Join us for our 64th Annual
Cape May Autumn Weekend
Where will you find so much birding talent in one place at one time ?
Cape May, NJ - Migration Mainline
Special Evening Programs
featuring
Kevin Karlson
and
Bill Thompson, III
A sampling of what the Cape May Autumn Weekend has to offer.
Field Trips: Numerous field trips are offered throughout the weekend. Enjoy friendly, easy-paced birding to Cape May's
birding hotspots led by North America's finest naturalists. Weekend bird checklist can tally
close to 200 species.
Workshops & Programs: Indoor and outdoor sessions geared for the beginner to the advanced birder on field identification, beginning and intermediate birding, digiscoping, hawk watching, seabird watching, digiscoping, choosing binoculars &
scopes, specialty workshops, and more.
Optics Corner: Representatives from the Cape May Bird Observatory, Kowa, Leica, Nikon, Swarovski, and Zeiss will be available throughout the weekend to help with all your optic needs with binoculars, spotting scopes, and accessories and hands-on demonstrations and sales.
Migratory Watches: Join veteran watchers as they conduct counts
at prime locations to watch migratory passerines, raptors, and
seabirds.
Mini Pelagic aboard the Cape May Lewes Ferry:* A half-day round trip
excursion across the Delaware Bay in search of gannets, loons,
scoters, jaegers, interesting gulls and the possibility of petrels or shearwaters. Additional cost and registration
required.
Cape May Tidelands Nature Cruise :* Explore Cape May's coastal waters aboard The Osprey with 
naturalist Captain David Githens. Combine birding, the ecology of the tideline, the scenic harbor, Cape May history, and fun! Excellent views of many species unique to the salt marsh, including Osprey, herons, oystercatchers, egrets, various shorebirds, and possibly rails. Additional cost and registration required.
Cruising Cape Island Creek:* Kayak along Cape Island Creek 
with an experienced naturalist for up close looks at wildlife and marine life. Single and double kayaks provided for a fun, safe adventure. No experience needed. Additional cost and registration required; space limited. Discount for "bring your own" kayakers.
Birding by Bike:* Bring your own bicycle (thin tires not recommended) and helmet and enjoy an easy paced bird and bicycle ride through the Villas Wildlife Management Area (formerly Ponderlodge Golf Course) on paved paths winding through former fairways. No additional cost but registration required; space is limited.
All field trips, workshops, and lectures
are with
experienced leaders, naturalists, and celebrated speakers
Friday Evening
Annual Meeting - New Jersey Audubon
Report from Thomas J. Gilmore, President
Evening Speaker - Kevin Karlson 
Birds of Cape May
Take a journey through the four seasons, a visual and
musical celebration of Kevin
and Dale’s 28-year
relationship with Cape May. Don’t miss this tribute
to
Cape May's magic
with the birds, wildlife, and the
people that make Cape May a special place.
Saturday Evening
Booksigning and Reception with noted authors and special guests
Evening Speaker - Bill Thompson, III 
The Perils and Pitfalls of Birding
Hear about the many mistakes, accidents and embarrassing situations Bill has experienced in his 30+ years birding. This light-hearted talk pokes fun at how birders have their own language, dress code, and food preferences. Guaranteed to make you laugh!
NJ Audubon fosters environmental awareness, a conservation ethic, and promotes the preservation of NJ's valuable natural habitats. Founded in 1897, NJAS is an independent, privately supported, not-for-profit, membership organization. New Jersey Audubon is not affiliated with National Audubon.
A printed version of the complete brochure will be available for mailing mid-August. If you'd like to be mailed a copy, call 609-861-0700 or e-mail
.
REGISTRATIONS ARE NOW BEING ACCEPTED.
You can download the Registration Form, complete and mail with your payment or fax with your credit card information (609.861.1651). Lodging is not included with weekend registration. The Grand Hotel is offering special weekend rates. Please contact the Grand Hotel directly or select lodging from our list of business members.
The following is a PRELIMINARY SCHEDULE which is subject to change. Event organizers reserve the right to cancel or substitute activities when necessary. Daily or Weekend Registration is required to participate in any of these activities. Individual activities are not available. Participants may select from any of the events listed for the day they are registered. Activities marked * require additional registration. A detailed schedule of events with directions and map, admission tags and tickets will be mailed to registrants. We do not provide any transportation throughout the weekend.
