 In conjunction with Cellular Tracking Technologies (CTT) and the Cape May Part Science Center, the American Littoral Society installed on May 8 a radio tracking station and a series of nodes along the shore of Reeds in Middle Township, NJ.
This station will aid in the Littoral Society’s goal of tracking the movements of horseshoe crabs as they come back to spawn year after year. These new PowerTags are in addition to the tags the Society has been using for years that provide some basic insight on crab movement when tagged crabs are recaptured. The Delaware Bay is home to the largest population of spawning Atlantic horseshoe crabs, (Limulus polyphemus). The horseshoe crabs come ashore to spawn and lay eggs during the months of May and June, with peak spawning occurring during new and full moon events at high tide. Horseshoe crabs are keystone species, playing a very important ecological role. Migratory shorebirds, like the threatened Red Knot, (Calidris canutus), use the Delaware Bay as a stopover during their migrations from the tip of South America to the Canadian Arctic. They rely heavily on the easily digested fats and nutrients found in horseshoe crab eggs to regain weight and fuel their continuing migration.  Volunteers and NYC Parks staff joined the Littoral Society on Saturday, May 18 to install native plants at the Arverne East Nature Preserve in Queens, NY. May was a busy month for the Littoral Society's New York office. In addition to working on local community outreach, education and improving habitats across three Boroughs (the Bronx, Coney Island and Jamaica Bay/Rockaway), staff also completed a highly successful Spring excursion to the DelMarVa coast.
Led by the Littoral Society's Jamaica Bay Guardian Don Riepe and Northeast Chapter Director Alexandra Kanonik, the Chincoteague was a hit. About 20 people gathered with us on the islands off the Delmarva Peninsula to enjoy the sights, food, ponies and their foals. We also had an up-close sighting of the Blue Grosbeak, early horseshoe crabs, and many other great bird and wildlife observations on our 4-day weekend from May 2-5. On Tuesday, May 7, Alex explored the shorelines of Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx at Orchard Beach with 50 students from local NYC DoE schools to learn about the habitats and geology of this special span of the Long Island Sound in partnership with the National Wildlife Federation.  Students from Vineland High School and community volunteers celebrated Earth Day with the Littoral Society by participating in a Delaware Bay dune grass planting at Fortescue Beach in Cumberland County. The Littoral Society recently completed a large-scale restoration project at this site to improve and protect this Delaware Bay beach for horseshoe crab spawning and migratory shorebirds. Thanks to the hard work of our volunteers, we planted 1200 culms of American Beachgrass to restore approximately 1000 feet of natural dune. The planted grasses will strengthen the dune system so it can provide flood protection to the neighboring community and vital habitat for wildlife. The student participants were a part of the Littoral Society’s Beach Grasses in Classes program. Prior to their beach visit, students received classroom lessons on the importance of coastal dune systems and their role in protecting communities from storms, erosion, flooding, and sea level rise. They also learned about American beach grass and its unique adaptations for survival in the harsh seaside environment. As part of the classroom segment, students also planted stems of beachgrass to care for ahead of their dune grass planting field trip. The class then visited Fortescue Beach to plant the grass they raised in their classroom in the natural dune system. Special thanks to the Vineland High School students who also hosted a t-shirt sale to fundraise a donation to the Littoral Society to support our work in the Delaware Bay region.  An early season pair of horseshoe crabs leaving a nest - Slaughter Beach, DE By Trevor Metz, Littoral Society Delaware Seasonal Technician
What an exciting month! Extending the American Littoral Society’s advocacy and outreach to the great state of Delaware has been a fun-filled adventure over the past handful of weeks. As awesome as the experiences of bearing witness to moonlight horseshoe crab spawning and paddling alongside Red Knots have been, the overwhelming feeling is that we are at a pivotal time for protecting these vulnerable coastal species. I live in Milford, DE and only a short drive away from Slaughter Beach, one of the well-known shorebird stops along the Delaware Bayshore. The Mayor and Town Manager kindly set aside some time for me to introduce myself, explain the American Littoral Society, and talk about some of what we were planning in and around their town. I let them know about our interactive presentations, cooperative tagging efforts, and gave some insight into the Red Knot Fest that would be taking place Memorial Day weekend.  L to R: Stella Mueller, Samantha Hemming The Littoral Society would like to welcome our new Coastal Education Interns, Stella and Samantha. Our Education Interns will be helping deliver educational programs to people of all ages on Sandy Hook. They’ll be getting their feet wet in the field of environmental education during our Close Encounters field trips, public nature walks, and special events all summer.
Please say “Hello” when you see them at Sandy Hook! Stella Mueller Bio I am so excited to be a summer intern with the American Littoral Society! I just graduated from the University of Rhode Island (URI) with a double major in Conservation Biology and Journalism. |
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