MCR Monthly Newsletter

July 2026

Ravens and crows are both in the Family Corvidae and look very similar and can easily be confused.

Crows are physically smaller, about 15-18 inches long with a wingspan up to 3 feet and weigh in at about 20 ounces. They also have a slender, “pointier” beak.

Ravens are usually obviously larger 20-25 inches with a wingspan up to 4 feet and a body weight of 1.5 to 3.6 pounds! Ravens have a very stout “thicker” beak and often shaggy throat feathers. They also have different shaped tails, with the Raven’s tail being more wedge shaped compared to the Crow’s more rounded fan shape.

Both Crows and Ravens are omnivorous, eating grain, birdseed, insects, bird eggs, rodents, small snakes and carrion. As far as habitat, Crows are highly adaptable and thrive in open woodlands, agricultural fields, parks, suburbs, and cities. They rely on a combination of tall trees for roosting/nesting and open ground for foraging.  Ravens are also incredibly adaptable birds and thrive in a massive variety of environments, ranging from arctic tundra, and dense mountain forests to arid deserts, coastlines, and open plains. They rely on these varied landscapes for food and safe nesting platforms.

FUN FACT:  NJ has two crow species, the American Crow and the Fish Crow.  Telling an American Crow and a Fish Crow apart by sight is nearly impossible because they are identical in color and similar in size. The most reliable way to distinguish them is by their call.

   American Crow: Delivers a deep, resonant, full-throated “caw”.

  Fish Crow: Gives a higher-pitched, nasal “cah-cah” or an “uh-uh” sound

Although not a perfect way to distinguish between American Crows and Fish Crows, Fish Crows are most likely to be near water, commonly found along coastlines, rivers, lakes, reservoirs and swamps.

Summer is here, come and enjoy the shoreline trail. You might see the many bald eagles and some turtles!

Passionately,

Ranger Rich

June 2026 – Dragonflies and Damselflies

Dragonflies (along with damselflies) belong to the insect order Odonata. The name comes from the Greek word for “tooth,” referring to the strong serrated mandibles these predatory insects use to catch and consume prey. Adults target and catch flying insects (actually while flying!) with a preference for mosquitoes, midges and small flies.  It is possible for an adult dragonfly to consume 30 to 100 mosquitoes per day which helps to control mosquito populations.

DRAGONFLIES tend to hold their wings horizontally while resting; whereas DAMSELFLIES fold their wings vertically above their back.

Immature nymphs or naiads are voracious predators that develop underwater in ponds for up to 2 years feeding on mosquito larvae, and even small fish and tadpoles!

These beneficial mosquito eaters need clean streams and vernal ponds to develop and consume mosquito larvae. Merrill Creek Reservoir provides the perfect habitat for a variety of Odonta species.

Again, the nymphs may spend up to 2 years developing in a pond or stream eating mosquito larvae. Sadly, after emerging from the water the adults may live for only 1 to 8 weeks while they mate, lay eggs in water and then die. This way the adults never compete with the offspring within the same habitat for food!

Dragonfly larvae and lower jaw (labium) shown below

They can be quite beautiful, enjoy them while you can! – Ranger Rich

May 2026  – Of Mice and Voles

Mice and voles….For several years I’ve been talking about the remarkable abilities of foxes and owls to detect the heartbeat of a mouse under 2 feet of snow (WOW! This has always amazed me!) Fortunately, there is an over-abundance of these little rodents to supply the demands of predators. Mice and voles are fodder for a vast assortment of predatory animals including snakes, shrews, weasels, racoons, skunks, bobcats, foxes, coyotes, domestic dogs and cats, hawks and owls and even black bears!

There are 3 different species of mice and 2 species of voles in New Jersey. Accurately differentiating between the various genus and species of mice and voles can be quite involved and beyond the scope of this newsletter. So here is a simplified generalization.

Deer mouse (6-81/2 inches long including the tail, brownish-gray with pure-white undersurfaces, large eyes)

House mouse (small 2 2.5-3.75 inches long brown sometimes dark gray with creamy color belly)

White-footed mouse (reddish-brown, with white belly and feet, 2.5-3.5 inches with shorter tail than deer mouse)

All mice are very prolific! The gestation period for most mice and voles is around 21 days.  About 8 young are born without fur (like pink jellybeans) called “pinkys” with their eyes closed, the mother nurses them. They grow rapidly growing fur in a week, now called “fuzzys”. Litters are weaned and on their own within a month and the mother, who has already ovulated and bred again, gives birth again within another few weeks.

FUN FACT: In one of the most prolific species of meadow vole, a female can potentially give birth to 9 litters with a total of 72 offspring per year! And those offspring themselves are also breeding within the first year!

It is not hard to see how quickly a population might explode were it not for constant attrition from predators, parasites, disease, and accidents such as fires and flooding. Mice have a very high metabolism, living short fast lives and seldom live beyond 18 months!

There are 2 types of voles in New Jersey: the meadow vole and the pine vole.

In New Jersey, the primary difference is that meadow voles are larger (4.5–7 inches) and live above ground in surface runways, while pine voles are smaller (up to 5 inches) and live in underground tunnels. Meadow voles have larger ears and eyes with dark brown/gray fur, whereas pine voles have small eyes, tiny ears, and reddish-brown fur. Both are stocky “mouse-like’ with a blunt head and have a scantily furred tail.  The meadow vole generally inhabiting fields, marshes, and grassy areas whereas the pine vole prefers hardwood forests and pine forests.

There are hundreds (perhaps thousands) of meadow voles in the field below the MCR Visitors Center and they can often be viewed eating seeds from the wildlife/bird viewing windows at the Visitors Center. They are not rats; they are meadow voles! Children are always excited to watch them and the chipmunks!

Come visit and you may see some! Enjoy Nature! – Ranger Rich

April 2026 – AMAZING OWLS – The Superman of the Bird World!

The world is full of things that to humans seem impossible! While completely adequate for us, many of our senses are humbled by other members of the animal kingdom.  But when it comes to auditory detection, sight and stealth, owls reign supreme!

Humans have ears positioned on the opposite sides of our heads which is adequate for discerning things from to the left or right. Owls (Strigiformes) on the other hand, have a dish-shaped facial disc of feathers which funnels sound to its ears which are asymmetrically arranged (under the feathers) with the right ear being higher than the left ear. This unique anatomy allows for superb 3-dimensional acoustic detection for not only left and right but also up, down, and precise distance determination!

An owl can detect sounds as low as 10Hz (a mouse’s heartbeat beneath snow) which is well below the range of human hearing (humans can’t hear frequencies below 20Hz) Also, owls can detect ultrasonic sounds of insects reaching to 30,000Hz (typically, humans can’t hear above 20,000Hz).  Accordingly, an owl’s brain has evolved to make sense and efficiently use this extra information. Case in point, while hunting, an owl’s brain can process and react to auditory stimuli in only 20 milli-seconds! Whereas humans take 50 to 60 milli-seconds to respond to auditory stimuli!

Another evolutionary feature of owls is that their feathers are uniquely adapted for silent flight, with a velvety downy top that absorbs sound and break-up air turbulence, making them almost silent in flight.  Also, owls possess large, forward-facing eyes that provide a wide range of binocular vision — roughly 70 degrees of their 110 degree total visual field. This forward configuration enables exceptional depth perception and 3D vision, crucial for hunting. Because their tubular eyes are fixed in their sockets, owls must rotate their necks up to see around them.

