OSPREY (Fish Hawk)

Spring is almost here. The ospreys are on their way back, bird songs fill the air, and the days are getting longer. There are many ways to enjoy this new season at Gateway National Recreation Area - from ranger programs to volunteer events. Gateway is composed of three units spanning two states and 27,000 acres. 

The Jamaica Bay and Staten Island units are open daily from 6 a.m. to 9 p..m with the exception of Canarsie Pier and Jacob Riis Park, which are open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. The Sandy Hook Unit is open daily from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

The Fort Wadsworth Visitor Center is open Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center is open Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Sandy Hook Visitor Center is open Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

MARCH AT THE Sandy Hook Unit

Sandy Hook Visitor Center and Park Store

Saturday and Sunday

10 am - 4 pm

Seal and Winter Waterfowl Walk with the American Littoral Society

Building 18, American Littoral Society Headquarters

Friday, March 13

10 am - 12 pm

Please make your reservation at LittoralSociety.org

Restoring Battery Gunnison/New Peck

Battery Gunnison

Saturday, March 14

12 pm - 5 pm

A Stitch in Time - A 1940s Knit and Crochet Social

Sandy Hook History House, Building 1

Sunday, March 22

9:30 am - 11:30 am

Please make your reservation through Eventbrite

Check the calendar for all three locations

New Signs at Trout-Stocked Waterbodies

New Jersey offers some of the best trout fishing opportunities you will find in the northeast – and its not just a spring thing anymore. Stocking programs in spring and fall provide for excellent year-round trout fishing opportunities in the Garden State.

Be on the lookout for brand‑new “Trout Stocked Water” signs at stocked waterbodies across New Jersey this year. These updated, durable signs replace the older version and make it easier than ever for anglers to get the information they need on the water.

Each sign features a QR code that connects you to:
The Trout Stocking Schedule
Additional trout fishing resources
Our new, easy‑to‑use, map‑based Fishing Regulations App, which provides location‑specific regulations for every freshwater waterbody in New Jersey. Simply select the waterbody where you plan to fish, and a pop‑up will display location-specific regulations, including special waterbody regulations and species harvest regulations.

• Fall Trout Fishing
• Fishing Access to Trout Stocked Waters by County
• Fishing Access to Trout Stocked Waters by Name
• Freshwater Fisheries Forums
• Landlocked Salmon
• Spring Trout Fishing
• Summer Trout Fishing
• 2026 Trout Regulations PDF

Frogs in Winter

This is another look at how some species survive through the winter. Previously, we looked at birds, moths, and bear cubs. Today, we're thinking about how frogs make it through winters in NJ when their watery habitats are frozen.

Many frogs spend their entire winter under ice, essentially looking like living "underwater rocks."  Some species of frogs are at the bottom of frozen ponds and slow-moving rivers. However, they don’t all use the same survival strategy.

Here are three survival strategies.

Since the surface is capped with ice, frogs can't exactly pop up for a gulp of air. Instead, they rely on cutaneous respiration. They absorb the limited oxygen dissolved in the pond water directly through their skin. To make this work, they have to stay very still to keep their oxygen demand to a bare minimum.

For most aquatic frogs—like Bullfrogs and Northern Leopard Frogs—the goal is to stay cold but not frozen. They sink to the bottom of the pond. They don't burrow deep into the mud (like turtles do) because they need to stay in contact with the oxygenated water. They spend the winter in a state called brumation, where their heart rate slows to a crawl, and their metabolism almost stops.

If you see a frog near the surface or under some leaf litter, that’s likely a Wood Frog. These frogs are the overachievers of the winter world. They don't usually stay underwater; they stay on land under leaves. They actually freeze solid. Their heart stops, and their breathing ceases. They use a natural "antifreeze" (glucose/sugar) to keep their cells from bursting. When spring hits, they "thaw" out and hop away like nothing happened.

The biggest threat to a frog under the ice isn't the cold—it's the oxygen. If a pond is shallow and covered in thick snow, sunlight can't reach the plants to produce oxygen. If the oxygen in the water runs out before the thaw, the frogs (and the fish) won't make it.

Field Trips and Classroom Programs for Students Available

TEACHERS: Pequest Natural Resource Education Center is now accepting group reservations for 2026 field trips and classroom programs.

Fish and Wildlife offers year-round programming for schools and organized groups at the Pequest Trout Hatchery and Natural Resource Education Center. All programs are designed to support most major subject areas in grades pre-K – 12 while teaching about wildlife and the environment, and can be used to meet state standards for core course proficiencies as well as scout badge requirements.

For example, hikes focus on wildlife habitat and natural resources, sessions on river ecology, fishing, biology. From a hatchery tour to fishing basics or exploring trout habitat along the Pequest River, there might be a field trip that fits your grade level and curriculum.

All programs are geared to be fun, hands-on learning experiences that participants are sure to enjoy.

Bring your students, scouts, or homeschool groups to the trout hatchery and education center for a field trip they'll never forget! Learn how trout are raised on a hatchery tour, explore the Pequest River, or have your students learn to fish. 

Get information and schedule your field trip to Pequest at dep.nj.gov/njfw/fishing/freshwater/group-programs-at-pequest/ 

Can't manage a field trip to Pequest? NJ Fish & Wildlife also offers classroom programs. Looking for an engaging classroom presentation? NJDEP Fish & Wildlife offers those too!

Have your students learn about wildlife, conservation, and more! 

Educators are available for in-classroom and public presentations, community fairs and festivals. Fish & Wildlife staff can conduct presentations live at your facility on request. There is no charge for this service, and hands-on activities can be included with the presentations. Programs can all be adapted to grade-level and specific interests. All programs run from 45 to 90 minutes. Please note groups may only schedule one to two programs per year.

Check out the list of programs offered and request a presentation today.

dep.nj.gov/njfw/education/speakers-and-exhibitors/