Migration Mainline – Cape May, NJ
Congregate...
...Where the Birds Migrate
JOIN US AT THE MIGRATION MAINLINE!
We invite you to join us, celebrate spring and enjoy the weekend in North America’s most famous bird watching destination – Cape May, NJ. With three days of field trips, boat trips, workshops, and programs for the beginner to the seasoned naturalist – there is something for everyone.
Field Trips – Enjoy friendly, easy-paced birding at Cape May’s birding hotspots led by North America’s finest naturalists; trips offered throughout the weekend. Weekend bird checklist can tally close to 200 species.
Indoor Workshops & Programs – For the beginner to the advanced birder. Let the experts show you everything you ever wanted to know about field identification, beginning and intermediate birding, digi-scoping, hawk watching, seabird watching, choosing binoculars & scopes, and more.
Poor Man’s Pelagic aboard the Cape May Lewes Ferry* – Board the Cape May Lewes Ferry for a ½ day round trip excursion across the Delaware Bay while looking for gannets, a variety of gulls and terns, lingering scoters and loons, and the possibility of jaegers, petrels or shearwaters. Separate registration and fee required.
Birding by Boat* – Explore Cape May’s coastal wetlands aboard “The Osprey” with naturalist Captain Dave Githens. Excellent views of many species unique to the salt marsh including Osprey, herons, egrets, oystercatchers, and other shorebirds. Register early; space is limited. Separate registration and fee required; space limited.
Friday, May 16th & Saturday, May 17th
Banquet and Evening Program are part of a package and not available separately. Advance registration and ticket required for admission.
5:00 - 6:00 PM Pre Dinner Social (cash bar)
6:00 - 7:30 PM Banquet*
7:30 PM Evening Program*
Friday Evening Program*
David Wilcove – No Way Home: The Decline of the World's Great Animal Migrations
Migration is a natural wonder but what effect is our everchanging world of sprawling development, pollution, and climate change having on these long-distance travelers? Are we witnessing the last of nature's great migrations?
Read a review of No Way Home in the Tigrina Times magazine: Birder's Bookshelf.
Saturday Evening Program*
Don Kroodsma – The Singing Life of Birds
Listen to birds as you've never listened before - using what they have to say not just to identify them but to identify with them. Listen to conversations among crows and jays, a babbling baby wren and baby human, realizing how much we have in common with these songbirds.
Booksigning
Join noted authors and our special evening guests for a reception and booksigning.
REGISTRATION is required to attend any of the events throughout the weekend. We offer several packages but individual walks or activities are not available. Activities are all inclusive of the weekend and do not require additional registration except where noted. A registration packet containing a full schedule of events, map, admission tags, and meal and/or boat tickets if applicable will be mailed to all registrants prior to the event. All transportation throughout the weekend is the responsibility of the participant. Advance registrations will be accepted until May 2, 2008. You may also register in person during the event at the Event Desk in the lobby of the Grand Hotel in Cape May.
* Designates special registration required.
Come celebrate spring at
the Migration Mainline
of North America,
Cape May, NJ!
NJ Audubon Society 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. NJAS is not affiliated with National Audubon.
Weekend Activities
This is a preliminary schedule, subject to change.
Event organizers reserve the right to cancel or substitute activities when necessary. Events run rain or shine except where noted. All transportation is the responsibility of the participant.
A registration packet with all the materials including the Schedule of Events will be mailed to participants. Admission Pass must be worn throughout the weekend to gain entry to any activity.
Field trips, programs, and workshops are included as part of a package and do not require separate registration. Those events marked * require a special ticket for admission.
Friday, MAY 16
7:30 - 9:30 AM FIELD TRIP Cape May Point State Park
7:30 - 9:30 AM FIELD TRIP Cape May Migratory Bird Refuge
7:30 - 9:30 AM FIELD TRIP Higbee Beach
7:30 - 9:30 AM FIELD TRIP Rea Farm “The Beanery”
7:30 - 10:30 AM FIELD TRIP Belleplain State Forest
