WNJ Exclusive: Pelicans, ospreys, and marbled godwit on free birding walks at Island Beach
Marbled Godwit (not the same bird mentioned below)
Photo credit: bird-friends.com
Looking for a free summer event where you can spend some time on the beach, surrounded by nature and the guidance of expert birders? Island Beach State Park is hosting free morning bird walks every other Thursday along this 10-mile stretch of unbroken barrier beach. This unique coastal refuge offers over 3,000 acres of dunes, maritime forest, and tidal marsh, providing habitat for over 400 plants and the New Jersey's largest osprey colony.
Skyler Streich of the Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey is the Barnegat Bay Birder-in-Resident, and she leads the Island Beach State Park birding walks. Recent birding trips have seen common eiders, Forsters terns, ruddy turnstones, willets, brown pelicans, American oystercatchers, and ospreys.
Other likely sightings on the bird walks include tricolored heron, glossy ilbis, black-bellied plover, little blue heron, seaside sparrow, and boat-tailed grackle. Island Beach also hosts other public wildlife events, such as clamming events and "Birding by Kayak" tours. Red knots, sandwich terns, black-crowned night-heron, and clapper rails highlighted the bird sightings on a recent clamming event.
A recent Birding by Kayak tour proved even more productive for birders, according to Streich.
"There was a Marbled Godwit on the sandbar right in front of the A-21 kayak launch site! It was amongst a good variety of shorebirds which have steadily increasing in numbers since the last kayak tour two weeks ago. The other highlight was a flock of 12 Whimbrels flying overhead! We also had a very cooperative single Brant near the mouth of Spizzle Creek. All in all, it was an excellent day with excellent birds and excellent participants.”
The Friends of Island Beach State Park offer an excellent source of additional information at www.friendsofislandbeach.com.
Upcoming bird walks include Thursday, August 19, and September 2. Participants should meet at the Forked River Interpretive Center in Island Beach State Park for a roughly 3 mile walk. All birders are encouraged to bring plenty of water, sunblock, a hat for shade, and binoculars - though spare binoculars are available for those who need them.
For more information, questions, or in case of inclement weather, email barnegatbirder@gmail.com or call 609-984-0621.
Other stories about Island Beach State Park include:
- NJ.com: Seaside Park beaches temporarily close after shark sightings
- NJ.com Video: Students visit Sedge Island Marine Conservation Zone to learn about the environment
- Dead Whale Washes Ashore At Island Beach State Park
Posted by WILDNEWJERSEY at 8/11/2010 1:00 PM 
Categories: WNJ Exclusives, Birds
Tags: clamming kayak island beach state park glossy ibis osprey heron marbled godwit plover grackle
Categories: WNJ Exclusives, Birds
Tags: clamming kayak island beach state park glossy ibis osprey heron marbled godwit plover grackle
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