding the needs of marsh-dependent species like oystercatchers is becoming increasingly important. The findings of this pilot effort will help refine monitoring strategies for marsh habitats and guide future management decisions, ultimately contributing to more comprehensive management of New Jersey’s oystercatcher population.
