VIRTUAL PROGRAM - Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82787224532

Project Terrapin is a volunteer conservation and education initiative to support the Northern Diamondback Terrapin and its habitat through research. Terrapins are a variety of small turtles that live in either fresh or brackish water. The species of terrapin local to coastal New Jersey is the Northern Diamondback Terrapin. Diamondback Terrapins are named for the diamond-shaped pattern on their carapace, or upper shell.

Project Terrapin uses research to develop sound conservation projects and educational initiatives. The conservation group works with numerous schools throughout New Jersey to promote diamondback terrapin research, conservation and education. Project Terrapin participants study nesting terrapins and their habitats, capture and mark terrapins, and enhance nesting areas with turtle gardens. Students in several Monmouth County high schools have participated in Project Terrapin under the supervision of Michael Haughwout, a science teacher at Rumson Fair Haven High School.

Mr. Haughwout will speak with us about the Northern Diamondback Terrapin and discuss the various research, educational, and conservation projects conducted in Monmouth and Ocean Counties to enhance the Diamondback Terrapin’s habitat and promote conservation of this unique species.

VIRTUAL PROGRAM - see details below on how to tune-in to the program.

Women have connected to birds long before there were binoculars, smart phones or social media. As culture and communications evolve, the stories of women's roles in ornithology and birding are emerging with due prominence. In pre-industrial America, it took special grit for a woman to stand out in any scientific endeavor, amid scores of men. It still takes effort, but the scales are tipping as women birders make a difference as ornithologists, teachers, researchers, writers, artists, tour operators, and inspiration for all who love wild birds. From Rosalie Edge - the hellcat of raptor conservation, and Harriet Hemenway - the plume-scorning fashionista, to Graceanna Lewis - the maverick of bird taxonomy, and Rachel Carson, whose book saved endangered species, women have been influential members of the birding community for millenia. Join Debbie Beer to learn about a few women whose names may be unfamiliar, but whose influence is indelible as a force beyond feathers. 

Debbie Beer has been an avid birder for more than 20 years. She's traveled to multiple countries and continents for birding. John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge in Philadelphia is Debbie's favorite local patch, where she directs the annual "Big Sit" event and leads monthly bird walks. Debbie works for Natural Lands as Director of Volunteers. She is an avid eBirder, fellow of the Delaware Valley Ornithological Club (DVOC) and president of the Birding Club of Delaware County (BCDC).

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VIRTUAL PROGRAM - see details below on how to tune-in to the program.

Discover amazing facts about these incredible acro-bats of the night sky as we dispel some common bat myths and learn why it is important to have them around. This presentation will introduce us to the nine (9) local bat species found here in New Jersey as well as a number of exotic bat species found around the world. Join Monmouth County Park System Naturalist Megan Orens to learn what makes these amazing mammals so unique.

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VIRTUAL PROGRAM - see details provided below on how to tune-in to the program.

The 1,100 plus diverse species that populate Thailand and the Malay Peninsula alternately surprise, frustrate, and satisfy our nonstop thirst for the new and the fantastic. Donna Schulman toured Thailand and the Malay Peninsula in 2019. Birding these areas can be challenging - mountain forests are dense, saltpans wide, and birds tend to be secretive. Fortunately, bird photography is a popular activity and eco-tourism a growing industry. Donna will present photographs and videos of her tour and talk about Southeast Asia’s common and endangered birds and their diverse habitats (from tropical montane rainforest to saltpans to cities), other amazing creatures encountered along the way, and the ins and outs of bird travel to these magical areas.

Donna Schulman is a former academic librarian and current birder and book reviewer for the 10,000 Birds blog, and Birding magazine. Donna has participated in the American Birding Association Podcast’s Birding Book Club for the past five years. Her photographs have been featured in Birding, and Birdwatching Magazine, used by NJ Audubon and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology for educational projects, and illustrate many of the educational signs at Negri-Nepote Grasslands, her former patch. She has traveled to five continents and will travel again!

Please click the link below to join the webinar:
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VIRTUAL PROGRAM - see details provided below on how to tune-in to the program.

The Anis -- including the Groove-billed and Smooth-billed Anis of Texas and Florida, and the Greater Ani of South America -- share an unusual nesting strategy known as communal nesting. Several pairs cooperatively build a single nest in which all of the females lay their eggs, and the entire group shares incubation, nest defense, and parental care. In this talk, Christie Riehl will discuss the results of her long-term field study of Greater Anis in Panama, focusing on the fascinating cooperative behaviors of this tropical cuckoo.

Christie Riehl is an assistant professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Princeton University and a lifelong birder. Originally from New Orleans, Louisiana, she received her Ph.D. from Princeton University in 2011 and returned to Princeton in 2015 after a postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard University.

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VIRTUAL PROGRAM - see details below on how to tune-in to the program.

