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The Rut is on at MCR!
Derived from the Latin word rugire, which means "to roar" the annual mating season for deer, “The Rut”, is primarily driven by decreasing autumn daylight. While male White-tailed Deer (Bucks) do not verbally “roar”, their testosterone level sure surges causing them...
The Snowbirds are Back!
Lots of migration activity this week as the winter visitors to MCR have arrived at our feeders and around the property! Dark-eyed Juncos, White-throated Sparrows, Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, Red-breasted Nuthatches and even a Common Loon are at MCR these days. These...
Mug-Shot: How Sorghum is Putting a Stop to Mugwort’s Spread at MCR
Lately many visitors have been asking, “What is that plant that sort of looks like short corn along the south end of the Perimeter Trail?” Well, the answer is Sorghum (AKA milo). Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) is a drought tolerant cereal grass that we are using along with...
Southern Species of Butterfly spotted on Scott’s Mountain near Merrill Creek Reservoir
An occasional butterfly species visitor to NJ was spotted recently near Merrill Creek Reservoir. According to the NJ Butterfly Club (A Chapter of the North American Butterfly Association), this species, the Little Yellow (Eurema lisa) is very small — 1.3” (much...
Timberdoodle Broods at MCR Forest Treatment Areas
The American Woodcock (AKA The Timberdoodle) is a small plump semi-migratory shorebird that unlike its coastal cousins lives in young forests and shrubby old fields across eastern North America. Typically, wildlife enthusiasts and birders equate seeing Woodcock in...
Rare Plant Found at MCR – Ecological Forestry Practices Helping Biodiversity at MCR
While performing vegetation regeneration survey work at one of MCR’s ecological forestry cuts recently, surveyors from New Jersey Audubon found a very rare plant for NJ. The plant, the Wood Lily (Lilium philadelphicum) is an endangered native wildflower in New...
Mud, Sweat, and Cheers: Swallow Nesting at MCR
A visit to the MCR I/O Tower Parking Lot provides a birdwatch with a chance to see 5 of the 6 swallow species that regularly breed, migrate, or forage in New Jersey. All 5 breed at MCR, including the Cliff Swallow which is a NJ State Species of Concern. ...
ANGLERS of MCR WE NEED YOUR HELP
Starting June of 2026 MCR, in conjunction with NJDFW, is starting a study of MCR’s Salmonidae species in the reservoir. Specifically, MCR is conducting creel surveys for ONLY Atlantic Land-locked Salmon, Lake Trout and Rainbow Trout. Should an angler catch any of...
Unique Plant at MCR – The Fly-Poison Lily
Between 2021 through 2022 Merrill Creek Reservoir had a Botanical Inventory performed at the property. The results of that inventory found “375 plant species, including 293 native species (78.1%) and 82 non-native species (21.9%). Additionally, the property hosts...
Biodiversity Enhancement of the Confluence of the Merril Creek with the Reservoir
Merrill Creek is often thought of just the reservoir; however, the actual Merrill Creek is the real star of the property. The NJ Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) has classified the Merrill Creek as an “FW2-TPC1” waterway which is a top-tier...
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...
