Did you know that NJ has 465 bird species and over 200 breeding birds? The New Jersey Audubon Society says the Garden State has thousands of acres of public, natural lands and sanctuaries that are perfect for bird watching. That’s why New Jersey is considered a perfect and ideal bird watching state.
The state’s birds are sure to impress you, whether it’s summertime or any other season. So grab some binoculars and head to one of these top summer bird watching spots.
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Cape May Bird Observatory
Location: 707 East Lake Drive, Cape May Point
Details: Cape May is a mecca for birds and bird watchers alike. At this observatory, you can see just about any bird, any time. In fact, visitors recently saw a male pin-tailed whydah (a type of songbird) fluttering up from high grasses. What’s fascinating is that the whydah is native to sub-Saharan Africa. Though it’s nesting in southern California and Puerto Rico now, somehow this caged bird found its way to Cape May.
More info: Visit the website or you can give them a call.
Cora Hartshorn Arboretum & Bird Sanctuary
Location: 324 Forest Drive South, Short Hills
Details: This non-profit organization was a gift of land that Stewart Hartshorn gave to his daughter, Cora, in 1923. She wanted the land to be a place where wild things could grow without being harmed. The grounds are home to various native wildflower species and more than 40 different types of trees. You’ll also find over 100 species of birds here. Come back in the spring and fall, when the arboretum offers refuge and food to migrating birds.
More info: Visit the website or you can give them a call.
Lorrimer Sanctuary
Location: 790 Ewing Avenue, Franklin Lakes
Details: The sanctuary was bequeathed to the New Jersey Audubon Society in 1956. When you tour Lorrimer’s 14 acres, you may encounter kids on a field trip, listening to a blue-winged warbler. Another time you might find some early-morning bird watchers identifying migrant songbirds in the oaks and spruces. The visitors’ center features interactive exhibits, interpretive displays and a small gift shop.
More info: Visit the website or you can give them a call.
Manasquan Reservoir Environmental Center
Location: 331 Georgia Tavern Road, Howell
Details: Monmouth County is one of the top bird watching spots on the east coast, with about 360 bird species recorded in the county. And many of those species can be seen at this center. Maybe you’ll be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the iconic Bald Eagle here, as the center has been home to an active, nesting pair for years. You’ll also find ospreys, which are known for their distinctive feet-first style of fishing, along with the black-beaked and yellow-footed Snowy Egret.
More info: Visit the website or you can give them a call.
Plainsboro Preserve
Location: 80 Scotts Corner Road, Cranbury
Details: You’ll find more than five miles of hiking trails at Plainsboro Preserve, as you wander through wet meadows, mature beech woods and the shoreline of the 50-acre McCormack Lake. Walk along the floodplain of Devil’s Brook and be on the lookout for over 150 species of birds that call the preserve home during the year.
More info: Visit the website or you can give them a call.
Scherman Hoffman Wildlife Sanctuary
Location: 11 Hardscrabble Road, Bernardsville
Details: More than 200 species of birds have been sighted here, including as many as 25 species of warblers. And this sanctuary is home to more than 60 species of nesting birds such as wild turkeys, pileated woodpeckers, worm-eating warblers, and great-horned owls. You may also spot coyotes, gray and red squirrels, white-tailed deer and other mammals along the trails.
More info: Visit the website or you can give them a call.
Stone Harbor Bird Sanctuary
Location: 11208 2nd Ave, Stone Harbor
Details: This sanctuary has been home to thousands of birds over the years. During the summer, you might hear a Laughing Gull, whose sound will likely remind you of the beach. Maybe you’ll see a Black Crowned Night Heron as it searches the wetlands for food. Or perhaps you’ll spot a Northern Mocking Bird, a slender grey bird that sings almost constantly. On summer mornings, listen for the Swainson’s Thrush–a slim, brown bird with a spotted chest who sings flute-like songs.
More info: Visit the website or you can give them a call.
Hero (Top) Feature Image: WavebreakMediaMicro/Adobe Stock
Additional Body Images (in order) Courtesy:
New Jersey Audubon
Facebook/Cora Hartshorn Arboretum
New Jersey Audubon
Monmouth County Park System
New Jersey Audubon
Steve Byland/Adobe Stock
Facebook/Stone Harbor Bird Sanctuary