Saturday 
November 14, 2009 

Field Trip 

Avalon Sea Watch <http://www.capemaytimes.com/birds/avalon-seawatch.htm> 

Join us for a car-pool trip to Avalon, New Jersey (about two hours away).
The shoreside town of Avalon is on a barrier island, at a point where the
shoreline bulges outward into the Atlantic - and therefore, it is possible
to get fantastic looks at a steady stream of migrating seabirds.  The New
Jersey Audubon <http://www.njaudubon.org/Research/seawatch.html>  Society
conduct an annual census of these birds. The majority of birds seen are
loons and seaducks - all three scoters, mergansers, Long-taileds, maybe an
eider or two.  Other possibilities include jaegers and gannets and maybe a
few surprises. The daily count of birds passing the Sea Watch can reach up
to 90,000 at this time of year - it is one of the true avian spectacles.
This is a great opportunity to plump up your Life List with seabirds, from
the comfort of land.

This trip involves no walking at all.  Pull your car up to the seawall at
the  <http://www.capemaytimes.com/birds/avalon-seawatch.htm> Sea Watch site
and take out your lawn chair, blanket, scope and hot drink, and settle in
for a day of scanning the seas.

Meet near Dunkin Donuts in Big Elk Mall, intersection of Rt 40 and Rt 213 in
Elkton at 7:00 a.m. to car-pool for the full-day trip.   Bring scope if you
have one.  Also bring lawn chair, blanket, hot drinks, and either a packed
lunch or money to purchase lunch at a nearby deli.  Dress for possible
extreme cold and windy conditions.   Also bring money for tolls and gas.

Trip leader:  Richard Donham 

 

 

Pat Valdata

Elkton, MD

 

"The natural function of the wing is to soar upwards and carry that which is
heavy up to the place where dwells the race of gods. More than any other
thing that pertains to the body it partakes of the nature of the divine."
--Plato