Filed Under: Cultural, Fishing, Hiking, Hunting, Paddling
Supawna Meadows National Wildlife Refuge is located along the Delaware River estuary just north of the Salem River in Salem County, NJ. The Delaware Bay and estuary is recognized as a wetlands of international importance and an international shorebird reserve. The refuge currently owns approximately 2,800 acres within the 4,600 acre approved boundary. The brackish tidal marshes that make up nearly 80 percent of the refuge provide waterfowl with an important feeding and resting area, particularly during the fall and spring migrations. Black ducks, mallards and northern pintails are common winter visitors. Sandpipers and other shorebirds use the refuge marshes as a feeding area during the summer as well as during the spring and fall migrations. Delaware's nearby Pea Patch Island Rookery hosts over 6,000 pairs of nine species, making it the largest rookery of colonial wading birds on the east coast north of Florida. The refuge marshes provide valuable foraging habitat for these colonial wading birds during the nesting season.
Warblers, sparrows and other migratory birds use the upland areas of the refuge as resting and feeding areas during migration and for nesting during the summer. Thousands of tree swallows forage on the refuge in the late summer. Ospreys, bald eagle, northern harrier, short-eared owl and barn owl nest on the refuge.
For further information contact the refuge office at (856) 935-1487.
Directions
Supawna Meadows NWR is located approximately 35 miles south of Philadelphia Pennsylvania and approximately 10 miles south of Wilmington, Delaware in Pennsville, New Jersey. From Interstate 295 take exit 1C, Salem County Route 551. Follow Route 551 south to its end at New Jersey Route 49. Turn left onto Route 49 east. Go approximately one mile on Route 49 east to the first road on the right, Lighthouse Road. Turn right on Lighthouse Road. Turn left at the sign for the refuge office. A number of directional signs are located along the route.
References and External Links
Posted by: recreation2 and last modified on Jul 05, 2007 by thoos
Comments
Be the first to leave a comment, advice, or personal anecdote.
Leave a Comment