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Cape May Bird Observatory's Northwood Center
Fall Migrants at the Rea Farm
Rea Farm - The Beanery Bayshore Rd, West Cape MayJoin CMBO naturalists for this 2-hour walk around the Rea Farm "Beanery" property! NJ Audubon has leased the birding privileges on this working farm where the field edges regularly attract warblers, sparrows, and other fall migrants. It's also a great place to see migrant raptors overhead. PREREGISTRATION REQUIRED. COST: $8 members, $12 nonmembers. SCHEDULE: Saturday 09/14/24 - REGISTER HERE Saturday 09/21/24 - REGISTER HERE Saturday 09/28/24 - REGISTER HERE Saturday 10/05/24 - REGISTER HERE Saturday 10/12/24 - REGISTER HERE Saturday 10/26/24 - REGISTER HERE Saturday 11/02/24 - REGISTER HERE Interested in becoming a member? Please click on the following link to learn more or join: Become a Member today! IMPORTANT INFORMATION: We bird in all weather. Be sure to check the forecast in advance and dress in layers appropriate for prevailing weather conditions. The weather in Cape May can differ considerably from nearby inland areas and may be warmer, colder, or windier so it’s best to be over prepared. We may have to bird in the rain, so please bring your rain gear. TRANSPORTATION: We may walk up to 1.5 miles, over generally level, sometimes muddy or sandy terrain. Some trips involve walks over jetties. CANCELLATION: NJ Audubon’s CMBO programs are virtually never cancelled. If we cancel, due to lack of participation, severe weather, or unforeseen circumstances, all participants will be notified as soon as possible and are eligible for a full refund. Participants may cancel without penalty if greater than 48 hours in advance. Sorry, no refund for cancellations less than 48 hours in advance unless due to health emergencies; however, registrations can be transferred to another program in the future.
Raptor Migration at its Best
Join CMBO Director Brett Ewald and CMBO Naturalists for this workshop. Bird the “raptor capital of North America” at the peak of diversity. Bird the “raptor capital of North America” at the peak of diversity, when falcons are zipping along the dunes, accipiters are flap, flap, flapping by, buteos are soaring overhead, and eagles are chasing Ospreys. Early October often produces flights in the thousands and is the peak time for Peregrine Falcons and others. It is a rare moment during October in Cape May when raptors are not in view and this concentration of birds should ensure that we almost always have something to look at. Learn how to tell buteos from accipiters, falcons from eagles, at the very edge of your eyesight or right overhead, and focus on tricky species-pairs, such as the many ways to tell Sharp-shinned from Cooper’s Hawks. We’ll visit areas around Cape May to make the most of your raptor watching on this “in the field” workshop. We’ll also be in a prime location to enjoy other migrants, such as shorebirds, late warblers, early sparrows, and more! Because of the inherent dynamic nature of birding, we do not pre-set an exact itinerary but will visit those parts of Cape May County that regularly hold good numbers of birds. Final location decisions will be made by the leader based on local knowledge and conditions at the time. We may walk up to 1.5 miles, over generally level, sometimes muddy or sandy terrain. PREREGISTRATION REQUIRED COST: $100 members, $130 nonmembers. Interested in becoming a member? Please click on the following link to learn more or join: Become a Member today! IMPORTANT INFORMATION: We bird in all weather. Be sure to check the forecast in advance and dress in layers appropriate for prevailing weather conditions. The weather in Cape May can differ considerably from nearby inland areas and may be warmer, colder, or windier so it’s best to be over prepared. We may have to bird in the rain, so please bring your rain gear. TRANSPORTATION: Please arrive at the appointed time with a full tank of gas, as transportation to field sites is by private vehicles. We may walk up to 1.5 miles, over generally level, sometimes muddy or sandy terrain. Some trips involve walks over jetties. CANCELLATION: CMBO programs require a minimum number of registrants to run, five days in advance of the start of the tour but are seldom cancelled. If we do cancel, due to lack of participation, severe weather, or unforeseen circumstances, we notify all participants in advance, and all are eligible for a full credit or refund. Participants may cancel without penalty if greater than 30 days in advance. Cancellations 10 to 30 days in advance may be subject to a 25% service charge. No refunds or credits for cancellations less than ten days in advance unless due to health emergencies. REGISTER HERE
Hawk ID Mini-Workshop
Cape May Point State Park - East Shelter NJStruggling to separate a Sharp-shinned Hawk from a Cooper's? Amazed when a Bald Eagle is spotted high in the sky where you see nothing? Learn how seasoned Hawk watchers spot and identify these magnificent birds. Join CMBO interpretive naturalists at the raptor capital of North America, Cape May Point State Park. Meets at the East Shelter, the picnic pavilion NEXT to the Hawkwatch Platform. NO preregistration required. Family-friendly COST: FREE Interested in becoming a member? Please click on the following link to learn more or join: Become a Member today!