These enhanced abilities to hear and locate prey, binocular vison and then to be able to silently fly in and surprise prey, makes owls very efficient predators! Interestingly, owls will only reproduce if there is enough food to sustain their young. Food availability is one of the most critical factors determining whether owls reproduce.

If resources are scarce, they may not reproduce at all or have a smaller clutch.  This makes them a group to be admired in regard to population control and resource management. Just a few reasons they are referred to as “The wise old owl!”

Enjoy this spring-like weather! – Ranger Rich

 MARCH 2026 – Habitat

 HABITAT is a place where plants and animals live. It provides food, water and shelter for the organisms. The place that supplies the things an organism needs to survive is its habitat. Every organism has a unique habitat that provides for its needs. Animals and plants that live in a particular area and share the resources form a community.  Within a community, organisms all have a unique niche, or role they fill to keep the community healthy.

An ecosystem includes both biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) components that interact with and depend on each other.

At MCR we have many different types of habitats including forests, meadows, shrublands, waterbodies and wetlands. Within these types of habitats there is a diversity of vegetation at different stages of growth, that are adapted to the type of landscape features (soils, hydrology, topography, etc) and weather conditions where they occur.  Specific to those types of habitats and their characteristics, one can find specific animals that live in them year-round or many use different habitat types for different activities in their life cycle or at different parts of the year.

Examples include:

Herbaceous meadows (grasses and forbs) may provide a suitable place for mice, voles, woodchucks, snakes and rabbits to live in and raise young and forage, while also providing a place for raptors (hawks, owls, etc.) and large mammals (Bobcats, Fox, etc.) to hunt the animals living there for food.

A stream corridor (also known a riparian area) may provide habitat for turtles, salamanders, frogs, and fish to live in, but it also attracts other animals from other habitats for its water source or foraging possibilities.

A component of a forest may be dead hollow logs or stand dead wood (snags) that are used as shelter for raccoons, owls, opossums, woodpeckers, and countless other wildlife.  But dead or downed trees can also provide breeding areas for insects or provide nesting areas other animals.  A large tree that has blown over in a windstorm typically has an uprooted root-ball. Exposed root-balls are used by many animals for shelter or even overwintering areas. Bears at Merrill Creek Reservoir have been known to borough under root balls and make a den for the winter, providing a safe place for female bears to hibernate and give birth to young.

The open water of the reservoir provides a crucial place for migrating birds (waterfowl (ducks, geese) and/or waterbirds (loons, cormorants, grebes) to stop, rest and feed during their arduous migration journeys.

Habitat also can provide other ecosystem services, such as recreation opportunities.  An example of this here at Merrill Creek Reservoir is how MCR’s aquatic habitat provides the public opportunities to boat or kayak and fish for record size gamefish like trout, bass and landlocked salmon.

Habitat loss and degradation is the number one cause of global animal population decline. To manage its lands, wildlife, habitat and other ecosystem services that the property provides the local community, as well as the region associated with the Delaware River Basin, MCR implements a NJ approved Forest Stewardship Plan (FSP).  Although the FSP itself is a tool for the management of the property, MCR voluntarily implements additional complementary conservation projects to the FSP that enhance and/or restore other ecological resources at MCR.  The habitat enhancements and restorations at MCR are expected to have far-reaching benefits, not just for wildlife, but for surrounding communities as well. By bringing in talented and passionate collaborators and working towards a common goal, we solidified a symbiotic relationship with communities to foster environmental awareness while enhancing wildlife and natural systems. Our habitat projects here at MCR serve as models for recognizing the benefits of collaboration for restoration, protection and stewardship of natural resources.

Please realize when you visit….. you are just that! The “visitor” in a place many animals call home.

Please respect it! Yours in conservation, passionately, – Ranger Rich

 FEBRUARY 2026 -Fisher!

For the Merrill Creek Reservoir animal lovers, this month I would like to talk about one of the most elusive animals that calls MCR home, the FISHER!

A Fisher, often called a “Fisher Cat”, is not a cat at all, but is instead part of the family Mustelidae, a group that includes: weasels, mink, badgers, otters, and wolverines. In fact, they most closely resemble a large mink but with a much wider face!

The Fisher weighs about 8 to 14 pounds and is about 30-36 inches nose to tip of tail with males being larger.  A swift and elegant tree climbing furbearer, they are seldom seen as they are a solitary opportunistic predator that are primarily nocturnal and crepuscular (active at dawn and dusk). However, they can be active during the day, particularly in winter as they do not hibernate.

They have a home range of as much as 30 square miles and will travel long distances to prey on mice, shrews, squirrels, rabbits, chipmunks, small birds and even porcupines. They will also consume fruits, nuts and carrion. Because of their low population densities and varied diet, Fishers typically do not affect prey populations.

They prefer dense, mature coniferous or mixed forests, where they use hollow logs, rock crevices, and tree cavities for resting. Fishers breed from February to March and exhibit a reproductive strategy called “delayed implantation.” The adult female breeds within days after giving birth, but the fertilized eggs remain dormant in her uterus for the next 10 –11 months. The fertilized eggs then implant in the uterine wall and begin normal development. They have 1 litter per year of only 2 to 3 kits. Maternal dens, typically located in a cavity high in a large tree, are used for the first 8–10 weeks. Once the kits become mobile, they are moved from the maternal den to one on or below the ground.

Due to habitat loss and exploitation hunting for its fur, Fishers became extirpated (pushed out) from New Jersey about 1900.  Despite its past disappearance from New Jersey, the combined effects of trapping bans and nearby translocation projects in the late 1990’s in New York and Pennsylvania, are resulting in the Fisher’s resurgence in New Jersey. The Fisher was first reconfirmed in NJ in 2006 in Stokes State Forest and since then there have been multiple sightings mostly in northern and northwestern NJ (Sussex and Warren Counties).

Over the past three years there have been three confirmed Fisher sightings at MCR, with one of them photographed and videoed on a Merrill Creek Reservoir trail camera!

If you are lucky enough to get a picture of the secretive Fisher at Merrill Creek, PLEASE share it with us as MCR is working with NJDFW to monitor their presence here.

NOTE: MCR has a robust Mink population, and they are pretty common around the property, especially along the shoreline of the reservoir near the dikes and main dam.  Mink and Fishers look very similar:  Fishers are much larger (8–14 lbs) than Minks (2–3 lbs), featuring a stouter build, longer/busher tails, and a gold/silver-toned head, whereas minks are slender, have smaller white chin patches, and prefer wet habitats. Fishers are agile forest climbers hunting mammals, while minks are semi-aquatic.  Fishers are agile forest climbers hunting mammals, while minks are semi-aquatic.

Enjoy the outdoors! – Ranger Rich

January 2026 – Oh Deer!

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) survive cold winters; they have evolved various physical adaptations like darker hollow hair fur in the winter coat. Darker oily fur absorbs more sunlight, and the hollow hairs insulate and help retain more body heat. This combined with storing fat in the fall helps them survive extreme cold.

