Tags: birds

Looking for migrating Red Knots on the Delaware Bayshore. Meet at Tuckerton Seaport. Plan on eating out.

Sponsored by the Southern Ocean Birding Group.

BIRDING AND BOTANY IN THE PINELANDS

Associate naturalist John Courtney will share his expertise and enthusiasm about the flora and fauna found in the unique habitats of the Pinelands. This trip will be sure to uncover unusual species. This is a joint trip with Audubon Wildlife Society.

Leader: John Courtney. Cost: NJA members, $15; nonmembers, $20.

Please call to preregister for all field trips. You can also register by mailing a check to Rancocas Nature Center, 794 Rancocas Road, Mount Holly, NJ 08060. To facilitate sending site directions, please include your e-mail address when you register or request that directions be mailed. Trips take place rain or shine (within reasonable limits). Group size is limited and a minimum number of participants is necessary. Bring binoculars and/or scopes, lunch (if desired), and dress appropriately for the weather.

Sponsored by the NJ Audubon Society.

Visit the Manahawkin Wildlife Managment Area looking for "puddle ducks, Short-eard Owls and Rough-legged Hawk, Barnegat Light to view a variety of open ocean birds and Brigantine Division of the Forsythe NWR to see thousands of ducks, snow geese and possibly a Bald Eagle. Pack a lunch and dress for the weather. $14.00 per person, pre-registration required. Call Ocean County Parks & Recreation/Wells Mills County Park at 609-971-3085 for more information.

The Award Winning Wings 'n Water Festival is one of the premier Wildlife Arts Festivals in the United States, featuring family fun and adventure. Visit us and see why Wings 'n Water was named one of the Top 100 Events in North America and Best Event in New Jersey at the Governor's Conference on Tourism.

The Festival is a family fun "Celebration of the Coast". Amidst folk music, down Jersey food, pumpkins and corn stalks, meet nationally acclaimed artists, carvers, model builders, quilters, crafters and photographers. Talk with them, buy from them and learn from a multitude of demonstrations, guided walks and hands on encounters. Wings 'n Water posters are available in the Tidepool Museum Shop.

Cape May Point State Park is alive with activity on autumn afternoons. The hawk flight is often strong, with lower birds punctuated by late day movements of falcons. Seabirds and shorebirds often pass or rest on the beach and passerines remain to be found on the trails. Meet CMBO naturalists on the hawk watch platform to round out your Saturday of birding. No pre-registration required.

Cost: $6 members; $10 non-members.

Sponsored by the Cape May Bird Observatory

Back Bay Birding By BoatTM from Cape May 10:00 a.m. to 1 p.m. All trips are 3 hours; please arrive in good time.

To register, please call The Osprey directly at (609) 898-3500.

Cost: $35/person; reduced rates for children

Join the naturalists and crew of the Osprey for close-up looks at secretive rails, Ospreys, migrant shorebirds, terns, gulls, herons, and more. Explore the coastal salt marsh of Cape May from Cape Island Creek to the Wildwoods and view the natural wonders of historic Cape May Harbor.

The Osprey is a stable roomy pontoon boat with a fully approved front deck with a railing, toilet facilities on board. Loaner binoculars (limited availability). Leaves from the Miss Chris Marina, 1218 Wilson Drive, in Cape May (plenty of free parking). These trips run every Sunday and Monday. More information, detailed directions, and online reservations at www.birdingbyboat.com.

Experience the cutting edge of birding! Birds don't sing much in the fall - but they sure do call. Chip notes, flight notes and critical listening are the primary subjects of this workshop, led by the man who wrote the book (well, made the CD-ROM) on flight calls. Two days with Michael equals years of struggle on your own. Workshop includes optional night-time listening for nocturnal migrants. Learn to dissect a single note, determining whether it rises or falls, is clear or burry. You will never listen the same way again. Second leader (if registration warrants): Louise Zemaitis.

Pre-registration required; call Chris at 609.861.0700.
Cost (2 days): $150 members, $190 nonmembers.

Sponsored by the Cape May Bird Observatory.

Not watching birds when you're in Cape May is like not visiting the Grand Canyon when you're in Arizona. Whether you are a seasoned birder or have never really thought about watching birds on purpose before, meet CMBO associate naturalists in front of the Wildlife Viewing Platform (also known as the Hawkwatch) at Cape May Point State Park for a relaxed morning of birding. No binoculars? No problem - we will have loaners and will show you how to use them if needed. You'll see at least 20 species of birds or the walk is free!

