Flora and Fauna of NJ

[Jon]

It is difficult enough when encountering wildlife to get photo's. Sometimes in the shock of actually finding a wild animal one forgets to get the camera out, or forgets to snap the picture or check the focus. Only after looking back do I actually see how lucky I was to get some of the shots I did. Other shots I wish I had been a littler quicker, or had my telephoto lens on, or focused, or had that damn bear moved just a tad to the right...

I love the Catskills. I will say that it is very difficult to pin down some of your NY wildlife for a photo. Maybe they're camera shy, or maybe I just have better luck in NJ. I have yet to photograph any animals, birds, amphibians or anything that isn't a plant for that matter in The Catskills. Maybe I haven't spent as much time there as I have tromping around NJ. This is a collection from my hikes, in no particular order.

NJoy!


Bearfort Mountain, West Milford NJ


Guerin Benchmark Trail, Randolph NJ


Skylands Manor, Ringwood NJ


Norvin Green State Forest, West Milford NJ


Ramapo Mountain, Ringwood NJ


Catfish Mountain, Delaware Water Gap NJ


Appalachian trail, West Milford NJ


Bearfort Mountain, West Milford NJ


Sunrise Mountain, Stokes State Forest NJ


The Otterhole, Norvin Green State Forest,West Milford NJ


Terrace Pond, West Milford NJ


Norvin Green State Forest, West Milford NJ


Catfish Mountain, Delaware Water Gap NJ


Bearfort Mountain, West Milford NJ


Catfish Mountain, Delaware Water Gap NJ


Windbeam Mountain, Ringwood NJ


Long Pond Ironworks, Ringwood NJ


Bearfort Mountain, West Milford NJ


Mount Tammany, Delaware Water Gap NJ


Waywayanda Mountain, Vernon NJ


Windbeam Mountain, Ringwood NJ


Mount Tammany, Delaware Water Gap NJ


Buck Mountain, Norvin Green State Forest NJ


Ramapo Mountain, Ringwood NJ


Windbeam Mountain, Ringwood NJ


Bearfort Mountain, West Milford NJ


Waywayanda Mountain, Vernon NJ


Bearfort Mountain, West Milford NJ


Norvin Green State Forest, West Milford NJ


High Mountain, North Haledon NJ

[SNEAKers]

Great pics! I have yet to see a bear in the Catskills, but have seen salamanders, frogs, garter snakes,hawks (mostly while at viewpoints with them "patrolling" the skies) and more. I know I'll see others in the spring and plan on doing more solo hikes and more sit and wait in strategic areas. However, my coolest wild animal encounter was in New Jersey while kayaking... I saw a Mink grabbing a Catfish and pulling it ashore less than 10 feet in front of my kayak. It all happened so fast and close that I didn't get a picture.

[rkugel]

Great photos! Thank you so much for sharing! I live in New Jersey (North Haledon) and have hiked many of the areas you visited. I concur with your observation that I see much more wildlife in Jersey than in the Catskills. I'm sure there are many reasons; however, I understand hundreds of animals in the Catskills died from starvation during the past couple of winters, which were especially severe.

Most recently while hiking in New Jersey, I saw a bear cub (perhaps a year old) at the foot of High Mountain - literally 5 minutes from my house. The mother was nowhere to be seen and he may have recently been set out on his own. He was completely docile and I honestly felt no fear or danger. Of course, I kept a safe distance and made no attempt to approach him. Of all times not to have my camera!

Deer are also very common in New Jersey and are seen almost as frequently as squirrels!

I've also seen many reptiles and amphibians near my home including frogs, toads, snakes, and turtles. I suspect the colder climate in the Catskills keeps most reptiles away (since they are cold blooded). In all my years of hiking the Catskills, I can only remember seeing a garter snake once or twice.

Also, I've only seen a bear once in the Catskills. This was along the Escarpment Trail between the Hotel Kaaterskill site and Boulder Rock. She was with a cub and took one look at me and quickly headed off into the woods. It was obvious she was in no mood for a confrontation - much to my relief!

You mentioned Norvin Green State Forest in New Jersey. You need to climb Wyanokie High Point if you've never been there. Although the summit is only 1200 feet high, you have a spectacular 360 degree view, thanks to a huge rocky outcrop (easily the size of a small building two or three stories tall) perched at the summit.

