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Community Corner

Fall Is the Perfect Time to Visit the Cape May Observatory

65th annual Cape May Autumn Birding Festival will be held Friday through Sunday

The Cape May Bird Observatory Northwood Center, located at 701 East Lake Drive in Cape May Point, was founded by the New Jersey Audubon Society in 1975.

Aviary aficionados will discover all kinds of available activities at the center, including field trips, programs and lectures, indoor and field workshops, boat trips and seasonal migration watches, as well as exhibits and educational materials for people young and old who want to learn more about our natural world.

While New Jersey is the fourth smallest state, you might be surprised to discover that our state has the highest density of wildlife per square mile. New Jersey is home to 325 bird species, 90 species of mammals, 79 reptile and amphibian species and more than 400 species of fish.

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Cape May Bird Observatory conducts the largest raptor (birds of prey) banding project in the world and hosts Raptor Migration Counts. Visitors interested in watching these birds may see Peregrine falcons,merlins, ospreys and sharp-shinned hawks, among other species.

How fast do some of these birds fly? One Peregrine falcon that was banded in Cape May was seen four days later in Florida. In the bird world, that’s flying first class.

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The fall is a great time to visit Cape May Bird Observatory because of the bird migrations, as well as the Monarch butterfly migration.

A visit to the center may lead you to become involved in seeing other New Jersey birding and wildlife trails throughout the state, but one thing is certain: It’s the right place to experience our world and meet trained naturalists who explain the importance of protecting wildlife and their environments. You may also choose to attend workshops and field trips.

Cape May Bird Observatory is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (closed Tuesdays during the summer.) Admission to the Northwood Center is free. Family program costs begin at around $10 per person. Families and individuals are asked to reserve programs at least one week in advance.

Groups who would like to come to the Cape May Bird Observatory Northwood Center are asked to call for program costs and reserve at least four weeks in advance of their scheduled program.

For information call 609-884-2736 or visit birdcapemay.org

The 65th annual Cape May Autumn Birding Festival will be held Friday through Sunday, Oct. 28-30.

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