Tags
Dorland J. Henderson Memorial Bridge, Edwin B Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, Manahawkin, Manahawkin Bay Bridge, photography, postaday
Readers of this blog know that I am mainly a bird photographer, with infrequent landscape and flower images. Recently I went to Bonnet Island, a newly opened section of the Edwin B Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge. The Dorland J. Henderson Memorial Bridge, also called Manahawkin Bay Bridge, linking mainland New Jersey to Long Beach Island goes through Bonnet Island, and it has been undergoing repairs since 2010.
The part of EBF NWR on Bonnet Island, opened since last July, looks underwhelming at this time of the year.
Bench at Bonnet Island.
One of two pavilions at Bonnet Island.
What one sees is mostly weeds and new plantings, all with different variations of the color ochre. There were a few birds or waterfowls, but they were all too far away for my lens, even with the 1.4 extender attached. As soon as I took a picture of the following hawk, it flew away.
Hawk on Bonnet Island, maybe a Red-tailed Hawk.
There were mergansers and ducks swimming in the bay waters, but they appear tiny and blurry in all the images I took. So I turned toward the bridge itself and started photographing it from different angles.
Manahawkin Bay Bridge as seen from Bonnet Island.
West end of Manahawkin Bay Bridge.
East end of Manahawkin Bay Bridge.
Traffic and construction on Manahawkin Bay Bridge.
The town of Manahawkin is a coastal community facing Long Beach Island. Manahawkin comes from a Lenape Native American word meaning “fertile land sloping into the water”.
View of Manahawkin from Bonnet Island.
View of Manahawkin from Bonnet Island.
neihtn 
It’s fun to see something different, and it exercises your skills and eyes, right?
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Indeed! I had been meaning to photograph that area for some time, and the lack of birds was the final incentive to do it.
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Those are some expensive looking houses on the shore there!
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You are right, Emma. They are million-dollar homes, but most are rentals, especially during the warmer months when families come to the many beaches in the area. In the winter the place is deserted and most businesses close down.
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That’s interesting. That seems to happen the world over – houses that are not homes. I guess people dont want to be sociable and stay in hotels anymore!
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There are some motels, but very few. Often people come in the summer and may stay for two weeks or a whole month, with several families sharing one house.
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I’m sure now that the human activities have settled down on the island that the wildlife will become more peaceful and provide you with stunning images in years to come!
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I hope you are right. By the way, that hawk was watching traffic on the causeway. It just didn’t like anyone coming too close to its perch.
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I loved this look at the things seen near the wildlife refuge, your photos are excellent as always. And they show that nature can co-exist near the hustle and bustle of human activity if we allow it too.
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The whole area is quite large, even if the zoom lens compresses distances. I was a little disappointed in the small size of the refuge, with a 1-mile trail. I hope when there are more vegetation it will be more interesting.
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Interesting post, Hien, thanks for sharing! Always good to learn something about other places! Marcus
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Thank you Marcus!
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It’s always a good thing when a new section of park is opened up, more refuge. But I have found it takes time for the earth and its native inhabitants to have a chance to expand the new territory. So I do what you do, Hien, like all nature lovers–we look at what we have. It is a handsome bridge.
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You are right of course! I’ll have to revisit this place in the Spring or Summer.
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Hi Hien! Just stopping by to say your photos are all beautiful! 🌷
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Thank you for stopping by and commenting!
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A lovely gallery with interesting views. Looks faintly similar to some inter-coastal waterways I know across the pond.
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Thank you! Glad you like the scenic views.
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Well, you may think it’s different subject manner, but late at night, when nobody else is around, that bench will get up and go hunting for food. 😉
Seriously, I am not a fan of bridges, but I love the curve caused by the lamp-posts following the line of the bridge-hump.
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That is a very nice bench, almost brand new and shiny.
Thank you for commenting!
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There is something compelling about landscapes designed for human recreation devoid of people, like they are just waiting, a stage set for the show to come.
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I was wondering where people were since I did not see anyone, except when they were in their cars.
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Winter tourists in their shells. 😉
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Something different, but nonetheless great pictures.
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Thank you so much Rabirius!
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Interesting how similar island waterways are.this looks much like Masonboro inlet on the intracoastal (the homes anyway) near where I live.
At least the hawk waited for its photo-op!
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You are right! I looked at the map and Masonboro inlet is very similar to our Long Beach Island area.
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