From the Field - New Jersey Preserves

Cumberland County Winter Eagle Festival

On Saturday, February 4, Cumberland County, NJ will be hosting its annual Winter Eagle Festival. (Formerly known as the Raptor Festival.) This is a great chance to see Hawks, Vultures, and Eagles, and there are plenty of knowledgeable volunteers around to you spot and indentify them.

The Festival will start with a 7am Sunrise Walk at Turkey Point, lead by NJ Audubon's Pete Dunne. Various viewing sites will be staffed by the NJ Audubon Society and Cape May Bird Observatory from 10am to 5pm. At 5pm, Pat Sutton will lead a Sunset Owl Watch at Turkey Point. There will also be exhibits, lectures, and food in the Mauricetown Fire Hall from 8am to 4pm. Natural Lands Trust will be one of the exhibitor - be sure to stop by and say hello! Lecture topics include: "Endangered and Nongame Species Program," "The Crucible of Migration," "Identifying 'em Far, Far Away," "How to Spot an Owl," and "Raptors of the Bayshore."

The cost of admission is $10 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under. For more information about the Festival, or for directions, call 856-453-2177.

Raptor Discovery Days

Yesterday and today are "Raptor Discovery Days" at Peek Preserve. As a part of the Cumberland County Winter Eagle Festival, nearly 400 school children will visit the preserve over these two days to hike the trails, learn more about raptors, and to see some of these magnificent birds for themselves. Students also visit the Mauricetown Fire Hall to complete various raptor-themed activities.

At Peek Preserve, students are lead on hikes around the preserve by volunteers from Citizens United to Save the Maurice River. On one hike yesterday, the students were treated to a spectacular view of a Bald Eagle flying close by as he headed up the river to hunt. All of the students also had the chance to use viewing scopes to see an Eagle that  was sitting in a tree across the wild rice marsh from the observation deck for most of the morning and part of the afternoon.

Thanks to all the volunteers who helped make these "Raptor Discovery Days" possible.