A deer’s’ hooves are made of keratin with no nerve endings much like your fingernail which doesn’t feel pain when you cut it. The lower leg has minimal muscle and is mostly tendon and bone needing very little blood flow.

Also, with something called    countercurrent heat exchange- Arteries carrying warm blood from the body core run close to veins carrying cool blood back from the feet The warm arterial blood transfers its heat to the cold venous blood warming it as it returns to the body, helping to maintain a warm body core temperature. Yes! Their feet get cold, but body core temperature is most important! These features allow deer to walk in deep snow and ice without getting frostbite.

December 2025 – Bears

A question often asked by hikers is…. “Are there bears here at MCR?” The answer is YES! However, New Jersey does not have Grizzly (Brown) Bears, New Jersey has Black Bears.  Although Black Bears can have a “cinnamon” coat sometimes due to a genetic variation that affects the production of melanin.  Typically, if you don’t bother a black bear they won’t bother you.

These days when the weather turns colder in winter, most Black Bears in New Jersey find a nice spot to curl up in a den (a hollow tree, caves, even in brush piles and downed log piles) and enter a state of dormancy called torpor, similar to hibernation. However, they could be awakened if disturbed. So, if you see a bear that appears to be “sleeping” – DO NOT APPROACH and just don’t disturb them! Also note that they can emerge from a den to take a mid-winter stroll on a bright, sunny day, looking for a snack or two.  Black Bears have been seen in EVERY month of the year in New Jersey.

As per NJDEP-NJDFW:  “Black bears by nature tend to be wary of people.  If you encounter a black bear in your neighborhood or outdoors while hiking or camping, follow these common-sense safety tips”.

 DON’T’S

• Do not feed bears.
• Do not approach bears. Especially feeding bears, which will aggressively defend their food.
• Do not run from bears. Running may trigger a chase response.
• Do not make direct eye contact. Bears may perceive this as a challenge.

 DO’s

• Remain calm and slowly back away.
• Make the bear aware of you.
• Be loud: speak in an assertive voice, yell, sing, or clap your hands. If available, bang pots and pans or use an airhorn.
• Make yourself look big. Wave your arms. Hold your jacket above your head.
• If you’re in a group, stay together and perform these actions together.
• Make sure the bear has an escape route. If a bear enters your home, prop all the doors open.
• If the bear doesn’t leave, move to a secure area.
• Black bear attacks are extremely rare. If a black bear does attack, fight back! Aim for the snout and/or eyes. Use anything at hand: (knife, sticks, rocks, binoculars, backpack or kick the bear).

 REMEMBER

• The bear may utter a series of huffs, make popping sounds by snapping its jaws and swat the ground. These are warning signs that you are too close. Slowly back away, avoid direct eye contact and do not run.
• If a bear stands on its hind legs or moves closer, it may be trying to get a better view or detect scents in the air. It is usually not a threatening behavior.
• Black bears will sometimes “bluff charge” when cornered, threatened, or attempting to steal food. Stand your ground, avoid direct eye contact, then slowly back away and do not run.

Things to look for while out on the trail for SIGNS of bear activity.  This could in the form of a footprint, scat, flipped large rocks or logs, claw marks on trees and even on utility poles (they use utility poles to mark territory, sharpen claws and even as back scratchers! – see poles along Fox Farm Road)

Enjoy nature and I hope you find something interesting out there on the trail!  Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and stay safe! – Ranger Rich

November 2025 – Cormorants

Recently I have been approached by several hikers/visitors to MCR that were curious about these strange birds swimming with just their head above the water. These are DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS – A large dark waterbird with a long neck and hooked bill.

These feathers on these fish-eating birds are NOT waterproof.  Keeping their body below the surface allows the feathers to absorb water making the bird less buoyant; these soaked, heavy feathers allow them to dive to depths of almost 150 feet in search of fish!

Cormorants have evolved to be better at flying underwater than in the air. You may often witness them dive and resurface many yards from where they initially dove, staying underwater for up to 70 seconds while in search of small fish.  They often pop their heads up to scan for small water snakes swimming on the surface (also a food item on their menu).

After diving/hunting their feathers are soaked and too heavy to fly efficiently in the air, they are often seen with their 39-inch wingspan wide open to allow the feathers to dry in the sun.  This behavior of holding the wings out wide is call the “horaltic pose,” which is a form of thermoregulation, helping them absorb sunlight to dry out but also to increase their body temperature for flight.  Very beautiful!

Merrill Creek Reservoir has become a rookery (communal nesting area) for these interesting birds and at times hundreds may be seen in the upper arm/cove on the north side of the reservoir near the orange or blue trails where Merrill Creek enters the reservoir. But more often seen from a boat/kayak across the reservoir.

I hope you get to see them! – Ranger Rich

October 2025 – Autumn

September 22 was the Autumnal equinox, and it marks the end of summer. On that day, the amount of daylight and darkness were equal. Now it is Autumn, and the nights are longer than the daylight hours. It’s that shortening length of day that is the primary trigger for trees to change the color of their leaves in the fall.

With the longer cooler nights the trees cut back on the production of chlorophyll (the green pigment) in leaves. However, green tree leaves do need the green pigment, chlorophyll, for photosynthesis to convert sunlight into energy, but the pigment itself doesn’t absorb green light; instead, it reflects it, which is why we see the leaves as green. The reason leaves don’t simply use the most abundant or most energetic light is due to chlorophyll’s molecular structure, which evolved to balance light absorption and prevent potentially damaging excess energy, making stability more important than maximum efficiency for plants.

In the fall season with shorter daylight hours, this reduction of the chlorophyll in the leaves provides the opportunity for other pigments in the leaves to no longer be over-powered by the dominant green pigment.  So yellow and orange pigments (carotenoids) and the red pigment (anthocyanin) can become visible in leaves.  For example, sugar maple trees turn a brilliant red in the fall because of the now visible anthocyanin (red pigment) is still in the leaves. Now the forest Merrill Creek Reservoir is ablaze with magnificent colors!

Eventually, practically all the leaves will fall off the deciduous trees (trees that shed leaves). Trees lose the leaves in winter to conserve water, which when the ground is frozen is difficult to absorb. So, the tree must conserve as much water as possible until spring.

Evergreen trees (conifers) are uniquely adapted for the cold and do not shed their leaves (needles) which have a waxy coating to retain water. An exception to this adaptation for conifers is the Tamarac tree, a rare deciduous conifer.  At MCR, European Tamarac trees can be seen in the Boat Ramp parking areas and along Fox Farm Road.

Many of our animals like bears and deer are bulking up on acorns (mast) to gain fat to last them through the winter.  Gray squirrels and chipmunks that don’t truly hibernate are storing (cashing) acorns and other nuts and seeds underground and in hollow logs to get them through until spring.

Migrating birds make important pit stops here at Merrill Creek to rest or fuel up with food. And migrating Monarch butterflies pass through Merrill Creek on their way to Mexico. In the past MCR had 2 Monarch butterflies tagged (cellophane wing tags) and documented that they made it 2,080 miles to Mexico!

