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| Good Locations for Winter Bird Watching in or near New Jersey |
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1. Introduction
Some friends asked me for good locations in or near New Jersey for bird watching and bird photography in
the winter season. In responding to such question for winter birding, I compiled a list of such locations as
shown on this web page. The list includes links to my relevant Travelogue web pages with many photos, movie
clips and detailed information on the locations, the maps and the associated directions on how to get there.
In winter season, huge number of migratory birds left the frozen northern Canada and Alaska and migrate
south. Therefore, in winter season, we can see huge number of colorful migratory birds in New Jersey that we
normally do not see in other seasons, such as Harlequin ducks, hooded mergansers, snow geese, loons, etc.
However, occasionally the weather in New Jersey can also get so cold that the water in fresh water lakes,
ponds, rivers and impoundments are also frozen. In those special cold days, most migratory birds will leave
New Jersey and migrate further south.
2. Search My Travelogue Website (老林遊記):
There are more than 140 web pages for more than 140 sightseeing and bird watching trips on my Travelogue
website. The home page of my Travelogue website with this list of titles of more than 140 trips is at:
http://www.shltrip.com/index.html
These trip titles are "hot" in the sense that clicking on any trip title on this list on the home page will take you to
the web page with many photos, movie clips, commentaries associated with that trip, location information,
URL links to maps, directions on how to get there and phone number of visitor center.
There is also a Search Box near the top on this home page. If you enter some keywords of interest to you in
this search box and click on the word "Search" under the search box, you will get a list of my Travelogue “hot”
trip titles that are related to those keywords of interest to you. Clicking on any trip title on the list will take you
to the web page with detailed information of interest to you.
3. Winter Birding Locations
The good locations for winter bird watching and wildlife watching in or near New Jersey are listed in the
following:
Barnegat Light Inlet (Harlequin Duck) in New Jersey: Every winter, a group of beautiful
Harlequin ducks migrates south from eastern Canada to Barnegat Light Inlet in New Jersey. Many
other colorful waterfowl also show up in Barnegat Light area in the winter season. Photos and more
information are on my web pages at:
http://www.shltrip.com/Harlequin_Ducks.html
http://www.shltrip.com/Water_Fowl_in_Barnegat.html
Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge (100,000 Snow Geese) in Delaware: In the winter
season, about 100,000 snow geese come to Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in
Delaware. From mid-New Jersey, it takes about two and half hour driving time to reach this NWR.
Photos, movie clips and detailed information are on my web page at:
http://www.shltrip.com/Bombay_Hook.html
Conowingo Dam (about 100 Bald Eagles) on Susquehanna River in northern Maryland: In the
winter season, lakes and rivers in northern Canada and Alaska are frozen such that bald eagles
cannot catch fish on those frozen lakes and rivers. Therefore, many bald eagles migrate south to look
for open water where they can catch fish to eat. In the winter season, as many as 100 bald eagles and
20,000 other fishing birds have been seen at the Conowingo Dam on Susquehanna River in northern
Maryland busily catching fish. The two important reasons that these bald eagles and 20,000 fishing
birds come here in the winter season are (1) After coming down through the large hydroelectric
turbines in the Conowingo Dam, the water rush out from under the dam creating powerful turbulent
water near the base of dam. The powerful turbulent water from the dam prevents the water from
freezing up in the winter so that many fish remain accessible by these fishing birds in the winter in
this area, and (2) Many fish coming through the hydroelectric turbines and the powerful turbulent
water are stunned by such powerful turbulence. The powerful turbulence flushes the stunned or
injured fish to the water surface such that those fish become easy targets for these fishing birds to
catch.
However, the release of water from Conowingo Dam is intermittent, not continuous all the time. When
the water is not rushing out from the base of the dam, many fishing birds are standing on the rocks,
or perching on the trees or on the steel tower waiting for action. Many bird watchers are also waiting.
Everything is quiet here during such waiting periods that may last 2 or 3 hours. There are also some
anglers fishing on the river bank here. For safety reason, the dam administrator will sound the alarm
siren and have several red lights in this area flashing twice before it starts to release the powerful and
turbulent water. When this happens, everything here come alive, all those bald eagles and more than
20,000 fishing birds take to the air for action to catch fish. Therefore, it is worthwhile to stay in this
area long enough to see such fantastic actions with huge number of fishing birds in the air and diving
down to the water surface to catch fish. From mid-New Jersey, it takes about 2 hours of driving to
reach the eagle watching parking lot at Conowingo Dam.
