Birds and Wildlife Spring 2019 Cape May Bird Observatory www.BirdCapeMay.org A Quarterly Newsletter Published by New Jersey Audubon. All rights reserved. Spring Programs 2019 March through May 2019 • Volume 23, Number 2 CAPE MAY BIRD OBSERVATORY Northwood Center P.O. Box 3, 701 East Lake Drive Cape May Point, NJ 08212 Phone: 609.400.3868 • Fax: 609.884.6052 MAY 16-19, 2019 March: Wednesday - Monday, 9:30AM - 4:30PM Closed Tuesdays. April & May: Open every day, 9:30AM. - 4:30PM Center for Research and Education 2019 CAPE MAY 600 Route 47 North Cape May Court House, NJ 08210 SCHOOL OF BIRDING Phone: 609.246.3581 • Fax: 609.861.1651 Gulls Simplified Starting April 2 - June 1 Open Tuesday - Saturday, 9:30AM - 4:30PM With Michael O’Brien • March 30 Cape May Birding - Right Place, Right Time With Tom Reed • March 31 Birds In Flight - Spring Edition www.birdcapemay.org • www.njaudubon.org With Tom Reed • April 6 www.featheredgeoptics.org Spring Migration Special HOLIDAY OBSERVANCES & CLOSURES With David La Puma • May 3-5 Both CMBO centers will be CLOSED Memorial Day (Monday, Birding by Ear: Birding and May 27). Northwood will be closed April 13 so staff can assist with the Optics Sale at the Center for Research & Education. Calls and Songs learning in of Eastern Birds famous The 24th Annual CAPE MAY BIRD OBSERVATORY With Michael O’Brien • May 6-7 Cape May, Center for Research and Education New Jersey NEW and gently Spring Shorebirds and used binoculars and spotting scopes, factory Southern Breeders OPTCS close-outs and demos while supplies last. With Pete Dunne • May 15-16 No Rain Checks. Warblers By SE Sight & Sound SATURDAY With Scott Whittle • May 20-21 Representatives from Leica, Appalachian & SUNDAY Opticron, Swarovski, Vanguard APRIL 13 & 14 • 9AM - 5PM Zeiss, and Kowa will be on hand Spring Birding Saturday to answer questions INCREDIBLE DEALS! and demonstrate equipment. 600 Route 47 North • Goshen, NJ • 609-246-3581 With Scott Barnes • May 22-23 www.birdcapemay.org – 609.400.3864 2 The Kestrel Express Cape May Bird Observatory 3 Season’s Passage Spring 2019 Spring Programs 2019 The peepers down my block are peeping around the clock It can mean one thing WEEKLY WALKS/ACTIVITIES We’re into spring Led by CMBO’s stellar Associate Naturalists and/or staff, these and migrants soon will flock! programs meet at locations highlighted on the CMBO Bird and Butterfly Map (available at our stores, or downloadable from our Check out our full schedule of bright and early bird walks, website). Bring binoculars and dress for prevailing weather and field trips, and workshops. I’ll be leading our Friday walk insects according to season. Children accompanied by parents at Higbee Beach, but the others are great too! are always welcome (age 15 and younger are free) - walks that Spring is here – let’s go birding! are especially Family-friendly are noted. Most involve walking a mile or more on varied terrain such as asphalt, boardwalk, gravel, beach, and dirt (sometimes muddy) paths. For more David La Puma information about accessibility for those with limited mobility, Director, New Jersey Audubon’s Cape May Bird Observatory contact the Northwood Center at 609.400.3868. Note: Programs may be cancelled due to difficult/unsafe weather conditions. Become a New Jersey Audubon member and enjoy discounts on tours, events, and field trips at all New Jersey NO PREREGISTRATION NECESSARY Audubon centers. Members also get a 10% discount at our Nature Stores (some exclusions apply). Optics and Saturdays tripods are already at their lowest prices. 1 BIRDING CAPE MAY POINT Saturdays, March 2 to April 20 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM Meets near the Hawkwatch Platform at Cape May Point State Park. Enjoy late winter-early spring waterfowl, songbirds and more. No preregistration required. Cost: $6 members, $10 nonmembers. 2 BELLEPLAIN HOTSPOTS • Saturdays, April 13 to May 25 • EXCEPT May 11 & 18 7:30 AM - 10:30 AM Meets at the Belleplain State Forest Office on Henkensifkin Road, just off Route 550. Many southern birds, including Summer Tanager, Hooded Warbler, Acadian Flycatcher and Yellow-billed Cuckoo, are near the northern limit of their breeding range in Belleplain. No preregistration required. Cost: $9 members, $15 nonmembers. 3 A BIRD WALK FOR ALL PEOPLE Saturdays, April 20 to May 25 EXCEPT May 11 & 18 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM Meets near the Hawkwatch Platform at Cape May Point State Park. Join us for a relaxed afternoon of birding whether you are a seasoned birder or have never really watched birds before. Loaner binoculars are available and we’ll show you how to use them. No preregistration required. Family-friendly. Cost: $6 members, $10 nonmembers. 