Gandy's Beach Preserve

Gandy's Beach Preserve © Alyssa Jones

Why You Should Visit
Hundreds of thousands of Ruddy Turnstones (Arenaria interpres), Red Knots (Calidris canutus), Semipalmated Sandpipers (Calidris pusilla) and Sanderlings (Calidris alba) blanket the shores of the Delaware Bay and nearby salt marshes each spring. They arrive here to refuel and rejuvenate on horseshoe crab eggs and other invertebrates as they continue on their journey from South America to nesting grounds in northern Canada. Gandy's Beach is considered one of the top 10 sites for numbers of shorebirds on the Delaware Bay during spring migration.

Location
Downe Township, Cumberland County

Acres Protected
2,452

Established
1995 

What to See: Plants
The preserve harbors several state-rate plants, including upright bindweed (Convolvulus spithamaeus), Coast bedstraw (Galium hispidulum) and bristling panic grass (Panicum aciculare).

What to See: Animals

State-endangered raptors, including Northern Harriers (Circus cyaneus) and Peregrine Falcons (Falco peregrinus), and threatened wintering Bald Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) use the land.

Why the Conservancy Selected This Site
The area surrounding Gandy's Beach Preserve is largely undeveloped. It provides essential salt marsh and over one-half mile of beachfront for the horseshoe crab and shorebird phenomenon.

Visitation Guidelines

• Please limit fishing and walking along the beach during shorebird migration season (mid-May through June)
• Littering and dumping are prohibited
• No collecting or trapping
• Motorized vehicles are prohibited
• No swimming, camping, fires or alcoholic beverages

The preserve is open from dawn to dusk. During the shorebird migration in May and June, the beach is closed; birding enthusiasts can view the spectacular natural phenomenon from a kiosk overlooking the water. For more information, please contact the New Jersey Chapter's Delaware Bayshores Office at (609) 861-0600.