Advance registrations will be accepted until October 15, 2010 or you may also register in person during the event at the New Jersey Audubon desk in the lobby of the Grand Hotel in Cape May.
Field Trips Field Workshops Workshops Programs Boat Trips Migratory Watches
FRIDAY, October 29
Field Trip |
7:30 AM-9:30 AM |
Higbee Beach |
Field Trip |
7:30 AM-9:30 AM |
Cape May Point State Park |
Field Trip |
7:30 AM-9:30 AM |
Cape May Migratory Bird Refuge |
Field Trip |
7:30 AM-9:30 AM |
Rea Farm |
Migratory Watch |
8:00 AM-8:30 AM |
Songbird Morning Flight Interpretive Program sponsored by Zeiss |
Field Workshop |
8:00 AM-10:00 AM |
Introduction to Nature Photography with Scott Whittle |
Migratory Watch |
8:00 AM-4:00 PM |
Cape May Hawk Watch sponsored by Leica |
Migratory Watch |
8:00 AM-4:00 PM |
Avalon Sea Watch sponsored by Kowa |
Field Trip |
9:00 AM-11:30 AM |
Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge |
Field Trip |
9:30 AM-11:30 AM |
Birding EZ |
Workshop |
10:00 AM-11:00 AM |
Hawk Identification sponsored by Leica |
Workshop |
10:00 AM-11:00 AM |
How to Choose and Use Optics with Kowa Sport Optics |
Workshop |
10:00 AM-12:00 PM |
Sparrow Identification with Michael O’Brien |
Field Trip |
10:00 AM-12:00 PM |
Higbee Beach |
Field Trip |
10:00 AM-12:00 PM |
Cape May Point State Park |
Field Trip |
10:00 AM-12:00 PM |
Cape May Migratory Bird Refuge |
Field Trip |
10:00 AM-12:00 PM |
Rea Farm |
Demonstration |
11:00 AM-11:30 AM |
Hawk Banding Demo with Cape May Raptor Project |
Field Workshop |
11:00 AM-12:00 PM |
Hawk Identification sponsored by Leica |
Optic Sales |
11:00 PM-4:00 PM |
Reps from Kowa, Leica, Nikon, Swarovski, Zeiss |
Program |
1:00 PM-1:45 PM |
Monarchs & Their Migration with Louise Zemaitis |
Boat Trip* |
1:00 PM-3:00 PM |
Kayak Cape Island Creek* |
Field Trip |
1:00 PM-3:00 PM |
Stone Harbor Point |
Field Workshop |
1:00 PM-3:00 PM |
Sparrow Identification with Michael O’Brien |
Field Trip |
1:00 PM-3:00 PM |
Birding Cape May Harbor |
Workshop |
1:00 PM-3:00 PM |
Nature Photography Review with Scott Whittle |
Field Trip |
1:30 PM-3:30 PM |
Villas Wildlife Management Area |
Field Trip |
1:30 PM-3:30 PM |
Jakes Landing |
Boat Trip* |
1:30 PM-4:00 PM |
Cape May Tidelands Nature Cruise* |
Demonstration |
2:00 PM-2:30 PM |
Monarch Tagging Demo with Monarch Monitoring Project |
Workshop |
2:00 PM-3:00 PM |
Bird Like the Experts with Jessie Barry & Chris Wood, CLO |
Field Trip |
2:00 PM-4:00 PM |
Hawks, Trails, and Beach |
Field Workshop |
2:30 PM-3:30 PM |
Seabird Identification sponsored by Kowa |
Program |
2:30 PM-3:15 PM |
Natural History of the Pine Barrens with Rick Radis |
Program |
3:30 PM-4:30 PM |
Birding Fieldcraft with Don Freiday |
Evening Social |
5:00 PM-6:00 PM |
Cash Bar |
Dinner* |
6:00 PM |
Dinner & Evening Program* |
SATURDAY, October 30
Field Trip |
7:30 AM-9:30 AM |
Higbee Beach |
Field Trip |
7:30 AM-9:30 AM |
Cape May Point State Park |
Field Trip |
7:30 AM-9:30 AM |
Cape May Migratory Bird Refuge |
Field Trip |
7:30 AM-9:30 AM |
Rea Farm |
Migratory Watch |
8:00 AM-8:30 AM |
Songbird Morning Flight Interpretive Program sponsored by Zeiss |
Migratory Watch |
8:00 AM-4:00 PM |