Sandy Lockerman, a licensed bird bander, will discuss the intriguing world of hummingbirds.  Ms. Lockerman will discuss some of their unique adaptations and migration mysteries. In addition to discussing her ongoing Ruby-throated Hummingbird research project, Sandy will provide an update on the documentation efforts being made of western hummingbirds in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

 Sandy Lockerman has been a bird bander for 25 years. She spent 15 of those years travelling annually to the large Fort Morgan, Alabama bird-banding station where the banding of hundreds of Gulf of Mexico migrating songbirds and hummingbirds was an everyday occurrence. She began researching songbird migration in Pennsylvania at Dauphin County’s Wildwood Park in Harrisburg, first as a volunteer, then as a full-time environmental educator. In addition to studying and banding hummingbirds, Sandy also participates in the Ned Smith Center’s autumn Northern Saw-whet Owl migration project.

You are invited to a Zoom webinar.
When: Dec 8, 2021 08:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Topic: December Program - Hummingbirds, Jewels of the Air

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VIRTUAL PROGRAM - see details below on how to tune-in to the program.

North American birds are in trouble. Grassland birds are among the steepest declining groups, but they also offer hope in their ready response to management. This talk will discuss strategies and solutions to reduce their decline, at scales ranging from individual farm fields to regions and biomes.

 Dr. Michael Allen is a quantitative ecologist and conservation biologist with over 20 years of bird conservation research experience in non-profit and in academic settings. He is currently a post-doctoral researcher at Rutgers University, where he received his PhD in 2019 for his work on grassland birds. His current work integrates fieldwork and large-scale data synthesis to tackle a variety of conservation issues ranging from sea level rise to invasive species.

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VIRTUAL PROGRAM - see details below on how to tune-in to the program.

The Ted Stiles Preserve at Baldpate Mountain has the highest number of breeding Neotropical birds in central New Jersey.  Over 175 bird species have been recorded at Baldpate, including 38 warbler species. However, Baldpate is vulnerable because it is at the lower size limit for interior forest species and its long, narrow shape creates a large edge effect. The interior forest ecosystem is highly stressed and many breeding bird species are unsustainably declining.  Sharyn Magee, a past President of Washington Crossing Audubon Society, will give an overview of the birds and other taxa on Baldpate, the population trends of key avian species, and the primary conservation issues facing Baldpate Mountain. 

Please click the link below to join the Zoom webinar:
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Virtual program - see details below on how to tune in.

MCAS is honored to host two giants of the New Jersey Butterfly community, Sharon and Wade Wander. Sharon will present her program “Enjoying Butterflies with the NJ Butterfly Club.” This will be a wonderful introduction to the many and varied butterflies that can be found in New Jersey in the warmer months, as well as how to find them.

Sharon Wander, along with her husband, Wade, is a self-employed environmental consultant, providing wetland delineation and permitting services and conducting surveys for Endangered and Threatened species. She has long been an active New Jersey naturalist, interested in birds, herptiles, plants, and butterflies (as well as moths and other insects). Sharon is a past president of the New Jersey Butterfly Club, for which she and Wade frequently lead field trips and present programs. The Wanders’ Fredon Township butterfly garden has attracted a state-record 84 species.

Join us on Zoom at 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 12, 2021. Access info. can be found below.

You are invited to a Zoom webinar.
When: May 12, 2021 08:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Topic: Enjoying Butterflies With the NJ Butterfly Club

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Webinar ID: 875 0857 0494
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Virtual program - see details below on how to tune in.

In April, we welcome Tykee James of National Audubon who will present his new initiative “Freedom Birders.” Spurred by events of 2020 that exposed the difficulties and impediments that people of color face in simply enjoying nature, Tykee started this initiative with his friend New Jersey resident Jeffrey Train. Freedom Birders is a racial justice education project built on inspiration from the Civil Rights Movement, the Freedom Riders, the Black Lives Matter Movement, and #BlackBirdersWeek 2020. Tykee told us, “While our target audience is the birding community, we seek to inspire more leaders in the natural world to advance and boldly support racial justice, build connectivity and intention toward achieving racial equity and environmental progress, and share the stories of lessons learned through excellence, resistance, strength, and style.” MCAS hopes you will join us for this very important program.

Join us on Zoom at 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 14, 2021. Access info. can be found below.

You are invited to a Zoom webinar.
When: April 14, 2021 08:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Topic: MCAS April program

Please click the link below to join the webinar:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83329506257

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Virtual program - see details below on how to tune in.

Experience the wildlife of India with birder, photographer, and writer Donna Schulman with her program “Indian Rollers, Bengal Tigers & the Ugliest Duck in the World: Birding India.” Donna will bring us to the Taj Mahal, the popular state of Rajasthan and the fascinating northeastern state of Assam. The presentation will feature India’s iconic mammals (Bengal tiger!) as well as charismatic, common, and endangered birds in photographs and video. India published its first report on bird distribution and conservation in 2020; this is a country we are just beginning to bird and appreciate. This is a program not to be missed!

Join us on Zoom at 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 10, 2021. Access info. can be found below.