Although a few "resident" bald eagles may be here all year around, the best period to see large
number of "migratory" bald eagles near this dam is the one month period from Thanksgiving to
Christmas. Photos and more detailed information are on my web page at:
http://www.shltrip.com/Bald_Eagle_P_2.html
Delaware Bay (many Diving Gannets) : In late March and early April, many large sea birds,
gannets, begin to migrate north along American east coast towards their summer breeding grounds in
eastern Canada. The sun in the early spring warms the water in the Delaware Bay, and the sun thaws
out the mud and soil in wetlands. Additionally, spring rains discharge nutrients and food into the
water in the bay. All this activity helps to create vast populations of plankton in the water in the bay,
which in turn helps to feed many small fish, such as herring. Plankton rich food in the bay, along with
warmer water temperatures, attract large schools of fish, such as Alewife, Blueback Herring and Shad
in Atlantic ocean, to enter into Delaware Bay and Sandy Hook Bay. For the several weeks in early
spring, these fish have been waiting patiently off the coast of New Jersey for just the right conditions
to enter these bays, feed, and then head upstream to freshwater portions of the Delaware River,
Raritan River, and Navesink rivers to spawn.
These large schools of fish attract many migrating gannets to enter the bay in pursuit of herring,
mackerel, menhaden, squid, and other prey.
Therefore, the ferry crossing the Delaware Bay in the last week of March and the first week of April
provides excellent opportunities for bird watchers to get close-up views of many gannets in action
without the need for powerful telescopes. Photos, movie clips and detailed information are on my web
page at:
http://www.shltrip.com/Crossing_Delaware_Bay.html
Delaware & Raritan (D&R) Canal State Park in Millstone Aqueduct in
Princeton/Plainsboro area: has many waterfowl in the winter season. Photos and detailed
information are on my web page at:
http://www.shltrip.com/Winter_Birding_At_Princeton.html
Dorbrook Park Recreational Area (Hundreds of Deer) in Colts Neck, New Jersey: Winter
season seems to be the mating season of deer. Hundreds of deer congregate at the open fields of
Dorbrook Park Recreational Area in Colts Neck. They may be roaming among several large open fields
separated by tree lines in this area. Visitors may have to walk one or two miles crossing tree lines to
look for them in one of several large open fields. There are also many colorful waterfowl in nearby
Swimming River Reservoir in Lincroft-Colts Neck area. Photos, movie clips and detailed information
are on my web pages at:
http://www.shltrip.com/Large_Herd_of_deer_in_Colts_Neck.html
http://www.shltrip.com/December_2010_in_New_Jersey.html
Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge at Brigantine on New Jersey coast, a few miles
north of Atlantic City: This is a good location to see many birds in the winter season, in addition to
other seasons. Photos, commentary, location and direction are on my web pages at:
http://www.shltrip.com/Forsythe_Brigantine_NWF.html
http://www.shltrip.com/Forsythe_Brigantine_Part_2.html
Liberty State Park is a green oasis in the middle of Metropolitan northern New Jersey. With the
Manhattan skyline, the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island as a spectacular backdrop, Liberty State Park
is a local birding hotspot. With a mix of large open fields, marshland, a pine grove, weedy margins
and mudflats when the tide goes out, it offers up a plethora of birding habitats. It is especially good
in winter. There are lots of different types of colorful waterfowl and large number of several kinds of
gulls. There is also a Snowy Owl which turns up here almost every winter. Even on the parking lot in
the winter, one can see large number of gulls in the air and on the ground. Some people throw bread
crumbs up into the air and many gulls will do interesting and fancy flips, twists, and turns in the air to
catch the falling bread crumbs. It is a good place for bird photographers to practice their skills for
taking good action photos when these birds are in fancy actions. William Boyle, in his book entitled
"Guide to Bird Finding in New Jersey", mentions red-necked grebe; great cormorant; Eurasian wigeon; lesser
golden plover; little, common black-headed, Iceland, and glaucous gulls; all three scoters; northern harrier;
short-eared owl; purple sandpiper; clapper rail; horned lark; snow bunting; and white-crowned and Lincoln's
sparrows in his description of the bird life in Liberty State Park. Particularly good spots are the dense
plantings that have been made south of the Environmental Interpretative Center; the salt marsh; tidal mudflats
south of the park that can easily be viewed from the parking area; and a small freshwater pond north of the
Environmental Interpretative Center. Some visitors go for a leisurely stroll along the Hudson River Waterfront
Walkway in search of winter birds to the park. Possible species sightings may include ruddy ducks,
mergansers, grebes, buffleheads and many more.
