Free, public birding trips in May with Washington Crossing Audubon Society

Washington Crossing Audubon Society invites the public to the following birding trips in May 2015:

· May 2, 2015. “Garret Mountain Reservation” a free, public birding trip with Washington Crossing Audubon Society

Join Washington Crossing Audubon Society from 7:30 AM to 2:00 PM on Saturday, May 2 for a walk led by Brad Merritt and Charles Brine to observe spring songbird migrants at Garret Mountain Reservation, a Passaic County Park located just south of Paterson, NJ. We may also visit the adjacent Rifle Camp Park. Bring a lunch. Directions: Take I-287 to I-80. Go east to exit 56A (Squirrelwood Road). Go to the stop sign and turn right on Rifle Camp Road. Go up the hill about 0.5 miles to Mountain Ave., which comes in from the left. Turn left on Mountain Ave. (look for an army tank and the reservoir on the left) and go 0.3 miles to the entrance to Garret Mountain Reservation. Go right up the hill for a short distance to a large parking area. Contact Brad Merritt (609) 921-8964 for additional information. See our website (www.washingtoncrossingaudubon.org) and follow us on Facebook.

· May 3, 2015. “Hamilton Veteran’s Park” a free, public birding trip with Washington Crossing Audubon Society

Join Washington Crossing Audubon Society at 8 AM on Sunday, May 3 for a free birding trip led by Mark Witmer at Veteran’s Park in Hamilton, NJ. The park offers lake, stream, open field, and woods habitats that support a diversity of bird life. Possible sightings include wood ducks, tree and barn swallows, red-tailed hawks, cedar waxwings, orchard and Baltimore orioles, red-eyed vireos, scarlet tanagers, and indigo buntings and unexpected migrants, as spring migration season will be in full swing. Directions: Enter the north entrance to the park, along Klockner Road just east of Hamilton Square-White Horse Road, and across the street from Steinert High School. We will gather at the back of the parking area. Call Mark Witmer (609) 730-0826 if you have any questions. See our website (www.washingtoncrossingaudubon.org) and follow us on Facebook.

· May 16 & 17, 2015. “Princeton Institute Woods” free, public birding trips with Washington Crossing Audubon Society

Join Washington Crossing Audubon Society at 8 AM on either Saturday, May 16 or Sunday, May 17 for a free, guided walk to observe the spring migration of warblers and other songbirds at the Institute Woods near the Institute for Advanced Studies in Princeton, NJ. Directions: From Princeton take Alexander St. towards Rte. 1. At the bend before the canal turn right on West Dr. Go a short distance on West Dr. and park near the entrance to Rogers Refuge. Contact Brad Merritt (609) 921-8964 for additional information. See our website (www.washingtoncrossingaudubon.org) and follow us on Facebook.

· May 23, 2014. “Negri-Nepote Native Grasslands Preserve” a free, public birding trip with Washington Crossing Audubon Society

Join Washington Crossing Audubon Society at 8 AM on Saturday, May 23 for a free birding trip led by Sharyn Magee, Charles Brine and Brad Merritt at the Negri-Nepote Grassland Preserve in Franklin Township, NJ. Directions: From Rte. 206 at Woods Tavern take Rte. 514 East (Amwell Rd.). Turn left on Rte. 615 South (S. Middlebush Rd.). Turn left on Skillman’s Lane, to the Preserve entrance off the West side (between two 90 degree curves). Contact Brad Merritt (609) 921-8964 for additional information. See our website (www.washingtoncrossingaudubon.org) and follow us on Facebook.

· May 24, 2015. “Ted Stiles Preserve at Baldpate Mountain” a free, public birding trip with Washington Crossing Audubon Society

Join Washington Crossing Audubon Society at 8:30 AM on Sunday, May 24 for a free birding trip led by Pat Sziber and Franta Broulik at the Ted Stiles Preserve at Baldpate Mountain, a Mercer County Park located north of the New Jersey Washington Crossing State Park. Directions: From Pennington-Washington Crossing Rd. (Rte. 546) go past Washington Crossing State Park to the intersection with Rte. 29. Turn right and go two miles to Fiddler’s Creek Rd. Turn right and go 0.2 miles to a parking lot on the left. Contact Pat Sziber (609) 737-1189 for additional information. See our website (www.washingtoncrossingaudubon.org) and follow us on Facebook.

· May 30, 2015. “Delaware Water Gap, New Jersey” a free, public birding trip with Washington Crossing Audubon Society

Join Washington Crossing Audubon Society on Saturday, May 30 for a free birding trip led by Sharyn Magee, Brad Merritt and Charles Brine to the Delaware Water Gap (New Jersey). The trip will depart via car pools from Princeton at 7 AM, and involve numerous stops after reaching the Stokes State Forest. Meet at Princeton Shopping Center off Harrison Street in Princeton. Please register with Brad Merritt at (609) 921-8964 prior to the trip. See our website (www.washingtoncrossingaudubon.org) and follow us on Facebook.