Wildlife

Kayaking is an outdoor activity. Yes, kids, you'll have to put down your game controllers and go outside. Out there is what us older folks call nature. Nature can actually be quite beautiful and interesting, and you don't have to worry about your screen resolution and refresh rate - both are infinity. So here is a short list of flora and fauna ( plants and animals ) that you might see in freshwater environments:

Birds

Fishes

Turtles, Frogs & Snakes

Mammals

Bugs

Plants

Salt Water

All of the birds listed above can also be found in saltwater environs. The list of saltwater fishes is too long to even start. Insects and amphibians have poor tolerance for saltwater and are not found there, but many other types make up for that. Likewise, seals and dolphins may be found in our bays and inlets.

This is by no means an exhaustive listing, just a few representative types that you are likely to see on almost any trip. I'm going to be lazy here, and filch a lot of material from Wikipedia. I'm keeping this all informal and unscientific; I'm not even going to bother with Latin names. However, if there is something you want to know more about, I will place Wikipedia links.


River Otter

Otters are aquatic weasels. You may find them climbing around on banks, or splashing around in the water, especially around dusk.


Pictured above is a classic example of poison ivy. Note how three leaves grow in a cluster from a single node, with no leaves further down the stem. The side leaves have no stalks, while the center leaf has a short stalk. This pattern is universal - if you see it, stay away.


Whirligig Beetle

Whirligig Beetles are typically found in groups making crazy circles at the surface, although they are also capable of diving and flying. These are 'true beetles', not bugs. They are harmless scavengers.


These birds are all associated with marine environments, but the truth is, they don't care. You'll find them wherever there is food. Since no place in New Jersey is really very far from the ocean, you can find most of these almost anywhere.

Herring Gull

Adult


Gloucester County
( 39.69751, -75.18109 )