Maps and more information on Hudson River Waterfront Walkway can be seen at the following websites:
http://www.libertygap.org/hudson-guide.html
http://www.libertystatepark.org/newportlspbike.html
Liberty State Park is located at Morris Pesin Drive & Freedom Way, Jersey City, NJ 07305, Phone: 201-915-
3440
Map: Click here to see an interactive Google Map for Liberty State Park
Manasquan Reservoir in Howell, New Jersey: There is a bald eagle nest at Manasquan
Reservoir. In the winter and spring seasons, visitors can see a pair of bald eagles hatching eggs and
raising eaglets on this nest. One may also see hawks and other waterfowl at Manasquan Reservoir.
Photos and more information are on my web pages at:
http://shltrip.com/More_on_Flowers_and_Bird_Watching_in_NJ_Page_2.html
Matts Landing and Heislerville Wildlife Management Area (WMA) located at 114 Matts
Landing Road (i.e., Rt. 736), Heislerville, NJ 08324, at the Junction of Matts Landing Road and
Maurice River Road or the Junction of Matts Landing Road and Station Road. Phone: (856) 785-0455.
This WMA offers scenic views of salt water impoundments, the Maurice River, and large mudflats that
provide varied habitat for wading birds, shorebirds and waterfowl. Take a drive on the unpaved 8-mile
auto-trail driving loop (with many pot holes) around the impoundments during any season to see an
abundance of wildlife. Several bird photos from Matts Landing can be seen on my web page at:
http://www.shltrip.com/Birding-1.html
In the winter season, unless they are frozen, the impoundments in Matts Landing are one of the best
places to see a variety of waterfowl in the winter. There is usually open water near the spillways
where the birds will concentrate. Look for Red-breasted Merganser and Bufflehead, along with the
showy Hooded Merganser and Ruddy Duck. Keep an eye open for grebes as well. Thousands of Snow
Geese feed in the salt marshes. Make sure to glance over the river for diving ducks, cormorants, and
loons.
Website: Click here for website of Matts Landing and Heislerville WMA
Map: Click here to see interactive Google Map for Matts Landing and Heislerville WMA
Meadowlands Richard W. Dekorte Park of Meadowlands Environmental Center located at 2
Dekorte Park Plaza, (At south-east end of Valley Brook Avenue), Lyndhurst, NJ 07071. Phone: 201-
460-8300. This 110-acre park is an open wetland with several large impoundments and marsh and is a
vital migratory rest stop for thousands of ducks, geese, and shorebirds. More than 270 species of
birds live in or visit this area. There are several hiking trails ranging from 1/2 mile to 3 miles along the
impoundments for bird watching. They are quite beautiful and offer great opportunities for
photographers, bird watchers, and nature-lovers. The glass-enclosed Visitor's Center extends out
into the marsh to offer a panoramic view, perfect for viewing wildlife feeding and resting in the water
below. Park and Trail Map can be seen at:
http://moodle.rst2.edu/meadowlands/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/DeKortemap.pdf
Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area (50,000 Snow Geese) in southeastern
Pennsylvania: In the last week of February and the first week of March, about 50,000 snow geese and
many swans show up in Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in Lancaster County in Amish
territory in southeastern Pennsylvania. From mid-New Jersey, it takes about two and half hour driving
time to reach this WMA. Photos, movie clips and detailed information are on my web page at:
http://www.shltrip.com/Snow_Geese_50000_of_Them_All_Over_the_Sky.html
Mill Pond Park in Milltown in New Jersey: In winter, many waterfowl such as hooded mergansers,
mallards and Canada geese can be seen on the Mill Pond as shown on the web page of May Lee at:
http://mayleesart.com/120112MillPondPark.html
Mill Pond Park is located at one block east of the bridge on S. Main St. (i.e., County Rd. 606) in
Milltown, New Jersey shown as Location D on the map of Milltown at:
http://www.milltownnj.org/images/MilltownMap.gif
Mill Pond is a section of the dammed tributary, Lawrence Brook, of Raritan River, passing through
Milltown in New Jersey.
