Sign up now for Cape May trip
The Potomac Valley Audubon Society is sponsoring a hawk-watching trip to Cape May, N.J. the weekend of Oct. 13-14. Anyone with an interest is welcome to participate and there will be no fee. But participants will be expected furnish their own transportation and arrange for their own accommodations.
Hotel and motel reservations should be made now, because Cape May is a very popular destination in October. Those planning to use the Lewes-Cape May Ferry also need to make reservations early for the same reason.
The trip will be led by local birder Sandy Sagalkin, and it will focus on several hawk-watching sites in the Cape May area. It will offer good opportunities to see Peregrine Falcons, Merlins, American Kestrels, Sharp-shinned Hawks, Coopers Hawks, Bald Eagles, Northern Harriers and other species of hawks.
Those who participate will also be able to take advantage of a variety of free educational opportunities offered by the Cape May Bird Observatory and the New Jersey Audubon Society. Their offerings include such events as a Mini-Hawk ID workshop for beginners, a Hawk-banding demonstration, a Monarch tagging demonstration and bird walks that are open to the public.
The Cape May Bird Observatory website (www.birdcapemay.org) contains a list of Cape May hotels and motels which offer discounts to birders who are members of the Observatory. The savings can be significant enough that trip participants who are not already members may wish to join; this can be done easily online.
For those on a very tight budget, the most affordable accommodations may be in nearby Wildwood, N.J. Those who wish to participate should pre-register by contacting trip leader Sagalkin by phone at 240-291-6465. For more information, contact him by email at monsansagalkin@myactv.net.