BOATING FOR BIRDS

Get a Duck's Eye View of Migration

Sometimes you have to go where the birds are to see them - no matter where that is.

"Cape May Bird Observatory's two upcoming boat trips will undoubtedly yield sightings of bald eagles, along with a host of other species," said Don Freiday, the Cape May Bird Observatory's Director of Birding Programs. "The Columbus Day trip to the 'Glades' area near Dividing Creek in Cumberland County visits a key migratory area for ducks, geese and raptors, as will the Great Egg Harbor cruise, which will be on October 20."

The Bird Observatory's guided cruise of the "Glades," the first trip of its kind, will travel by several skiffs provided by Beaver Dam Boat Rentals of Newport to view tidal marshes, channels, and small bays, where ducks hide and eagles hunt them. The trip will be Monday, October 8, 2007 from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m., and costs $18 for CMBO members or $28 for non-members.

"This is the second year in a row we have conducted the Great Egg Harbor River Cruise," says Freiday. "The river system supports breeding Bald Eagles and Osprey, waterfowl, and wintering Golden and Bald Eagles, Rough-legged Hawks, and Short-eared Owls."

The Great Egg Harbor River Cruise occurs Saturday, October 20, 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., beginning and ending at Somers Point aboard the Duke O'Fluke, a stable forty-five-foot open pontoon boat with bench seating. This trip costs $38 for CMBO members, $48 for non-members.

All are welcome on either of these cruises, but pre-registration is required. Directions will be provided on receipt of registration. Call the Observatory at (609) 861-0700 to register.

People interested in learning more about birds, their lives, and how to identify them should investigate one of CMBO's many workshops and programs. Complete information on bird-watching in southern New Jersey, and on CMBO's walks and programs, can be found at www.birdcapemay.org, or by contacting the Observatory at (609) 884-2736. The web site includes a daily blog, called "View from the Cape," which reports on migration as it unfolds.