Similarly, many water fowl including swans can also be seen on the DeVoe Lake near the junction of
DeVoe Ave and Mundy Ave in Spotswood, New Jersey. DeVoe Lake is also a dammed lake on another
tributary of Raritan River.
Raritan Bay Waterfront Park in South Amboy in New Jersey: Huge number of seagulls and
Brandt can be seen at Raritan Bay Waterfront Park in the winter season. Photos and detailed
information are on my web page at:
http://www.shltrip.com/Raritan_Bay_Waterfront.html
Sandy Hook Bay (Many Diving Gannets): In late March and early April, many large sea birds,
gannets, begin to migrate north along American east coast towards their summer breeding/nesting
grounds in eastern Canada. The sun in the early spring warms the water in the Sandy Hook Bay, and
the sun thaws out the mud and soil in wetlands. Additionally, spring rains discharge nutrients and
food into the water in the bay. All this activity helps to create vast populations of plankton in the
water in the bay, which in turn helps to feed many small fish, such s herring. Plankton rich food in the
bay, along with warmer water temperatures, attract large schools of fish, such as Alewife, Blueback
Herring and Shad in Atlantic ocean, to enter into Sandy Hook Bay. For the several weeks in early
spring, these fish have been waiting patiently off the coast of New Jersey for just the right conditions
to enter these bays, feed, and then head upstream to freshwater portions of the Delaware River,
Raritan River, and Navesink rivers to spawn.
These large schools of fish attract many migrating gannets to enter the bay in pursuit of herring,
mackerel, menhaden, squid, and other prey.
Therefore, March and early April provide excellent opportunities for bird watchers to view many
gannets in action on Sandy Hook Bay. Photos and detailed information are available at the following
websites:
http://www.shltrip.com/Gannet_Sandy_Hook.html
http://wildnewjersey.tv/2010/04/08/wild-new-jersey-exclusive-northern-gannets-swarm-over-sandy-
hook.aspx?view=threaded
http://www.ahherald.com/columns-mainmenu-28/old-oak-trail/8281-gannet-a-osprey-week-in-sandy-
hook-bay
Swimming River Reservoir in Lincroft-Colts Neck, New Jersey: In winter season, there are
many colorful waterfowl at Swimming River Reservoir in Lincroft-Colts Neck area. I have also seen a
bald eagle flying over the Swimming River Reservoir. Photos and more information are on my web
pages at:
http://www.shltrip.com/More_on_Flowers_and_Bird_Watching_in_NJ_Page_2.html
http://www.shltrip.com/Large_Herd_of_deer_in_Colts_Neck.html
Some friends asked me for good locations in or near New Jersey for bird watching and bird photography in
the winter season. In responding to such question for winter birding, I compiled a list of such locations as
shown on this web page. The list includes links to my relevant Travelogue web pages with many photos, movie
clips and detailed information on the locations, the maps and the associated directions on how to get there.
In winter season, huge number of migratory birds left the frozen northern Canada and Alaska and migrate
south. Therefore, in winter season, we can see huge number of colorful migratory birds in New Jersey that we
normally do not see in other seasons, such as Harlequin ducks, hooded mergansers, snow geese, loons, etc.
However, occasionally the weather in New Jersey can also get so cold that the water in fresh water lakes,
ponds, rivers and impoundments are also frozen. In those special cold days, most migratory birds will leave
New Jersey and migrate further south.
