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Trail Guides
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Old Farm Sanctuary
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2
 
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Water Street, Independence Township, NJ
Phone: (908) 766-5787
www.njaudubon.org
New Jersey Audubon Society
Turn Right onto U.S. Route 46 East. After 6.0 miles turn Left onto Water Street. After 1.3 miles turn Left into parking lot for Old Farm Sanctuary; look for the New Jersey Audubon Society sign. Map
Follow the Overlook Trail to the hawk lookout. The lookout can be accessed from both parking areas. The Ryan Road access point is the closest, but the Water Street access point provides a pleasant hike through varied habitat.
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| Trail through the Meadow | Linda Gangi |
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| | The sanctuary comprises 151 acres and includes 2.5 miles of trails that meander through forest, wetland edge, open field, scrub/shrub and forested hillside. New Jersey Audubon Society is in the process of restoring the ecological health of this property for the benefit of threatened and endangered species. Enjoy a walk through the Norway spruce grove, or look for butterflies in the open field while following the trail up the sometimes rocky hillside toward the overlook, which is a good spot for hawk watching. The trails are easy to moderate in difficulty, with two entrance points that provide limited parking.
Enjoy the visiting White-throated Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco or American Tree Sparrow; they’ll be on their way north in a few months. Walk to the field or the lookout and scan for Cooper’s and Red-shouldered Hawks.
This is the perfect time to hone warbler identification skills. Warblers’ bright breeding plumage makes them easier to spot and identify than in autumn. Peak migration occurs early- to mid-May. Black-and-white, Yellow, Yellow-rumped, Black-throated Blue and Parula Warblers, Common Yellowthroat, American Redstart and Ovenbird are just some of the passerine species that will be migrating through or scouting the area for breeding purposes.
By now all the migrants have either passed through or settled in to raise a family. Baltimore Oriole can be heard singing a series of long and short notes from the treetops and Gray Catbird “mew” from the shrubs. But birds aren’t the only inhabitants. The Jefferson salamander, Fowler’s toad, marbled salamander and northern spring salamander use the wetland areas, along with wood turtle and eastern box turtle. With any luck a red fox or coyote may pass within view. Make sure to check out the field for butterflies and dragonflies; Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Monarch, Pearl Crescent, Great-spangled Fritillary and the very showy Baltimore Checkerspot are all possibilities.
From the hawk lookout scan the sky for migrating Broad-winged, Cooper’s, Sharp-shinned and Red-shouldered Hawks, along with American Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon, Merlin and Bald Eagle.
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