4 SPRING BIRDING AT THE GARRETT FAMILY PRESERVE Saturdays, April 27 to May 25 EXCEPT May 11 & 18 7:30 AM - 9:30 AM Meets at the parking lot at the end of Wilson St. off of Seashore Road on Cape Island. Located along Cape Island Creek, this hidden gem holds warblers, sparrows and much more, plus great views of the tidal marsh. No preregistration required. Cost: $6 members, $10 nonmembers. 4 The Kestrel Express Cape May Bird Observatory 5 11E-Z BIRDING Sundays Tuesdays, April 16 to May 21 5 SUNDAY MORNING AT TURKEY POINT 8:30 AM - 10:30 AM Sundays, March 3 to 31 Meets near the Hawkwatch Platform at Cape May Point 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM State Park. For beginning birders and anyone who wants to Meets at the end of Turkey Point Road in Cumberland County learn more about birds and how to find them. The park has a (reached from Route 553 south of the town of Dividing Creek) variety of habitats – woods, fields, ponds, dunes, and beach. in the Natural Lands' Glades Wildlife Refuge. Walk New Loaner binoculars are available. No preregistration required. Jersey’s miracle mile for an exciting array of winter birds.No Family-friendly. Cost: $6 members, $10 nonmembers. preregistration required. Cost: $6 members, $10 nonmembers. 6 NIGHTFALL AT JAKES LANDING Wednesdays Sundays, March 3 4:30 PM - DUSK 12MIGRATION AT THE POINT Sundays, March 10 & 17 5:00 PM - DUSK Wednesdays, April 3 to May 29 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM Meets at the end of Jakes Landing Road, near Dennisville, With Program Director Brett Ewald and CMBO Naturalists. off of Route 47. Watch for Northern Harriers, Short-eared Meets at the outer parking lot at the entrance to Cape May Owls, Great Horned Owls, and winter songbirds where the Point State Park. With migration in full swing, every day forest meets the salt marsh. No preregistration required. sees new arrivals: seabirds, waterfowl, raptors, warblers, Cost: $6 members, $10 nonmembers. sparrows and more! No preregistration required. 7 SUNSET BEACH: A Place For All Seasons Cost: $6 members, $10 nonmembers. Sundays: March 10, April 7, May 5 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM 13OPTICS 101 – NEW! Meets at the parking lot behind the miniature golf course, Wednesdays, April 10 & May 8 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM on the north side of Sunset Blvd. Part of the world-famous With Chuck Slugg. Meets at the Northwood Center. Our Higbee Beach Wildlife Management Area, the Sunset resident expert on all things optics will explain what all Beach area hosts an array of birds, including sparrows, those numbers mean, how to choose binoculars and warblers, hawks, and waterbirds. This FREE walk is spotting scopes that fit your budget and any special sponsored by the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife. needs you have. You will have the opportunity to field 8 ABOVE PAR BIRDING AT COX HALL CREEK test an array of optics in our backyard wildlife habitat. Sundays, April 7 to May 5 7:30 AM - 9:30 AM No preregistration required. Cost: FREE. Meets at the west end of Shawmount Ave. (off Route 603 14BIRDS OF NUMMY ISLAND / Bayshore Road). Explore this former golf course, now a Wednesdays, April 10 to May 15 4:30 PM - 6:30 PM state wildlife management area, on easy-walking asphalt Meets at the north end of Nummy Island, just over the trails. Good for woodpeckers, Pine Warblers, sparrows bridge from Stone Harbor. This rich salt marsh is one of and other early migrants. No preregistration required. the best spots to observe breeding Clapper Rails, herons Cost: $6 members, $10 nonmembers. and egrets, American Oystercatchers, Ospreys, Black Skimmers, terns and Seaside Sparrows. No preregistration Mondays required. Cost: $6 members, $10 nonmembers. 9 BIRDING THE MEADOWS WITH PETE DUNNE 15EXPLORING CUMBERLAND Mondays, March 18 to May 27 7:30 AM - 9:30 AM Wednesdays, May 1 to 15 7:30 AM - 10:30 AM With Pete Dunne and CMBO Naturalists. Meets at The Meets at the parking area at the base of the Maurice River Bridge Nature Conservancy’s South Cape May Meadows Preserve on Route 670, just a few miles from the western junction of Routes parking lot on Sunset Blvd. Spring birding for lingering 47 and 347. Visit little-known hotspots in eastern Cumberland waterfowl and migrant shorebirds can be very rewarding County and search for migrant and breeding birds. No at this freshwater wetland. No preregistration required. preregistration required. Cost: $9 members, $15 nonmembers. Family-friendly. Cost: $6 members, $10 nonmembers. Thursdays Tuesdays 16BIRDS OF BELLEPLAIN STATE FOREST 10HIDDEN CORNERS OF BELLEPLAIN Thursdays, April 11 to May 23 7:30 AM - 10:30 AM Tuesdays, April 16 to May 14 7:30 AM - 10:30 AM Meets at the Belleplain State Forest Office on Henkensifkin Meets at the Belleplain State Forest Office on Henkensifkin Road, just off Route 550.