State Parks and National Parks

Great Bay Boulevard Wildlife Management Area

This important wildlife area protects 5,346 acres of salt marsh purchased with federal and state funds.

The peninsula, surrounded by Great Bay, Little Egg Inlet and Little Egg Harbor Bay, also preserves several islands.

Expect to find outstanding wildlife watching, especially for nesting shorebirds and waterfowl. During migration, sandpipers, knots, dowitches, curlews, willets, plovers, turnstones and yellowlegs feed and rest in the area. Also present are gulls, terns, skimmers, American bitterns, glossy ibis, oystercatchers, marsh hawks, ospreys, egrets and herons.

Virginia rail, coot, grebes, loons and an occasional bald eagle pass through as well.

Crabbing and fishing, for sea bass, sharks, flounder, bluefish and striped bass, are excellent along the coastal bays. Call for information about hunting.

Photo credits in order: Photo by Al Ivany, courtesy of New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife.