Meet 8:00 A.M. at Cape May Point State Park. 

With Pete Dunne.  Say goodbye to winter and hello to northbound ducks and geese.  They're beautiful. They're cooperative. Great subjects for birders learning the basics but a challenge for experienced birders, too--or as one VERY accomplished birder once put it: "Why is it after twenty years I still can't identify scaup." The focus will be waterfowl. Likely locations include Cape Island, Stone Harbor, Forsythe N.W.R., Barnegat Light. The target is 30 species of ducks and geese plus other birds of the ocean, back bays, freshwater and tidal marshes. NOTE:  CMBO's ANNUAL OPTICS SALE IS MARCH 17-18. Field test binoculars and spotting scopes on the workshop before the sale. Second leader will be added if registration warrants.
Preregistration required.  Cost: $150 members, $190 nonmembers.

Meet 8:00 A.M. at Cape May Point State Park 

With Michael O’Brien. From the brown and mottled to the clean and gray, you either love gulls or you don’t. Whatever camp you’re in, join Michael O’Brien for a morning in the field learning the easy way to separate the four common winter gulls and practicing sifting flocks of gulls for something rare, and perhaps even find an Iceland Gull or other species. We’ll also cut through the fancy terminology around age and molt. After lunch we’ll head indoors for a review of gull plumages, aging, and some of the rarer species.  Second leader (if registration warrants): Mike Crewe.
Preregistration required.   Cost: $85 members, $125 nonmembers.

Meet 8:00 a.m. at Cape May Point State Park.

With Michael O’Brien. There is no better way to learn the details of a bird’s structure and plumage than to draw it, and many expert birders, like Michael and Louise, are also artists. Learn tips and tricks for quickly sketching birds in the field when there may not be time for painstaking observation. Drawing birds brings advantages to non-artists, too, simply from the need to look at a bird critically in order to draw it, and is a great way to document an unusual species. No artistic talent or training needed. This workshop has been very popular in the past – sign up early! Second leader (if registration warrants): Louise Zemaitis.
Preregistration required. Cost: $85 members, $125 nonmembers.

Meet 8:00 a.m. at Cape May Point State Park.

With Scott Whittle. Register early – there was a waiting list last year, and those who attended clamored for more! Whether you’re looking to accelerate your identification skills, or show the world how you see the birds around you, the camera is a perfect tool. In this two-day workshop, professional photographer Scott Whittle will help you work with the equipment you have to achieve your photographic goals. The course will include an overview of gear and how to use it, shooting sessions in the field, and how to develop a digital workflow that gets you the best possible image. Participants are encouraged to bring their cameras and laptops, or borrow equipment.

Preregistration required.   Cost: $150 members, $190 nonmembers.

Meet 7:00 a.m. at Belleplain State Forest office in Woodbine.

With Michael O’Brien. Everyone’s dreamed of learning bird songs, and everyone can. Even experienced birders spend time each spring “getting their ear in,” re-learning the songs they already know. Jump-start your audio-recall by learning how to listen critically, group and categorize song types, and (as your song and call repertoire grow) gain confidence and skill. Many of southern New Jersey’s breeding birds are back and singing heartily, while migrants will be joining the chorus, too. Second leader (if registration warrants): Louise Zemaitis.
Pre-registration required. Cost: $150 members, $190 nonmembers.

Meet 7:00 a.m. at Cape May Point State Park.

With Louise Zemaitis. Birding for everything! Celebrate spring with migrating songbirds deposited by the night sky and shorebirds teeming on the mudflats. Hooded and Kentucky Warblers sing in the shadows of Belleplain State Forest, while Summer Tanagers “piki-tuck” overhead. Red Knots and Sanderlings feed in mosaics of rust and silver on the Delaware Bay shore and egrets and herons dot the backbay meadows. This work-shop is all about diversity and focuses not only on identifying the birds, but also learning about their lives.
Preregistration required.  Cost: $225 members, $265 nonmembers.

Meet 7:00 a.m. at Belleplain State Forest office near Woodbine. 

