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Cape May Bird Observatory
Preliminary Schedule of Activities

Every day offers a varied selection of activities including lectures, field trips, programs, and boat trips. 
Those events marked ♦ require advance registration and fee as noted (
$).  Registration materials
including a detailed schedule with activities, times, and meeting places, map, admission tags, and tickets will be mailed to paid registrants prior to the event.  Registrants choose whatever they want to do during the course of the days for which they are registered. 

Individual activities are not available separately except where noted.  Meals, lodging, and transportation
are the responsibility of the participants and not included in registration.  

Event organizers reserve the right to cancel or substitute activities when necessary.  All events run rain or shine.  A description of the various areas is available on our festival website under
Site Description.  

Field trips
 meet at a designated location where leaders will divide participants into manageable groups to go out in the field.  Field Workshops are specifically focused workshops with an instructor taking place in the field rather than indoors.  Like field trips, there is walking involved.


Field Trip         Field Workshop         Indoor Program/Workshop        Boat         Special Event

Thursday, May 16

7:00 am - 3:00 pm   

Special Van Trip$

Exploring Cumberland County with Pete Dunne

7:30 am - 9:30 am

Field Trip

Higbee Beach

7:30 am - 9:30 am

Field Trip

The Beanery

7:30 am - 9:30 am

Field Trip

The Meadows

7:30 am - 9:30 am

Field Trip

Cape May Point State Park

7:30 am - 10:30 am

Field Trip

Belleplain State Forest

8:00 am - 11:00 am

Field Workshop

Instructional Photo Walk with Mike Hannisian

10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Field Trip

Higbee Beach

10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Field Trip

The Beanery

10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Field Trip

The Meadows

10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Field Trip

Cape May Point State Park

10:00 am - 12:30 pm

Boat Trip$

Birding by Boat™ aboard the Osprey

1:30 pm - 3:00 pm

Field Trip

Shorebird Watch

1:30 pm - 3:00 pm

Workshop

Options for Optics - Selecting Binoculars & Spotting Scopes

1:30 pm - 3:30 pm

Field Trip

Cape May Point

2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Field Trip

Shorebirds at Heislerville

2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Workshop

Selecting Photography Equipment with Mike Hannisian

4:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Field Trip

The Meadows

6:00 pm - 8:30 pm

Boat Trip$

Sunset Birding by Boat™ aboard the Osprey

Friday, May 17

7:30 am - 9:30 am

Field Trip

Higbee Beach

7:30 am - 9:30 am

Field Trip

The Beanery

7:30 am - 9:30 am

Field Trip

The Meadows

7:30 am - 9:30 am

Field Trip

Cape May Point State Park

7:30 am - 10:30 am

Field Trip

Belleplain

8:00 am - 11:00 am

Field Workshop

Instructional Photo Walk with Mike Hannisian

10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Field Trip

Higbee Beach

10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Field Trip

The Beanery

10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Field Trip

The Meadows

10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Field Trip

Cape May Point State Park

10:00 am - 12:30 pm

Boat Trip♦$

Birding by Boat™ aboard the Osprey

11:00 am - 12:00 pm

Demo

Shorebird Banding Demo with NJ Audubon Research

1:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Program

Witmer Stone, Beyond Birds with Rick Radis - CANCELLED

1:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Workshop

Birding Basics with Pete Dunne

1:00 pm - 2:30 pm

Workshop

Options for Optics - Selecting Binoculars & Spotting Scopes

1:30 pm - 3:30 pm

Field Trip

The Meadows

1:30 pm - 3:30 pm

Field Trip

Birds, Beasts, and Botany

1:30 pm - 3:30 pm

Field Trip

Shorebirds at Heislerville

1:30 pm - 3:30 pm

Boat Trip♦$

Kayaking Cape Island Creek - THIS TRIP IS FULL

1:30 pm - 4:00 pm

Boat Trip♦$

Birding by Boat™ aboard the Osprey -  THIS TRIP IS FULL  

2:00 pm - 3:30 pm

Field Trip

Shorebird Watch

2:30 pm - 4:30 pm

Workshop

Spring Warblers ID Workshop with Pete Bacinski

2:30 pm - 4:30 pm

Workshop

Organizing, Storing, and Accessing Photos with Mike Hannisian

5:00 pm - 7:30 pm

Evening Program♦$

Hors d’oeuvre Social followed by evening program with Clay and Pat Sutton

Saturday, May 18

7:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.