Thanks,
Rich

[Jon]

You mentioned Norvin Green State Forest in New Jersey. You need to climb Wyanokie High Point if you've never been there. Although the summit is only 1200 feet high, you have a spectacular 360 degree view, thanks to a huge rocky outcrop (easily the size of a small building two or three stories tall) perched at the summit.

Thanks,
Rich

small world huh? I live on high mtn rd. That deer photo is from the southern base of high mountain on the yellow trail. Like right after you get done coming down the slope with all the small rocks. When it snows I will snowshoe from my front door to the summit, cause they never plow the trailhead at WPU and it only adds a 1.5 miles to my trip.

I have actually been to almost every spot in norvin green except the high point!

When I get home maybe i'll make a norvin green trail report with pictures.
I usually do a loop going counter-clockwise. I start at the otterhole, take highlands trail east over to the white trail to chikahoki falls then I go east (downstream) from the falls and take the yellow(IIRC) up the southeast face of cariss hill (since the views are better than taking the highlands trail up), down to yohoo point then take the outlaw trail over to the north face of buck mtn and traverse that back to the highlands trail, down the rocks on the east slope of buck, then back to the otterhole. It takes almost all day but you get views north south east and west. Sometimes if I feel up to it i'll refill water at the car and jet up to wyanokie torne and chill at the stone living room. Despite my years of hiking all over norvin green, and looking at wyanokie HP from the summit of cariss hill, I have never gone. I don't really start from the weiss center much so I guess i'll have to go hike up there one day. It looks like a good place to practice some freeclimbing.

[rkugel]

Hi Jon,

That's almost too funny for words that we're neighbors! Like you said, small world! I do much hiking in the High Mountain Preserve since it is so close to my home. If you have hiked the preserve extensively, you probably noticed there are many unmarked trails. Most of them are a lot fun to hike and I encourage you to explore them. Since the preserve is relatively small, it is pretty difficult to get lost!

Besides High Mountain, the other scenic highlight in the preserve is Franklin Clove, which is literally a deep gouge sliced through the hills by the last glacier. Franklin Clove is only steps away from the "real" Buttermilk Falls. I use the term "real" since there are actually 3 falls in the preserve all named "Buttermilk".

Years ago, my sister lived next to the Weis Ecology Center by Norvin Green State Forest and I would park by her house and go hiking. Regrettably, parts of Norvin Green have been closed to the public (they were bought by developers and the Sam Braen Quarry) and many scenic and interesting places are now off limits. Talk about a crying shame! In any event, Wyanokie High Point is still publicly accessible and you should really see it. From the top of "High Point", if you look to the east, you will see clearings down in the valley that mark the locations of two iron mines called Roomy Mine and Blue Mine. Both are still accessible (as far as I know) and are worth exploring.

You may also be familiar with the original trail up the southern approach to Carris Hill. The final approach to the summit was a near vertical ascent up a rocky escarpment that rivalled some of the steepest trails in the Catskills. The trail was relocated about 12-14 years ago and now makes a gentler (and safer) ascent.

If you read the posts on the forum, Mike C and I regularly hike in the Catskills together. Perhaps you could join us some time. Regrettably, we both have relentlessly busy schedules that precludes us from hiking together as frequently as we would like, but we make the best of it and always have a great time when we can get together.

[Jon]

Yah I'd be up for a hike anytime. I usually hike on the weekends, I might go during the week when I'm off for winter break, but I start school up in 2 weeks so I'll be only going on weekends or Wednesdays after that.

I have never been off trail in Wayne preserve. I know there are a lot of trails back there that people dirt bike on, or that lead to roads. The first time I was on the summit, there was some guy with his jeep up there. I don't think it's that legal but I guess people do it a lot seeing as how there's a ton of glass up there. I'm originally from West Milford, and am more familiar with Bearfort, Clinton Rd., and Norvin Green than I am with High Mountain. I only moved here 6 years ago. I usually just stick to the marked trails and go to the summit for the view of the NYC skyline. I especially like seeing the Verazano Narrows bridge, and the horizon over the atlantic where with a keen eye and some binoculars you can see the curvature of the earth. I also like to take people up there and be like "I can see my house from here" cause I always say that joking around when I get to great views, like in the catskills, but in this instance I actually can.

