Birding Highlights

From November to March, birders can look for a variety of waterbirds here, including loons, grebes, diving ducks, and Snow Buntings (early morning is best).  Common Goldeneyes are usually numerous; on rare occasions a Barrow’s Goldeneye is observed.  Sometimes as many as 70 Great Cormorants roost on the fishing pier during late winter.  Unusual species seen here include Red-necked Grebe, Common and King Eider, and Lesser Black-backed Gull.

Directions

• Take the Garden State Parkway to Exit 117.
• Stay to the left exiting from the toll booths, and get on Rt. 36.
• After about 4 miles, take the exit marked “Palmer Main St. Keansburg.”
• Turn left at the end of the jug handle to get onto Main Street going north to the Keansburg Municipal Beach.
• If you are approaching Point Comfort from the Sandy Hook direction, the “Palmer Main St. Keansburg” exit is about 9 miles from the Hook, and you take a right there.  Note: You will pass two other exits with “Main St.” in their name before the Keansburg exit.
• The first overlook onto the bay occurs where Main Street ends and becomes Beachway, as you are forced to turn left. Additional fruitful stops are 0.1, 0.3, and 0.8 miles beyond that corner.