  1. Alcyon Lake ( 39.72831, -75.14290 )
  2. Alloway Creek - Hancock's Bridge ( 39.50763, -75.46339 )
  3. Alloway Lake - Alloway ( 39.56288, -75.36070 )
  4. Atsion Lake - Pinelands ( 39.73989, -74.73128 )
  5. Avis Millpond - Salem River ( 39.63089, -75.29061 )
  6. Big Timber Creek - Fort Nassau ( 39.88024, -75.12680 )
  7. Big Timber Creek - Glendora (N) ( 39.85285, -75.09452 )
  8. Big Timber Creek - Glendora (S) ( 39.83769, -75.08264 )
  9. Blackwood Lake - Big Timber Creek ( 39.80194, -75.07405 )
  10. Bostwick Lake - Cohansey River ( 39.52842, -75.26801 )
  11. Cedar Creek - Stow Creek ( 39.44393, -75.40885 )
  12. Cohansey River - Bridgeton ( 39.42658, -75.23626 )
  13. Cohansey River - Dix WMA ( 39.37361, -75.29350 )
  14. Cohansey River - Ragged Island St. ( 39.36792, -75.35818 )
  15. Cooper River - Haddonfield ( 39.90090, -75.02056 )
  16. Cooper River Lake - Collingswood ( 39.92432, -75.07123 )
  17. Cooper River Park - Haddonfield ( 39.92561, -75.05672 )
  18. Delaware River - Carney's Point ( 39.71737, -75.47630 )
  19. Delaware River - Elsinboro Point ( 39.54510, -75.52995 )
  20. Delaware River - Fort Mott ( 39.60585, -75.55596 )
  21. Delaware River - Frankford Creek ( 39.98473, -75.07171 )
  22. Delaware River - Mad Horse ( 39.42123, -75.42695 )
  23. Delaware River - Miller Road ( 39.38263, -75.40641 )
  24. Delaware River - North Camden ( 39.95769, -75.11432 )
  25. Delaware River - Palmyra Cove ( 40.00916, -75.04176 )
  26. Delaware River - Paulsboro ( 39.84785, -75.25124 )
  27. Delaware River - Pennsauken ( 39.98092, -75.06567 )
  28. Delaware River - Pennsville ( 39.64836, -75.53254 )
  29. Delaware River - Rivergate ( 39.87718, -75.17961 )
  30. Delaware River - West Deptford ( 39.86198, -75.20709 )
  31. DOD Ramp - Penns Grove ( 39.74873, -75.45564 )
  32. Dramasel/Pines Lake ( 39.81713, -75.04735 )
  33. East Lake - Salem River ( 39.64274, -75.31400 )
  34. Franklinville Lake - Franklinville ( 39.61768, -75.07867 )
  35. Great Egg Harbor River - New Brooklyn ( 39.70187, -74.93732 )
  36. Great Egg Harbor River - Penny Pot ( 39.57547, -74.82239 )
  37. Great Egg Harbor River - Piney Hollow Rd ( 39.62049, -74.89280 )
  38. Great Egg Harbor River - Weymouth ( 39.51339, -74.77889 )
  39. Hammonton Lake ( 39.63010, -74.78734 )
  40. Hester's Branch - Woodbury ( 39.83155, -75.14812 )
  41. Indian Mills Lake ( 39.79554, -74.73998 )
  42. Kirkwood Lake - Cooper River ( 39.83637, -75.00105 )
  43. Laurel Lake ( 39.81720, -75.01032 )
  44. Malaga Lake - Newfield ( 39.57878, -75.05643 )
  45. Mantua Creek - West Deptford ( 39.79546, -75.17112 )
  46. Maurice River - Alliance Beach ( 39.50198, -75.07976 )
  47. Maurice River - Garden Road ( 39.52199, -75.07329 )
  48. Maurice River - Milleville ( 39.37706, -75.03671 )
  49. Maurice River - Sharp St ( 39.40012, -75.05345 )
  50. Maurice River - West Side Park ( 39.49608, -75.07611 )
  51. Maurice River - Willow Grove ( 39.54996, -75.07146 )
  52. Newton Creek - Johnson Park ( 39.89464, -75.11321 )
  53. Newton Lake - Collingswood ( 39.90840, -75.08179 )
  54. Oldman's Creek - Bridgeport ( 39.78437, -75.40694 )
  55. Oldman's Creek - Harrisonville ( 39.68277, -75.26706 )
  56. Oldman's Creek - Swedesboro ( 39.74857, -75.37972 )
  57. Parvin Lake - Pittsgrove ( 39.50613, -75.12979 )
  58. Pennsauken Creek - Cinnaminson (E) ( 39.97961, -75.00867 )
  59. Pennsauken Creek - Cinnaminson (W) ( 39.98056, -75.01119 )
  60. Raccoon Creek - Bridgeport ( 39.80121, -75.35517 )
  61. Raccoon Creek - Mullica Hill ( 39.73444, -75.22043 )
  62. Rainbow Lake - Pittsgrove ( 39.48757, -75.11186 )
  63. Rancocas Creek - Medford Park ( 39.89713, -74.82061 )
  64. Repaupo Creek - Logan Twp ( 39.82960, -75.33016 )
  65. Salem River - Mannington ( 39.66957, -75.46619 )
  66. Salem River - Salem ( 39.57881, -75.46628 )
  67. Salem River - Supawna NWR ( 39.56956, -75.49853 )
  68. Salem River - Woodstown ( 39.64486, -75.32774 )
  69. Salem River WMA - Pennsville ( 39.64026, -75.48012 )
  70. Stewart Lake - Woodbury ( 39.84193, -75.14283 )
  71. Strawberry Lake - Moorestown ( 39.95460, -74.94940 )
  72. Strawbridge Lake - Moorestown ( 39.94984, -74.96347 )
  73. Sunset Lake - Cohansey River ( 39.44637, -75.23975 )
  74. Thundergust Lake ( 39.50277, -75.13396 )
  75. Timber Creek ( 39.83638, -75.05988 )
  76. Union Lake - Millville (E) ( 39.40677, -75.05152 )
  77. Union Lake - Millville (W) ( 39.40812, -75.06712 )
  78. Wilson Lake - Glassboro ( 39.65715, -75.05088 )
  79. Woodbury Creek - West Deptford ( 39.84158, -75.15443 )