I hope you get out and enjoy the brisk weather and beautiful fall coloration within MCR! And Happy Halloween, – Ranger Rich

September 2025

A POLLINATOR is an animal that moves pollen from the anther (male part) of a flower to the stigma or pistol (female part) this leads to the fertilization of the ovule which develops into key foods that humans and other animals rely on …. such as fruits and nuts like apples, almonds, strawberries, melons, and pollinator-dependent crops like alfalfa which is essential for livestock like dairy cows to produce milk, yogurt, and butter! As you can see these pollinators are SUPER IMPORTANT in maintaining a well-balanced ecosystem and providing ecosystem services. Bottom line – WE NEED THEM!!!  In fact, according to the National Academy of Sciences, close to 75% of the flowering plants on earth rely to some degree on pollinators in order to set seed or fruit. From these plants comes one-third of humankind’s food and even greater proportion of the food for much of our wildlife!!

Pollinators can be birds, bees, (yes, yawn!, the birds and the bees again!), wasps, bats, hover flies, butterflies, beetles, even male mosquitoes (only female mosquitoes draw blood), basically a pollinator is any organism that frequents blooming flowers or buds and can transport that pollen to other flowers or buds of the same plant species.

I hope visitors may have noticed there are several areas within Merrill Creek Reservoir where there are now pollinator gardens. These can be found behind the MCR Visitors Center, at the Inlet/outlet tower and the boat launch area parking lots.  These areas are essential for various pollinators as they are planted with various vegetation that bloom at different times of the year so that there is always something available for the pollinators to forage on. These areas are islands of nectar and safe-haven for pollinators, so please don ’t pick the flowers at MCR because pollinators need them to survive and we need the pollinators for our own survival.  Some examples of the native plants that we have in these pollinator gardens are: Joe Pye Weed, Broad leaf Mt Mint, Narrow leave Mt Mint, Golden Alexanders, Cup-plant, Wild Bergamot, Bee Blaum, Various Goldenrod species, Cardinal Flower, Blue lobelia, NY Aster, Butterfly Weed, Common Milkweed, Swamp Milkweed, Fox-glove beard Tongue, Yellow Wild Indigo, Lanceleaf Coreopsis, Purple Coneflower, Dense Blazingstar, Blackeyed Susan, Partridge Pea, Hairy Beardtongue, Blue Mistflower, New England Aster, Culver’s Root, Blue Vervain,  and Smooth Blue Aster

Also, in some of the gardens we have “Bee Hotels” that provide essential nesting sites for cavity-nesting solitary bees, thus supporting pollinator populations and biodiversity. Come see these awesome animals in our pollinator garden!   Yes! There are always Bees hovering around but don ’t be alarmed; they are preoccupied with gathering nectar and not interested in stinging you. You just happen to be there too!   FUN FACT: New Jersey is home to approximately 350 species of native pollinating bees, in addition to the non-native European honeybee!

Summer is almost over; soon beautiful goldenrods and other fall foliage will paint our landscape with SPECTACULAR colors. I hope you get some great pictures of fall colors and look for migrating monarch butterflies!

Thanks, for reading – Ranger Rich

August 2025

A week ago, a hiker came into the Visitors Center with a picture and asked if I could identify a strange large creature they encountered on the orange trail near upper Merrill Creek.

It was a DOBSON FLY (order Megaloptera). These are some of the largest insects found in our area! The male has some extremely large mandibles but does not bite or pinch. These large mandibles are used primarily for show, to impress and attract the female. Below is a large male:

The female (below) has much shorter and stronger mandibles and can deliver a sharp pinch. The larvae of dobsonflies are known as Hellgrammites. Hellgrammites are the aquatic larvae of the Dobsonflies and can be found in both upper and lower Merrill Creek.

They also often found and plentiful in Merrill Creek are the lobster-like crayfish which can be found over 6 inches long at MCR. are a favorite food of bass and trout. These aquatic larvae can also deliver a painful pinch.

Both Hellgrammites and Crayfish are indicators of the very good water quality found here at Merrill Creek Reservoir. And both are favorite foods of our wonderful game fish.

Merrill Creek provides crucial habitat for many unique creatures that are not always obvious.

Remember, take only memories and leave only footprints. Thank-You – Ranger Rich

JULY 2025  – OPOSSUMS

Recently I was at my daughter ’s house and her dog chased a mother opossum with babies on its back. One of the babies fell off and was not injured. My daughter placed the baby at the entrance of the mother ’s den (under a woodshed) and mom opossum came out and took back the baby!

Opossums are very unique and often misunderstood animals that can be found from Canada to Florida. Although they have hairless tails like a rat, they are NOT rodents. They are marsupials more akin to a kangaroo!  They are the only marsupial found in North America. Opossums have a very short gestation time (12-13 days).  Babies (6 to 13 in a litter) are born in an underdeveloped state only about a half inch long and weigh about 0.005 of an ounce!  Born with very rudimentary legs, they crawl through fur and into the mother ’s pouch where they attach to one of 13 mammary glands. Feeding off the mother ’s milk, they increase their weight by 10 times and size to 2 ¾ inches long in about 7 days!  At 9 weeks they open their eyes and may venture out of the pouch for short periods.

Adults may grow to 24-40 inches long with a 10-12 inch tail and weigh 4-12 pounds. Contrary to what we ’ve seen in cartoons and animations, adult opossums do not sleep hanging from their tails. As adults they are too heavy to do this. But only babies are light enough to hang completely by the tail. The prehensile tail is used primarily for grasping and balance while climbing! They are primarily nocturnal, but they may comfortably forage for food during the day!

They are omnivores, meaning they eat both plants and other animals including insects, frogs, mice, and snakes.

Opossum fun facts :

#1:  Opossums are immune to the venom of most snakes like Rattlesnakes and copperheads!!

#2: Opossums have 50 sharp teeth! This is the most teeth of any mammal in North America. These sharp teeth aid them in biting through the tough exoskeletons of insects like beetles.

#3: Opossums often play dead, foam from the mouth, and secrete a foul-smelling liquid from anal glands to mimic dead roadkill to discourage predators and humans.

#4: Opossums love to eat ticks as much as 5000 in the summer, but they don’t get Lyme disease.

#5:  Because they have a very low body temperature for a mammal, they rarely carry rabies.

Happy 4th of July everybody,  It’s July and it’s hot! Stay hydrated while hiking ….. Don ’t forget that your dog needs water too on hikes!

Remember, take pictures and leave only footprints.  Ranger Rich

June 2025

WOODPECKERS (Family Picidae) are amazing animals! We are fortunate to have at least 7 different woodpeckers here in New Jersey.

When a woodpecker pecks on a tree it is known as “Drumming.” Woodpeckers do this to expose food (insects) and larvae living under bark, attract a mate, and/or mark their territory. With some practice the type of woodpecker can be identified by its drumming.

The tongue of a woodpecker is very long and is covered in tiny barbs and sticky saliva which helps it grab and hold onto insects. For example, a Pileated Woodpecker’s tongue extends about 4 inches beyond the end of its beak to probe deep into insect galleries (burrows) in dead wood in search of ants and beetle larvae. Do you know a woodpecker’s super long tongue wraps around its brain and helps absorb some of the massive shock from beating its head against trees! A woodpecker tongue is a marvel of nature engineering!!!

