HOURS: Tuesday to Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. / Closed Mondays

CLOSURES: Thursday, November 27, for Thanksgiving

Sandy Hook Bird Observatory Information Page

Autumn, 2008

Click Here for Field Trip Directions

FIELD TRIPS

SATURDAY AND WEEKDAY FIELD TRIPS WITH PETE BACINSKI
By caravan with director Pete Bacinski or our associate naturalists to seasonally productive birding or nature areas. Registration must be paid seven days in advance to allow time to send directions. To facilitate sending directions, please include your e-mail address with your check or when you register; otherwise please include your mailing address. Trips go in any weather, usually to midafternoon. Bring lunch, weather-appropriate gear, and binoculars, and scopes when appropriate. Upon receipt of payment, directions with instructions will be e-mailed or sent, usually one week in advance.
Please note change in start times for many trips and new fee schedule.
Cost: single trips are $15 for members, $20 for nonmembers.
Trips include:

Saturday and Sunday, September 13 and 14
Fifth annual New Jersey Meadowlands Festival of Birding (see box below).
Saturday, September 20
Meet at 8:45 a.m.
Sandy Hook at the heart of passerine migration. With Scott Barnes.
Saturday, September 27
Meet at 8:45 a.m.
Garret Mountain is also an excellent migration hotspot in the fall; come see for yourself.
Saturday, October 4
Meet at 8:45 a.m.
Forsythe (Brigantine) NWR for shorebirds, returning waterfowl, passerine migrants, and raptors.
Saturday, October 11
Meet at 8:45 a.m.
Sandy Hook with Scott for passerine migrants, raptors, and surprises.
Saturday, October 11
Meet at 7:00 a.m. or 9:00 a.m.
Join Lloyd Shaw for a Palmyra Cove Big Day. How many species can Lloyd and company produce at this great birding location?
Saturday, October 18
Meet at 9:00 a.m.
A Salem County autumn frolic with Frank Lenik, for short-distance migrants, raptors, and waterbirds.
Saturday, October 25
Meet at 8:45 a.m.
Visit the Wallkill River NWR with local expert and associate naturalist Ken Witkowski, for short-distance migrants and raptors.
Saturday, November 1
Meet at 8:45 a.m.
Forsythe (Brigantine) NWR at the peak time of year for exceptional numbers of birds.
Friday, November 7, to Monday, November 10
Our third annual Delmarva Birding Van Trip, with three nights in Chincoteague, Virginia. Call SHBO for details.
Members $525; single supplement $75
Saturday, November 8
Meet at 8:45 a.m.
Visit Merrill Creek Reservoir, the Alpha Grasslands, and Spruce Run Reservoir for lots of late fall specialties. With Terry Carruthers.
Saturday, November 8
Meet at 9:00 a.m.
Join Lloyd Shaw for a day in Ocean County, visiting Double-Trouble State Park, the Crossley Preserve, and NJAS’s Hovnanian Preserve.
Saturday, November 22
Meet at 8:45 a.m.
Sandy Hook with Scott, for late fall gulls, late fall passerines, and raptors.

SUNDAY FIELD TRIPS WITH OUR ASSOCIATE NATURALISTS
Birding by caravan with our associate naturalists to seasonally productive areas. Registration fees must be mailed to the Sandy Hook Bird Observatory seven days in advance. Bruce Fetz, our volunteer leader, does not accept trip registration fees on the day of the field trip. To facilitate sending directions, please include your e-mail address with your check or when you register; otherwise please include your mailing address. Trips go in any weather, usually to early afternoon. Bring lunch, weather-appropriate clothing, and binoculars. Upon receipt of check, directions with instructions will be mailed, usually one week in advance. Please note new fee schedule.
Cost: single trips are $15 for members, $20 for nonmembers.
Trips include:

Saturday and Sunday, September 13 and 14
Fifth annual New Jersey Meadowlands Festival of Birding (see box below).
Sunday, September 21
Meet at 7:00 a.m.
Join Bruce for a trip around Sandy Hook at the peak of passerine migration.
Sunday, September 28
Meet at 8:45 a.m.
The Allendale Celery Farm with local expert Rob Fanning for passerine migrants and surprises.
Sunday, September 28
Meet at 8:15 a.m.
Lloyd Shaw introduces two new gems to the itinerary: Barclay Farms and Magic Forest in Camden County.
Sunday, October 5
Meet at 8:45 a.m.
The Great Swamp NWR with Susan Phelon for passerines, raptors, and surprises.
Sunday, October 5
Meet at 8:45 a.m.
Join Rick Radis, one of the state’s best naturalists, in the New Jersey Pine Barrens for interesting plants and other natural history. Bring rubber boots if you have them.
Sunday, October 12
Meet at 8:00 a.m.
Join Michael Britt for a visit to Great Piece Meadows for sparrows and other passerines.
Sunday, October 19
Meet at 7:00 a.m.
Sandy Hook at the peak of the short-distant migrant migration. With Bruce Fetz.
Sunday, October 26
Meet at 8:45 a.m.
Join Monmouth County Park’s own Andrew Spears for a sparrow tour around Dorbrook Park in Colts Neck.
Sunday, November 2
Meet at 7:00 a.m.
Rarity magnet Tom Boyle will show you how to find rare sparrows at Sandy Hook.
Friday, November 7, to Monday, November 10
Our third annual Delmarva birding van trip, with three nights in Chincoteague, Virginia. Call SHBO for details.
Members $525; single supplement $75 
Sunday, November 9
Meet at 7:00 a.m.
Sandy Hook for short-distance migrants, early waterfowl, gulls, and raptors. With Bruce Fetz.
Sunday, November 23
Meet at 8:45 a.m.
Sandy Hook with Linda Mack and Carole Hughes, for late fall migrants, raptors, and perhaps a surprise or two.

