Amasas Landing Road, New Gretna, NJ
Phone: (609) 652-1665
New Jersey Turnpike Authority, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, Private
From the parking lot at Batsto, turn Right onto Batsto Road. Proceed 0.3 miles and turn Left onto CR 542/Hammonton Road. After 11.8 miles turn sharp Right at the gas station onto US 9/Old New York Road. After 1 mile, proceed onto Amasas Landing Road, crossing over the Garden State Parkway. Bear Right onto a sand road and proceed 0.1 miles to the parking area on the Right by the fishing pier. DIRECTIONS FROM NEAREST HIGHWAY: From the Garden State Parkway Southbound, take Exit 52 toward New Gretna and turn Left onto East Greenbush Road. After 1.1 miles, turn Right onto Route 9 South. Proceed 2.1 miles and continue onto Amasas Landing Road. After crossing over the Garden State Parkway, bear Right onto a sand road and proceed 0.1 miles to the parking area on the Right by the fishing pier. From the Garden State Parkway Northbound, take Exit 50 toward New Gretna. Bear Left from the exit ramp onto a sand road, and proceed 0.1 miles to the parking area on the Right by the fishing pier. Map
Time your visit for low tide in the warm months to see the true diversity of marine life in the mud flats and the great variety of birds that stop to feed on them.
 |
| Green Darner | Beth Cuizio |
| |
| | Amasas Landing Road is a beautiful and easily accessible site, bisecting salt-marsh habitat and ending at a sandy lot on the Bass River, shortly before its confluence with the Mullica River. In colder months, raptors and waterfowl are conspicuous in the marsh. In warmer months, the road end is a good site for fishing and launching non-motorized watercraft, and also for a glimpse at the abundant marine life in the salt marsh. In addition to the road end, a fishing pier has recently been constructed over the cove to the South, offering another point from which to fish and scan for birds and other wildlife.
Visit in the winter on days with low wind, around sunset or on overcast days, for the best chance to spot a Short-Eared Owl.
This is an excellent time to visit Amasas Landing. Bring a spotting scope and scan for wintering raptors such as Rough-Legged Hawk, Short-eared Owl, and the occasional Golden Eagle. Northern Harrier and Bald Eagle are regulars. The river and cove will host Horned Grebe, Bufflehead, Ruddy Duck, Greater and Lesser Scaup, Red-Breasted Merganser, Double-Crested Cormorant and occasionally Great Cormorant, in addition to other waterfowl. Belted Kingfisher can be found here as well.
Osprey return to the marsh in late March. Redwing Blackbirds begin displaying their bright red and yellow wing markings and singing to defend territories. The shrubs and cedars along the road are good traps for migrating Yellow-rumped, Blackpoll, and Yellow Warblers, as well as Common Yellowthroat, Gray Catbird, Brown Thrasher, Kingbird, and Phoebe. White perch and striped bass arrive in the cove. Insect repellant recommended April and beyond.
The salt marsh is in full swing. Listen for the bubbling song of the Marsh Wren, as well as the hoarse trills of Salt-marsh and Seaside Sparrows, and the tick-tick-tick-tick-tick of Clapper Rails. Glossy Ibis, Great Egret and Willet stalk the shallows. Tree Swallows, Barn Swallows and various dragonflies swoop over the spartina. Fiddler crabs dance along the mud and the water teems with grass shrimp, mummichogs, and silversides, as well as the young bluefish, weakfish, black sea bass, and summer flounder that pursue them. Blue-claw and green crabs can be caught off the fishing pier, and tautog can be caught with the crab. Insect repellant recommended.
The marsh is still quite active through October. Monarch butterflies nectar on seaside goldenrod and roost in red cedars. Black and Yellow Crowned Night Herons and Snowy Egrets form migratory flocks. Song and Savannah Sparrows are active in the shrubs along the road. This is the best time to try for a keeper striper or a nice sized bluefish, as schools of bunker move up the river and into the cove.
|