Bird Quest Training Sessions

These 10 free, friendly sessions are intended to help you improve your birding skills, and to introduce you to a variety of bird habitats around Gloucester County. You are welcome to attend regardless of whether you are participating in the main May 6th event. We encourage you to sign up on Meetup.com (see the link on each session) so the trip leaders know how many people to expect.

April 16 (Sunday) 6 PM – Dusk
Birding Basics — Alcyon Lake Park
Track Ave. Pitman, NJ 08071 (off W. Holly Avenue)
Learn the basics of good birding and the tools of the trade. Discover the world of birding from bird guides to binoculars, birding etiquette to bird song and, of course, bird identification. Any level of interest is welcome. Questions are encouraged. A walk around the park will let you use your newfound — or refreshed — skills.
Directions: Drive past sports fields; meet at the pavilion.
Leaders: Rich Dilks & Karen Kravchuck

April 18 (Tuesday) 8 – 9 AM
WIN (formerly Wheelabrator) Refuge
600 Crown Point Rd, Westville, NJ 08093
At the intersection of the Delaware River and Big Timber Creek, the wide-open space behind the WIN plant is great habitat for swamp, meadow and river birds. 200 species have been recorded at the site. Trails and old roads make access easy.
Directions: Access from Rt. 130 (Crown Point Rd,) opposite Hazel Ave in Westville, just south of Big Timber Creek. Meet at the pavilion in the parking lot.
Leaders: Marilyn Henry & Lloyd Shaw

April 20 (Thursday) 7:30 – 9 AM
Tall Pines State Preserve
Bark Bridge Rd., Sewell, NJ 08080
Gloucester County’s only state park, this former golf course has ponds, marsh and wetlands, and patches of eastern hardwood forest. At least 158 species of birds, including the Bald Eagle and eleven species of warblers, have been identified here.
Directions: From Rt. 553 (Woodbury-Glassboro Rd) turn west onto Bark Bridge Rd. Park in the lot on the left. Please do not park at Hutchinson Cabinets.
Leaders: Rich Dilks and Erik Mollenhauer

April 22 (Saturday) 8 – 9:30 AM
Fasola Park
12 Sycamore Lane, Deptford Township, NJ 08096
Part of the Deptford Township park system, wooded areas and open areas make space for quite a few species in this more suburban park landscape. Look for possible woodpeckers, bluebird, turkey, kinglet, several sparrow flavors, phoebe, and Eastern wood pee wee. Raptors including Coopers, Red-shouldered and sharp shinned hawks, merlin, and black vultures might be seen. The paved paths make it an easy walk.
Directions: From Delsea Drive, turn east onto Sycamore Lane. At the circle, take the 2nd exit and park in the 1st parking lot on the right.
Leaders: Jayne Rhynard and Karen Kravchuck

April 26 (Wednesday) 6 – 8 PM
George Eldridge Trail
E. Pine St, Wenonah, NJ 08090
Eldridge Trail is part of the Wenonah Conservation Area, a ring of green that extends nearly the entire circumference of the town. Look and listen for spring migrants.
Directions: From E. Mantua Ave, turn south onto S. Princeton Avenue and continue to the intersection of South Princeton and East Pine. Park at the trailhead, just east of the intersection on E. Pine St
Leaders: Brian & Paula Hayes

April 27 (Thursday) 7:30 – 9 AM
Glassboro Woods (WMA)
202 Carpenter Ave., Clayton NJ
This wildlife management area, which is a 2337 acre forest accompanied by swamps and open fields boast chances to see vast variety of warblers and other bird species including worm-eating warbler, barred owl, LA waterthrush, prothonotary warbler, BH vireo, and broad-wing hawk.
Directions: Turn East onto Carpenter Ave.
Leaders: Kris & Erik Mollenhauer

April 29 (Saturday) 7:30 – 9 AM
Washington Lake Park
626 Hurffville – Crosskeys Rd., Sewell, NJ 08080
This is the largest municipal park in New Jersey and in spring it comes alive with songbird and raptor migrants adding to the year-round residents. Many migrants begin nesting in the woods, especially near the streams, and the bluebirds are active around their boxes. More than 20 species of warblers have been identified here. This event is being jointly held with the Washington Township Environmental Commission.
Directions: Meet at parking lot E by the amphitheater, accessible from either entrance.
Leaders: Marie Hageman & Jayne Rhynard

May 3 (Wednesday) 8 – 9:30 AM
Scotland Run Park
980 E. Academy St., Clayton, NJ 08312
Scotland Run Park, the largest of the county parks, spans over 1000 acres and includes the 80 acre Wilson lake. 143 species of birds have been recorded here, including 25 species of warblers. This is a great place and the right time to enjoy the spring migration!
Directions: Take exit 45 off route 55 to Centerton- Clayton. Make a left onto Buck Road (Rt. 553). Make a right at the first traffic light onto Academy Road (Rt. 610). Take Academy Road for 2 miles crossing over route 47 and Fries Mill Road. Just beyond Fries Mill Road turn right into the Nature Center parking lot.
Leaders: Marilyn Henry & Marie Hageman

May 4 (Thursday) 6 PM – Dusk
RiverWinds Park
1000 RiverWinds Drive, Thorofare, NJ 08086
Riverside shrubs and forested areas along the Delaware River make for great birding here. Look for migrating warblers, scarlet tanagers, hawks and maybe a bald eagle!
Directions; Turn onto RiverWinds Drive. Drive past the community center and park in the parking lot just before the RiverWinds restaurant.
Leaders: Gary Lizzi & Lloyd Shaw

*** THERE ARE 2 BQ TRAINING SESSIONS FOR RIVERWINDS ***
MAY 4 at 6 PM and MAY 5 at 6 AM

*** The meeting places are different ***

May 5 (Friday) 6 – 7:30 AM
RiverWinds Park — As Different as Night and Day???
1000 RiverWinds Drive, Thorofare, NJ 08086
Yes, we had a training session here last evening, but here is a chance to compare what you might find at the same spot, but at a different time of day! Look for scarlet tanager, magnolia warbler, blackburnian warbler, ovenbird, black- throated green warbler and many other migrants.
Directions: Turn onto RiverWinds Drive. Go approx. 1000 ft. to meet in the Riverwinds Nature Trail parking lot.
Leaders: Dan & Danny Ceravolo