From the Field - New Jersey Preserves

If the ticks and the chiggers don't get you...

In New Jersey there are lots of ticks, chiggers, knats, greenheads and deerflies but the insectlike critter often most worrisome is the black widow spider. This photo was taken 10 feet from the front porch of the Peek Preserve field office. Two of these black widows were under a log, and there are lots more around the fence posts and other scattered timbers. The Glades Refuge also has many of these spiders; I once counted more than a dozen while cleaning up a bunch of tires from a newly-purchased property. While their bite rarely kills people, it sure can be painful and causes some unusual reactions.

So here's another reason to visit the New Jersey preserves: to see these beautiful colorful creatures in their natural environment, which often is the woodpiles and debris left by humans in rural and wooded areas.

Raptor Discovery Days

Yesterday and today are "Raptor Discovery Days" at Peek Preserve. As a part of the Cumberland County Winter Eagle Festival, nearly 400 school children will visit the preserve over these two days to hike the trails, learn more about raptors, and to see some of these magnificent birds for themselves. Students also visit the Mauricetown Fire Hall to complete various raptor-themed activities.

At Peek Preserve, students are lead on hikes around the preserve by volunteers from Citizens United to Save the Maurice River. On one hike yesterday, the students were treated to a spectacular view of a Bald Eagle flying close by as he headed up the river to hunt. All of the students also had the chance to use viewing scopes to see an Eagle that  was sitting in a tree across the wild rice marsh from the observation deck for most of the morning and part of the afternoon.

Thanks to all the volunteers who helped make these "Raptor Discovery Days" possible.