THURSDAY MORNING SANDY HOOK BIRD WALKS
Thursdays,
September 4, 11, 18, and 25,
October 2, 9, 16, 23, and 30
8:00 a.m.
Join Pete Bacinski, Scott Barnes, Linda Mack, or other SHBO naturalists for a two-hour bird walk at some of New Jersey’s best birding locations and visit the home of the Sandy Hook Bird Observatory.
Cost: $7 members, $10 nonmembers.

BIRDING FOR BEGINNERS WITH PATRICK BELARDO
Sunday, October 26
8:00 a.m. to noon
If you are new to birding, this is the bird walk for you. Join Patrick as he introduces you to the fundamentals of bird identification while visiting the diverse habitats of Sandy Hook. Bring binoculars and wear appropriate clothing for the weather. Meet at the visitors’ center parking lot. Free to the public, but please preregister by calling 732.872.2500.

THE SANDY HOOK PIPER

Thanks:
To Don Sutherland for all his help with Monmouth and Ocean County birding, for his excellent leadership, and for his friendship. Don, we miss you. To Irwin Lentchner, for all his efforts with POS and inventory; to Carole Hughes, for her excellent POS training sessions; to all the volunteers who helped with the inventory, including Owen Glasson; to Henry Fallon for all his years of computer support; to Greg Hartman for excellence in carpentry and all his work with the bluestone walkway; to the Navesink Garden Club, for maintaining our wonderful butterfly garden; to our excellent associate naturalists Patrick Belardo, Tom Boyle, Michael Britt, Terry Carruthers, Rob Fanning, Bruce Fetz, Carole Hughes, Andy Lamy, Linda Mack, Susan Phelon, Rick Radis, Lloyd Shaw, Andrew Spears and Ken Witkowski; to Linda Mack, for her excellent work with the books and bookstore; to Sharon Lentchner for her help in the bookstore; to our weekday volunteers Bonnie Strand, Sharon and Irwin Lentchner, Barbara Murray, Kathy Covington, June McMahon, Trina Anderson, David Royce, Georgia Dempster, Carol Coyne, Gloria Deodato, Kevin Keating, Tom Tarlach, Anne Galli, Dona Radey, and Lynne Warner; to Bonnie Strand for all her help with the Web site, field trip directions, and special projects; to Anne Galli, Dona Radey and Lynne Warner, for help with publicity; to Kevin Keating, for help with special projects; to Linda Mack, for her wonderful leadership on SHBO nature tours; to our great crew of weekend volunteers: Helena Bauernschmitt, Patrick Belardo, Mike Blasenheim, Colette Buchanan, Teri Catalano, Brian Clough, Sandra Escala, Laura Hardy, Donna Juettner, Elaine Long, Breda May, Sue Rinaldi, John Salerno, Janet Stadelmeier, Susanna Treesh, and our newest addition, Georgia Moss; to Roy Nelson, for four years of loyal service; to our excellent fill-in volunteers: Ron Blandon, John McCarthy, Linda Stehlik and Hans Zweerink; to Jason Guerard, Denis Cleary, Norann Hein, Carole Hughes, and Brian Moscatello for bookstore and POS assistance; to Mike Lyncheski, for always being there when computer help is required; to Jim O’Malley, for help with the Web site and computer issues; to Kathleen Mistretta and Rene Buccinna, for great work with the travel program; to Lyda Spear for support from the home office; to Laurie Larson for her great efforts with our RBA; to Debra LaQuaglia, for help with our “Seen in New Jersey” Newark Star-Ledger column, and lastly: please get well soon, Elaine Long.

SPECIAL DIRECTOR’S NOTE

The Sandy Hook Bird Observatory has an immediate need for volunteer help on weekends to help open the center and work the bookstore and gift shop, and on weekdays also to help in the store and to assist our staff. For weekends, we are looking for a commitment of one or more Saturday mornings, afternoons or all day, or one or more Sundays, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., per month. For weekdays, we are also looking for a weekly one-day commitment to help at the center from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., or 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. If you can help us during these periods, please do not hesitate to call SHBO and ask for Pete or Scott. Please come and be a part of our wonderful SHBO volunteer family.
 

Members receive discounts on program fees. If you are not a member and would like to become one, consider Joining New Jersey Audubon Society.