With Louise Zemaitis. It’s been suggested that without the excitement of warblers in the spring, there would be no birdwatching in North America as we know it today. No family of North American birds is so colorful, vocal, and animate. No spring is complete without a trip seeking warbler waves. Here’s your trip. Timed to catch the peak of the northern migrant wave with species like Blackburnian and Canada, and also to engage southern breeders like Hooded and Prothonotary. And did we mention that vireos, thrushes, and tanagers will also be about? Second leader (if registration warrants): Michael O’Brien.
Preregistration required.  Cost: $150 members, $190 nonmembers.

Meet 7:00 a.m. at Belleplain State Forest office in Woodbine.

With Pete Dunne. Come with us to witness Heislerville’s celebrated shore-bird concentration (not to mention the whole Delaware Bay) coupled with Belleplain State Forest (not to mention nearby Cumberland County hot-spots) – all resulting in a lot of great birds, all close together and all offering great learning opportunities. Red Knots, Dunlin, maybe a Curlew Sandpiper plus woodland birds like Yellow-throated and Prothonotary Warblers and Summer Tanagers. Second leader (if registration warrants): Megan Crewe.
Preregistration required. Cost: $150 members, $190 nonmembers.

Meet 8:00 a.m. at Cox Hall Creek WMA.

With Mike Crewe. As birdwatchers it’s useful to know at least the commoner trees of our area so that we can more easily explain where that elusive bird is located. But knowing trees can also help you understand more about the habitats that birds live in. We will spend the whole day in the field and visit several locations, covering the full suite of Cape May habitats. Learn just which parts of which species are important for identification and enjoy putting what you have learned into practice! Oaks, elms, hackberries, pines, cedars, hickories and much more. 
Preregistration required. Cost: $85 members, $125 nonmembers.

Meet 8:30 a.m. at Cape May Point State Park.

With Mike Crewe. Dragonflies & Damselflies are a common part of our local wildlife, yet they can be confusing at first glance. With a mixture of indoor theory and outdoor practice, come and learn how to identify many of the 100 or so species that occur in Cape May County. We’ll visit a variety of habitats around Cape May County that will allow us to see a good cross-section of species, from the tiny sprites to the mighty darners. Second leader (if registration warrants): Will Kerling.
Preregistration required.  Cost: $85 members, $125 nonmembers.

Meet 8:30 a.m. at Cape May Point State Park.

With Will Kerling. No other insects captivate us in quite the same way as butterflies, with their colorful wings and graceful flight styles. Spend a day around Cape May County, enjoying butterflies while at the same time learning identification tips and cues from the experts. Over 120 species have been recorded in the county and, whilst we won’t see that many in a single day, we shall nevertheless see a good cross-section, and learn how to tell them apart. Second leader (if registration warrants): Mike Crewe.
Preregistration required. Cost: $85 members, $125 nonmembers.

Meet 8:00 a.m. at Bombay Hook NWR Headquarters, DE.

With Mark Garland. Experience the first wave of southbound shorebirds in a well-known birding hot spot, one with a different species mix than oft-visited locations like Cape May, Brigantine or Jamaica Bay. Late July means we’ll be dealing with adults returning from the Arctic, many still wearing their breeding garb, which offers more clues and confidence for shorebirders. Bombay Hook is known for lots of shorebirds and lots of good ones, including the big fancy ones like American Avocets and Black-necked Stilts. The area has a reputation for attracting rarities, too, so perhaps our workshop will be spiced by a Ruff or Curlew Sandpiper.
Preregistration required. Cost: $85 members, $125 nonmembers.

Meet 8:00 a.m. at CMBO/CRE at Goshen.

