Our Field Trip to Heislerville Wildlife Management Area
When: Saturday April 19th, 9:00 AM
Start Location: We start sharply at 9am at Dorchester Wawa: 3904 NJ 47, Millville, NJ https://goo.gl/maps/CNtkR6q322rQZEHU7
Trip Leaders: Carol Fitzpatrick and Barb Stollsteimer.
Import info: If you need food, a rest stop or fuel, factor that into your timing for Wawa so that we are ready to leave at 9am.
Description: Heislerville WMA is part of the Delaware Bayshore and comprises close to 6000 acres of formerly diked salt-hay marshes, impoundments, tidal marshes, and pine-oak uplands. The area protects part of the Maurice River. We will primarily be on Matt’s Landing rd, Earth Dike Rd, and East Point Rd to the lighthouse where we will eat our lunch. But there are birds, birds, birds, so the driving is not boring!
Here is a link to an overall map so you can get a sense of Heislerville and what all this driving back and forth looks like: Heislerville for the Google Map.
This is a trip that focuses on water birds: herons, egrets, ducks and shorebirds. However, spring can also bring warblers (both nesters and those just passing through) along with other passerines.
Trip Route: The route from Wawa starts on NJ 47S. Go 5.3 miles to Mackey’s Lane (Rt 740). https://goo.gl/maps/CgB6VyuqNrM3puWv9 Mackey's Ln joins High St.(Rt 616). Go .3 mile then fork right on CR 616 (Main St.) and travel 2.2 miles to Matts Landing Road (rt 736) https://goo.gl/maps/TrYH6Edmuh2wRD38A . Make a sharp right on Matt's Landing and continue .5 mile to the first impoundments on both sides of the road. We will stop at a parking area on the left just before the impoundments. Next we will park on the other side near the marina and check to see what is left of the rookery. We can walk some of the Earth Dike rd. We will return to our cars and loop around the impoundments, stopping periodically. The route goes through some woods where we can look and listen for early migrants. We will then continue down East Point Rd and check the Delaware Bay near the Lighthouse. There is a nice parking area near there where we can watch for Bonaparte's Gulls and Gannets while we eat our lunch. After eating we will return to Wawa (and have a rest stop if necessary) and turn left on Mauricetown Crossway Rd. We will take the bridge over the Maurice River to Bivalve following Rt 649 to a left on North Ave. another left onto High St (which becomes Shell Ave.). The final destination is https://maps.app.goo.gl/cK5ze8s2LDfC4pWj8
Keep in mind, these directions sound involved but there should not be too much traffic and if we keep the number of cars down, it should be no problem staying together.
Contact info: Please email bucksbirders@gmail.com to let us know or send us an email using the form below if you want to go. We would like a head count so that we don't leave anyone behind. It should be a fun day!