Island Beach State Park's Second Season

Island Beach State Park is one of New Jersey’s most popular parks, a picturesque strand of coastline visited by a million people each year. A vast majority visit in the summer, drawn to beaches that offer a more natural experience than can be experienced anywhere in New Jersey.

But the season doesn't end with Labor Day. During the Jersey Shore's "second season" at Island Beach offers surf fishing for stripers at sunrise, intimate kayak explorations of Sedge Island on Barnegat Bay, crabbing and clamming along quiet coves, tiny shorebirds searching for morsels along the surf line, the wonders of a child learning about barrier island ecosystems from a park naturalist – can be enjoyed all summer long, or long after the crowds have gone.

Stretching for nearly ten miles of Ocean County, the 3,000-acre park protects the last significant stretch of undeveloped barrier island ecosystem in the state, the sandy necklace of New Jersey’s park system. The island’s dunes remain virtually untouched since the first written accounts of New Jersey’s coast were penned during the voyage of Henry Hudson’s “Half Moon” in 1609.

The park officially opened in 1959, largely from land purchased from Henry C. Phipps, a partner of industrialist Andrew Carnegie. The state wanted to preserve an area of the rapidly developing shore for swimming, hiking and fishing.

Now a peninsula, the area that was Island Beach was once cut off by an inlet, believed to have been located in the area of present-day Ortley Beach. The inlet was closed off by the natural drifting of sand in the early 1800s.

Fishing has been popular on Island Beach, long before it was a park. Stripers, fluke, bluefish, kingfish, and blackfish are just some of the species that can be hooked, depending on the season. Access for people with disabilities is available.

The Nature Center contains multiple exhibits on the Barnegat Bay watershed, shells and various animals found around the park. One of the several self-guided trails on the island, the Johnny Allen’s Cove Trail, starts near the center and provides and introduction the park’s varied ecosystems. The Spizzle Creek Bird Blind Trail gives visitors the chance to see ospreys or wading birds from a bird blind.

History lovers can take the Time-Travel Trail hike, which offers glimpses of the past on a walk to the site of the Reed’s Hotel, fancied by 19th century sportsmen hunting waterfowl on Barnegat Bay. On Island Eco-Hikes you may see countless fiddler crabs burrowing into marsh mud or perhaps catch a glimpse of diamondback terrapins (New Jersey’s only saltmarsh turtle), a fox, or even seals basking on marshy hummocks.

SOURCE: http://www.nj.gov/dep/daw/islandbeach/

NJ Audubon Offering Tours of Petty's Island

New Jersey Audubon Society is offering first looks at Petty's Island, which was preserved as a natural area in 2009 but is not yet open to the general public.

Petty Island is currently uninhabited, the last residential structure having burned down in 1964. It was subject to industrial development in the 20th century, and is owned by Citgo, which uses the island for fuel storage. The western end of the island is undeveloped and forested. It is the fourth-largest island in the Delaware River's path.

Environmental groups have opposed any development on the island which has become an oasis for birds and other wildlife, including a pair of American Bald Eagles living on the island.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez announced in April 2009 that the Venezuelan Government (owner of CITGO) will donate the Island to New Jersey for environmental developments. Petty Island is officially part of Pennsauken Township.

A view of what the future Petty's Island could be: a wildlife reserve of forests,
wetlands and meadows. A green oasis in one of the most developed areas
in the United States

The island tours are free, but registration is required. Please call the Rancocas Nature Center at 609.261.2495; no emails please. Access to the island is limited to these field trips, so sign up today!

All Petty's Island Field Trips meet at the island. Directions will be provided upon registration. Facilities on the island are limited, so please plan accordingly.

Birdwatching at the Gateway National Recreation Area

NPS PHOTO A woodcock

The Gateway NRA has three units at Sandy Hook, Staten Island and Jamaica Bay. The three combined have over 325 species of birds, most of them visiting as they migrate along the Atlantic Flyway.

The Birds of Gateway Field Guide features 12 of the more noticeable species in the parks  along with the seasons when these birds can be seen here. Advanced birders might prefer the Jamaica Bay Bird Checklist.

Bird Biographies of some of the better known birds you might see at Gateway.

http://www.nps.gov/gate/naturescience/

Virus Infecting New Jersey Deer

The NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife’s Office of Fish and Wildlife Health and Forensics (OFWHF) reports that Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) that affects whitetail deer has spread. The first New Jersey outbreak occurred in 2007, from Morris to Salem counties. Last year, smaller outbreaks occurred in central and northern New Jersey. The virus has been found in Warren County as well as Gloucester and Salem counties, and test results are pending for several others.

NJDEP wildlife officials have issued an alert to hunters to be aware of the virus.