 Six of the seven woodpeckers of NJ may be seen and heard here at MCR throughout the year.  In fact all six are pretty common at MCR.  The Red-headed woodpecker is the exception, only showing up rarely at MCR over the years during the spring and fall migration times.

Get out in the preserve and enjoy some of these magnificent birds.  Remember to take pictures and leave only footprints. ENJOY!

P.S. Mother bears with new cubs are active now at MCR.  If you encounter a bear, don’t run! Give them a wide berth, raise your arms and shout (let the bear know you are there) and slowly walk away. – Ranger Rich

May 2025

Wow! Spring arrived in NJ on March 20^th. There is so much happening on the land I don ’t know where to start!

April showers brought May flowers! Along with the all-important insect and bird pollinators.

Wildflowers like Spring Beauty, Hepatica, Buttercups, Jack-in-the-Pulpit, May Apples, Rue-anemone, and Skunk Cabbage are all growing and blooming alongside trails in NJ. Some of these tiny pretty flowers won ’t be around long as they are “spring ephemerals”!   Enjoy them quickly!  The buds are on the trees and soon leaves will block the sunlight from reaching the forest floor where tiny ephemeral flowers grow!

Right now, we are in mid-migration time and the beautiful warblers and other neo-topical migrants are arriving again at MCR  to add to nature’s palette.

NOTE: WHITE-TAIL DEER starting about May 12th through June 27th give birth to fawns. Please don’t touch a baby fawn! By instinct the odorless fawn remains motionless while the mother goes off to feed. After giving birth, the mother is physically drained and leaves the newborn and goes off to recuperate and feed and drink so she can produce milk. The fawn is not injured, and mom will be back. Do not touch! If the mom detects a human odor, she may reject the fawn.

April 2025

Spring is here and instead of talking about the obvious animals and plants that emerge this time of year, let’s talk about some strange and unusual animals that are overlooked, unknown, or completely misunderstood. Two of these unusual animals you can find at Merrill Creek Reservoir!

Bryozoans – these are small aquatic invertebrates (animals without a backbone). They are often mistaken for frog, salamander, or fish eggs. But this is actually a colony of hundreds of individual tiny animals living together in a jelly-like colony. They can often be found clinging to vertical plant stems, ropes, or anchor chains in the water. They are filter feeders and filter plankton, algae and other microorganisms using a crown of cilia (lophophore) from the water. They are often considered an indicator of good water quality and a healthy ecosystem.  The coolest fact about Bryozoans, is that they are ancient animals as they have been on earth for millions of years, even before dinosaurs and insects!  These creatures are slimy and harmless if touched; but please do not disturb them.

Another strange and unusual invertebrate are tardigrades or commonly called water-bears or moss piglets.  These little known tiny 8-legged creatures can be found on clumps of green moss you may find growing on a rock. They are extremely small (.05-1.2mm) and are barely visible with the naked eye. If you view moss under a dissecting microscope, you may be able to find some. They are also harmless.

Eco-Vocabulary Time!

Vertebrate- animal with a backbone …. Amphibians, birds, Reptiles, and mammals.

Invertebrate- animal without a backbone… bryozoans, insects, earthworms. 97% of all living animals.

Plankton are a wide range of organisms that drift in the water.

Zooplankton ….. Plankton that are animals

March 2025 – TIMBERDOODLE TIME!

 As the days grow longer, and the winter snow steadily disappears; some of the birds that migrated south last fall begin to return to the northeast to breed.

One such animal is an odd little bird known as the Woodcock.  This little migrant spends its winter along the Gulf coast from Florida to Louisiana coming north as far as the Gaspé Peninsula of Quebec Canada to breed.

Once they reach a suitable breeding ground, the male sets up a territory. In this territory the male performs a unique mating ritual to attract the female. First the male struts around bobbing its tail and calls, then leaps and spirals into the air 200 to 250 feet while producing musical twittering and gurgling sounds. Then it then dives and flutters back to the ground and begins strutting again and repeats to impress the female.

The female makes a nest by simply scraping a spot in the leaves relying on her brown color pattern to blend unseen on the forest floor.  The chicks, usually 4, hatch at almost the same time and are pre-precocial (born in an advanced stage of development), and able to find food and follow mom almost immediately. They will stay near the female for only about a month.

Woodcock are extremely well camouflaged to blend in perfectly with leaf litter and thickets along wet swampy areas. Strangely, its eyes are placed far back on each side of its head allowing it to see nearly 360 degrees around and behind to avoid predators like the Great-horned owl. Since its eyes are located so far at the rear of its head its ear openings are actually located in front of the eyes behind the beak. Woodcock has a conspicuous 2 ½ to 3-inch beak it uses like forceps to probe the wet soil for earthworms (its primary food) along with assorted insects and spiders. Its nostrils are located at the very base of its beak (far from the tip) so it may breathe while probing through mud and water with its long very sensitive beak.

Sadly, years ago Woodcock were almost wiped out by overhunting hunting and DDT. Now their biggest threat is habitat loss. They need young forest habitat, scrub-shrublands, and wet meadows.

At Merrill Creek Reservoir, we are implementing ecological forest management to help create such habitat that will benefit Woodcock and other declining young forest dependent species.

Eco-Vocabulary Time!

Precocial…. An animal hatched or born ready to survive, not needing extreme parental care (like a duck, chicken or turtle).

Altricial… born almost helpless, immature requiring a lot of parental care to survive (like a baby robin or a human baby).

Get out and enjoy nature!  – Ranger Rich

February 2025

The middle of winter is not usually thought of as the perfect time for birds to nest! Contrary to what we might think, the End of January and beginning of February is when the GREAT HORNED OWL female can be found sitting on a clutch of 2 or 3 large dull white eggs that may be laid and cradled on a bed of her own soft feathers and incubated preferably in a hollow tree or possibly an open tree or cliff nest…In ice or snow the female will not leave the eggs or the cold could quickly kill the young developing chicks. During this time the male will bring food to the incubating female and feed the hatchlings. This winter nesting results in the young owlets coming of hunting age just as thousands of small mammals (mice, rabbits, skunks), and other young birds are beginning to emerge. Yes skunks! Great-horned owls are one of the few animals that prey on skunks! Bird researchers that study Great horned owls often remark they stink like skunks!

This owl may weigh as much as 4 pounds with a 5-foot wingspan! Its eyes are almost the size of a human and many times more sensitive for detecting prey moving in the dark. It also has some of the softest feathers known to birds allowing it to fly and glide through the darkness in complete silence These traits, along with Its super hearing which is the most acute of any animal makes the Great Horned the ultimate night stalker. Merrill Creek is home to 3 kinds of owls, Great Horned, Barred, and Eastern Screech owls.

At this time, I regret that Merrill creek is closed to visitors due to an outbreak of the H5N1 bird flu. In NJ. This is for the health and safety of our visitors. Check back on our website for updates as to when we may reopen.

I look forward to seeing everyone in the visitors center again when possible. Ranger Rich

January 2025

Happy New Year to all!

While some mammals like Bears, Chipmunks and Woodchucks survive the dead cold of winter by finding a den and lowering their metabolism and living off stored body fat, there are some animals that do not hibernate but instead, scratch out a living by staying active all winter. These animals include the “Dog-like” Canines such domestic dogs, foxes, coyotes, and wolves. At MCR we have three species of wild canines living here: Red Fox, Grey Fox and Coyote.

