< February 2014 >

Join us and other environmental organizations at the Cumberland County Winter Eagle festival. Bald eagles are just some of the spectacular birds of prey to come out and observe as part of a day full of activities, walks, exhibits, speakers, book signings, vendors and tasty Down Jersey food.

Birding enthusiasts young and old will not be disappointed as experts and volunteers from New Jersey Audubon/Cape May Bird Observatory and Citizens United to Protect the Maurice River will be on hand with spotting scopes and a wealth of information to help identify wildlife and guide tours at various viewing sites.

Four walks will be held in the Natural Land Trust's Glades Wildlife Refuge:

• 7:00 am Sunrise Walk at Turkey Point
• 10:00 am Tat Starr Trail walk
• 1:30 pm Bald Eagle Trail walk
• 5:00 pm Owl Watch

Admission – $10.00 Adults / $5.00 Children 12 & under.

Free Transportation to and from the event is available for in-county seniors and disabled via the Cumberland Area Transit System. Please call (856) 691-7799 to arrange transport.

For our first osprey platform install of the new year we're looking for at least six volunteers to assist. The platform is being installed to provide a safe place for ospreys to nest that's away from the Rutgers University Marine Field Station boardwalk. The pair has nested on an old group of short pilings which is prone to predation. The new platform will be placed nearby and can be carried out onto the marsh from the road, so no boat is required. Interested volunteers should bring warm work gloves, knee boots or hip/chest waders to wear.

Please RSVP to Ben Wurst so you can be notifed if adverse weather causes the install to be canceled.

On warm, wet evenings every spring, a natural phenomenon takes place in the forests around us that most people will never encounter — the annual amphibian migration. Hordes of frogs and salamanders awaken from their winter dormancy with one thing on their mind: finding a mate. To see these amphibians in action, most folks need to be dressed in thermal layers, water-proof boots, a raincoat, and winter hat and gloves. But for an upcoming experience at Howell Living History Farm, you can leave all of that at home.

Join Nature Center Manager Kelly Rypkema and County Naturalist Jenn Rogers when they present “An Amphibian Amble,” a program devoted to the fascinating lives of vernal pool amphibians. The evening will uncover the players of this mating and migration drama, what they are striving for and the obstacles they have to overcome.

The program will conclude with an introduction to the Amphibian Crossing Project, a citizen science project organized by the Conserve Wildlife Foundation. Information will be available to program attendees who are interested in volunteering for the project.

“An Amphibian Amble” will take place inside Howell Farm’s heated, 19th-century barn. The program is part of the “Naturally Friends” series that focuses on the beneficial relationships that exist between farmers and the wildlife that lives on and around farms. Parking and admission are free, but a $3-per-person donation is suggested. Proceeds benefit the educational programs of the Mercer County Naturalist Program and Wildlife Center.