Anyways the only waterfall I ever seen back there is the one on the way in from the south by Belmont ave right past the WPU gate there is the windy road that goes past the Trap rock on the right, and then the waterfall is on the left in the little ravine. You will need to show me where the other falls are so that I can record the waypoint on the GPS.

[mike]

The history of animals in the Catskills is quite turbulent.

Prior to the 1700's the Catskills had an incredible amount of wildlife. Some of the earliest visitors reported that the Catskills had more wildlife then any other place in the world. This kind of report helped lead people to the Catskills to "live off the land". Some of the first people to arrive came to trap beavers, foxes, and bobcats. The area was also abundant in deer, bears, and mountain lions. It is also believed that the Catskills had wolverines.

By the end of the 1800's the settlers had killed all the Indians, and virtually all the wildlife. They had stripped most of the forest. This caused massive erosion. This turned the Hudson River red from the Catskill clay all the way to the ocean.

The Catskill went from a region that was teeming with animals to being void of animals. This caused a massive change in how people used the land. During this time it was a big deal if someone saw a deer. They took 200 acres below Slide Mountain and created a Deer park so that local people could come and see a deer. As they multiplied, they started to release some of the deer. All the deer you see today, come from Deer Park.

Today, the Catskills are still suffering from the lack of animals. Most of the animals that you see in the Catskills have migrated in. To restore the Catskills, they would need to introduce rodents (mice, voles, squirrels, chipmunks, rabbits, etc). If you hike in the Catskills in the Winter you don't see many tracks of rodents. the lack of rodents in the Catskills has kept owls, hawks, rattlesnakes from coming into the area. Mainly because the lack of prey. Once rodents are re-established, then there will be a full recovery of animals.

In March of 2010 we had an epic snowstorm that left 7-8' of snow in the Catskills. This killed of 99% of the bobcats, 50% of the fishers, and 50% of the coyotes. This has allowed the rodents to start recover. This may be the one event that will help the recovery of animals in the Catskill. This summer I have seen lots of chipmunks. It is surprising the amount of rodents that are recovering. We have also seen owls start to come back into the area. We have not seen them there in over 100 years. In spite of Coxsackie being one of the hots spots in the United States for owls.

Bobcats, coyotes, and fishers are starting to make a comeback. But, it is very slowly. This may help the recovery of animals in the Catskills.

Hope this helps everyone understand why they don't see very many animals in the Catskills.

Anytime Jon or anyone else wants to go hike, I'm game!

[Jon]

Hope this helps everyone understand why they don't see very many animals in the Catskills.

That is very interesting. I know that the logged most of the mountains bare. I remember an ol' timer telling me that on one of the trails. I also remember seeing a lot of chipmunks this summer. Like a lot.I did notice quite a few rodent and small tracks in the snow on monday when we went up blackhead. I didn't photograph them but I did notice some.

I also saw some deer while I was driving back on 42, and I remember those were some of the biggest muscular deer I ever saw. In NJ they just walk across my front lawn, so it's not that big of a deal to see a deer, but these were like arnold Schwarzenegger deer or something. Definitively hardier.

I would love to see any bobcats or coyotes or fishers, I have never seen any of these in the wild. I also hear that you have some weird giant Eastern Coyotes that have Wolf DNA hybrids or something and are like twice the size of regular coyotes.

[rkugel]

Good Morning Everyone.

Mike, thanks for the information you shared regarding the wildlife in the Catskills. It is really tragic how most of the wildlife has disappeared, but hopefully the ecosystem will make a full recovery in the coming years.

Jon, the waterfalls you mentioned off Belmont Ave and by the entrance to William Paterson University are one of the 3 "Buttermilk Falls" I mentioned. These falls are man-made and the large pit they fall into is an abandoned brownstone quarry.

The second Buttermilk Falls can be located by following the yellow trail north from the summit of High Mountain. After about a half a mile, the yellow trail will turn left and leave the woods road. If you stay on the woods road, you will descend (rather steeply) to a stream. Immediately to the right, you will see the second Buttermilk Falls tumbling down a series a small ledges. If you continue on the woods road past the stream another 30 feet, you will intercept the red trail. From there, turn left and follow the red trail for about a quarter of a mile and you will intersect the yellow trail.

The third Buttermilk Falls is near Franklin Clove, as I mentioned in my last post. You shouldn't have any trouble finding them.

Rich

[Jon]

looks like I'm gonna go on a waterfall hunt this weekend