Foxes

I would like to start by clearing up a common point of confusion. A Grey Fox and a Red Fox are often confused as the same animal, but they are totally different animals! As shown, a Grey Fox has a shorter muzzle, is stockier than a Red Fox and has brick red areas of fur around its neck and belly and a large grey “saddle” on its back and an all-grey tail. Whereas, a Red Fox has a long muzzle and is mostly brighter red fur with a very fluffy “White-tipped” tail.

During winter, foxes take advantage of one of nature’s most abundant food source … rodents! Mice, rats, and voles are also active in winter as they scurry through the grass and other vegetation and sometimes create tunnels hidden beneath the snow. However, foxes have superior hearing. In fact, a fox can hear a mouse’s heartbeat under 3 feet of snow! Wow! Although Red and Grey Foxes look very similar, they have different shaped eyes. Grey Foxes have oval shaped pupils while Red Foxes have vertical (“cat-like”) pupils which help them enhance their night vision for hunting.

Coyotes

Coyotes are also active during winter but are much larger than foxes.  Typically, coyotes have greyish fur, but can also have black, brown and even blonde fur. Normally most canines are strict carnivores (eating meat only), but when hard pressed coyotes (and foxes as well) will consume fruit, nuts (acorns or hickory nuts) or vegetables when available. But like the foxes, coyotes mostly take advantage of the massive rodent population for food or will eat carrion.  An interesting fact about coyotes is that research has shown that when constantly hunted in an area, Coyotes may increase reproduction (i.e. having more or larger litters/year or females may give birth at a younger age), it is postulated that this reaction is done to maintain or increase the size of the pack under hunting or environmental pressures.  So, hunting coyotes may only increase the size of the pack!  They are masters of survival as a species and invaluable for rodent control!

Wolves

There are no wolves left in New Jersey. According to Rue (1964) the last record of a native NJ wolf was in 1854 or 1855. Originally, wolves were widespread in NJ, but bounties were offered for killing wolves as early as 1682 and were still being paid as late as 1750.

Get out and enjoy an invigorating winter hike! – Ranger Rich

December 2024 – Winter Birds

Back in September I wrote about the fascinating migration of passerine birds and raptors. But, if you are an avid birder, you know not all birds leave; fortunately, some stay and overwinter right here in our New Jersey!

But how do they survive the cold below freezing winter nights? Simply, birds possess the best-known natural insulation FEATHERS!

Some species like Goldfinches may add almost 50% more feathers in the fall as winter approaches! In addition to this thicker feather layer, you may notice some little birds look twice as plump. This is because they fluff up their feathers to trap an insulating layer of air under the feathers to prevent body heat from escaping.

Some birds will pull one leg up into their feathers and perch on only one leg or sort of squat down when perching so the breast feathers cover their bare legs and feet. They can also reduce blood flow to the feet to reduce heat loss!

Different species possess different strategies to cope with the cold. For example, Ruffed Grouse and Snow Buntings may plunge into a snowbank, where under the snow, and away from the wind chill, it may be up to 40 degrees warmer! Snow is a great insulator!

Some birds have even adapted ways they eat or store food in winter to help them survive the cold.  For instance, when possible, grouse will fill up their crop (the crop is an expanded, muscular pouch near the gullet or throat. It is a part of the digestive tract, essentially an enlarged part of the esophagus) with buds and seeds for fuel during the overnight digestion process. Another example is Great Horned Owls are known to cache unfinished prey; let it freeze and thaw it out later by sitting on it overnight!

Black-capped Chickadees can lower their body temperature from a normal 108 degrees to as low as 88 degrees and experience a controlled hypothermia or torpor on the coldest nights to conserve energy! Then, increased muscle activity while searching for food the next morning brings body temperature quickly back to normal. FUN FACT: Studies have shown that chickadees that frequent bird feeders have double the survival rate during a harsh winter!

Many birds shiver constantly all night consuming stored fat to keep them warm; only to restart the desperate search for food(fuel) at sunrise. Flower buds, berries, acorns, seeds, rose-hips and insect larvae (hidden under bark) all provide a crucial energy source for our winter resident birds.

Personally, as soon as I notice the temperature dip into the 30s at night is my signal to hang out my suet feeder and as soon as I put it out at 7AM it is mobbed with Tufted Titmice, Nuthatches, Chickadees, Downy Woodpeckers and what falls to the ground is quickly consumed by Dark-eyed Juncos and Bluejays nothing is wasted!……OH, I can’t forget the beautiful Cardinals that frequent my feeder in winter. Always welcome guests!

If you can put out a feeder in winter and help birds out, you will be rewarded by how many colorful visitors you will have every morning! If you enjoy feeding these winter residents, consider getting involved in your local Christmas bird count. – HAPPY HOLIDAYS! Ranger Rich

PS: Go out and look for animal tracks in the snow. It’s great fun with kids! There are many free I.D. image guides on the internet. Search: animal tracks in the snow or click here for a previous MCR blog about animal tracks and a link to a free animal track guide.

November 2024 – White-tailed deer – the Rut

The shorter days trigger a physiological change in White-tail deer. This is the breeding season also known as the RUT.

Whitetails peak breeding season begins about the second or third week of November. Young Bucks (males) mature by their second autumn. Hormonal changes trigger antler growth in males. Antlers which begin to emerge from two platforms of bone known as pedicels; what emerges is solid bone with no marrow.

From small fuzzy buttons antlers may grow as much as 1 inch per day! A soft velvet like fuzz covers the entire antler. It is this velvet that contains blood vessels which deliver minerals and salts that are responsible for the rapid growth of the antler. The eventual size of the antlers is influenced by several factors like genetics and the quality and amount of food (nutrition) within the bucks habitat.

Eventually hormone levels drop and the blood vessels in the velvet begin to constrict and cause the velvet to dry up and peel off. Bucks rub off this loose velvet on branches and saplings (buck rubs) marking their territories with scent glands between their antlers; announcing availability to females(does) and delineating their territories to warn off rival males if necessary, competing males will use the size of their antlers to intimidate or head butt rival males.

A buck may mate with as many as 8 does during the rut. Unlike permanent horns, white-tails antlers are shed at the end of the rut every year (usually by the end of January.) They will be regrown again next year.

These shed antlers do not go to waste; they are important sources of calcium for small mammals like mice, squirrels, and porcupines that gnaw on them. Some old antlers may be found on our children’s touch table in the second classroom for educational purposes.

Exercise caution while driving as during the rut, bucks motives are driven by elevated hormone levels. They may dart out in front of your car in pursuit of a female or chasing off a rival male.

The word RUT is translated from the Latin word “rugire” means to roar!

Please be careful, enjoy the preserve and take pictures and leave only footprints – Ranger Rich

October 2024 – Mast & Squirrels

The fall harvest is upon us and nature provides a bounty of wild fruits and nuts (AKA “mast”) that are high in calories in the form of lipids (fats) that are so important to sustain our resident animals through the winter.

Black bears consume thousands of acorns as they bulk up for winter hibernation. Some bears may eat almost 24 hours/day! White-tail deer, wild turkey, grouse, mice, crows, and racoons all consume the ubiquitous acorns, hickory and beech nuts (nuts are known as “hard mast”).