With Tony Leukering. Have you ever felt stymied by the multiplicity of plumages that birds wear? Ever wondered what, exactly, is meant by “first-cycle?” Or how knowledge of plumage and molt can translate into better bird-identification skills? Then this is the workshop for you! An introductory classroom session will spell out the meanings and usage of various terms for plumages and molts, explain how birds change from one appearance – or aspect – to another, and discuss how such knowledge can positively affect bird-ID skills. Field efforts will concentrate on waterbirds and other large species in which plumage can be easily studied, at a time of year in which nearly everything is molting. Second leader (if registration warrants): Mike Crewe.
Preregistration required. Cost: $150 members, $190 nonmembers.

Meet 8:00 a.m. at Cape May Point State Park.

With Mike Hannisian. While instruction in bird photography is certainly not a new subject for us at CMBO, this new workshop offers a full, four-day learning experience. We aim to take you from the initial process of buying camera gear, through planning and taking your shots to working with photo manipulation programs to help you get the best from your pixels. The workshop is intended to be a full four-day course, but you can join for a shorter number of days if that suits you. Call us for details. Second leader (if registration warrants): Nancy Watson.
Preregistration required. Cost: $300 members, $350 nonmembers.

Meet 7:30 a.m. at Cape May Point State Park.

With Michael O’Brien. It is not surprising Houghton Mifflin’s landmark The Shorebird Guide (2006) sprang from the brains and hands of three Cape May birders and authors. Now you can experience some of the east coast’s best shorebirding while guided by one of them. Michael O’Brien is equal parts skilled birder and superb teacher. Search storied locations like Bunker Pond, the South Cape May Meadows, Stone Harbor, and (just a few clicks up the road), Brigantine NWR for peep, plovers and yellowlegs plus possible gems like phalaropes or godwits. Over 25 plovers and sandpipers are in easy reach, with some species numbering in the thousands. Learn to begin with size, shape, behavior and voice, and then move on to careful examination of plumage details, just as The Shorebird Guide teaches. Second leader (if registration warrants): Pete Dunne.
Preregistration required. Cost: $225 members, $265 nonmembers.

Meet 7:00 a.m. at Higbee Beach WMA.

With Michael O’Brien. You’ve heard of the legendary Higbee Dike, where migrant songbirds are identified and counted as they fly past. How do those guys do it? Here’s your chance to learn from one of “those guys!” For certain groups of birds – ducks, seabirds, raptors – flight identification techniques have been well established. But have you ever longingly watched a songbird fly over, wishing it would perch so you could identify it? Or had a flock of blackbirds on the horizon and wondered if they were grackles or red-wingeds? Learn how to apply what we’ve learned about flight i.d. to any bird that crosses your air space, be it a familiar-in-flight Sharp-shinned Hawk, or a relative stranger like a tanager or oriole. Second leader (if registration warrants): Louise Zemaitis.
Preregistration required. Cost: $150 members, $190 nonmembers.

Meet 7:00 a.m. at Cape May Point State Park.

With Louise Zemaitis. Mid-September straddles the migratory timetable; you’re not too late for shorebirds, not too early for hawks, and right on time for warblers and other neotropical migrants. Indeed, it is the great variety of songbirds heading south during early September that will be the main target of this three-day field workshop and we shall have ample opportunity to learn these birds both by sight and sound. We will go where weather conditions dictate and will strive to see the greatest species diversity. Second leader (if registration warrants): Michael O’Brien.
Preregistration required. Cost: $225 members, $265 nonmembers.

Meet 7:00 a.m. at Higbee Beach WMA.

With Mike Crewe. September is a superb time to be afield in Cape May searching for passerines en route to the neotropics, and for migrating and resident butterflies and dragonflies! Empidonax flycatchers, kingbirds, Olive-sided Flycatcher, and over 20 warblers are frontline possibilities at Higbee Beach or Cape May Point State Park. Chats are still around and, given that it’s still the height of shorebird season, we’ll devote a bit of time to the waders, too. Though Monarch migration will probably peak a little later, there should be the start of a southward movement of these graceful butterflies; while at this time of year, Cloudless Sulphurs, Black and Carolina Saddlebags and several species of skippers will be pushing north from more southerly areas to make the best of late summer feeding opportunities. Second leader (if registration warrants): Will Kerling.
Preregistration required. Cost: $150 members, $190 nonmembers.

