Wawayanda State Park

Join Wild New Jersey's David Wheeler as he hikes Wawayanda State Park. His light-hearted "Wild Wawayanda" series is currently running on the Wild New Jersey site. Head over there now to check out part 3!

Photos (c) David Wheeler 2009

Big day in Cape May

This morning in Cape May a Northern Goshawk was spotted at the Meadows during a morning walk. A short time later, a Swainson's Hawk was seen flying over one of the fields at the Beanery. Add a Western Kingbird to the mix and it's quite the day for mid-autumn birding down at the tip of New Jersey!

Swainson's Hawk (c) Jerry Oldenettel 2007

While the Northern Goshawk's southern range does extend into New Jersey during the winter, it is still a treat to see one this early in the year that isn't flying overhead at a Hawkwatch. The Swainson's Hawk and Western Kingbird are true rarities in the state, as their eastern ranges do not usually extend beyond the Mississippi River. These three make for quite the trio - just remember to be courteous to both the birds and other people if you plan on heading down to search for them.

Western Kingbird (c) Matt Knoth 2009

Follow the Cape May Bird Observatory twitter for sightings and updates: http://twitter.com/cmbobirds

Vote Yes Tomorrow!

For information on public question number 1 and why it is imperative that we all vote "yes", please visit http://njkeepitgreen.org/ - thanks!

Autumn Harvest

We visited Suydam Farms in Somerset this weekend to do some pumpkin shopping. After choosing one we are hopeful is filled to the brim with delicious seeds (which we will toast this weekend), we also found a nice variety of decorative gourds for our home. There was also a bounty of delicious, freshly picked produce for sale including turnips, a wide variety of potatoes, apples, peppers of all different kinds, squash, and more.


We decided to add some great-looking green beans to our purchase. Yesterday Elizabeth cooked them with some garlic and we had them with dinner. Mmm mmm mmm.


It's not too late to enjoy local, fresh produce. And not only are the products you'll get at your local farm or farmer's market fresh and probably better tasting than the grocery store alternative, it's also a ton of fun to get outside on a nice fall afternoon and pick your pumpkins, shop around an open-air market, and support the farmers of your community.

Sage Thrasher moves on

Prior to this week, only three known Sage Thrashers had ever visited the Garden State. On Tuesday, Sandy Hook welcomed the fourth.

Bob Devlin (c) 2009

The range of the Sage Thrasher is mostly contained with the American south-west. It is not known to breed, migrate, or winter east of the Mississippi River, so finding one on the Atlantic Coast was quite a sighting. With no sightings as of 7pm on Friday, it appears that the lost bird has moved on, possibly to try and find his way home.

Let's all remember that these birds are often stressed and should be given plenty of space. If you are approaching too closely and it is affecting the behavior of the rarity, you should take a few steps back until the bird seems to calm down. Most of you know this, so please pass it along to those who don't seem to! Thanks, and good birding!

Explore Ken Lockwood Gorge

The East Brunswick Environmental Commission will be hosting a trip to Ken Lockwood Gorge on Saturday, October 24th (rain date Sunday, October 25th). If you are interested in hiking around and/or taking photos of this beautiful place, please email Richard Wolfert at njnaturenotes@comcast.net to inquire about any open spots left on the trip.

shutterbugMike (c) 2008

The autumn leaves should be vibrant and colorful, so don't miss a great opportunity for fall photography. For more info on the trip visit the Events & Trips page.

Cranberry Festival!

The Cranberry Festival of Chatsworth takes place this weekend, October 17th and 18th. The festival will include many artists and craftsmen as well as tours of the actual harvest as it happens! Come and celebrate the Pine Barrens and the unique culture of this part of New Jersey.

Photograph by Chris Pesotski

The website can be found at http://www.cranfest.org/festival.html - unfortunately it's not jam-packed full of information so you may want to contact the committee by navigating to their contact page.