Jersey Shore Magazine

J e r s e y s h o r e • F A L L / H O L I D A Y 2 0 1 6 8 BEACHCOMBER THE JERSEY SHORE…IT'S FOR THE BIRDS IN FALL!, continued from page 7 nization fostering environmental and conservation awareness, species protection, and preservation of New Jersey's natural habitats. As director of All Things Birds, Barnes maintains a comprehensive online catalog of birding resources. Additionally, All Things Birds hosts a number of Jersey Shore events planned and led by Barnes and other associate naturalists several times a month. One such event is Half Day Fridays at Sandy Hook, where partic- ipants will see a variety of migrant birds, which can include raptors, flycatchers, warblers, and sparrows. Similar field trips sponsored by All Things Birds are also held at Island Beach State Park and the Forsythe Natural Wildlife Reserve. For young Jersey Shore birders, the New Jersey Young Birders Club runs in association with New Jersey Audubon and provides a forum for learning and field expeditions to the best birding spots in the state. Upcoming trips to observe fall vagrants and visitors will take place at Sandy Hook, Island Beach State Park, Brigantine, and Cape May. Membership to the New Jersey Young Birders Club is free. Barnes explained that while field trips might return to the same loca- tion several times a month, each trip is unique because so much of what participants will see is dependent upon nature. Weather and the migra- tory patterns on a particular day can result in an entirely different experi- ence from one day to the next. "We never know what we are going to see, which is exciting," Barnes stated. In addition to advocacy and conservation efforts, New Jersey Audubon has several ongoing projects focusing on bird research and conser- vation in the shore region. One proj- ect is tracking and monitoring the behaviors of two Great Egrets along the New Jersey/New York coasts. The birds, named Clarence and Edward, send text messages and pings from solar powered GPS transponders with their locations, which are then dis- played on maps at www.movebank. org. "There are few colonies of Great Egrets below New York City. These two birds feed and forage while being tracked, and have flown from Staten Island south across the Raritan Bay to feed in the wetlands area of Sandy Hook," Barnes said. Other projects include the moni- toring a possible Black Rail breeding location in southern Ocean County, Jill Ocone Great Egret. Pre-registration is required. For more information: (609) 898-8848 or www.njyoungbirders.weebly.com; email: sam.wilson@njaudubon.org. 11-19: Island Beach State Park Field Trip The waters off Island Beach can be teeming with scoters, loons, and gannets at this time of year, plus the scrub-shrub habitats and bayside waters attract bay ducks, raptors, and sparrows at this scenic park. This is also a great time of year to be on the lookout for west- ern and southern vagrants. Leaders: Scott Barnes, Sam Wilson, and Linda Mack. 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM 12-4: Brigantine Field Trip Brigantine can be productive at any time of year but winter offers the chance for skeins of geese, tundra swans, and an abundance of water- fowl. If there is time, the group will head over to Mott's Creek to look for Harriers, Rough-legged Hawks, and Short-eared Owls. Leaders: Sam Wilson and Margeaux Maerz. 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM "NEW JERSEY YOUNG BIRDERS CLUB" FALL EVENTS The New Jersey Young Birders Club provides a forum for learning and field expeditions to the best birding spots in the state. Ian Butler

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