By Muriel J. Smith
Now that the summer is over, and the tens of thousands of swimmers, sunbathers, boaters, and just plain folks who enjoy the beauty of Monmouth County even though they don’t live here have gone home, there’s so much more life and activity at Sandy Hook and other sites along the Bayshore that still remain unknown or foreign to residents of the Two River area.
Birding isn’t just for the little old ladies with big hats and binoculars anymore.
And fall is a perfect time to observe some of the many species of birds that migrate through the area, resting and refreshing at the waterways, marshlands, creeks and rivers that make the Two River area so special.
The Monmouth County Audubon Society has been informing the public for more than half a century about the wonder that is within our sight at all seasons of the year. Society President Bob Henschel, also a long time naturalist with the Monmouth County Park System, is just one of the many bird experts who publish the Osprey, the county
Audubon Society’s five times a year publication. The local chapter of the National Audubon Society’s mission is to promote awareness, appreciation and conservation of natural resources through activism and educational outreach.
The group meets monthly, offering fascinating programs at each meeting, with the next one scheduled for Oct. 14. Because of scheduling conflicts, the society just moved from its original meeting place at the Church of the Nativity in Fair Haven, up the road to the Knights of Columbus Hall at 200 Fair Haven Road.
The program, Snowy Owls: The Ultimate Nomads, will be presented by Dr. Jean-Francois Therrien, senior research biologist for Hawk Mountain Sanctuary. Therrien will talk about what he terms the most unpredictable bird he has ever seen, and will include information on the bird’s biology and other research he has found during the five years he tracked the movements of the ghost like predator from the north. Therrien believes the owls don’t actually migrate, but rather move anywhere and everywhere and building numerous nests along the way.
With the Two River area on the Atlantic Flyway…the natural route birds take in their migratory flights … there is the opportunity to see well over 150 different species of bird and in some seasons, they can all be seen in a single day! But that takes an experienced birder, who can recognize sound, knows habitat types and is educated on different birds’ habits and time schedules.
For the rest of us, spotting some hawks with magnificent wingspans, or hearing the distinctive hoot of an owl can be excitement enough.
With cooler temperatures, crisper air, and a season with apples on the trees, acorns and hickory nuts on the ground, the Two River area is the perfect resting spot for ospreys, hawks and shorebirds that are starting their migrations. Literally thousands of birds of numerous varieties will pass through the area, along with those snowy egrets that particularly like the coastline just at dusk. It’s also a great time to see Eastern screech owls that are very busy re-establishing their feeding territories. They’re also booting out the youngsters who they have taught to be self-sufficient and should be on their own. With a little luck, even though it’s birds you’re seeking, you might catch some Monarch butterflies as well as they begin their long trek to the Sierra Madre Mountains in Mexico.
Besides both riverfront and ocean front along all of Sandy Hook, Bayshore Waterfront Park, the 227-acre county park in Port Monmouth, also offers some great viewing spots. Located adjacent to the Monmouth Cove Marina, the county park has all the maritime shrubs, tidal creeks, salt marshes, dunes and miles of beach that are so attractive to traveling shore birds. Gunning Island, one of the many islands along the Shrewsbury River, is a 19-acre parcel that was preserved by the borough of Rumson, with some help from Green Acres and other sources. It, as well as Sedge Island, offers estuarine upland habitats with salt marshes and mudflats, the perfect habitat for numerous birds as well as other wildlife. The Park System frequently offers kayak tours through the area, accompanied by naturalists who assist in the spotting and identification.
Information on the Monmouth County Audubon Society is available at their website, monmouthaudubon.org.