No pre-registration necessary. Cost: $6 members, $10 nonmembers

Sponsored by the Cape May Bird Observatory

SIXTY-FIFTH ANNUAL CAPE MAY AUTUMN WEEKEND
Friday, October 28 to Sunday, October 30

Congregate where the birds migrate: Cape May, New Jersey. A three-day birding and nature festival with workshops, programs, field trips, hawk banding demos, boat trips and more. Special evening programs and banquets. Celebrated speakers throughout. Come for a day or spend the weekend. Peak time for many migrating birds and always the chance of Cape May rarities! Registration is open to all and registration forms are mailed to members ahead of time, in summer.
Pre-registration required. Note: Register by calling Cape may Bird Observatory at (609) 884-2736 or (609) 861-0700 for a brochure and details.

Always a hotspot, Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge is a favorite of experienced birders and novices alike. We'll be on the lookout for waterfowl, raptors, and other natural wonders. Meet at the refuge. This is a joint trip with SHBO. Leader: Lloyd Shaw. Cost $15 for members and $20 for nonmembers.

Please call to preregister for all field trips. To facilitate sending site directions, please include your e-mail address when you register or request that directions be mailed. Trips take place rain or shine (within reasonable limits). Group size is limited and a minimum number of participants is necessary. Bring binoculars and/or scopes, lunch (if desired), and dress appropriately for the weather.

Sponsored by NJ Audubon Rancocas Nature Center.

It's winter time and although many creatures are busy sleeping, the birds are not! Join us as we try and spot a variety of our feathered friends from a van along the Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge birding loop. Bring your lunch, binoculars and ID guides. FREE.

Registration is required for all programs by calling Melanie at 609-812-0649 ext. 206 or visit us online at www.jcnerr.org

Bald eagles are just some of the spectacular birds of prey to come out and observe as part of a day full of activities, walks, exhibits, speakers, book signings, vendors and tasty Down Jersey food.

Birding enthusiasts young and old will not be disappointed as experts and volunteers from New Jersey Audubon/Cape May Bird Observatory and Citizens United to Protect the Maurice River will be on hand with spotting scopes and a wealth of information to help identify wildlife and guide tours at various viewing sites.

Four walks will be held in the Natural Land Trust's Glades Wildlife Refuge:

• 7:00 am Sunrise Walk at Turkey Point
• 10:00 am Tat Starr Trail walk
• 1:30 pm Bald Eagle Trail walk
• 5:00 pm Owl Watch

Admission - $10.00 Adults / $5.00 Children 12 & under.

Free Transportation to and from the event is available for in-county seniors and disabled via the Cumberland Area Transit System. Please call (856) 691-7799 to arrange transport.

On Saturday, Mach 10, Sue Puder, President of the Southern Ocean Birding Group, and Linda Gangi, Southern Ocean Birding Group Vice President, will be our presenters. Join Susan and Linda to learn about ways to identify birds; why New Jersey is such a wonderful place to view birds; where the local birding hot spots are; and why bird watching is such an exciting and growing outdoor activity.

This program is part of Wings Over LBI Day, an annual bird watching celebration that takes place at Barnegat Lighthouse State Park and the LBI Foundation.

Susan Puder is the founder of the Southern Ocean Birding Group which meets the second Thursday of the month at the Hunting Shanty, Tuckerton Seaport. She is a serious nature and wildlife photographer and has been an avid birder since moving to Barnegat in 2004. Her first book, combining photography and birding, "New Jersey Birds and Beyond", will be published in Spring 2012 by Schiffer Publishing.

Linda Gangi is a master naturalist and has been an avid birder for over 20 years. She was the Project Manager for the NJ Audubon Society's Birding and Wildlife Guides for the Skylands and the Meadowlands regions. She also writes a blog, Linda's for the Birds, for WildNewJersey.tv.

For more information, contact the LBIF at (609) 494-1241 or visit the LBIF Science Committee's website at www.LBIFScience.org. You can also stay up-to-the minute with all of the LBIF's happenings by joining its Facebook fan page at www.facebook.com/LBIFAS and following its Twitter updates at www.twitter.com/LBIF.

Our Feathered Friends: Many birds call Cedar Run their home. Others pass through during their migration. Join our naturalist and discover more about our feathered friends. Cost is $5 per adult, $3 per child (age 4 and up), children under 4 and members free.