Federal wildlife officials have said there could be more severe outbreaks of the disease this fall because widespread drought and high temperatures caused low water levels, creating more muddy areas, which midges favor. Also, deer herd immunity may be low because the last large outbreak occurred five years ago, and many deer only live for two or three years.

Deer become infected with EHD through the bites of midge flies, and infected deer can show such symptoms as drooling, foaming from the mouth or nose, and difficulty standing. Infected deer also may experience internal hemorrhaging and hemorrhaging around the eyes and mouth.

They typically die within five to 10 days of infection, growing progressively weaker and salivating excessively. They often die near or in a body of water, where they have gone to try and cool off.

The disease cannot be transmitted to people, and humans are not at risk by handling infected deer, being bitten by infected midges, or eating meat from infected deer, according to the state Department of Environmental Protection. But the DEP’s Division of Fish and Wildlife “strongly advises against consuming meat from any game animal that appears ill,” the agency said in a statement.

Deer cannot spread the disease to each other. “Outbreaks end with the onset of cold weather, which kills the midges that spread the disease,” said David Chanda, director of the Division of Fish and Wildlife.

Hunters and other outdoor enthusiasts should report sightings of infected deer to the state DEP’s office of fish and wildlife health forensics at 908-236-2118, or the Bureau of Wildlife Management’s northern office at 908-735-7040.

Bonsal Wildlife Preserve

Alonzo F. Bonsal Wildlife Preserve is a 20.68 acre preserve located and owned by the Township of Montclair, New Jersey.

A citizens group lobbied to save the woodland from development in the 1970′s. It was purchased with NJ DEP Green Acres funds and the Bonsal Preserve was named after a local resident whose family’s contribution augmented Green Acres funding of the site.

This urban preserve consists of remnant wetlands and uplands surrounding the Third River, a major tributary of the lower Passaic River watershed. The Third River headwaters are located in Rifle Camp Park in Woodland Park.

There are also 9.12 acres of adjacent lands located to the north of the preserve which are controlled by the North Jersey District Water Commission for its Wanaque Reservoir Balancing Tank which provide additional habitat for wildlife.

The preserve has been left in its natural state with the exception of an old sewer line built in the early 1900′s. (The sewer is owned by the City of Clifton and is scheduled to be removed and rerouted in the spring of 2013.)

LOCATION:
The main entrance to the Bonsal Preserve is located in a right of way off of Riverview Drive in Montclair. After crossing the bridge over the Third River, you can continue north to Daniels Drive in Clifton or head east or west to explore the wetlands near the Third River.

The trails are not blazed but due to the size of the preserve, you can’t get lost physically without soon discovering a spot you previously traveled.
directions & map

SOURCES:

• http://njurbanforest.com/2012/04/28/montclairs-alonzo-bonsal-wildlife-preserve/
• http://www.recreationparks.net/NJ/essex/alonzo-f-bonsal-wildlife-preserve-clifton

NJ WILD Outdoor Expo This Weekend

The New Jersey WILD Outdoor Expo celebrates the state's bountiful natural resources and rich outdoor heritage. The event will held on September 15 and 16 in 2012, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily at the Colliers Mills Wildlife Management Area in Jackson Township, Ocean County. The Expo is an annual event which is free of charge and takes place rain or shine.

The WILD Outdoor Expo is hosted by the NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife, Division of Parks and Forestry, the Green Acres Program and the Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey. The event also has several sponsors, and exhibitors and vendors from the field of outdoor recreation will be on site. Food vendors will also participate; you are welcome to bring and enjoy your own in the picnic tent.

The Expo helps people connect with the natural world by providing a unique blend of conservation information, education and hands-on opportunities to learn outdoor skills and activities. Numerous environmental and conservation exhibits, demonstrations and seminars are planned for the weekend. Visitors can learn about, and try, a wide array of activities including fishing, hiking, shooting sports, kayaking, camping skills, rock climbing, wildlife watching and much more.

Schedule, directions and more details at njfishandwildlife.com/expo.htm 

New Jersey's Wild Outdoor Expo from NJ Division of Fish & Wildlife on Vimeo.

Whaling in Historic New Jersey

The Delaware Bay and the rivers of South Jersey have been a source of  food and economic sustenance to our region ever since it was the home of the Lenni Lenape Indians who traveled to the coast to fish and gather shellfish.

Peter Watson wrote from Perth Amboy in 1684 that, "the Indians in the summer, along with their wives come down the Rivers, in the Cannoas, which they make themselves of a piece of a great tree, like a little Boat, and there they Fish and Take Oysters."

All parts of the oyster and clam were utilized: Wampum, made out of the shells, was a common currency among the Indians.


We can learn much about New Jersey history by following, literally or via writing, the historic New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail Route.