2. Search My Travelogue Website (老林遊記):
There are more than 140 web pages for more than 140 sightseeing and bird watching trips on my Travelogue
website. The home page of my Travelogue website with this list of titles of more than 140 trips is at:
http://www.shltrip.com/index.html
These trip titles are "hot" in the sense that clicking on any trip title on this list on the home page will take you to
the web page with many photos, movie clips, commentaries associated with that trip, location information,
URL links to maps, directions on how to get there and phone number of visitor center.
There is also a Search Box near the top on this home page. If you enter some keywords of interest to you in
this search box and click on the word "Search" under the search box, you will get a list of my Travelogue “hot”
trip titles that are related to those keywords of interest to you. Clicking on any trip title on the list will take you
to the web page with detailed information of interest to you.
3. Winter Birding Locations
The good locations for winter bird watching and wildlife watching in or near New Jersey are listed in the
following:
Barnegat Light Inlet (Harlequin Duck) in New Jersey: Every winter, a group of beautiful
Harlequin ducks migrates south from eastern Canada to Barnegat Light Inlet in New Jersey. Many
other colorful waterfowl also show up in Barnegat Light area in the winter season. Photos and more
information are on my web pages at:
http://www.shltrip.com/Harlequin_Ducks.html
http://www.shltrip.com/Water_Fowl_in_Barnegat.html
Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge (100,000 Snow Geese) in Delaware: In the winter
season, about 100,000 snow geese come to Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in
Delaware. From mid-New Jersey, it takes about two and half hour driving time to reach this NWR.
Photos, movie clips and detailed information are on my web page at:
http://www.shltrip.com/Bombay_Hook.html
Conowingo Dam (about 100 Bald Eagles) on Susquehanna River in northern Maryland: In the
winter season, lakes and rivers in northern Canada and Alaska are frozen such that bald eagles
cannot catch fish on those frozen lakes and rivers. Therefore, many bald eagles migrate south to look
for open water where they can catch fish to eat. In the winter season, as many as 100 bald eagles and
20,000 other fishing birds have been seen at the Conowingo Dam on Susquehanna River in northern
Maryland busily catching fish. The two important reasons that these bald eagles and 20,000 fishing
birds come here in the winter season are (1) After coming down through the large hydroelectric
turbines in the Conowingo Dam, the water rush out from under the dam creating powerful turbulent
water near the base of dam. The powerful turbulent water from the dam prevents the water from
freezing up in the winter so that many fish remain accessible by these fishing birds in the winter in
this area, and (2) Many fish coming through the hydroelectric turbines and the powerful turbulent
water are stunned by such powerful turbulence. The powerful turbulence flushes the stunned or
injured fish to the water surface such that those fish become easy targets for these fishing birds to
catch.
However, the release of water from Conowingo Dam is intermittent, not continuous all the time. When
the water is not rushing out from the base of the dam, many fishing birds are standing on the rocks,
or perching on the trees or on the steel tower waiting for action. Many bird watchers are also waiting.
Everything is quiet here during such waiting periods that may last 2 or 3 hours. There are also some
anglers fishing on the river bank here. For safety reason, the dam administrator will sound the alarm
siren and have several red lights in this area flashing twice before it starts to release the powerful and
turbulent water. When this happens, everything here come alive, all those bald eagles and more than
20,000 fishing birds take to the air for action to catch fish. Therefore, it is worthwhile to stay in this
area long enough to see such fantastic actions with huge number of fishing birds in the air and diving
down to the water surface to catch fish. From mid-New Jersey, it takes about 2 hours of driving to
reach the eagle watching parking lot at Conowingo Dam.
Although a few "resident" bald eagles may be here all year around, the best period to see large
number of "migratory" bald eagles near this dam is the one month period from Thanksgiving to
Christmas. Photos and more detailed information are on my web page at:
http://www.shltrip.com/Bald_Eagle_P_2.html
Delaware Bay (many Diving Gannets) : In late March and early April, many large sea birds,
gannets, begin to migrate north along American east coast towards their summer breeding grounds in
eastern Canada. The sun in the early spring warms the water in the Delaware Bay, and the sun thaws
out the mud and soil in wetlands. Additionally, spring rains discharge nutrients and food into the
water in the bay. All this activity helps to create vast populations of plankton in the water in the bay,
which in turn helps to feed many small fish, such as herring. Plankton rich food in the bay, along with
warmer water temperatures, attract large schools of fish, such as Alewife, Blueback Herring and Shad
in Atlantic ocean, to enter into Delaware Bay and Sandy Hook Bay. For the several weeks in early
spring, these fish have been waiting patiently off the coast of New Jersey for just the right conditions
to enter these bays, feed, and then head upstream to freshwater portions of the Delaware River,
Raritan River, and Navesink rivers to spawn.
