Silver Lake Road, Hardyston, NJ
Phone: (973) 383-0918
www.njfishandwildlife.org/wmas.htm
NJ Department of Environmental Protection
Turn Left out of the park. After 3.0 miles turn Left onto Route 94. After 6.5 miles bear Left for CR 515 South. After 8.5 miles turn Right onto Route 23 North. After 1.4 miles bear Right onto Silver Grove Road. After 0.9 miles turn Right onto Silver Lake Road. After 1.0 miles turn Right into driveway of parking area. Map
| | The Silver Lake section of Hamburg Mountain WMA has a variety of habitats within a relatively small area. There is Silver Lake itself, which is a state-stocked fishing location, along with streamside habitat, an extensive but easily accessible wooded swamp, small open areas and significant upland woods, all of which provide a multitude of viewing opportunities of both flora and fauna. There is a hiking trail around Silver Lake and extensive but unmarked hiking trails in the wooded areas beyond the lake.
The extensive swamp across the road from Silver Lake can be quite active with wildlife, primarily in the late spring through summer months. At the time of publication, there exists ample open water in this swamp, but biologists expect it to slowly fill in and eventually become a bog.
Look for resident woodpeckers, such as Downy, Hairy, Red-bellied and Pileated, as well as Black-capped Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, White-breasted Nuthatch, White-throated Sparrow and Dark-eyed Junco. Mammal tracks in fresh snow are likely.
Early migrants to this area include Eastern Phoebe, Tree Swallow, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Wood Duck, Great Blue Heron, all arriving in March and early April. The floodgates open in May with the appearance of Green Heron, Red-winged Blackbird, Chipping Sparrow, Baltimore Oriole, Scarlet Tanager, Yellow Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, American Redstart, Ovenbird, Black-and-white Warbler, Red-eyed Vireo, Warbling Vireo, American Robin, Wood Thrush, Veery, Eastern Kingbird, Eastern Wood Pewee and Belted Kingfisher.
All of the above spring species are likely to nest near here and should be readily found through the mid-July nesting season. Broad-winged Hawk, Red-shouldered Hawk and Northern Goshawk are also nesting birds, but are much less likely to be seen. The real action is with the butterflies and dragonflies. The possibilities include Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Spicebush Swallowtail, Red-spotted Purple, Eastern
Comma, Monarch, Appalachian Brown, Mulberrywing and Silver Spotted Skipper. Dragonfly species in the area include Common Whitetail, Green Darner, Swamp Darner, Eastern Amberwing, Twelve-Spotted Skimmer and Halloween Pennant.
More raptors are probable in the fall. Look skyward for Osprey and Cooper’s, Sharp-shinned, Red-tailed, Broad-winged and Red-shouldered Hawks. Closer to eye-level expect to hone sparrow identification skills. Commonly seen are Song, Swamp, White-throated and Savannah Sparrows.
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