Image Nantucket Whaling Museum via capemay.com

The earliest recorded maritime-related industry in NJ was undertaken by the first settlers in Cape May Town, or Town Bank. It was started by whalers from New England who initially migrated south during the summer season. By the 1670s they had established a permanent residence there.


Whaling businesses such as Humphrey Hughes' Hughes and Company were established as early as 1666. Hughes, along with Nicholas Stevens of Boston and John Cooper of Southampton, were given the right to claim all beached whales.

Whale hunting was also a community effort. The whales were spotted from watch towers erected in the coastal towns. Upon sighting, six crewmen—a harpooner, boat-steerer, and four oarsmen—ran to the boats.

Although whaling today is seen as a cruel and environmentally unsound practice, in earlier times it was an economic powerhouse. And in a time when fossil fuels were not readily available, economy dictated that nearly all parts of the whale be used to some end.

Oil and bone was shipped to other colonies and Europe. Sperm oil, in particular, produced a clean and bright light, so it was used in domestic, street, and lighthouse fixtures; it was also an ingredient in soap, cosmetics, and lubricants. Bone was used in the manufacture of canes, whips, helmet frames, broom whistles, and as spines for corsets, umbrellas, and parasols. Bones and tissues were ground up and applied as fertilizer

But as early as 1700, the indiscriminate killing of cow whales caused the number of this species to decrease markedly. As a result, whalers turned to larger boats to take them farther off the coast for the hunt. This shift caused some jersey coast settlers to turn to cattle raising, farming, and trapping.

Whaling continued into the late 1700s with the last whaling transaction recorded in 1775 pertained to the leasing of Seven Mile Beach by Aaron Leaming to whalemen for thirty days.

Today, the Cape May County Museum displays whaling gear as a reminder of the once-thriving local industry.

SOURCE: Check out the history e-library on the National Park Service website.

New Jersey's Pearl River and the Paterson Pearl

I wrote recently about the Alonzo F. Bonsal Wildlife Preserve in Montclair. This urban forest is the remnants of wetlands and uplands that surround the Third River. The river is a major tributary of the lower Passaic River watershed.

The source (headwaters) of the Third River are in Rifle Camp Park in Woodland Park. The headwaters were impounded in 1899 to form the Great Notch Reservoir which greatly reduced the river’s flow.

The Third River’s current name was derived from the fact that it lies north of two other Passaic River tributaries - the First and Second Rivers.

At one time, the river was known as Pearl River due to the discovery of the "Queen Pearl," also known as the "Paterson Pearl."

freshwater mussels   via fws.gov

Freshwater pearls are found in a river’s mussel population. The Paterson Pearl was a 93 grain pink pearl and was one of the first freshwater pearls to be discovered in the United States. Other pearls were found in the Third River but none matched the Paterson Pearl.

Although freshwater mussels are most diverse in North America, where there are 281 species and 16 subspecies, they are among the most rapidly declining animal groups on the continent. The Nature Conservancy recognizes 55% of North America's mussel species as extinct or imperiled compared to only 7% of the continent's mammal and bird species.

The Paterson Pearl was discovered in Notch Brook, near Paterson, in 1857 by a carpenter named Jacob Quackenbush. It started a "pearl rush" that almost stripped the streams of Notch Brook of freshwater mussels and led to the discovery of some lesser pearls but worth around $15,000.

The pearl rush flowed over to other streams and rivers in New Jersey and it had a very negative impact on mussel populations. High quality pearls were found the Rock Road Brook, the Godwinville Brook and Cherry Lane Brook. The exploitation of the freshwater mussels in the waters of Passaic county and other counties depleted the mussel population, and within a few years the entire population of mussels were totally decimated. That eliminated the natural pearl industry.

The pearl fever spread to other states, and pearls were discovered in New York, Ohio, Texas, Arkansas, Florida, Connecticut, Mississippi and Wisconsin.

IMAGE: Royal Ontario Museum - the

pearl believed to be the "Paterson Pearl"

The "Paterson Pearl" was purchased by Charles L. Tiffany of Tiffany & Co. New York City, for $1,500, and as it was difficult to find buyers for the pearl in the United States, the company sent it to their Paris House for sale at 12,500 francs (about $2,500). The French dealer sold it to Empress Eugenie de Montijo, the Queen consort of Emperor Napoleon III, and it then became known as the "Queen Pearl" or the "American Queen Pearl" or the "Tiffany Queen Pearl."


Other extraordinary pearls are also sometimes referred to as "Queen Pearls."

Today, the mussels and pearls are long gone from these waters and the name Pearl River has been replaced by Third River as designated by cartographers.