These large schools of fish attract many migrating gannets to enter the bay in pursuit of herring,
mackerel, menhaden, squid, and other prey.
Therefore, the ferry crossing the Delaware Bay in the last week of March and the first week of April
provides excellent opportunities for bird watchers to get close-up views of many gannets in action
without the need for powerful telescopes. Photos, movie clips and detailed information are on my web
page at:
http://www.shltrip.com/Crossing_Delaware_Bay.html
Delaware & Raritan (D&R) Canal State Park in Millstone Aqueduct in
Princeton/Plainsboro area: has many waterfowl in the winter season. Photos and detailed
information are on my web page at:
http://www.shltrip.com/Winter_Birding_At_Princeton.html
Dorbrook Park Recreational Area (Hundreds of Deer) in Colts Neck, New Jersey: Winter
season seems to be the mating season of deer. Hundreds of deer congregate at the open fields of
Dorbrook Park Recreational Area in Colts Neck. They may be roaming among several large open fields
separated by tree lines in this area. Visitors may have to walk one or two miles crossing tree lines to
look for them in one of several large open fields. There are also many colorful waterfowl in nearby
Swimming River Reservoir in Lincroft-Colts Neck area. Photos, movie clips and detailed information
are on my web pages at:
http://www.shltrip.com/Large_Herd_of_deer_in_Colts_Neck.html
http://www.shltrip.com/December_2010_in_New_Jersey.html
Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge at Brigantine on New Jersey coast, a few miles
north of Atlantic City: This is a good location to see many birds in the winter season, in addition to
other seasons. Photos, commentary, location and direction are on my web pages at:
http://www.shltrip.com/Forsythe_Brigantine_NWF.html
http://www.shltrip.com/Forsythe_Brigantine_Part_2.html
Liberty State Park is a green oasis in the middle of Metropolitan northern New Jersey. With the
Manhattan skyline, the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island as a spectacular backdrop, Liberty State Park
is a local birding hotspot. With a mix of large open fields, marshland, a pine grove, weedy margins
and mudflats when the tide goes out, it offers up a plethora of birding habitats. It is especially good
in winter. There are lots of different types of colorful waterfowl and large number of several kinds of
gulls. There is also a Snowy Owl which turns up here almost every winter. Even on the parking lot in
the winter, one can see large number of gulls in the air and on the ground. Some people throw bread
crumbs up into the air and many gulls will do interesting and fancy flips, twists, and turns in the air to
catch the falling bread crumbs. It is a good place for bird photographers to practice their skills for
taking good action photos when these birds are in fancy actions. William Boyle, in his book entitled
"Guide to Bird Finding in New Jersey", mentions red-necked grebe; great cormorant; Eurasian wigeon; lesser
golden plover; little, common black-headed, Iceland, and glaucous gulls; all three scoters; northern harrier;
short-eared owl; purple sandpiper; clapper rail; horned lark; snow bunting; and white-crowned and Lincoln's
sparrows in his description of the bird life in Liberty State Park. Particularly good spots are the dense
plantings that have been made south of the Environmental Interpretative Center; the salt marsh; tidal mudflats
south of the park that can easily be viewed from the parking area; and a small freshwater pond north of the
Environmental Interpretative Center. Some visitors go for a leisurely stroll along the Hudson River Waterfront
Walkway in search of winter birds to the park. Possible species sightings may include ruddy ducks,
mergansers, grebes, buffleheads and many more.
Maps and more information on Hudson River Waterfront Walkway can be seen at the following websites:
http://www.libertygap.org/hudson-guide.html
http://www.libertystatepark.org/newportlspbike.html
Liberty State Park is located at Morris Pesin Drive & Freedom Way, Jersey City, NJ 07305, Phone: 201-915-
3440
Map: Click here to see an interactive Google Map for Liberty State Park
Manasquan Reservoir in Howell, New Jersey: There is a bald eagle nest at Manasquan
Reservoir. In the winter and spring seasons, visitors can see a pair of bald eagles hatching eggs and
raising eaglets on this nest. One may also see hawks and other waterfowl at Manasquan Reservoir.
