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