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The Batman
Merrill Creek Reservoir would like to thank and congratulate Michael Cole of BSA Troop 175 of Port Murray for his hard work and dedication to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout! Michael’s Eagle Scout project involved him building a Bat Roosting structure. This specially...
The Snow Goose – Familiar Winter Visitor to MCR
Merrill Creek Reservoir (MCR) has long been known as an important wintering/roosting area for many migratory waterfowl species. If fact, in 2005 MCR was designated as an “Important Bird & Biodiversity Area” (IBBA) primarily for this reason. An IBBA is a globally...
Winter is a Time for Woodpeckers at MCR!
Winter is a great time to see woodpeckers! With the leaves off trees and bird feeders (especially suit feeders) filled, many of NJ’s woodpecker species can be easily seen pretty much everywhere across the state! In fact, in winter, NJ gets some migrant woodpeckers...
Late Bloomers – Critical for Pollinators
With one-third of humankind’s food and even greater proportion of the food for much of our wildlife relying to some degree on pollinators, flowers that bloom late in the summer and persist into fall become critical for the survival of these important animals....
Floating Wetlands at MCR
Over the last 3 years, Merrill Creek Reservoir (MCR) has been committed to finding ways to perform conservation work that has multiple ecological benefits and, in some cases, those conservation practices can simultaneously provide added value to recreational uses of...
Holy new species detected at MCR Batman!
Over the last two years, Merrill Creek Reservoir (MCR) staff have been working with the Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey (CWF) and NJDEP Fish and Wildlife’s Endangered and Nongame Species Program to determine what bat species are present at the property. ...
Its Tree Frog mating time at MCR!
What is that weird loud trilly bird call that seems to only happen when it's really humid this time of year? Well, it’s not a bird at all, but in fact, its Northern gray treefrogs calling looking for mates! With the warm humid weather settled into Warren County, the...
Atlantic White Cedar and Brook Trout – Perfect Together at MCR
According to the US Forest Service, “Due to the Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) tree’s widespread distribution, long lifespan (in some cases they can live 800 to 1,000 years [Elias, 1980]), shade tolerance, ability to live in fairly acidic soil, hemlock plays a...
Prescribed Burning at MCR Implemented for the First Time
As part of habitat stewardship activities, prescribed fires were implemented for the first time at Merrill Creek Reservoir (MCR) by NJ Forest Fire Service on March 22, 2025. Prescribed fire, also known as a controlled burn, is the planned and controlled application of...
Merrill Creek Reservoir Safeguards New Jersey & Neighboring States Through Drought and Wildfires
650-Acre Reservoir Offers Vital Water Resource During Challenging Autumn Months The fall of 2024, New Jersey, along with Pennsylvania and New York, faced extreme drought conditions and wildfires. In response to these challenges, the Merrill Creek Reservoir (MCR) is...
Merrill Creek Reservoir
34 Merrill Creek Road
Washington, NJ 07882
(908) 454-1213 (ph)
(908) 454-2747 (f)
*Play MCR's Tree Finder Game !
Along the trails at MCR there are 9 different individual trees that have FACES. More Info...
