Wild New Jersey Exclusive: Plenty of wildlife on Baykeeper tour of Raritan Bay & Arthur Kill
Great Beds Lighthouse in Raritan Bay.
Photo by Melanie Worob
Though one of the most industrial waterways in the world, the Arthur Kill offers productive foraging grounds - and potential nesting habitat on its offshore islands - for many species of herons, egrets, ibis, and cormorants. The Arthur Kill connects Newark Bay with Raritan Bay, passing between the industrial skylines of the New Jersey Turnpike corridor and the western coast of Staten Island.
Wild New Jersey's David Wheeler recently joined NY-NJ Baykeeper Debbie Mans and Edison Wetlands Association's Bob Spiegel on a tour of the "gateway to New York Harbor." From the departure in Keyport, a diversity of coastal bird life accompanied the boat - from terns and gulls to yellow-crowned night-heron and osprey - illustrating nature's amazing capacity for thriving everywhere from the historic coast of Raritan Bay to the most unlikely of industrial places along the Arthur Kill.
Bob Spiegel of EWA talks with NY-NJ Baykeeper Debbie Mans.
Photo by David Wheeler
Captain Rick Jacks navigates Raritan Bay.
Photo by David Wheeler
A Great Egret and Yellow-crowned Night-heron share a mudflat off of the Keyport bayshore.
Photo by David Wheeler
David Wheeler, Dana Patterson, Robert Spiegel and Melanie Worob of EWA.
Photo by Debbie Mans
A Double-crested cormorant flies along the bay.
Photo by David Wheeler
Baykeeper Captain Rick Jacks expertly guides the boat into port.
Photo by David Wheeler
A tern greets the returning passangers from its perch on a channel marker.
Photo by Melanie Worob
You can learn more information about NY-NJ Baykeeper by clicking here.
Categories: WNJ Exclusives, Birds
Tags: Keyport Raritan Bay yellow-crowned night-heron ibis Baykeeper Arthur Kill Newark Bay egrets cormorants herons NY-NJ Baykeeper
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