NWR Fall Festival: Celebrating 50 Years! (March 30, 2010)
Saturday September 11, 2010 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
In December of 1959, the Port Authority of New York announced its intention to build an airport at the Great Swamp. People from all over spoke out against this idea and in 1960 the first land was set aside for what is now Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. Fifty years later the Friends of Great Swamp NWR celebrate this anniversary at its annual Fall Festival with a day of activities such as puppet shows, river seining, and more. There will be displays on the changes at Great Swamp NWR over the last 50 years; the impact of the oil spill on the Gulf region; the life cycle of the Monarch butterfly and more. New this year is a Rummage sale featuring items with a nature theme. Partners from Raptor Trust, Great Swamp Watershed Assoc., Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge and others will be present to support the Friends in this celebration. In addition, the Helen C. Fenske Visitor Center will feature new exhibits. As always, there will be free food. Please join us at the Helen C. Fenske Visitor Center to celebrate 50 years of Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge.
Last year "The Blue Goose", a symbol of the National Wildlife Refuge System, came for the grand opening of the Helen C. Fenske Visitor Center.
Great Backyard Bird Count at Great Swamp NWR (March 30, 2010)
The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) sponsored by The Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Audubon is an annual four-day event that engages bird watchers of all ages in counting birds to create a real-time snapshot of where the birds are across the continent. The bird count was held over the Presidents Day weekend. The Friends of Great Swamp participated again this year in the GBBC. A total of 33 different species were reported either by birders who stopped at the Helen C. Fenske Visitor Center to record their sightings on the chart or seen by the "indoor" birders watching the feeders from the windows. One of the more unusual sightings was an Eastern Meadowlark seen both Saturday and Sunday by different birders. Three Golden-crowned Kinglets were also observed, as were the Screech owl and Barred Owl. Sunday two Wild Turkeys walked across the field by the Visitor Center so that they could be included in the count! The birds which had the greatest numbers seen were the Canada Goose, Junco, American Crow and Mourning Dove. Plan on being part of the GBBC on Presidents Day weekend next year, either at the Great Swamp or in your own backyard. The results of the sightings were forwarded to Cornell to be included in the count. The results help scientists in the United States and Canada to understand more about how the distribution and abundance of birds are changing over time.
Give Wing to Your Wild Side! (October 2, 2009)
National Wildlife Refuge Week, October 11 - 17, 2009
Join the Friends of Great Swamp and celebrate National Wildlife Refuge Week. The celebrations kick off on Sunday, October and continue all week:
Click to download.The Big Sit!
Sunday, October 11, dawn 'til dusk
Join the "Swamp Sitters" for our annual Big Sit birding event at the Overlook on Pleasant Plains Road. This is the 15th year that Bird Watchers Digest has hosted this annual, international, non-competitive birding event. The purpose is to have fun seeing how many species of birds can be seen in a 24-hour period from within a 17-foot diameter circle. Stop by anytime and join the Circle. Stay for a little while - or longer. Everyone is welcome to join the fun!Ducks on the Wing - Second Sunday...with Friends
Sunday, October 11, 1:30 - 3:30
Helen C. Fenske Visitor Center, 32 Pleasant Plains Road
Naturalist Steve Byland will share duck identification tips and tricks. This is your chance to brush up on your ID skills before the Sunset Walks. Indoor program will be followed by a guided walk. Refreshments.Sunset Walks
Every night October 11 - 17, 5:45 pm 'til dark
Parking Lot of "old" Friends' Nature Shop, 32 Pleasant Plains Road
Experience fall migration first hand. Join us for guided walks into the Management Area, normally closed to the public. At sunset, flock after flock of ducks and geese fly into the impoundment areas to rest and feed. It's an awesome sight. Come for one night - or many.
Play on the Wild Side...Connect With Nature (August 24, 2009)
Tenth Annual Fall Festival at Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
September 12, 2009 - 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Fall is right around the corner and that means it's time for the annual Fall Festival at Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge sponsored by the Friends of Great Swamp with the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge.
It's a full day of fun with free admission, free food, and lots of interesting and educational activities for the whole family. Join us on September 12, 2009 from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. Check out the details on our Fall Festival flyers.
This year the Fall Festival will be held at the Helen C. Fenske Visitor Center located at 32 Pleasant Plains Road, Harding Township, New Jersey. Directions to the new visitor center are on our web site as well as an updated Refuge map.
This is a rain or shine event! In case of rain, activities will be moved indoors.
Creating a path to the future...one brick at a time.
Friends Launch Fundraising Campaign (August 24, 2009)
Think of it...an engraved brick prominently displayed at the Helen C. Fenske Visitor Center, with an inscription of your favorite quotation, a memorial to a loved one, a tribute to someone who has inspired you, a reminder of Helen Fenske's legacy or just recognition, in your own words, of the value and importance of this great natural treasure Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. Your engraved brick will be a lasting reminder of your support for Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge and will provide inspiration and enjoyment for Refuge visitors for years to come.
