Field Trips
Field Trips to local birding “Hot Spots” and beyond
Experienced birders from WCAS lead regular birding field trip to some of the region’s top birding hotspots in Central New Jersey, the Delaware Water Gap, Delaware Bay, the New Jersey shore, and eastern Pennsylvania. Field trips are free, open to the public, and most require no advance registration. Participants of all experience levels are welcome. If there are field trips you would like to see added to WCAS field trip offerings, please feel free to contact us.
For more field trip information, contact our Field Trip Chair, Brad Merritt, 609-921-8964. If the trip is co-sponsored, please note the registration request in the trip description. In case of inclement weather, please check this website or contact Brad for field trip cancellation updates by 10:00 p.m. the night before.
Check our Event Calendar below for details and contact information
- Birdathon 2017: Saturday, May 13 rescheduled for Sunday, May 14 (see Birdathon page)
- Princeton Institute Woods A field trip on Sunday, May 20 at 8:00 am, led by Mark Witmer and Brad Merritt. Two trips are offered to the Institute Woods, an excellent place to observe the spring migration of warblers and other songbirds. Directions: From Princeton take Alexander Street toward Route 1. At the bend before the canal turn right on West Drive. Go a short distance on West Drive and park near the entrance to Rogers Wildlife Refuge.
- Ted Stiles Preserve at Baldpate Mountain A field trip on Sunday, May 21, at 8:00 am, led by Pat Sziber and Franta Broulik. Directions: Pennington-Washington Crossing Road (Rt. 546) to the intersection of Route 29. Turn right, go two miles to Fiddler’s Creek Road. Turn right to parking area. Or, from Church Road and Bear Tavern Road (Rt. 579), follow Church Road to right onto Fiddler’s Creek Rd. Continue to the parking area on your right. For more information, contact Pat Sziber at 609-737-1189.
- Negri-Nepote Native Grassland Preserve A field trip on Saturday, May 27, at 8:00 am, led by Sharyn Magee and Brad Merritt. This 164 acre property is between Skillmans Lane to the east, Bennetts Lane to the north, and the Six-mile Run Reservoir site to the west and south. There are 111 acres of grassland and 53 acres of woodland. Directions: From Rte 206, take Rte 514 East (Amwell Rd). Turn right on Route 615 South (S. Middlebush Rd), then turn left on Skillmans Lane. Entrance off west side of Skillmans Ln, between the two 90 degree curves on Skillmans Ln. For more info, call Brad Merritt at 609-921-8964.
- Delaware Water Gap, North Jersey A field trip on Saturday, June 3, led by Sharyn Magee and Brad Merritt. Leave Princeton at 7:00 am for the Stokes State Forest area. This trip involves driving to numerous stops near the Stokes State Forest; carpool is available to minimize the number of cars. Either meet at Princeton Shopping Center off Harrison St. or a meeting place at Stokes State Forest Office, one mile north of Culvers Lake. You must register with Brad Merritt, (609) 921-8964.
- Washington Crossing State Park A field trip on Saturday, June 10, at 8:30 am, led by Wayne Henderek and Franta Broulik. We will walk trails looking for spring migrants and resident birds in wooded areas and adjacent fields. Directions: Off Washington Crossing–Pennington Road in Titusville. Follow signs to the Nature Center parking lot. For more info, call Brad Merritt at 609-921-8964. WCAS Birding Hot Spots page has a map with pointer.
- Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed: Secret Lives of Birds An event on Saturday, June 10, at 8:30-10:30am. Perfect for seasoned bird watchers and newcomers alike, walk with Naturalist Tyler Christensen for an up close look at birds. Watch foraging behavior, observe family life, and learn about mist-netting and bird banding techniques. Binoculars will be available for use in this program. 31 Titus Mill Road, Pennington. Register with SBMWA, call 609-737-7592. Co-sponsored with Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Reserve.
- Assunpink Wildlife Management Area A field trip on Saturday, June 17, at 8:30 am, led by John Maret and Andrew Bobe. We will seek resident birds, such as blue grosbeaks, orchard orioles, and cedar waxwings, and butterflies. Directions: East on I-195 to exit 11, Imlaystown. North on Imlaystown Road 2.6 miles to parking area at Lake Assunpink. For more information, call Brad Merritt at 609-921-8964.
- Mercer Meadows Pole Farm A field trip on Saturday, June 24, at 8:00 am, led by Sharyn Magee. Come with us as we walk the paths and compare the flora and fauna to that of Rosedale Park, known for years as the AT&T Overseas Transmission Station, it is more familiarly called The Pole Farm. Directions to Mercer Meadows: From the traffic light at Manors Corner shopping center on Pennington-Lawrenceville Rd, take Keefe Rd toward Princeton for 1.1 miles to the bend where it meets Cold Soil Rd. We will meet at the entrance located at the intersection of Keefe and Cold Soil Roads.
Click on calendar entries below for field trip locations
Clicking on the field trip you wish to join will bring open up the trip’s details including a Google Map and GPS coordinates. You may also visit our birding “Hot Spots” page for a map of local hot spots.
Check our event calendar below for individual program details. If there are field trips you would like to see added to WCAS field trip offerings, please feel free to contact us. All photos © Tyler Christensen except lower right © Diana Hayes.