You are invited to a Zoom webinar.
When: Mar 10, 2021 08:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Topic: MCAS March program

Please click the link below to join the webinar:

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Virtual program

We are pleased to announce our February program, "101 Great Birds from Around the World" presented by Mark Garland, via Zoom. Mark Garland is a naturalist and eco-tour leader who has traveled the world to see and share birds and other wildlife. In this program, Mark will share photos and stories of 101 birds that stand out above the rest, including the Abyssinian Ground-Hornbill pictured.

Join us on Zoom at 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, February 10, 2021.
Please click the link below to join the webinar:
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Webinar ID: 863 3904 9817
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Virtual program - see our Facebook page for details on how to tune in.

Join Professor Tom Brown of the College of Staten Island to discuss his ongoing banding studies of migratory birds. Tom has been banding migratory birds at Sandy Hook for more than 10 years, gathering valuable information about species abundance, breeding success, migratory paths, and use of stopover sites. In this program he will discuss his findings as well as the overall contribution of bird banding to bird conservation.

Virtual program - see below for details on how to tune in.

Our October program will feature author and naturalist Jim Wright discussing his new book about “The Real James Bond: A True Story of Identity Theft, Avian Intrigue, and Ian Fleming.” James Bond was an ornithologist, marksman, and author of the landmark book “Birds of the West Indies” published in 1936. Jim will discuss highlights of the life of the real James Bond, a man described as a ruthless ornithologist whose real life was more adventurous than the fictional spy.

You are invited to a Zoom webinar.
When: Oct 14, 2020 07:50 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Topic: MCAS October Program -"The Real James Bond"
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Webinar ID: 864 7009 4433
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Virtual program - access via Facebook Live, MCAS Facebook Page.

Rob Fanning talks about bird sightings during the peak of Fall Migration around Monmouth County and beyond. Wondering where to see a Northern Parula in Fall? Wondering what winds are best for Sandy Hook during fall migration? Wondering what field guides are good for Fall Warbler ID? Rob will address those and more. He will also address any questions you may have about birding in general.

Kids of all ages can get more into nature at the Monmouth County Audubon Society’s “Family Night” program, to be held on Wednesday, March 11, at 7:00 pm. The program will be held at the Tower Hill Presbyterian Church, 255 Harding Road, Red Bank. The public is welcome; admission is free.

This program, geared toward elementary-school children, will start one hour earlier than normal MCAS programs to make it more convenient for families to attend.

SPACE IS LIMITED; please RSVP to info@monmouthaudubon.org

This year’s Family Night program features “Feathers & Fur - Investigating Animal Coverings,” presented by the Turtle Back Zoo.

Fine art photographer Al Horner will share stunning images and his message of conservation of the New Jersey Pinelands in this program. Albert D. Horner is an award-winning photographer whose images distill the quiet beauty and intimate landscapes of New Jersey’s Pinelands National Reserve. Self-taught, he brings curiosity, patience and a practiced eye to his craft, recording the oak and pine forests, cedar swamps, meandering waterways and native wildflowers that make the “Pine Barrens” a place like no other. “Although the Pinelands does not have mountain peaks or lush valleys with babbling streams, it does have a beauty and uniqueness all its own,” says Horner.

Since 2005, using digital photography, Horner has produced more than 150 stunning images taken in the 1.1 million-acre Pinelands National Reserve. Some 80 of these fine-art photographs appear in his 2015 monograph, “Pinelands: New Jersey’s Suburban Wilderness.” A Pinelands Preservation Alliance board member, Horner uses his art to advocate on behalf of the ecologically important region, giving presentations and exhibiting his images.

Albert Horner’s images of the Pinelands are currently on exhibit at the New Jersey State Museum. Al Horner will be sharing his Pinelands images and his preservation message at the February 12, 2020 meeting of Monmouth County Audubon Society. The event is free. Members and non-members are welcome.

Tour leader, bird lover and photographer Susan Phelon returns to MCAS to present her program on the Birds and Wildlife of Australia. Featuring photos from her recent tour, Susan will quide us through the natural wonders of the continent "down under." Expect to see and learn about exotic Parrots, Kookabura, Koalas and perhaps the Tazmanian Devil.

Susan Phelon began serious birding in the mid 1980's after a vacation in the Pacific Northwest. While on a ferry in the San Juan Islands, a Bald Eagle flew at eye level alongside the boat. Susan blurted out "Wow, it's just like the post office commercial!" This made her realize how far she had strayed from the natural world. On return from vacation she contacted New Jersey Audubon's Owl Haven center and signed up for the monthly mystery birding tours led by Rich Ditch and Bob Henschel. They became her mentors and stressed the need to learn the local birds before branching out around the U.S.

Susan later joined Bob in leading the Owl Haven Mystery Tour. Susan then began leading tours of her own to birding hotspots in the U.S. through her company Wrentours. After retiring from teaching 8th grade Social Studies in Colts Neck, NJ, Susan got a "retirement job" so she could pursue birds around the world. Her travels have taken her to over 60 countries, not always on birding tours, but always with binoculars handy. Susan is happy to return to Monmouth County Audubon to entertain us with stories and images from her latest journeys.