Meet 8:00 a.m. at Cape May Point State Park.

With Scott Whittle. Register early – there was a waiting list last year, and those who attended clamored for more! Whether you’re looking to accelerate your identification skills, or show the world how you see the birds around you, the camera is a perfect tool. In this two day workshop, professional photographer Scott Whittle will help you work with the equipment you have to achieve your photographic goals. The course will include an overview of gear and how to use it, shooting sessions in the field, and how to develop a digital workflow that gets you the best possible image. Participants are encouraged to bring their cameras and laptops, or borrow equipment from a friend.

Preregistration required. Cost: $150 members, $190 nonmembers.

Meet 8:00 a.m. at Cape May Point State Park.

With Pete Dunne. Bird Cape May at the peak time for raptor diversity, with experts who know identification tricks unavailable anywhere else! This workshop will be “just birding,” no indoor workshop time (unless severe weather dictates otherwise) at the prime time to be in Cape May. Expect many falcons (including Peregrines), plus accipiters, buteos, harriers, ospreys and eagles. Though our aim will be to study and appreciate the sometimes spectacular passage of falcon species through Cape May at this time of year, we shall be in a prime location to enjoy other migrants too and, depending on the conditions, we may also seek shorebirds, late warblers, early sparrows, and more.
Preregistration required. Cost: $150 members, $190 nonmembers.

Meet 7:00 a.m. at Higbee’s Beach WMA.

With Michael O’Brien. Experience the cutting edge of birding! Birds don’t sing much in the fall – but they sure do call. Chip notes, flight notes and critical listening are the primary subjects of this workshop, led by the man who wrote the book (well, made the CD-ROM) on flight calls. Two days with Michael equals years of struggle on your own. Includes optional night-time listening for nocturnal migrants. Learn to dissect a single note, determining whether it rises or falls, is clear or burry. You will never listen the same way again. Second leader (if registration warrants): Louise Zemaitis.
Preregistration required. Cost: $150 members, $190 nonmembers.

Meet 7:30 a.m. at Cape May Point State Park.

With Michael O’Brien. A workshop celebrating the LBJs (little brown jobs) of the bird world. Subtle and cryptic they might be; difficult to identify they are not, providing you have the right instructor, the right place and the right time. A time when lots of sparrows and lots of species abound. Common species like Swamp, Field, Savannah and Chipping. Uncommon ones like Clay-colored, Vesper, Lincoln’s, Nelson’s and Saltmarsh. Learn the basics of size, shape and behavior first, then practice examining plumage patterns to discover how stunning sparrows can be. Second leader (if registration warrants): Louise Zemaitis.
Preregistration required. Cost: $150 members, $190 nonmembers.

Meet 8:00 a.m. at Cape May Point State Park.

With Pete Dunne. At fifteen raptor species, this is the time of peak raptor diversity in Cape May. Perhaps including bonus birds like Golden Eagle and Swainson’s Hawk! It is a rare moment during late October in Cape May when something raptorial is not in view. Learn how to tell buteos from accipiters from falcons from eagles at the very edge of eyesight. Pete Dunne wrote the book that is the title of this workshop, and the only thing he enjoys more than watching hawks is imparting the knowledge he has accumulated during his 15,000 hawk watching hours. Second leader (if registration warrants): Michael O’Brien.
Preregistration required. Cost: $150 members, $190 nonmembers.

Meet 7:30 a.m. at Cape May Point State Park.

With Louise Zemaitis. This is the time the local birders wait for. Crowds have diminished, and the most massive fallouts of the season commonly occur NOW! Sparrows, kinglets, bluebirds, American Robin, Hermit Thrush, and literally who knows what else, since this week starts the season for vagrants in Cape May. It’s also a great time for big raptors like buteos and Golden Eagle, and large seabird flights pass Avalon and Cape May Point nearly every day. Second leader (if registration warrants): Michael O’Brien.
Preregistration required. Cost: $225 members, $265 nonmembers.