Migrating birds briefly making a pit stop to consume seeds and dried berries (berries and fruits are known as “soft mast”) are responsible for seed dispersal throughout their migratory range.

But it is the squirrels we should be thankful for as they are “Farmers of the Fall” when it comes to “planting” nature’s bounty of seeds!

All squirrel species are placed in Family “Sciuridae” because of similarities in tooth structure for eating nuts and seeds. All squirrels make it through the winter by burying a cache of seeds/ acorns and using an acute sense of smell to relocate it, even under the snow! When they bury acorns and pinecones and flower seeds in the meadow, they never recover them all! So, through this process they inadvertently replant the trees and vegetation in the forests and meadows for us. THANK YOU!

There are five different kinds of squirrels in northern New Jersey that make Merrill Creek their home. Gray squirrels, red squirrels, chipmunks, flying squirrels and YES groundhogs or woodchucks are indeed squirrels.

Squirrels can be found in a variety of mixed habitats, but depending on the vegetation, some species of squirrels have preferred habitats.

Gray squirrels prefer the oak (acorns) and hickory (nuts) forests and blend in well with the gray bark of these trees for camouflage. (Note: Gray squirrels can sometimes have black fur which is just a melanic variant of the gray squirrel. White (albino) gray squirrels also can occur, but it is much rarer than the black melanic variant.

Red squirrels prefer eating pinecones seeds and camouflage well with the rust/red color of the conifer forest. (look for them in Pine, Hemlock and Fir tree stands).

Flying squirrels also inhabit Merrill Creeks forests preferring a mix of deciduous and coniferous trees along the edge where these two habitats meet. These squirrels are not often seen because they are crepuscular (active at dawn and dusk) and prefer hollow dead trees. They glide from atop one tree to a lower tree and sort of scurrying up to the top of the next tree to start over in search of nuts fruit and insects.

Groundhogs or woodchucks are indeed squirrels, and they can climb trees! Instead of using their claws for climbing trees they use them for digging (ground squirrel). They take advantage of the seeds, fruits, nuts and grasses found in the meadows.

 September 2024

Fall bird migration begins in late August and continues with great fervor through September. Billions of songbirds begin their journey to the tropics. Few things in nature are as fascinating and mysterious as the annual migration of birds and how they navigate using the sun, the stars, coastlines, rivers and mountain ranges even in overcast conditions and at night! Some birds like homing pigeons have lines of magnetite in their brain forming almost an internal magnetic compass. Truly AMAZING! Tiny hummingbirds flying from Florida over the Caribbean to Brazil always intrigued me!

Thousands of young birds born here in the spring in the N.E. head out on a journey to the tropics to somewhere they have never been before! They instinctively move along the same flyways used for generations! Imagine… getting in your car and just driving…. Thinking I’ll know where I’m going when I get there!

As many as twenty BILLION birds take part in this migration with nearly double of what we saw in the spring from new births, but sadly not all make it. In fall nearly 75% of our birds leave.

Interestingly, the Arctic tern flies from the Arctic to the Antarctic, then returns again a twenty-two thousand-mile round trip WOW!

 RAPTORS……Around the second or third week of September the great migration of Hawks/raptors begins in our area.

Curing this time hundreds to literally thousands of Broad-winged hawks may be spotted. Bald and golden eagles, osprey, Red-tailed, Red-shouldered, Rough-legged, sharp-shinned, Cooper’s Hawks, Turkey and Black Vultures. Also the falcon group…. The Kestrel, Merlin and finally the Peregrine falcons may be the last to be seen passing through.

In all “about” 15 different species of raptors may be spotted from our very own Scotts mountain at the inlet/outlet tower parking area. Get out and enjoy them!

Remember, Take pictures. Leave only footprints. Thank You! – Ranger Rich

August 2024 – What’s hatch’ning with snakes?

The excessively hot days of July are behind us. The days are getting shorter, and the nights are getting cooler. This is a signal for snakes that mated several months ago in the spring to return to their winter dens to give birth: So newborn snakes will imprint on their place of birth and instinctively return to the same den for many generations. With urban sprawl there are fewer and fewer possible den sites available for snakes to live secluded lives and bear young. Merrill Creek provides this much needed habitat.

Some snakes like Black Rat Snakes lay eggs, while others like Garter Snakes, Northern Water Snakes, Rattlesnakes and Copperheads give birth to live young. Regardless of how they are born, the female mother provides no parental care and the young, regardless, if from an egg or born live, are ready to survive on their own from the moment of birth. Those born from a clutch of eggs deposited in a rotting log will never know their parents. A newborn snake living off its yolk sac doesn’t need to feed right away.

To the surprise of most people a snake can go for a few months without eating. They are cold-blooded (ectotherms) meaning they do not generate body heat. So, they do not need to eat as often as warm-blooded mammals (endotherms).

After a large meal a snake can easily go over winter hibernation or as much as 1 year without food!  They are metabolically super-efficient and not slaves to a high body temperature!  On a warm sunny day, they are often found saving energy basking in the sun to raise their temperature and to aid in digestion.

Of the 23 snake species that call NJ home, only two are venomous, the Timber Rattlesnake and the Northern Copperhead. Timber Rattlesnakes are endangered in NJ and the Copperhead is a State Species of Special concern (meaning their numbers are in decline in NJ). Rattlesnakes and copperheads have large venom glands toward the back of the head.  So, two ways to identify these two venomous snakes is by 1) looking at the head and if the head is wider than the body (shovel-shaped head – almost triangular), 2) pupil of eye is not round -it is more elliptical or “cat-like” pupils.

The remaining 21 species of snake in NJ are non-venomous.  However, Water snakes and Milk Snakes, and even juvenile Black Racers are often confused with Copperheads and needlessly killed. If they aren’t bothering you, leave them alone!  For a free copy of the NJDFW’s Snakes of NJ click here

Get out and enjoy nature! Remember:  Take pictures …leave only footprints! – Ranger Rich

July 2024

This month beautiful butterflies add more color to nature’s tapestry evident in Merrill Creek’s fields and meadows.

 CATERPILLARS (nature’s eating machines!) Do you know it is virtually impossible to tell the sex of a caterpillar? Caterpillars have mouthparts designed for chewing and eating leaves.

After hatching from an egg, young caterpillars eat ravenously and bulk up for one of nature’s most amazing transformations…METAMORPHOSIS!

Once sufficient nourishment has been consumed the caterpillar forms a pupa (a.k.a. chrysalis) where it pupates into a butterfly This is where something amazing happens! During its transformation the caterpillar relinquishes its eating mouthparts in exchange for reproductive organs. Now emerging as male or female!

Most species don’t have sex-specific features until they become butterflies. Butterflies cannot eat (living on stored fat reserves from the caterpillar phase. The main purpose of the butterfly phase, now! is to find a mate and mate as quickly as possible! Now life is short! In this strategy the adults in no way compete with the juveniles for food resources.

Butterflies can be seen puddling on moist concrete or mud puddles for moisture, salt and minerals, also, visiting flowers and sipping sweet nectar for a boost of energy until a mate is found. Females give off a pheromone that males can locate with their antennae. They mate…. the female deposits eggs on the host plant preferred by the next generation to eat and the cycle starts over.

