Field Trips
Washington Crossing Audubon Society offers free field trips to birding hot spots
Experienced birders from WCAS lead regular birding field trips to some of the region’s top birding hotspots in Central New Jersey, the New Jersey shore, the Delaware Bay, Delaware Water Gap. and eastern Pennsylvania. Field trips are free and open to the public. 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.
If the trip is co-sponsored, please note the registration request in the trip description. In case of inclement weather, please check this website.
Trips are free, but participation may be limited to 20-25 participants. Preregistration is preferred, but not required, except for the Forsythe and Sandy Hook trips. Also, you only need to register for one slot no matter how many people are in your party. The benefits of signing up are that you will recieve direct notification of any changes in the trip, including cancellation, and get a reminder about the trip. If you don’t sign up, we can’t guarantee you’ll get notified. If you want to sign up and slots are full or you are having trouble, please email contact.wcas@gmail.com
COVID state guidelines in place at the time of the trip will be followed. We ask that you not participate if you are not feeling well on the day. Group size may be limited to ensure safety and a good birding experience for everyone.
Note that most trips last 2-2.5 hours, except where indicated. You are always free to leave earlier or stay longer if you want!
Sign up online for as many trips as you would like via Sign-Up Genius. Details of meeting places, contact numbers and leader names will be supplied in follow-up emails to those who sign up.
- Brigantine NWR A field trip on Saturday, September 16 at 9:00 AM. PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED.
- Mercer Meadows/Pole Farm A field trip on Saturday, September 23 at 8:00 AM. Known for years as the AT&T Overseas Transmission Station, it is now preserved and more familiarly called The Pole Farm, with woods and large areas of fields and meadows managed for grassland birds and butterflies. Meet in the parking lot by the barn at the confluence of Keefe Rd and Cold Soil Rd.
- Institute Woods & Rogers Refuge A field trip on Saturday, September 30 at 8:00 AM. Learn more about the Rogers Refuge: https://rogersrefuge.org/forr/
- Negri Nepote Grasslands CANCELLED due to rain! How many rainy Saturdays can we take??? A field trip on Saturday, October 7 at 8:00 AM. This 164-acre property between Skillmans Lane to the east, Bennetts Lane to the north, and the Six Mile Run Reservoir site to the west and south, contains 111 acres of grassland and 53 acres of woodland, home to a variety of bird species. 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 Lane.
- Mercer County Park RESCHEDULED to 10/21 due to rain! A field trip on Saturday, October 21 at 8:00 AM.
- Fiddler’s Creek Preserve A field trip on Saturday, October 21 at 8:00 AM.
- Mount Rose Preserve A field trip on Saturday, November 4 at 8:00 AM.
- Sandy Hook A field trip on Saturday, November 11 at 9:00 AM. Sandy Hook is a prime spot for birding and a great way to learn more about shore birds. Opportunities to see raptors, marsh birds, and migrating songbirds along the Jersey shore. PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. You will reeive directions after pre-registering.
- Winter Birds at the Watershed Reserve, a field trip on Saturday, December 2 from 9:00 – 11:00 AM. Free event for Adults, Children 12 and up with Parent. Explore the Watershed Reserve with Education Director Jeff Hoagland on a hike in search of wintering birds. We will discover a variety of birds, learning about their adaptations to life in winter. This hike is dedicated to the memory of Lou Beck, a scout master and president of the Trenton Naturalist Club and Washington Crossing Audubon. Bring binoculars and dress for walking outdoors. A small number of binoculars are available to borrow – please indicate this need when registering. Co-sponsored by Washington Crossing Audubon Society and the Watershed Institute. Register with the Watershed Institute here.
- Princeton Christmas Bird Count – Sunday, December 17, 2023
- Trenton Christmas Bird Count – Saturday, December 30, 2023
We are looking for additional team leaders—naturalists who can head out into the field and lead a small group of members and friends around your favorite natural location(s). We’ll help coordinate your team and support donation collection. If you would like to volunteer or lead a team, please email contact.wcas@gmail.com
Vsit our birding “Hot Spots” page for a map of local hot spots.
If there are field trips you would like to see added to WCAS field trip offerings, please feel free to contact us.
Field Trips
Baldpate specialty: “Kentucky warbler” by Andrew Weitzel is marked with CC BY-SA 2.0.
All other photos unless otherwise noted © Tyler Christensen excepting lower right © Diana Hayes.
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
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
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
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
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
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
Entrance to parking lot on west side of Carter Rd.
GPS:
40°21’41.4″N 74°44’15.4″W
40.361489, -74.737621
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
County Rd 629, Lebanon, NJ 08833, USA
GPS:
40°37’54.9″N 74°50’57.5″W
40.631908, -74.849302
Pryde's Point Trail
Park on 23 Gulick Rd., Ringoes, NJ:
https://goo.gl/maps/D3jcGqNVTSP2
GPS: 40.407954, -74.870407
Don’t park at the WMA entrance for Pond Trail on Rocktown-Lambertville Rd. Pryde’s Point Trail map on NJ Trails website: http://njtrails.org/trail/prydes-point-alexauken-creek/