To learn more about winter birding at its best, the Southern Ocean Birding Group will host a "Wings over Long Beach Island Day" on March 10. The event is held in partnership with the Friends of Barnegat Lighthouse State Park, the Long Beach Island Foundation of the Arts and Sciences, and the Southern Ocean County Chamber of Commerce. It will be filled with learning about and actually watching birds in action. It is suitable for the whole family and newcomers to birding.
Barnegat Inlet is, according to William J. Boyle Jr. author of A Guide to Bird Finding in New Jersey, “one of the best places in New Jersey to look for Northern Gannet, Common and King Eiders, Harlequin Duck, and Black-legged Kittiwake". Other possible species that are viewable during the winter months include, but are not limited to, Red-breasted Mergansers, Scoters, Purple Sandpipers, Long-tailed Ducks, Snow Bunting, Horned Lark, "Ipswich Sparrow" and Common Goldeneye.
The weekend's activities include:
- 10 a.m. Saturday at the Barnegat Lighthouse Visitor Center, Broadway, Barnegat Light: Susan Puder, president of the Southern Ocean Birding Group, will welcome participants and introduce the day’s events.
- 11 a.m. Saturday at the Long Beach Island Foundation for the Arts and Sciences, 120 Long Beach Blvd., Loveladies: Birding 101 will be presented by the Southern Ocean Birding Group.
- 1 p.m. Saturday at the Barnegat Lighthouse Visitor Center: Fred Lesser of the Ocean County Parks Department will discuss the Winter Birds of Barnegat Inlet.
- Throughout the day at Barnegat Lighthouse State Park: Members of the Southern Ocean Birding Group will be stationed along the concrete jetty with binoculars and scopes to help the public locate and identify birds and to answer birding questions.
- 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Foundation: Birding artwork by local artists on display in the Blai Gallery.
- Throughout the day at the Foundation: Bird viewing will be available at the elevated platform, which overlooks some of the last natural marshes remaining on Long Beach Island.
For more information visit SouthernOceanBirdingGroup.org.
