by CWF Great Bay Terrapin Project Volunteer Intern, Madison Rose O’Malley
Madison holding an adult female terrapin with scars showing damage consistent with an impact with a boat/outboard.
This summer, I had the chance to volunteer for the Great Bay Terrapin Project to help survey the local terrapin population within Great Bay Boulevard Wildlife Management Area. Being able to assist a vulnerable population was incredibly fulfilling and I personally was able to learn a lot about their behavior during this incredible time. I got to see firsthand just how many female turtles crossed that road to lay their eggs, but unfortunately that also showed me just how many were injured or killed by reckless, inattentive, or outright malicious drivers. One thing I realized during this is just how hardy of an animal the terrapin is. I saw individuals with massive chunks taken out of them, bite marks, claw marks, and huge gashes from boat propellers forever etched into their shells. I realized that despite their vulnerability in early life and extremely slow growth, the defense of their shell and their insane ability to recover from injuries left them with very few threats for a long time. Even many major boat injuries are recoverable, emphasizing the severity of the threat posed by automobiles specifically.
The 2024 NJ Bald eagle nesting season is winding down and so far 221 young eagles have fledged from nests throughout the state. We know that these eagles have fledged due to the eagle project volunteers who monitor all known eagle nests in New Jersey. Being a nest monitor can be a joyful experience when all goes well and the pairs successfully fledge young. But, it can also be heartbreaking when a pair fails to hatch eggs and when adults or chicks are lost during the season. Despite the ups and downs of monitoring eagle nests the volunteers continue to be dedicated to the eagle project. I asked the Eagle Project volunteers to send me their two favorite photos from the season.
Please enjoy the slideshow.
All photos were taken by trained volunteers from a safe distance using high powered scopes and cameras.
NJ Eagle Project Volunteers monitor nests during the nesting season. Since they spend a lot of time observing the nest and eagles behavior they get to see some pretty interesting things and many of them are able to document with photos. I asked volunteers to send me their three favorite photos from the eagle nesting season. Thank you to all the eagle project volunteers for their dedication
Enjoy the slideshow.
Manville-The Hatch @ Rose Joy
Adult bringing a fish to Junior at the Mercer Co. nest @ Kevin & Karin Buynie
Alloway E, nestling @ Clare Luisi
“Back together with our mentor (Kim Korth) @ Kevin & Karin Buynie
photo by: Blake Alan
photo by: Blake Alan
Bull Island, “This pair worked diligently during the early months,then abandoned this nest which had been productive for at least a decade! @ Barb McKee
Denville-fledgling returning to nest@Margaret & Chuck Blewett
Duke Farm May 5th @ Diane Cook
Duke Farm, Family Time May 13th @ Diane Cook
Difficult challenges for the Atlantic City nest, high power lines and nearby windmills. This nest had successful last year but was unsuccessful this season@ Bill Reinert
Eagle Point_Red Bank nest@ Rick & Tina Clegg
Eagle Point_Red bank @ Rick & Tina Clegg
Cape May “Family Portrait @ John King
Higbee “good luck kiss from Mom before Junior’s first flight” @ John King
Group who renested the two Princeton eaglets
“Double trouble” @ Blake Alan
Linden @ Tony Gregorio
Lower Patcong-single fledgling @ Bill Reinert
“male returning with Herring Gull” @ Rich Nicol
Manville- “fledged for four weeks” @ Rose Joy
Manville Mom feeding triplets @Rose Joy
Duke Farms March 2nd @ Diane Cook
Merrill Creek eagle after trying to catch a fish@ Louis Schwarz
Merrill Creek pair@Louis Schwarz
Mt. Airy “Woohoo-Ready to fly@Barb McKee
Overpeck juvenile@ D. DeSantis
Overpeck@ D. DeSantis
Overpeck adult @ D. DeSantis
Pine Tavern pair @ Clare Luisi
Princeton chicks (H38 & H39) back in their new nest built by John Heilferty
Quinton B trio@ Clare Luisi
Rainbow Lake fledge (Kathy Clark & Heiki Poolake) @ Donna Poolake
School House pair with chick @ Poolake’s
Schoolhouse nest @ Poolake’s
South River’s fledgling pair joined by a Great Blue Heron @ Bill Reinert
Audubon nestling @ Spence Bennett
Audubon @ Spence Bennett
Audubon pair @ Spence Bennett
Three Bridges eagle cam Feb. 7th @ Mary Ellen Hill
Three Bridges eagle cam, Kestrel Jan, 24th @ Mary Ellen Hill
Three Bridges eagle cam @ Mary Ellen Hill
Woodschurch nest-two chicks, within days of fledging @ Barb McKee
New Jersey Eagle Project nest monitors Cathy and Jeff White have been volunteering with the program since 2009. The 2022 eagle nesting season was officially their last as they will be “retiring.” When they started with the bald eagle project, they had two eagle nests that they monitored in Southern New Jersey. As of 2022 they were monitoring 25 eagle nests. That is a lot of nests to keep straight! During their 14 years of observing nesting behavior to determine egg laying, hatching, and fledging, a total of 244 eagle chicks fledged from their nests. The Whites have witnessed the eagle population grow over the years and have played a large role in the success of the eagles, including many rescues of both chicks and adults. Their dedication to the eagles through both the good and bad outcomes, is commendable and they are irreplaceable.
They have done so much for the eagle project and will be greatly missed. Thank you!
Photos taken by the Whites throughout their years of monitoring eagle nests.
Eagle Scout candidate Kyle Agudo and Boy Scout Troop 61 give ospreys a boost in the new year
Ben Wurst, Habitat Program Manager
Troop 61 lift an osprey nest platform into place on the coastal saltmarsh. photo by Kathy Agudo.
Humans have played a key role in the recovery and stability of nesting ospreys throughout New Jersey and beyond. Today around 75% of the population, close to 500 pairs, rely on nest platforms designed specifically for them. They provide a stable nest platform, adequate perches, and protection from potential ground predators, aka raccoons. Many platforms are located in very close proximity to people, which make for excellent viewing and educational opportunities. Ospreys are a symbol of a healthy coast and resiliency in a dynamic region.
