24 Broadway, Somers Point, NJ
Phone: (609) 927-9088
City of Somers Point
From the parking area at Klingener Fishing Pier, turn Left onto Route 152. After 1.4 miles, turn Left onto Shore Road. At the traffic circle, take the second exit toward Mays Landing Road, and then an immediate Left onto Broadway. Continue for 0.3 miles to the entrance of John F. Kennedy Park on the Left. DIRECTIONS FROM NEAREST HIGHWAY: From the intersection of Route 52 and Route 9 in Somers Point, continue East on Route 52. At the traffic circle, keep right to take the first exit onto Mays Landing Road, then make a quick Left onto Broadway. Continue for 0.3 miles to the entrance for John F. Kennedy Park on the Left. Map
NJ Transit Bus Route 507 stops at Somers Point Traffic Circle and Mays Landing Road. Walk West down Broadway for 0.3 miles to the park entrance on the Left.
Located on the end of the park near the boat ramp, a set of wooden stairs lead down to the beach area. The beach is only accessible during low tide, but it is a nice spot to stroll while looking up along the bank where birds and butterflies are visible.
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John F. Kennedy Park overlooks Great Egg Harbor Bay and is within close range of amenities in Somers Point. The high bank allows spectacular views of the Bay and is a nice spot for picnicking. There is a large playground area for children and a small beach area is accessible at low tide. With the cool breezes and plenty of shade, you can enjoy the view while having a relaxing birding experience.
Walk the small beach at low tide in summer when you will see the best variety of passerine birds, shorebirds, butterflies and wildflowers.
Winter is a good time to scan the bay for waterfowl such as Scaup, Double-crested Cormorant, Brant, Bufflehead, Horned Grebe, Red-breasted Merganser, Common Loon and Red-throated Loon. Raptors such as Peregrine Falcon and Northern Harrier can be spotted over the distant marshes.
Passerines such as Common Yellowthroat, American Redstart and Black-throated Blue Warbler stop in the thickets along the edge of the bank for cover and food. Shorebirds such as Semipalmated Plover, Yellowlegs, Least and Semipalmated Sandpipers pass in small flocks over the bay.
Purple Martins utilize nesting boxes nearby. Double-crested Cormorants perch on the piling and spread their wings to dry. Laughing Gull, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Forster’s Tern and Common tern are abundant. Black Skimmers cut lines in the water as they snap up fish with their specially adapted beaks. Black-crowned Night Heron sometimes visit the rocks along the bay at dusk. Vast schools of silversides break the surface of the bay as they evade the bluefish and summer flounder that pursue them. Butterflies and dragonflies can be seen on the edge of the bank.
Ruddy Turnstone, Sanderling, Dunlin and Short-billed Dowitcher are among shorebirds that feed along the bay at low tide. Brown Pelicans sometimes come in to fish over the bay. Songbirds such as Baltimore Oriole, Red-eyed Vireo and Palm Warbler stop on their way South. Osprey, Bald Eagle and Peregrine Falcon pass overhead. Monarch butterflies nectar on the seaside goldenrod by the bank. Ruddy Duck, Hooded Merganser, Common Merganser and Long-tailed Duck arrive on the bay.
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