Photos and more information are on my web pages at:
http://shltrip.com/More_on_Flowers_and_Bird_Watching_in_NJ_Page_2.html
Matts Landing and Heislerville Wildlife Management Area (WMA) located at 114 Matts
Landing Road (i.e., Rt. 736), Heislerville, NJ 08324, at the Junction of Matts Landing Road and
Maurice River Road or the Junction of Matts Landing Road and Station Road. Phone: (856) 785-0455.
This WMA offers scenic views of salt water impoundments, the Maurice River, and large mudflats that
provide varied habitat for wading birds, shorebirds and waterfowl. Take a drive on the unpaved 8-mile
auto-trail driving loop (with many pot holes) around the impoundments during any season to see an
abundance of wildlife. Several bird photos from Matts Landing can be seen on my web page at:
http://www.shltrip.com/Birding-1.html
In the winter season, unless they are frozen, the impoundments in Matts Landing are one of the best
places to see a variety of waterfowl in the winter. There is usually open water near the spillways
where the birds will concentrate. Look for Red-breasted Merganser and Bufflehead, along with the
showy Hooded Merganser and Ruddy Duck. Keep an eye open for grebes as well. Thousands of Snow
Geese feed in the salt marshes. Make sure to glance over the river for diving ducks, cormorants, and
loons.
Website: Click here for website of Matts Landing and Heislerville WMA
Map: Click here to see interactive Google Map for Matts Landing and Heislerville WMA
Meadowlands Richard W. Dekorte Park of Meadowlands Environmental Center located at 2
Dekorte Park Plaza, (At south-east end of Valley Brook Avenue), Lyndhurst, NJ 07071. Phone: 201-
460-8300. This 110-acre park is an open wetland with several large impoundments and marsh and is a
vital migratory rest stop for thousands of ducks, geese, and shorebirds. More than 270 species of
birds live in or visit this area. There are several hiking trails ranging from 1/2 mile to 3 miles along the
impoundments for bird watching. They are quite beautiful and offer great opportunities for
photographers, bird watchers, and nature-lovers. The glass-enclosed Visitor's Center extends out
into the marsh to offer a panoramic view, perfect for viewing wildlife feeding and resting in the water
below. Park and Trail Map can be seen at:
http://moodle.rst2.edu/meadowlands/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/DeKortemap.pdf
Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area (50,000 Snow Geese) in southeastern
Pennsylvania: In the last week of February and the first week of March, about 50,000 snow geese and
many swans show up in Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in Lancaster County in Amish
territory in southeastern Pennsylvania. From mid-New Jersey, it takes about two and half hour driving
time to reach this WMA. Photos, movie clips and detailed information are on my web page at:
http://www.shltrip.com/Snow_Geese_50000_of_Them_All_Over_the_Sky.html
Mill Pond Park in Milltown in New Jersey: In winter, many waterfowl such as hooded mergansers,
mallards and Canada geese can be seen on the Mill Pond as shown on the web page of May Lee at:
http://mayleesart.com/120112MillPondPark.html
Mill Pond Park is located at one block east of the bridge on S. Main St. (i.e., County Rd. 606) in
Milltown, New Jersey shown as Location D on the map of Milltown at:
http://www.milltownnj.org/images/MilltownMap.gif
Mill Pond is a section of the dammed tributary, Lawrence Brook, of Raritan River, passing through
Milltown in New Jersey.
Similarly, many water fowl including swans can also be seen on the DeVoe Lake near the junction of
DeVoe Ave and Mundy Ave in Spotswood, New Jersey. DeVoe Lake is also a dammed lake on another
tributary of Raritan River.
