WINTER (DECEMBER, JANUARY AND FEBRUARY) 2011-2012
FIELD TRIP DIRECTIONS
CLICK HERE to download directions in PDF format.
MERRILL CREEK, ROUND VALLEY, SPRUCE RUN AND ALPHA
Sunday, December 4
8:45 a.m. to midafternoon
Join Terry Caruthers to search for winter waterfowl, raptors, gulls and other surprises.
Cost: $15 members $20 nonmembers
DIRECTIONS
Merrill Creek Reservoir is in the northwestern part of the state, close to the Pennsylvania border.
Follow Interstate 78 to Exit 4 and take Route 637 North.
After less than 2 miles, turn right onto Route 638 and follow this until you reach Route 57 (approx. 2.5 miles).
Cross Route 57 and follow Montana Road.
After approximately 2 miles you reach a fork in the road. Bear left.
After 0.3 miles, turn left onto Merrill Creek Road and follow signs for the Visitor Center.
HACKENSACK MEADOWLANDS
Saturday, January 14
8:45 a.m. to early afternoon
Join Carole Hughes to explore this outstanding site to look for raptors, passerines, gulls and waterfowl.
Cost: $15 members $20 nonmembers
DIRECTIONS
Meet at DeKorte Environmental Center.
Take Exit 16W off the NJ Turnpike (Secaucus & Rutherford).
Follow Route 3 west to Route 17 south (about 1.5 miles). Turn onto the Route 17 south ramp.
The ramp will cross back over Route 3 and come to a traffic light (Polito Ave.). There will be a sign directing you to De Korte.
Turn left; then go to Valley Brook Rd. and turn left again.
The parking lot for the De Korte Center and the Hackensack Meadowlands Development Commission (HMDC) is about 1.75 miles further along Valley Brook Road.
Once there, park in the southeast corner of the lot (beyond the building).
WALLKILL RIVER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
Sunday, January 29
8:45 a.m. to midafternoon
Ken Witkowski spent a lot of time birding the Wallkill River NWR before he began working there five years ago. Ken knows the Refuge very well and is an excellent leader. Raptors and waterfowl will be our primary focus. It’s not unusual to find some passerine surprises.
Cost: $15 members $20 nonmembers
DIRECTIONS
Meet at Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge Headquarters.
Take I-287 north to Route 23 north.
Proceed north on Route 23 for approximately 25 miles to the Sussex Queen Diner, at the intersection of Route 23 and Route 565 North (with traffic light).
Turn right onto Rt. 565 North and follow this for approximately one mile, where you will see the refuge headquarters on your left.
Turn left into the parking lot and park close to the bathrooms.
GREAT SWAMP NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
Sunday, February 5
8:45 a.m. to midafternoon
Carole Hughes will lead this trip to the Great Swamp NWR for wintering raptors, passerines and waterfowl with Carole Hughes. The Swamp always seems to have a few surprises.
Cost: $15 members $20 nonmembers
DIRECTIONS
Meet at the large parking lot on Long Hill Rd. by the boardwalks (Wildlife Observation Center).
Take I-287 to Exit 30A (N. Maple Ave., Basking Ridge).
Follow N. Maple Ave. for 0.5 miles to the first traffic light.
Turn left onto Madisonville Rd. and go 2.7 miles. (The name changes to Lee's Hill Rd. when you cross a bridge.)
At the bottom of a steep hill, turn right onto Long Hill Rd. (opposite the Harding Township School), and proceed 2.2 miles to the NWR entrance (a long dirt road) and parking lot on the right. Look for NWR signs.
If you come to Whitebridge Road, you have gone too far.
BARNEGAT LIGHT STATE PARK
Saturday, February 18
10:00 a.m. to midafternoon
Lloyd Shaw will lead this trip to look at the Harlequin Ducks and look for gulls, seabirds, loons and grebes. In the afternoon we’ll visit Manahawkin or Cedar Run for raptors.
Cost: $15 members $20 nonmembers
DIRECTIONS
Trip starts at Barnegat Light and caravans to Manahawkin at the end of the day
Exit the Garden State Parkway at Exit 63 (Manahawkin), head east on Rt. 72 for 7 miles, and cross over the Barnegat Bay Bridge onto Long Beach Island.
At the third and last traffic light after crossing the bridge, turn left and head north on Long Beach Boulevard for approximately 8 miles, where you will see the lighthouse. The road name changes to Central Ave.
At the end of the road, turn left and follow the road around to the entrance to the state park on the right.
WALLKILL RIVER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE AND SHAWANGUNK GRASSLANDS
Sunday, February 19
8:45 a.m. to early afternoon
Mike Britt will lead this trip to Wallkill River NWR and the Shawangunk Grasslands in search of passerines, raptors, and waterfowl.
Cost: $15 members $20 nonmembers
DIRECTIONS
Meet at Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge Headquarters.
Take I-287 north to Route 23 north.
Proceed north on Route 23 for approximately 25 miles to the Sussex Queen Diner, at the intersection of Route 23 and Route 565 North (with traffic light).
Turn right onto Rt. 565 North and follow this for approximately one mile, where you will see the refuge headquarters on your left. Turn left into the parking lot and park close to the bathrooms.
BEGINNING BIRDING FIELD TRIP – SCHERMAN HOFFMAN AND GREAT SWAMP
Saturday, February 25
9:00 a.m. to noonish
We’ll start out learning the distinguishing characteristics or “field marks” of the abundant birds at the Sanctuary bird feeding station and then caravan to Pleasant Plains Road in the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge.
Bring warm clothes for the Swamp portion of the trip. We have “loaner binoculars”, field guides and will have spotting scopes to share.
Cost: $8 members, $15 nonmembers (can be applied to membership).
DIRECTIONS
MEET AT THE HOFFMAN CENTER
MERRILL CREEK, ROUND VALLEY, SPRUCE RUN AND ALPHA
Sunday, February 26
8:45 a.m. to early afternoon
Join Terry Caruthers to visit some or all of these sites in search of winter waterfowl, raptors, gulls and other birds of late winter.
Cost: $15 members $20 nonmembers
DIRECTIONS
Merrill Creek Reservoir is in the northwestern part of the state, close to the Pennsylvania border.
Follow Interstate 78 to Exit 4 and take Route 637 North.
After less than 2 miles, turn right onto Route 638 and follow this until you reach Route 57 (approx. 2.5 miles).
Cross Route 57 and follow Montana Road.
After approximately 2 miles you reach a fork in the road. Bear left.
After 0.3 miles, turn left onto Merrill Creek Road and follow signs for the Visitor Center.