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Great Egg Harbor River Wildlife Management Area, Weymouth Section


5
  
 
Grace Street and Route 50, Belcoville, NJ
Phone: (826) 629-0090
www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/wmas.htm

OWNER:  NJ Department of Environmental Protection

DIRECTIONS:  From the parking area at Dorothy Preserve, turn Left onto Maple Avenue. Make the first Left onto 11th Avenue. After 4 miles turn Right onto Route 50. After 0.6 miles turn Left onto Grace Street. Park on the Right at the entrance for Great Egg Harbor River WMA.

DIRECTIONS FROM NEAREST HIGHWAY:  From the intersection of Route 50 and Route 40 in May?s Landing, continue South on Route 50. After 1.1 miles, turn Left onto Grace Street. Park on the Right at the entrance for Great Egg Harbor River WMA.   Map

CampingFood
ACCESS AND PARKING:  It is a WMA, so it’s WILD. See information elsewhere in this brochure. Open daily from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. Do not attempt to drive the road in wet conditions. Park and proceed on foot.

NEAREST PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION:  NJ Transit Route 315 stops at Route 50 and 11th Avenue.

Raccoon Tracks
Raccoon TracksTony Geiger
 
SITE DESCRIPTION:  In 1992 the Great Egg Harbor River was designated as a National Wild and Scenic River. With nearly all if its watershed lying within the Pinelands National Reserve, the river is truly a treasure trove of rare and unique wildlife. Over 5,000 acres of land in the Great Egg Harbor River Watershed are protected and managed by the state in the Great Egg Harbor River Wildlife Management Area. This particular section of the WMA contains mixed woods that have sizeable sections of pine trees throughout. The Great Egg Harbor River runs through the site, acting as a corridor for migratory birds and creating habitat for an abundance of reptiles, amphibians, butterflies and dragonflies.

DON'T MISS:  The area where the power lines cut through the WMA, right near the river. This sunny opening is favored by butterflies, dragonflies and reptiles.

THROUGH THE SEASONS:  
Winter:  Winter here is generally quiet, but you will find small groups of songbirds including White-throated Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Carolina Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse and White-breasted Nuthatch. Look for the occasional Golden-crowned Kinglet or Chipping Sparrow mixing with the flock. Mallard, American Black Duck and Canada Geese can be seen on the river. Watch for Bald Eagles patrolling the area.
Spring:  Springtime is exciting. Pine and Black-and-white Warblers prepare to nest, Eastern Wood Pewees and Carolina Wrens start singing and spring peepers call in the evening. Look for Mourning cloak, question mark, and Eastern comma butterflies soaking up the sun on the sides of tree trunks. Black racers are common.
Summer:  Fowler's toads venture into the open on cooler days but shelter under logs or boards on hot days. Dragonflies and damselflies are conspicuous here in the summer. Common green darners, blue dashers, common sand dragons and ebony jewelwings are likely. Eastern box turtles are on the move, and with a keen eye, one may see a musk turtle or "stinkpot" in the river. Eastern fence lizards are common here, especially in brush piles or fallen logs.
Fall:  Fall is a good time to see both Ruby-crowned and Golden-crowned Kinglets, usually with mixed flocks of chickadees and titmice. Yellow-rumped Warblers can be abundant. In early fall at dusk, Tree Swallows, Common Nighthawks and little brown bats perform aerial acrobatics in pursuit of flying insects.


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