Tulpehaking Nature Center Offers Birding 201 Series in September

Fledgling birdwatchers get a second chance to build their skills this fall at the Tulpehaking Nature Center by observing migratory bird patterns throughout the Abbott Marshlands. The Birding 201 Series will take place Saturdays, September 8, 15, 22, and 29, from 8am to 10am.

Led by local expert Bill Pitman, this four-part series is created for beginning birdwatchers. Armed with the nature center’s supply of binoculars, participants will practice identifying birds by shape, size, behavior, and habitat.

“By building this solid foundation,” said Pitman, “they’ll be able to experience more of the bird instead of missing out while consulting a field guide.”

The focus this fall will be the many migrating birds that stop to refuel at the Abbott Marshlands as they make their way south to their winter grounds. Class members will be on the lookout for enduring birds like the blackpoll warbler, which migrates thousands of miles from Alaska and Northern Canada to South America, including a three-day nonstop flight over the over the Atlantic Ocean. Rest stops like the Abbott Marshlands become critical feeding sites for birds like these.

This workshop is $5 per person or $15 for the series if paid at the first class. Participants can bring their own binoculars or borrow a pair from the nature center. This series is appropriate for teens and adults. Pre-registration is required. Please call (609) 888-3218, email natureprograms@mercercounty.org or register online at https://docs.google.com/forms/.

The Tulpehaking Nature Center is located at 157 Westcott Ave. in Hamilton. It is open Fridays and Saturdays from 10am to 4pm, and Sundays from noon to 4pm.

The nature center provides programs and exhibits that encourage visitors to explore and discover the many cultural, historic and natural resources of the Abbott Marshlands. It is owned by the County of Mercer and operated by the Mercer County Park Commission. For more information about the nature center, programs and schedule of events, go to www.mercercountyparks.org.