More outings in 2017
Sat. May 6, 7:30 am | Garret Mountain
Sat. May 6, 10:00 am | Natural Craft FUN-shop
Sun. May 7, 8 am | Princeton Institute Woods
Sat. May 13, 8 am | Birdathon
Sat. May 20, 8 am | Princeton Institute Woods
Sun. May 21, 8 am | Baldpate Mountain
Sat. May 27, 8 am | Negri-Nepote Grasslands
Sat. Jun 3, 7 am | Delaware Water Gap
Sat. Jun 10, 8:30 am | Washington Crossing SP
Sat. Jun 17, 8 am | Assunpink WMA
Sat. Jun 24, 8 am | Mercer Meadows Pole Farm
Sat. Aug 19, 9 am | Allentown Sod Farms
Sort Calendar by “FIELD TRIPS” category on left; Sort by “MONTH”, “WEEK” and “AGENDA” views on the right
Pole Farm at Mercer Meadows at corner of Cold Soil and Keefe Rds.
GPS: 40.312911, -74.737523
Deer management in winter
Baldpate Mountain, Fiddler's Creek Entrance
Mercer County Website lists address as 327 Fiddlers Creek Road, Titusville, NJ 08560
Baldpate formerly known as Kuser Mountain
GPS: 40.317418, -74.889530
Check for Deer Management closing dates in winter
Abbott Marshlands
Use Sewell Avenue entrance to Roebling Park section of the Abbott Marshlands and park by Spring Lake. Be mindful that this natural area is located in an urban setting. Use caution when visiting. Don’t leave your camera or valuables lying about. Report any suspicious behavior to the Hamilton (609-581-4000) or Bordentown Township (609- 298-2800) Police. In an emergency, call 911.
GPS Coordinates: N40 11.714 W74 43.923
Baldpate Mtn., Pleasant Valley Rd. entrance
40.330450, -74.871657
Rogers Wildllife Refuge next to Institute Woods
Charles Rogers Wildlife Refuge entrance to Institute Woods, Princeton
Directions: From Princeton take Alexander Street toward Route 1. At the bend before the canal turn right on West Drive. Go a short distance on West Drive and park near the entrance to Rogers Wildlife Refuge.
GPS:
40°19’38.5″N 74°39’33.6″W
40.327353, -74.659342
Pole Farm Federal City Rd./Reed Bryan entrance
GPS: 40.316586,-74.758068
St. Michaels Preserve
Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association
Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association
31 Titus Mill Rd, Pennington, NJ 08534
GPS:
40°21’06.3″N 74°46’21.3″W
40.351751, -74.772571
Mercer County Park
Negri-Nepote Native Grassland Preserve
Washington Crossing State Park Nature Center
Washington Crossing State Park Nature Center
355 Washington Crossing Pennington Rd, Titusville, NJ 08560, USA
GPS:
40°18’49.5″N 74°51’46.6″W
40.3137529, -74.86295740000003
Assunpink Wildlife Management Area
Assunpink Wildlife Management Area Boat Launch parking lot
Intersection of Imlaystown-Hightstown Rd & Clarksburg-Robbinsville Rd, Millstone, NJ 08535, USA
Directions: East on I-195 to exit 11, Imlaystown. North on Imlaystown Road 2.6 miles to parking area at Lake Assunpink.
GPS:
40°12’54.9″N 74°31’00.7″W
40.215254, -74.516866
Cumberland County Heislerville WMA
Heislerville Wildlife Management Area in Maurice River Twp., Cumberland County, NJ
Dikes on Matts Landing Rd, Leesburg, NJ 08327, USA
GPS:
39°14’02.9″N 75°01’34.5″W
39.234133, -75.026264
Peace Valley Nature Center
Peace Valley Nature Center
42-64 N Chapman Rd, Doylestown, PA 18901, USA
GPS:
40°20’23.8″N 75°10’16.2″W
40.339942, -75.171179
Mt. Rose Preserve
Mount Rose Preserve, Carter Rd., Hopewell Township, NJ 08540, USA
Please confirm parking on west or east side of Carter Rd.
GPS:
40°21’41.4″N 74°44’15.4″W
40.361489, -74.737621
Garret Mountain Reservation
Garret Mountain Reservation
2 Mountain Ave, Woodland Park, NJ 07424, USA (near Patterson)
Directions: Take I-287 to I-80. Go east to exit 56A (Squirrelwood Road). Go to the stop sign and turn right on Rifle Camp Road. Go up the hill about 0.5 miles to Mountain Ave., which comes in from the left. Turn left on Mountain Ave. (look for army tank and reservoir on the left) and go 0.3 miles to the entrance to Garret Mountain Reservation. Go right up the hill for a short distance to a large parking area. The distance from Somerville on I-287 and I-80 to exit 56A is 40 miles.
GPS:
40°54’08.5″N 74°10’54.5″W
40.902367, -74.181791
Round Valley Reservoir Boat Launch
Round Valley Reservoir Boat Launch
County Rd 629, Lebanon, NJ 08833, USA
GPS:
40°37’54.9″N 74°50’57.5″W
40.631908, -74.849302