flock BIRD WATCHERS to monmouth county Photo by T. Morrison With its thousands of acres of riparian areas, bayshore forests, dunes, marsh and beach, tidal mudflats, scrub, shrub, deciduous forests and agricultural lands, Monmouth County has several officially designated IBAs. County and state parks offer many viewing and educational opportunities. Sandy Hook P1–Q3, a barrier beach peninsula that juts out from Monmouth County’s northeastern tip, is a major stop along the migration pathway for over 340 species of birds traveling the Atlantic Flyway. Sandy Hook is part of the Gateway National Recreation Area and has been designated as a globally significant Important Bird Area (IBA) by the National Audubon Society. Due to its history as a military installation, Sandy Hook is largely undeveloped and offers a variety of habitats: beach and dunes, mudflats, holly forest, deciduous woods, freshwater ponds, salt marshes, coastal scrub/shrub and successional fields. Upper Freehold Grasslands B–C12, where several state-endangered species can be observed Assunpink Wildlife Management Area D10, a breeding ground for many species and where Cooper’s Hawks nest Big Brook Park Region Grasslands K6, Raritan Bay and Southern Shore, which is part of the Sandy Hook Bay Complex Navesink and Shrewsbury Rivers O5–Q4; P6–Q5, where the state-endangered Bald Eagle breeds and thousands of winter waterfowl are to be found Shark River O11–P10, also an important winter habitat for many waterfowl North Shore Coastal Ponds Complex Q1–P13, where state-endangered Piping Plovers and Least Terns forage and breed, among many other species Turkey Swamp Wildlife Management Area H11, an important stopover for songbirds during their spring and fall migration Manasquan River Watershed N13, which provides temporary habitat for hundreds of species of migrating landbirds and wintering waterfowl HELPFUL WEBSITES www.njaudubon.org www.monmouthaudubon.org www.monmouthcountyparks.com www.birdlife.org www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/parks/cheesequake.html mini GOLF 9th Ave. Pier Mini Golf P11 905 Route 35, Belmar | 732-749-3800 Asbury Eighteen Mini Golf Q9 Asbury Park Boardwalk | 732-897-6500 www.apboardwalk.com Open late seasonally––not your typical windmilland gizmo affair, but a challenging 18-hole putter’s paradise. Bluegrass Miniature Golf P6 Monmouth Park, Oceanport 732-587-8062 | www.monmouthpark.com Located at Monmouth Park near the Port-au- Peck entrance, Bluegrass Miniature Golf boasts two 18-hole themed courses: the Triple Crown course and the Monmouth Course, where each hole is named for favorite past and present Monmouth Park racehorses. With fountains, natural obstacles, and “sand traps” decorating the course, Bluegrass Miniature Golf offers a fun and challenging game for children and adults alike. Free parking. Please use Port-au-Peck entrance for access to golf course. Call ahead to check if weather allows play. Farmer Brown’s Golf Center L9 1191 Route 33, Farmingdale 732-938-6110 | www.farmerbrownsgolf.com Hole in One Golf Center F8 530 Route 33 West, Millstone 732-792-2818 | www.holein1golfcenter.com Hole in One Miniature Golf O3 910 Route 36 East, Leonardo 732-872-0011 www.holeinoneminigolf.com Monster Mini Golf O7 749 Hope Rd., Eatontown 732-544-2200 | www.monsterminigolf.com Quail Ridge Golf World N11 3410 West Hurley Pond Rd., Wall 732-681-0918 www.quailridgegolfworld.com Shipwreck Island Mini Golf P10 800 Ocean Ave., Bradley Beach 732-774-2937 www.bradleybeachminigolf.com Swingtime J11 2390 Route 9 South, Howell 732-845-0093 www.swingtimefamilyfun.com Twin Brook Golf Center N9 1251 Jumping Brook Rd., Tinton Falls | 732-922-1600 www.twinbrookgolfcenter.com Cheesequake State Park I2 serves as the breeding ground for two pairs of nesting osprey, a threatened species in New Jersey. Its location along the Atlantic coastline makes Monmouth County a bountiful area for viewing migrating fowl, grasslands birds, forest-breeding species, songbirds, raptors and shorebirds, many of which are endangered species. AUDUBON IBA: Important Bird Areas in Monmouth County www.sparkvisitmonmouth.com 33
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