Raritan Bay Waterfront Park in South Amboy in New Jersey: Huge number of seagulls and
Brandt can be seen at Raritan Bay Waterfront Park in the winter season. Photos and detailed
information are on my web page at:
http://www.shltrip.com/Raritan_Bay_Waterfront.html
Sandy Hook Bay (Many Diving Gannets): In late March and early April, many large sea birds,
gannets, begin to migrate north along American east coast towards their summer breeding/nesting
grounds in eastern Canada. The sun in the early spring warms the water in the Sandy Hook Bay, and
the sun thaws out the mud and soil in wetlands. Additionally, spring rains discharge nutrients and
food into the water in the bay. All this activity helps to create vast populations of plankton in the
water in the bay, which in turn helps to feed many small fish, such s herring. Plankton rich food in the
bay, along with warmer water temperatures, attract large schools of fish, such as Alewife, Blueback
Herring and Shad in Atlantic ocean, to enter into Sandy Hook Bay. For the several weeks in early
spring, these fish have been waiting patiently off the coast of New Jersey for just the right conditions
to enter these bays, feed, and then head upstream to freshwater portions of the Delaware River,
Raritan River, and Navesink rivers to spawn.
These large schools of fish attract many migrating gannets to enter the bay in pursuit of herring,
mackerel, menhaden, squid, and other prey.
Therefore, March and early April provide excellent opportunities for bird watchers to view many
gannets in action on Sandy Hook Bay. Photos and detailed information are available at the following
websites:
http://www.shltrip.com/Gannet_Sandy_Hook.html
http://wildnewjersey.tv/2010/04/08/wild-new-jersey-exclusive-northern-gannets-swarm-over-sandy-
hook.aspx?view=threaded
http://www.ahherald.com/columns-mainmenu-28/old-oak-trail/8281-gannet-a-osprey-week-in-sandy-
hook-bay
Swimming River Reservoir in Lincroft-Colts Neck, New Jersey: In winter season, there are
many colorful waterfowl at Swimming River Reservoir in Lincroft-Colts Neck area. I have also seen a
bald eagle flying over the Swimming River Reservoir. Photos and more information are on my web
pages at:
http://www.shltrip.com/More_on_Flowers_and_Bird_Watching_in_NJ_Page_2.html
http://www.shltrip.com/Large_Herd_of_deer_in_Colts_Neck.html
By setting up a Bird Feeder on the Back Porch, one can also see many birds on and near the bird
feeder in the backyard in winter season and other seasons as shown on my web page at:
http://www.shltrip.com/Wildlife_Watching_In_Backyard.html
After a heavy snow storm in the winter season with heavy snow covering everything outside, if one throws
some bird seeds or bread on the snow on the back porch, many interesting and colorful birds will show up on
the back porch to eat the bird seeds or bread as shown the web page above.
Many Lakes, Ponds, Bays and Inlets along New Jersey Coast: There are many lakes,
ponds, bays and inlets along the coastal areas of New Jersey. In the winter season, there are very few
people at these lakes, ponds, bays and inlets, but many waterfowl migrated south from frozen lakes and
rivers in northern Canada and Alaska show up to enjoy the open water in these lakes, ponds, bays and inlets
in the winter season along New Jersey coast. It is interesting to drive along New Jersey coastal area in the
winter season to see and to photograph many colorful waterfowl in these lakes, ponds, bays and inlets.
Examples are Sandy Hook Bay, Shark River Inlet, etc.
feeder in the backyard in winter season and other seasons as shown on my web page at:
http://www.shltrip.com/Wildlife_Watching_In_Backyard.html
After a heavy snow storm in the winter season with heavy snow covering everything outside, if one throws
some bird seeds or bread on the snow on the back porch, many interesting and colorful birds will show up on
the back porch to eat the bird seeds or bread as shown the web page above.
Many Lakes, Ponds, Bays and Inlets along New Jersey Coast: There are many lakes,
ponds, bays and inlets along the coastal areas of New Jersey. In the winter season, there are very few
people at these lakes, ponds, bays and inlets, but many waterfowl migrated south from frozen lakes and
rivers in northern Canada and Alaska show up to enjoy the open water in these lakes, ponds, bays and inlets
in the winter season along New Jersey coast. It is interesting to drive along New Jersey coastal area in the
winter season to see and to photograph many colorful waterfowl in these lakes, ponds, bays and inlets.
Examples are Sandy Hook Bay, Shark River Inlet, etc.