Hawks, Trails and Beach
Cape May Point State Park Hawkwatch Platform NJJoin CMBO naturalists for this 2-hour walk around the Cape May Point State Park! The afternoon hawk flight is often strong, with late day movements of falcons. Seabirds and shorebirds often pass or rest on the beach and songbirds are found on the trails. PREREGISTRATION REQUIRED. COST: $8 members, $12 nonmembers. SCHEDULE: Saturday 09/14/24 - REGISTER HERE Saturday 09/21/24 - REGISTER HERE Saturday 09/28/24 - REGISTER HERE Saturday 10/05/24 - REGISTER HERE Saturday 10/12/24 - REGISTER HERE Saturday 10/26/24 - REGISTER HERE Saturday 11/02/24 - REGISTER HERE Interested in becoming a member? Please click on the following link to learn more or join: Become a Member today! IMPORTANT INFORMATION: We bird in all weather. Be sure to check the forecast in advance and dress in layers appropriate for prevailing weather conditions. The weather in Cape May can differ considerably from nearby inland areas and may be warmer, colder, or windier so it’s best to be over prepared. We may have to bird in the rain, so please bring your rain gear. TRANSPORTATION: We may walk up to 1.5 miles, over generally level, sometimes muddy or sandy terrain. Some trips involve walks over jetties. CANCELLATION: NJ Audubon’s CMBO programs are virtually never cancelled. If we cancel, due to lack of participation, severe weather, or unforeseen circumstances, all participants will be notified as soon as possible and are eligible for a full refund. Participants may cancel without penalty if greater than 48 hours in advance. Sorry, no refund for cancellations less than 48 hours in advance unless due to health emergencies; however, registrations can be transferred to another program in the future.
Back Bay Birding by Boat on the Osprey
Miss Chris Marina - The Osprey 1212 Wilson Dr, Cape May, NJ 08204, NJJoin Captain Bob and the crew of The Osprey for close-up looks at secretive rails, nesting Ospreys, migrant shorebirds, terns, gulls, herons and more. We explore the coastal saltmarsh of Cape May from Cape Island Creek to the Wildwoods and view the natural wonders of historic Cape May Harbor. The Osprey is a 37' pontoon boat that has a comfortable enclosed cabin with large viewing windows, a front deck with a railing, and a restroom on board. Non-motorized wheelchair accessible. More information, detailed directions, and online reservations at www.ospreycruise.com or call the Osprey at 609-898-3500. All trips depart from the Miss Chris Marina in Cape May. Free parking. Family-friendly. Preregistration is suggested. Cost: $38 members, $43 nonmembers, $25 Children (12 and under) REGISTER HERE
NJ Young Birders Club-Cape May Hawk Watch
Cape May Point State Park Hawkwatch Platform NJA focused field trip watching migratory raptors and other birds and learning about how we count them at the hawk watch. This trip is open to young birders plus parent/guardian only and designed to teach young birders about the nature of a migration count, where observers conduct an organized count of migratory birds passing by a particular point. We’ll learn about raptor identification, estimating numbers of birds, the weather conditions that favor the passage of many bird species, tips on picking up distant flocks of hawks and other migrants, and more. Time permitting, we may do some birding along the state park trails or other nearby locations. Led by Adehl Schwaderer, Program Coordinator, and Kristal Stahler, George Meyers Naturalist Cape May Bird Observatory. Location: Meets at the Cape May Point State Park. We'll meet in front of the Hawkwatch Platform located across the large parking lot, opposite the Cape May Point Lighthouse. PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED COST: FREE REGISTER HERE
Fall Migration Cruise
Miss Chris Marina - The Osprey 1212 Wilson Dr, Cape May, NJ 08204, NJJoin CMBO naturalists to cruise through nearly inaccessible back-bay marshes from Cape May to Stone Harbor. This trip will be by boat (beginning and ending at Cape May) through protected back-bay waters where we will enjoy a great variety of waterbirds and raptors. The Osprey is a 37' pontoon boat that has a comfortable enclosed cabin with large viewing windows, a front deck with a railing, and a restroom on board. Non-motorized wheelchair accessible. More information, detailed directions, and online reservations at www.ospreycruise.com or call the Osprey at 609-898-3500. All trips depart from the Miss Chris Marina in Cape May. Free parking. Family-friendly. Preregistration is suggested. Cost: $43 members, $48 nonmembers, child (12 & under) $28 REGISTER HERE
Monarch Tagging Demo
Cape May Point State Park - East Shelter NJJoin the Monarch Monitoring Project team to learn about the Monarch butterflies that migrate through Cape May, as well as the ongoing research and outreach our staff is doing to help protect the species. After the talk, watch as small tags are affixed to Monarchs to track their migration to Mexico. And best of all, you'll learn how you can contribute to Monarch conservation! NO preregistration required. Family-friendly Meeting Location: Meets at the East Shelter located next to the Hawkwatch platform at the Cape May Point State Park Cost: FREE - contributions to the Monarch Monitoring Project are welcome. Interested in becoming a member? Please click on the following link to learn more or join: Become a Member today!
Seabird ID Mini-Workshop
Avalon Seawatch AvalonThe migration of scoters and other sea ducks, loons, cormorants and gannets can be an overwhelming sight. For example, the CMBO full-time Avalon Seawatch project sighted over one million seabirds here in 2014! Join CMBO interpretive naturalists for this outdoor workshop to witness and learn about this migration spectacle. Meets at the Avalon Seawatch location on the Beach between 8th and 9th St., at the north end of Avalon. NO preregistration required. IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Bring binoculars, scope and tripod, if available Dress in layers for wind, cold, or warm weather COST: FREE Interested in becoming a member? Please click on the following link to learn more or join: Become a Member today!