SOURCE:
For more history on the Paterson Pearl and the resulting pearl fever, see internetstones.com

Autumn at Sandy Hook

The summer at the shore may be unofficially over, but September and October are greats months to visit.

The Visitor Programs and Events for Autumn 2012 at Sandy Hook is available as a pdf document online and updates are at www.nps.gov/gate, and on Facebook at Gateway National Recreation Area, or on Twitter, @GatewayNPS

Just a few events at the Hook:


Clean Ocean Action - 25th Annual Beach Sweep Lot Delta (Seagull’s Nest Lot) Saturday, October 20 9 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Spend a morning cleaning Sandy Hook’s beaches. Bring gloves, attend rain or shine, and dress for the weather. Closed, hard-soled shoes are recommended. Individuals, families, and organized groups of all ages are welcome. Groups of 10 or more are asked to register with Clean Ocean Action in advance by visiting CleanOceanAction.org. Call 732-872-0111 for more information.

Kids’ Day with American Littoral Society ALS Headquarters  (Bldg. 18) Saturday, September 15 1:30 p.m.- 3:30 p.m. Designed for children ages 4 to 8, this program will teach kids the art of seining, give an introduction to Sandy Hook, and offer an opportunity for “Fishy Fun,” the ancient art of making Japanese fish prints with rubber fish and non-toxic paint. There is a $5 fee for this program. Call 732-291-0055 to reserve your child’s spot.

Cold War Day    Parking Lot L at Horseshoe Cove Sunday, September 16 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. Visit a Nike missile radar site restored to the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Visit and tour the Nike launch site. Learn about why these sites were essential to national security in the Cold War era.
Night Prowl Visitor Center Parking Lot Saturday, September 22 7 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Bring a flashlight for this night walk that utilizes the five senses. Free, but reservations required. Call 732-872-5970

Lighthouse to Lighthouse Tour Sandy Hook Keepers’ Quarters Sunday, September 30 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Climb the Sandy Hook Lighthouse starting at 5 p.m., then car caravan over to Twin Lights State Historic Site in the Highlands to climb the south tower there. Reservations required; please call 732-872-5970 to make yours.

Freshwater Mussels in New Jersey

Eastern lampmussel     Lampsilis radiata

In North America, there are 281 species and 16 subspecies of freshwater mussels. And yet, they are among the most rapidly declining animal groups on the continent.

North America's freshwater mussels (AKA pearly mussels) are listed by The Nature Conservancy as 55% extinct or imperiled compared to only 7% of the continent's mammal and bird species.

Freshwater mussel extinctions and declines can be attributed to several factors, including habitat degradation, construction of dams and subsequent loss of host fishes, and expansion of exotic mollusks such as the zebra mussel and Asian clam.

These mussels are sometimes referred to as nature's vacuum cleaners. They actually improve water quality by straining particles and pollutants from rivers. In addition, since mussels have a low tolerance for water-borne pollutants, they are excellent indicators of water quality.

Freshwater mussels are among the oldest living organisms on Earth. Individuals are thought to reach ages in excess of a century.

They are food sources for wildlife such as raccoons and muskrats and young mussels are eaten by ducks, herons and fishes.

New Jersey is home to twelve native species of freshwater mussels, including the federally endangered dwarf wedgemussel (Alasmidonta heterodon) and three federal species of special concern - the brook floater (Alasmidonta varicosa), green floater (Lasmigona subviridis) and yellow lampmussel (Lampsilis cariosa).

We believed that the dwarf wedgemussel was extirpated in the state, but a recent finding of live individuals in the Paulins Kill River, Sussex County has prompted intensive surveys of the waterway.

The brook floater is only known from small, most likely non-breeding occurrences in three areas of the state, whereas the yellow lampmussel is restricted to the Delaware River.

The green floater is by far the most endangered mussel in the state, represented only by a single individual in the Stony Brook, Mercer County. Other species that are under consideration for state endangered or threatened status are the eastern lampmussel (Lampsilis radiata), eastern pondmussel (Ligumia nasuta), tidewater mucket (Leptodea ochracea), and triangle floater (Alasmidonta undulata).

Searching for freshwater mussels using a viewing scope.
© Mike Davenport via conservewildlifenj.org

Since 1993, Endangered and Nongame Species Program biologists have been conducting freshwater mussel surveys for rare species and shorelines for shells and relicts (very old shells) at all survey sites. As part of the Landscape Project, critical areas for freshwater mussels are now being mapped using criteria designed specifically for aquatic species.

SOURCES:

• Freshwater Mussel Surveys http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/mussels.htm
• For more detailed information, search "mussel" on Conserve Wildlife Foundation NJ's excellent New Jersey Endangered and Threatened Species Field Guide conservewildlifenj.org/species/fieldguide/