During the month of May, shorebirds make an incredible trek from South America to the Canadian Arctic with one critical stop – the Delaware Bay. Shorebirds, including the federally-listed endangered Red Knot, will spend just a few short weeks on bay beaches, where they will feast on horseshoe crab eggs that will give them enough energy to continue their migration.
 
These remote beaches are not only loved by wildlife, but humans too. Human presence and activity on these beaches can scare the birds, causing them to flee and spend less time foraging and gaining weight. 

From May 7 to June 7, several beaches along the New Jersey side of the Delaware Bay will be the focus of efforts to help the birds forage with minimal disturbance. Volunteer stewards will be on hand to explain the importance of giving the resting and feeding birds some space during their stopover, free from dogs, Frisbees and even curious people like us.
 
Stewards are needed throughout the May across several beaches in Cumberland and Cape May counties. If you are interested in becoming a Shorebird Steward, please reach out to Habitat Restoration Coordinator, Quinn Whitesall quinn@littoralsociety.org for more information and to register for the training on April 30.

While Shorebird Stewards are volunteers, a travel stipend will be offered to each steward for their mileage. This is a partnership program with Conserve Wildlife Foundation of NJ and the New Jersey Division of Fish & Wildlife.

The weather is warming, Spring is here, and the Wreck Pond team are back on-site for more fish sampling at the coastal lake located on the border of Spring Lake and Sea Girt, NJ.

Through the month of June we will be looking for adult river herring, a migratory fish that includes alewife and blueback, that lives much of its life in the ocean but spawns in places like Wreck Pond.

River herring are prey for important recreational and commercial species, such as cod, haddock, and striped bass.

These sampling events are conducted around the lunar cycles, every 12 hours for a 3½ day span.  Sampling event #2 began Wednesday, March 30 and runs until the morning of Sunday, April 3. Sampling Event #3 will begin on the evening of Thursday, April 14 and continue through the morning of Monday, April 18. If you would like to participate or have questions, please contact: zack@littoralsociety.org  OR julie@littoralsociety.org

There are many talented and committed women currently on the staff and Board of the American Littoral Society (find their bios on our website under Who We Are, within the Staff and Trustees pages).

However, we have benefitted from some truly tremendous “alumni,” who constantly remind us to be aware that in doing our work, we stand on the shoulders of those who came before us. We'd like to remember two of them to conclude Women's History Month.

Saturdays, March 5, 19 and 26
Boat departs from Highlands Terminal at 12:15 p.m.
326 Shore Drive
Highlands, NJ
Adults $45, $30 Children 12 and under
Click here for more info and to purchase tickets

Join the American Littoral Society aboard the Seastreak ferry for a Seal and Bird Eco-Cruise on Saturdays in March. We'll explore the area and discuss the incredible history, geography, and ecology of this unique environment.

Sandy Hook Bay and the greater NY/NJ Bight are well-known for their abundance of diverse wildlife. Whales, rays, and sea turtles populate these waters during the summer months, but winter is the best time to see seals and many migratory birds!

For 61 years, the American Littoral Society has cared for the coast and promoted the study and conservation of marine life and habitat. Our Eco-Cruise follows the requirements of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 in order to protect habitat and marine animals in and around Sandy Hook. We believe it is imperative to give the wildlife around Sandy Hook the courtesy and respect they deserve. Please join us as we safely gaze upon them in their natural habitat from a proper distance.