Cape May Hawk Watch sponsored by Leica |
Migratory Watch |
8:00 AM-4:00 PM |
Avalon Sea Watch sponsored by Kowa |
Program |
8:30 AM-9:30 AM |
Orchids of New Jersey with Rick Radis |
Field Workshop |
9:00 AM-11:00 AM |
Bagels, Binoculars & Birds with Zeiss Sport Optics |
Optic Sales |
9:00 AM-3:30 PM |
Reps from Kowa, Leica, Nikon, Swarovski, Zeiss |
Workshop |
10:00 AM-11:00 AM |
Hawk Identification sponsored by Leica |
Program |
10:00 AM-11:30 AM |
Birding Alaska with Mark Garland |
Field Workshop |
10:00 AM-12:00 PM |
eBird with Cornell Lab of Ornithology |
Boat Trip* |
10:30 AM-2:30 PM |
Cape May Lewes Ferry Mini-Pelagic * |
Field Trip |
10:00 AM-12:00 PM |
Higbee Beach |
Field Trip |
10:00 AM-12:00 PM |
Cape May Point State Park |
Field Trip |
10:00 AM-12:00 PM |
Cape May Migratory Bird Refuge |
Field Trip |
10:00 AM-12:00 PM |
Rea Farm |
Boat Trip* |
10:00 AM-12:30 PM |
Cape May Tidelands Nature Cruise* |
Workshop |
10:30 AM-12:00 PM |
Birding 101 with Pete Dunne |
Demonstration |
11:00 AM-11:30 AM |
Hawk Banding Demo with Cape May Raptor Project |
Field Workshop |
11:00 AM-12:00 PM |
Hawk Identification sponsored by Leica |
Program |
11:15 AM-12:00 PM |
Monarchs & Their Migration with Louise Zemaitis |
Demonstration |
1:00 PM-1:30 PM |
Monarch Tagging Demo with Monarch Monitoring Project |
Workshop |
1:00 PM-2:15 PM |
Intermediate Birding with Vince Elia |
Field Trip |
1:00 PM-2:30 PM |
Orchids of New Jersey with Rick Radis |
Workshop |
1:00 PM-2:30 PM |
eBird presented by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology |
Boat Trip* |
1:00 PM-3:00 PM |
Kayak Cape Island Creek* |
Field Trip |
1:00 PM-3:00 PM |
Birding Cape May Harbor |
Workshop |
1:30 PM-3:00 PM |
How to Misidentify Birds Like an Expert with Don Freiday |
Field Workshop |
1:30 PM-3:30 PM |
Birds in Flight with Michael O’Brien |
Boat Trip* |
1:30 PM-4:00 PM |
Cape May Tidelands Nature Cruise* |
Field Trip |
2:00 PM-4:00 PM |
Hawks, Trails, and Beach |
Field Trip |
2:00 PM-4:00 PM |
Butterflies of Cape May Point with Louise Zemaitis |
Field Workshop |
2:30 PM-3:30 PM |
Seabird Identification sponsored by Kowa |
Field Workshop |
2:30 PM-4:00 PM |
Intermediate Birding with Vince Elia |
Program |
3:00 PM-3:45 PM |
Crazy Birding with Mark Garland |
Program |
4:00 PM-4:45 PM |
The Art of Pishing with Pete Dunne |
Booksigning |
5:00 PM-6:00 PM |
Meet the Authors Booksigning |
Evening Social |
5:00 PM-6:00 PM |
Cash Bar |
Dinner* |
6:00 PM |
Dinner & Evening Program* |
SUNDAY, October 31
Field Trip |
7:30 AM-9:30 AM |
Higbee Beach |
Field Trip |
7:30 AM-9:30 AM |
Cape May Point State Park |
Field Trip |
7:30 AM-9:30 AM |
Cape May Migratory Bird Refuge |
Field Trip |
7:30 AM-9:30 AM |
Rea Farm |
Migratory Watch |
8:00 AM-4:00 PM |
Cape May Hawk Watch sponsored by Leica |
Migratory Watch |
8:00 AM-4:00 PM |
Avalon Sea Watch sponsored by Kowa |
Migratory Watch |
8:00 AM-8:30 AM |
Songbird Morning Flight Interpretive Program sponsored by Zeiss |
Field Workshop |
9:00 AM-11:00 AM |
Bagels, Binoculars & Birds with Zeiss Sport Optics |
Optic Sales |
9:00 AM-2:00 PM |
Reps from Kowa, Leica, Nikon, Swarovski, Zeiss |
Field Trip |
9:30 AM-11:30 AM |
Birding by Bike |
Workshop |
