Conserve Wildlife Blog

Posts Tagged ‘2013’

Osprey Cam: Back up and running!

Tuesday, December 3rd, 2013
After much delay…

by Ben Wurst, Habitat Program Manager

Last week we set out to finally repair the osprey cam at Edwin B. Forsythe NWR. (Note: we do all of the technical repairs and maintenance to the camera system) Initial repairs were delayed to protect the osprey young. Timing restrictions are set in place to reduce disturbance to nesting ospreys and nests cannot be disturbed from April 1 – August 30. This is a good thing! When we finally set out to figure out the issue with why the camera suddenly lost power, we had to wait until it was safe to enter the nest. When we first went out (August 15) for a quick diagnosis (after we knew all young were flying and not relying on the nest as much) and got the cam online again…but it died after 30 minutes of streaming…

We went out again in late September and determined it was the solar charge controller but had to wait to get a new one. In October we went out out to replace the charge controller but the system was still down and the equipment was not getting power. The two batteries only had 6 volts of charge and needed to be recharged. So, the two 50lb. batteries were lugged a pretty long distance and charged up. Once they held a charge we made plans to go back to re-install them and hoped it would work. Success!! The batteries powered up the system and within minutes the camera was streaming online!

Special thanks to volunteer Joe Bilotta for helping out with the re-installation of the batteries!

Osprey Cam equipment

Volunteer, Joe Bilotta helps to setup a ladder to access osprey cam equipment.

Ben gives thumbs up!

Thumbs up!!

Osprey nest in off season

Not so green anymore!

Get Wild! Silent Auction

Tuesday, November 26th, 2013
100% of proceeds support our conservation efforts!!

by Ben Wurst, Habitat Program Manager

auction

Each item from our auction was donated by wildlife enthusiasts and CWF supporters in New Jersey. Their donation of an item, trip, or service will directly support our mission to “Protect New Jersey’s Wildlife.” This is our largest fundraising effort of the year and will help us to make sure salamanders will cross safely on a rainy night. It will also help make sure piping plovers can successfully nest on our beaches without getting trampled by tourists. It will give a pair of ospreys a safe place to nest on our coastal saltmarshes. Lastly, it will make sure that our future generations learn why it’s important to protect wildlife and the habitat that they depend on to survive.

Win a trip to band peregrines, ospreys or bald eagles! All support our mission!!

Please check out our online silent auction to get some awesome gifts for wildlife lovers in your family this holiday season. There are plenty of items for everyone, especially for outdoor enthusiasts! We have several outdoor “excursions” which put you in touch with some of species we work so hard to protect.

Sampling of items:


Special thanks to everyone who donated towards our silent auction!!

New Jersey’s Bald Eagle Population is Flying High

Thursday, November 21st, 2013
© Thomas Gorman

© Thomas Gorman

2013 New Jersey Bald Eagle Project Report

by Larissa Smith, Wildlife biologist/Volunteer Manager

2013 was a good year for the New Jersey bald eagle population.  A total of 148 nests were checked during the season and 119 were found to be active (with eggs).  A record high of 177 young were produced. Eagle nests can now be found in all but two of New Jersey’s 21 counties.

As we wrap up the 2013 season eagle pair’s are already reported to be working on nests for the 2014 nesting season.  I would like to thank all of the dedicated eagle project volunteers as well as all others involved in the eagle project.

The 2013 New Jersey Bald Eagle Project Report has all the details on the 2013 nesting season.

Introducing the 2013 Women & Wildlife Honorees!

Thursday, November 14th, 2013
Introducing the 2013 Women & Wildlife Honorees.

Introducing the 2013 Women & Wildlife Honorees.

Through our annual Women & Wildlife Awards we recognize women who represent a broad range of wildlife protectors in our state:

  • Tracy Leaver, who rehabilitates orphaned and injured animals, including bobcats and bears;
  • Linda J. Mead, who has a distinguished record in permanently preserving over 15,000 acres of natural habitats, farms, and open space for New Jersey’s wildlife;
  • Jo Ann Frier-Murza, who played an important role in protecting our most charismatic wildlife as part of the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife;
  • Pat Sutton, who has educated about the natural world in New Jersey, especially in Cape May, for over 30 years; and
  • Dr. Edith Wallace, who has devoted more than half a century to inspiring people, young and old, to make the wild places of New Jersey part of their everyday experiences.

At the event we will also commemorate the 40th Anniversary of New Jersey’s Endangered Species Conservation Act. This landmark legislation directed the Department of Environmental Protection to protect, manage and restore the State’s endangered and nongame wildlife species and allowed state biologists to bring key species back from the brink of extinction – species such as the bald eagle, peregrine falcon, and osprey.

When: Wednesday, December 4th, 6:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Where: Trenton Country Club, 201 Sullivan Way, Ewing, New Jersey

Tickets: $75 individual ticket

$250, $500 and $1,000 sponsorships will be listed in the event program

All proceeds will benefit our work to protect our rare and imperiled wildlife!

For more information, please contact Liz Silvernail at (609) 292-3707.

Jersey City’s Peregrine Falcons

Monday, October 28th, 2013
Meet the nesting pair!

by Ben Wurst, Habitat Program Manager

Peregrine falcons are the largest falcon in New Jersey. They are found world-wide and are the fastest bird. They were once extirpated from the state (and all areas east of the Mississippi River) by 1964, after DDT decimated their population. A recovery program spearheaded by The Peregrine Fund helped to re-establish the eastern population by releasing captive bred birds. The birds were “hacked” on towers on the coastal saltmarsh where prey was readily available and predators (great horned owls) were minimal. The program was successful and by 1980 the first wild nesting of peregrines occurred at Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge in Oceanville. Since then the population has steadily increased because of the dedicated biologists and volunteers who help to monitor and manage them. (more…)