9:00 - 11:30 AM FIELD TRIP Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge
9:30 - 10:30 AM WORKSHOP Beginning Birding with John Heuges
10:00 AM - Noon FIELD TRIP Cape May Point State Park
10:00 AM - Noon FIELD TRIP Cape May Migratory Bird Refuge
10:00 AM - Noon FIELD TRIP Higbee Beach
10:00 AM - Noon FIELD TRIP Rea Farm “The Beanery”
11:00 AM - Noon FIELD TRIP Beginning Birding
11:00 AM - Noon PROGRAM Connecting the Americas with NJAS Research Staff
11:00 AM - 12:30 PM DOCUMENTARY Watching Warblers
11:00 AM - 1:00 PM BOAT TRIP* The Osprey
1:00 - 1:45 PM PROGRAM The Albatrosses of Midway with Patty Rourke
1:00 - 2:00 PM WORKSHOP Spotting Scopes
1:00 - 3:00 PM FIELD TRIP Villas Wildlife Management Area
1:00 - 3:00 PM FIELD TRIP Up Close with Shorebirds & Horseshoe Crabs
2:00 - 2:45 PM WORKSHOP Warbler Identification with Louise Zemaitis
2:00 - 3:00 PM WORKSHOP Binoculars
2:00 - 4:00 PM FIELD TRIP Jakes Landing
2:00 - 4:00 PM BOAT TRIP* The Osprey
2:00 - 4:00 PM FIELD TRIP Stone Harbor Point
2:00 - 4:00 PM FIELD TRIP Cape May Migratory Bird Refuge
2:00 - 4:00 PM FIELD TRIP Rea Farm “The Beanery”
2:30 - 3:15 PM PROGRAM New Jersey Butterflies with Pete Bacinski
3:00 - 3:45 PM PROGRAM Tropical Birds Do the Coolest Things with Mark Garland
3:30 - 4:30 PM FIELD TRIP Butterflies
4:00 - 4:45 PM PROGRAM How to Identify Any Bird with Don Freiday
Saturday, MAY 17
7:30 - 9:30 AM FIELD TRIP Cape May Point State Park
7:30 - 9:30 AM FIELD TRIP Cape May Migratory Bird Refuge
7:30 - 9:30 AM FIELD TRIP Higbee Beach
7:30 - 9:30 AM FIELD TRIP Rea Farm “The Beanery”
7:30 - 10:30 AM FIELD TRIP Belleplain State Forest
9:00 - 11:00 AM BOAT TRIP* The Osprey
9:30 - 10:30 AM PROGRAM Shorebirds & Horseshoe Crabs with John Heuges
10:00 - 11:00 AM PROGRAM Orchids of NJ with Rick Radis
10:00 AM - Noon WORKSHOP Digiscoping for Beginners with Betty Lemley
10:00 AM - Noon FIELD TRIP Cape May Point State Park
10:00 AM - Noon FIELD TRIP Cape May Migratory Bird Refuge
10:00 AM - Noon FIELD TRIP Higbee Beach
10:00 AM - Noon FIELD TRIP Rea Farm “The Beanery”
11:00 AM - Noon PROGRAM Ferns of NJ with Rick Radis
11:00 AM - Noon DOCUMENTARY The Crabs, The Birds, The Bay
Noon - 2:00 PM BOAT TRIP* The Osprey
12:30 - 4:00 PM BOAT TRIP* Poor Man’s Pelagic
1:00 - 2:00 PM PROGRAM The Nature of New Jersey with Pete Bacinski
1:00 - 2:00 PM WORKSHOP Spotting Scopes
1:00 - 2:30 PM WORKSHOP Intermediate Birding with Vince Elia
1:00 - 3:00 PM FIELD TRIP Beach Nesting Birds
1:00 - 3:00 PM FIELD TRIP Up Close with Shorebirds & Horseshoe Crabs
1:00 - 3:00 PM FIELD TRIP Two Mile Beach
1:00 - 3:00 PM FIELD TRIP Digiscoping for Beginners
1:30 - 2:00 PM FIELD TRIP Netting An Avian’s Cuisine
1:30 - 3:30 PM FIELD TRIP Stone Harbor Point
2:00 - 2:30 PM PROGRAM Horseshoe Crab Lab
2:00 - 3:00 PM WORKSHOP Binoculars
2:00 - 4:00 PM FIELD TRIP Rea Farm “The Beanery”
2:30 - 3:30 PM WORKSHOP Shorebird Identification with Don Freiday
2:30 - 4:00 PM FIELD TRIP Intermediate Birding
3:00 - 5:00 PM BOAT TRIP* The Osprey
4:00 - 4:45 PM PROGRAM The Art of Pishing with Pete Dunne
Sunday, MAY 18
6:00 - 7:00 AM FIELD TRIP/WORKSHOP Early Morning Listening
7:30 - 9:30 AM FIELD TRIP Cape May Point State Park
7:30 - 9:30 AM FIELD TRIP Cape May Migratory Bird Refuge
7:30 - 9:30 AM FIELD TRIP Higbee Beach
7:30 - 9:30 AM FIELD TRIP Test Drive Optics
7:30 - 9:30 AM FIELD TRIP Rea Farm “The Beanery”
7:30 - 10:30 AM FIELD TRIP Belleplain State Forest
9:00 - 11:00 AM FIELD TRIP Botany Trip to Bennett Bog
9:00 - 11:00 AM BOAT TRIP* The Osprey
9:00 - 11:00 AM FIELD TRIP Stone Harbor/Nummy's Island
10:00 AM - Noon WORKSHOP Digiscoping for Beginners with Betty Lemley
10:00 AM - Noon FIELD TRIP Up Close with Shorebirds & Horseshoe Crabs
10:00 AM - Noon FIELD TRIP Cape May Point State Park
10:00 AM - Noon FIELD TRIP Cape May Migratory Bird Refuge
10:00 AM - Noon FIELD TRIP Higbee Beach
10:00 AM - Noon FIELD TRIP Rea Farm "The Beanery"
1:00 - 2:00 PM WORKSHOP Spotting Scopes
1:00 - 3:00 PM BOAT TRIP* The Osprey
1:00 - 3:00 PM FIELD TRIP Digiscoping for Beginners
1:00 - 3:00 PM FIELD TRIP Villas Wildlife Management Area
1:00 - 3:00 PM FIELD TRIP Rea Farm “The Beanery”
1:00 - 3:00 PM FIELD TRIP Butterflies in the Garden
1:00 - 3:00 PM FIELD TRIP Jakes Landing
2:00 - 3:00 PM WORKSHOP Binoculars
2:00 - 4:30 PM FIELD TRIP Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge
For more information, please send an email to CMBO Events or call 609.884.2736
Art by Charley Harper © 2006. Photo Credits: Robert Lego, Marleen Murgitroyde, Clayton Taylor-SONA