10:00 AM-11:00 AM |
Hawk Identification sponsored by Leica |
Field Trip |
10:00 AM-12:00 PM |
Higbee Beach |
Field Trip |
10:00 AM-12:00 PM |
Cape May Point State Park |
Field Trip |
10:00 AM-12:00 PM |
Cape May Migratory Bird Refuge |
Field Trip |
10:00 AM-12:00 PM |
Rea Farm |
Boat Trip* |
10:00 AM-12:30 PM |
Cape May Tidelands Nature Cruise* |
Demonstration |
11:00 AM-11:30 AM |
Hawk Banding Demo with Cape May Raptor Project |
Field Workshop |
11:00 AM-12:00 PM |
Hawk Identification sponsored by Leica |
Program |
1:00 PM-1:45 PM |
Monarchs & Their Migration with Louise Zemaitis |
Field Trip |
1:00 PM-3:00 PM |
Birding EZ |
Field Trip |
1:00 PM-3:00 PM |
Jakes Landing |
Field Trip |
1:30 PM-3:30 PM |
Stone Harbor Point |
Boat Trip* |
1:30 PM-4:00 PM |
Cape May Tidelands Nature Cruise* |
Demonstration |
2:00 PM-2:30 PM |
Monarch Tagging Demo with Monarch Monitoring Project |
Field Workshop |
2:30 PM-3:30 PM |
Seabird Identification |
Field Trip |
2:30 PM-5:00 PM |
Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge |
EXTEND YOUR STAY A FEW MORE DAYS
You’ll be in Cape May at the prime time for fall migration. While you are here, consider polishing your identification skills before the weekend and learn about the Hawks in Flight you’ll be seeing. Or enjoy a few more days experiencing a bit more of Cape May With Everything On It by signing up for one of our speciality Cape May School of Birding workshops. Visit Cape May School of Birding on our website for a full description of workshops. Special registration required*. Meals, lodging and transportation are not included. Instructions and recommended materials provided in advance.
Hawks in Flight (with Michael O’Brien)
Wednesday & Thursday, October 27 & 28 (2-day workshop)
This is the time of peak raptor diversity in Cape May. Broad-wingeds may still linger, and accipiters, falcons and buteos can be head-to-toe. Perhaps a bonus bird will appear, like Golden Eagle or Swainson’s Hawk! It is a rare moment during late October in Cape May when something raptorial is not in view. Learn how to tell buteos from accipiters from falcons from eagles at the very edge of eyesight, and the 16 + ways to tell Sharp-shinneds from Cooper’s Hawks. This workshop is the perfect precursor to the Cape May Autumn Weekend!
*Pre-registration required in addition to weekend registration.
Cost: $150 members, $190 nonmembers
Cape May with Everything On It (with Louise Zemaitis)
Monday thru Wednesday, November 1-3 (3-day workshop)
This is the time the local birders wait for. Autumn Weekend has just passed, crowds have diminished, and the most massive fallouts of the season commonly occur now! Sparrows, kinglets, bluebirds, American Robin, Hermit Thrush, and literally who knows what else, since this week starts the season for vagrants in Cape May. It’s also a great time for big raptors like buteos and Golden Eagle, and large seabird flights pass Avalon and Cape May Point nearly every day.
*Pre-registration required in addition to weekend registration.
Cost: $225 members, $265 nonmembers
Looking forward to seeing you in Cape May!
Questions? Drop us an e-mail at birdcapemay@njaudubon.org or call 609.861.0700