Field Trip

Higbee Beach

7:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.

Field Trip

The Beanery

7:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.

Field Trip

The Meadows

7:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.

Field Trip

Cape May Point State Park

7:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

Field Trip

Belleplain

8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

Field Workshop

Instructional Photo Walk with Mike Hannisian

10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Field Trip

Higbee Beach

10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Field Trip

The Beanery

10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Field Trip

The Meadows

10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Field Trip

Cape May Point State Park

10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Workshop

Spring Shorebirds ID with Pete Bacinski

10:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Boat Trip♦$

Birding by Boat™ aboard the Osprey

10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Field Workshop

Horseshoe Crabs - Their A-MAY-zing Story

10:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Boat Trip♦$

Mini-Pelagic across the Delaware Bay

11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Demo

Shorebird Banding Demo with NJ Audubon Research Dept.

11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Program

Guide to Warbler ID with Scott Whittle

11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Program

Birding Back in the Day with Bert Filemyr

11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Field Workshop

The Bird is in What Tree? with Mike Crewe

11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Field Trip

Explore the Shore with the Nature Center of Cape May

1:00 p.m. - 1:45 p.m.

Program

Poetry with John Smith

1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Field Trip♦

Cape May Coast Guard Base - THIS TRIP IS FULL -

2:00 p.m. - 2:45 p.m.

Program

Cerulean Blues with Katie Fallon

2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Workshop

Processing Digital Images with Mike Hannisian

1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Workshop

Options for Optics - Selecting Binoculars & Spotting Scopes

1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Workshop

Horseshoe Crab Encounters

1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Field Trip

Shorebird Watch

1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Field Trip

Birding Cape May Point

1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Field Trip

Shorebirds at Heislerville

1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Boat Trip$

Kayaking Cape Island Creek - THIS TRIP IS FULL 

1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Field Trip

Shorebirds at Cape May 1937-2013 with Bert Filemyr

3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Program

Birding in the 21st Century with Pete Bacinski

5:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Booksigning

Booksigning, Social, Cash Bar

6:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Program♦$

Dinner & Evening Program with Pete Dunne

Sunday, May 19

7:30 am - 9:30 am

Field Trip

Higbee Beach

7:30 am - 9:30 am

Field Trip

The Beanery

7:30 am - 9:30 am

Field Trip

The Meadows

7:30 am - 9:30 am

Field Trip

Cape May Point State Park

7:30 am - 10:30 am

Field Trip

Belleplain

8:00 am - 10:00 am

Field Workshop

Techniques for Warbler Field ID with Scott Whittle

8:00 am - 11:00 am

Field Workshop

Instructional Photo Walk with Mike Hannisian

9:00 am - 11:30 am

Field Trip

Birding & Biking Belleplain

9:30 am - 11:30 am

Field Trip

Cox Hall Creek

10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Field Trip

Higbee Beach

10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Field Trip

The Beanery

10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Field Trip

The Meadows

10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Field Trip

Cape May Point State Park

11:00 am - 12:00 pm

Program

Naturalist Diary with Pete Bacinski

10:00 am - 12:30 pm

Boat Trip♦$

Birding by Boat™ aboard the Osprey  THIS TRIP IS FULL

11:00 am - 1:00 pm

Field Trip

Shorebirds at Cape May 1937-2013 with Bert Filemyr

1:00 pm - 2:30 pm

Workshop

Options for Optics-Selecting Binoculars & Spotting Scopes

1:30 pm - 3:00 pm

Field Trip

Shorebird Watch

1:30 pm - 3:30 pm

Field Trip

Shorebirds at Heislerville with Pete Dunne

1:30 pm - 3:30 pm

Field Trip

Birding Cape May Point

2:30 pm - 4:30 pm

Field Trip

Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge

6:00 pm - 8:30 pm

Boat Trip♦$

Sunset Birding by Boat™ aboard the Osprey

MONDAY, MAY 20

For those of you wishing to extend your visit just one more day, you are welcome to join us at no additional cost on our regularly scheduled Monday walks.  You must wear your festival name tag for admission.  

If you would like to go on the back bay boat trip, you must register and pay in advance♦ for Monday’s trip.

7:30 am - 9:30 am

Field Trip

Birding the Meadows with Pete Dunne

10:00 am - 1:00 pm

Boat Trip ♦$

Back Bay Birding by Boat™ aboard the Osprey

3:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Field Trip

Shorebirds at Heislerville with Pete Dunne