The Friends of Great Swamp NWR are launching a fundraising campaign by selling engraved commemorative bricks for placement at the Helen C. Fenske Visitor Center. The engraved bricks come in three different formats: a 4x8 inch brick with up to three lines of text for $150; an 8x8 inch brick with up to six lines of text for $300; and an 8x8 inch brick with an engraved blue goose and up to four lines of text for $350. A laser engraving technique is used which burns into the face of the brick creating an engraving that is naturally dark and completely permanent.
The long-awaited Helen C. Fenske Visitor Center at Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge has become a reality but there is still much that needs to be done in order to realize the potential of this new visitor facility. Your gift will help fund visitor exhibits, landscaping and demonstration gardens, nature trails and observation blinds, new educational and interpretive programs for school and scout groups, families, and adults.
You may wish to buy one brick or several. Just complete the Brick Campaign Order Form and mail it to the Friends along with your check. Credit card payments are happily accepted at the Friends' Nature shop located in the Helen C. Fenske Visitor Center. If you're not sure about your personal engraved message, you can reserve your brick now and send those instructions at a later date. You will receive an acknowledgement letter for your tax deductible donation. Individuals, organizations, and formal and informal groups are welcome to purchase bricks. Bricks will be sold through December 2010.
Help us in creating a path to the future...one brick at a time.
Get outside, Work with Friends, and Do Something Good
For Our Part of the World. (May 30, 2009)
You are invited to join other volunteers at Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge and remove invasive plants around the Visitor Center, 32 Pleasant Plains Road (at the west end of Pleasant Plains Road, off Lee's Hill Road, Harding Township). On the second Wednesday and fourth Thursday, June through September, 8:30 am -12:00 noon, volunteers will cut down woody plants, primarily multi flora rose and barberry to allow the regrowth of native plants. No experience is required, but wear work clothes and shoes plus a hat, and bring a sense of humor. Gloves, equipment, instructions and snacks will be provided.
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Volunteer Dates: - June 10 and 25 - July 8 and 23 - August 12 and 27 - September 9 and 24 |
For more information, call Kathy Woodward at 973-635-1083. Weather cancellations will be posted on the Friends phone, 973-425-9510. |
Bio-Blitz at Great Swamp NWR (Apr 24, 2009)
Fri, May 15, 5 PM –Sat, May 16, 5 PM
Sponsored by Great Swamp Watershed Association, Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, and Friends of Great Swamp NWR, Bioblitz is a 24-hour inventory of all living plants and animals in a given area. View the flyer for more details
New! Just for Kids! Become a Junior Refuge
Manager at Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge (Mar 26, 2009)
It's Spring and the Friends of Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge are launching a new program designed to help children, from age 5 through 13, learn more about nature by completing a Junior Refuge Manager Activity Book. Activity pages cover frogs, turtles, snakes, birds and invertebrates. Upon successful completion of the activities, children earn a certificate and official Junior Refuge Manager badge! This is a great opportunity for kids and for families to get outside, enjoy the Refuge, and learn observation skills.
There will be a Kick-Off event on April 25, from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm at the Wildlife Observation Center on New Vernon Road. We will have prizes, refreshments, and the Activity Book, which normally costs $2.00, will be free to all participants on that day. If you can't make the Kick-Off, the Activity Book will be available at the Wildlife Observation Center throughout the spring season and volunteers will be available on scheduled dates to assist aspiring Junior Refuge Managers.
View the flyer for more details. Join the Friends of Great Swamp and become a Junior Refuge Manager.
Wonderful Winter Birding at GSNWR (Feb 18, 2009)
Photo and story by Dorothy Smullen
Early this winter, birders were treated to views of the Northern shrike, and the red-headed woodpecker has been seen all winter. If you visit the refuge along Pleasant Plains Road at the right time of day, you can see the Northern harrier "sailing" over the fields looking for prey. But this winter a special treat for birders has been close-up views of long-eared owls. These birds are 13 to 16 inches in height with a wingspan of 36 to 42 inches. They are partially migratory, moving southward in their range each year. Rarely breeding in New Jersey, they are listed as a threatened species. The long ear tufts are set closer together than the great horned owl. The eyes are bright yellow or orange, and the facial disc is tawny-colored. Several birds may be roosting in the daytime in the red cedar junipers at the refuge.
Over the President's weekend, volunteers and visitors participated in the Great Backyard Bird Count, with 37 species reported from around the refuge. With still some weeks of winter weather still ahead, check out what birds you can find and record them on the sightings logs at the Wildlife Observation Center or at the Friends' Nature Shop.
2008 Friends Photo Contest Winners Announced (Jan 25, 2009)
Unfortunately, due to the cancellation of the Fall Festival this past September, the results of the 2008 Friends' Photo Contest were not publicly announced. The winners were selected by volunteer judge Blaine Rothauser.
Twenty-four photographers submitted 95 photos, including five youth photographers (too few for judging). Over the years a significant number and variety of fabulous photos have been added to the Friends' Photo Gallery. All of the 2008 Photo Contest entries are available for viewing at www.gs.lordei.com. Double-click on the Album Photo to enter the gallery, which also includes a selection of photos from prior contests. Thank you to all photographers who participated this year and in past years.