Monarch caterpillars feed on the very bitter sap of the milkweed plant. This bitter sap makes the adult butterfly taste bad so birds and other predators avoid eating them.

Only adult Monarch butterflies live long enough for these butterflies to migrate in the fall to the Oyamel Fir Forests of Central Mexico where they mate and die and the offspring generations leapfrog as far north as Canada!

Project Monarch watch is an education, conservation, and research program based at the University of Kansas that focuses on the monarch butterfly, its habitat, and its spectacular fall migration. Participating in Project Monarch Watch. Merrill Creek tagged 2 butterflies that successfully made it 2080 miles from Harmony, NJ to Mexico!

For more information about project Monarch watch and planting the Milkweed they need visit: https://www.monarchwatch.org/

June 2024 – Turtles on the Move!

It is about this time when gravid female turtles are compelled by instinct to leave the lakes, ponds, and streams and lumber onto the land to excavate a nest and lay eggs. Usually, early morning or late evening while raining these females seek soft soil or loose gravel (often along roadsides) to use their hind legs to scoop out a cavity in the soil about 4 inches deep or as deep as her legs can reach!

They love to dig in roadside gravel; so, please watch out for turtles in the road!  I recently found a wood turtle (NJ threatened species) crossing the road at MCR.  Upon examination of the turtle’s shell it was determined that this turtle had been previously captured and marked in 1990!! She is healthy and surviving within the preserve for over 34 years! Turtles are not very prolific, and some species reproduce very slowly, with as few as one egg per year!

Please DON’T take home a wild turtle for a pet, it is illegal in New Jersey, and you remove all of that turtle’s future offspring from the environment. Merrill Creek turtles are marked and the subject of ongoing scientific studies. If you see one in the road just carefully help it along across in the same direction it is heading, TAKE a picture, but never the turtle!

 FIREFLIES

With warm evenings in June comes the childhood fun of catching fireflies and putting them in a jar. But did you know there are about 30 different species of firefly in our area? The length of the flash and the time between blinks help males and females of the same species find each other!

Get out with the kids and catch some! But always make sure to let them go after you take a good look at them.

A little more vocabulary

PROLIFIC…. The ability of a plant or animal to produce many offspring.

GRAVID…. A female who is pregnant (carrying eggs or young). CARAPACE…. The upper shell of a turtle. PLASTRON…. The lower shell of a turtle

Get out and enjoy nature!  Remember: Take pictures …leave only footprints! -Ranger Rich

May 2024

WHITE-TAIL DEER Starting about May 12th through about June 27th does give birth to fawns. Please don’t touch a baby fawn! By instinct the odorless fawn remains motionless while the mother goes off to feed. After giving birth the mother is physically drained and leaves the newborn and goes off to recuperate and feed and drink so she can produce milk. The fawn is not injured and mom will be back. Do not touch! If the mom detects a human odor she may reject the fawn.

Newborn fawns taken to wildlife rehabbers and must be bottle feed…. This is labor intensive before it can be released. Just don’t touch a fawn, mom will be back within 24 hours. Yearling does usually give birth to one fawn. Older does usually breed twins and sometimes triplets. Please keep your dog on a leash and under control and away from fawns.

 SPRING MIGRATION Soon, we can witness a returning splash of color, thirty to thirty five different species of warblers will be passing through our region…. each with its own particular song and behavior. Pine, palm, and yellow-rumped warblers are usually first to return along with an array of sparrow species.

Grab your binoculars and get out and enjoy these little gems while you can!

Keep a look out for returning Osprey too! It’s always a treat to watch them fish!

Wildlife vocabulary – Reproductive strategies among animals

“R” strategists. Animals that produce a laRge number of eggs or offspring and leave them with no parental care. Flooding the environment with many short-lived offspring. Few survive. The offspring never know the parents Examples: insects, fish, reptiles and amphibians.

“K” strategists. Animals that may only produce one Kid at a time and take really good care of it. Investing a lot of time with a lot of parental care, resulting in a greater chance of survival and long life. Examples: humans, elephants, Bald eagles, whales.

Get out and enjoy nature.  Remember, Take pictures … leave footprints.  – Ranger Rich

 APRIL 2024

Snakes and turtles and bears oh my! Warm rains provide signals for many of Merrill Creek’s animals to emerge!

REPTILES: As the days are longer and the sun rises higher, snakes and turtles surface to feed and bask in the warmth of the sun. These reptiles are ectothermic and need to bask in the sun on rocks and logs to obtain heat to aid their digestion. Snakes could be safely observed basking on the rip-rap rocks of the main dam and dikes (hikers please stay off these rocks). Snakes do not hear the way we do. They keep their head and chin on the ground to feel vibrations and usually know you are coming before you get there. So, there is little chance of stepping on one Turtles can be seen competing for the sun on many floating logs along the shoreline.

MCR provides critical habitat for several NJ turtle species of “SPECIAL CONCERN”. Box turtles, Wood turtles, Spotted Turtles and Bog turtles within MCR are marked and have been the focus of biological research since the project began! With some regularly found marked turtles on record originally found over 30 years ago! (they can live to be 60!)

These turtles are RESEARCH ANIMALS…. PLEASE do not remove them from the preserve. We need them to reproduce to maintain a healthy growing population!

Our bears have awaked and might be found eating skunk cabbage, the first leafy green plant to emerge( even through the snow! Skunk cabbage can actually generate heat to melt snow above.

If you encounter a bear make noise and calmly keep walking….(DON’T RUN)

Serviceberry or shadbush will be blooming soon…signaling the shad will be coming up the Delaware river soon!

A little more vocabulary:

 ECTOTHERMIC- often referred to as cold-blooded….. The Regulation of body temperature depends on external sources like sunlight or heated rock surfaces. Examples are: reptiles, amphibians, insects and fish.

ENDOTHERMIC– often referred to as warm blooded….. Capable of the internal generation of

heat. Examples are: mammals and birds

March 2024 – Amphibians begin to emerge:

Male wood frogs are usually the first of my smooth skin friends with their dark eye masks to start calling even from on the ice on vernal ponds which are temporary pools of melted snow where there are NO fish or turtles to eat their eggs. The eggs must develop quickly before the pond dries up in the summer.

Spotted salamanders also begin to awaken from underground burrows where they have overwintered waiting for a warm rain. They are compelled by instinct to travel to a vernal pond to mate often crossing busy roads to return to the pond where they were born!

PLEASE avoid hitting them. My grandsons love them!

 BONUS NOTICE: Beautiful Peregrine Falcons have been staying around NW DIKE 1. At the Inlet/Outlet tower parking lot. These magnificent predators can dive at speeds of 230 mph! And spot a sparrow from 3 miles away!!!

 A little VOCABULARY REVIEW: Vernal pond: Temporary spring pool/pond that provides essential habitat where amphibian eggs and juveniles develop quickly without predation from fish. Also a favorite of dragonflies!

 Precocial animals are born with all their hair, feathers and scales and quickly ready to follow momma on the move! e.g. Baby ducks, deer, moose.

 Altricial animals: a young bird or animal hatched or born helpless and requiring significant parental care. e.g. baby robin or a human baby