| Year | 2017 |
| Name | 2017 New Jersey Osprey Survey |
| Desc | The goal of Tony’s internship was to help determine if ospreys in NJ have recovered sufficiently to downgrade their status as a threatened species in New Jersey. Tony partnered with Conserve Wildlife New Jersey to assist them with their on-going Osprey Survey. In total, Tony surveyed more than 175 nests - with approximately 100 of them active.
Tony surveyed active osprey nests on platforms in Barnegat Bay, on cell phone towers, and telephone poles in all of Monmouth County and in Northern Ocean County. The nests had not been surveyed since before Super Storm Sandy and the results were added to the ongoing osprey census.
Tony built five Osprey platforms at the NJ Outdoor Expo in Jackson with the assistance of several groups of young people.
Reflecting on his motivation for the project, Tony says that from his home in Brick, he has often marveled at osprey fishing in the Metedeconck River. He would often talk with locals in and around town about the osprey and was surprised at how little most folks knew about the local apex raptors. “I decided then, that I would do whatever I could to increase awareness of these amazing birds locally as well as to do whatever I could on a volunteer basis to help with their on-going recovery. It was one of the best things I’ve ever done.” |
