Audubon Society has full slate of field trips, outdoor programs

Plainsboro Preserve, Sourland Mountain among selected locations

   PLAINSBORO — The New Jersey Audubon Society will conduct field trips and programs for outdoor enthusiasts throughout the summer at the Plainsboro Preserve and other locations in the region.
   Unless otherwise noted, 10-day pre-registration and advance payment of $10 for state Audubon Society members or $15 for nonmembers is required. To register, call (609) 897-9400 or send e-mail inquiries to [email protected]. No refunds are made unless the trip is canceled. Field trips meet at or near the trip locations and participants will receive instructions in the mail.
   Nature Lovers Single Mingle meets from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on June 9, July 14 and Aug. 11. A hike through the Plainsboro Preserve followed by hors d’oeuvres and socializing offers an opportunity to meet other singles who share an interest in nature and the outdoors.
   The Sourland Mountain Series is a two-part hiking series to explore two different access points to the largest section of undeveloped forested lands in central New Jersey. The habitat is vital to tropical migrant birds including warblers and tanagers. Vernal pools dot this rocky landscape that is home to many reptiles and amphibians. The June 24 hike will begin at 8 a.m. at the Somerset Sourland Preserve on East Mountain Road in Hillsborough. The July 22 hike will begin at 8 a.m. at the Hunterdon Mountain Preserve on Rileyville Road in East Amwell.
   Master Gardener Teresa Knipper will lead Butterflies of the Preserve from noon to 4 p.m. June 24. Visitors will scout the open fields and woodlands of the Plainsboro Preserve for a variety of butterflies that inhabit the preserve.
   At 9 a.m. on July 8, Associate Naturalist Arlene Oley will lead a leisurely summer walk along the 5-mile perimeter of the Manasquan Reservoir, where the woods are alive with breeding birds, trees and insect life.
   Bogs, Bugs and Botany in the Pines is a program that will explore Webb’s Mill Bog in the Greenwood Forest Wildlife Management Area from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 15. Hikers can expect to see a dozen species of dragonflies, plus a variety of plants including orchids and several species of carnivorous plants. Participants should bring lunch and close-focus binoculars.
   During the Odes to the World program from 10 a.m. to noon Aug. 19, visitors can accompany associate naturalist Chris Magarelli through the Plainsboro Preserve to discover some of the preserve’s 40 species of dragonflies and damselflies. These creatures begin their lives as underwater predators with gills before undergoing a metamorphosis and changing into air-breathing aerial acrobats.
   The Plainsboro Preserve also offers several family programs open to people of all ages. Registration is required. The cost is $10 per family for state Audubon Society members and $15 per family for nonmembers.
   Birding for Beginners from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. June 3 and June 17 will take visitors on walks to learn field marks, habitats, bird songs and biology of the birds with an expert from NJAS.
   Sanctuary Director Sean Grace and naturalist Arlene Oley will lead Breeding Bird Surveys: Wake up with the Birds from 7 to 9 a.m. June 3 and June 17. Another birding walk will take place from 9 to 10:30 a.m. June 10.
   Associate Naturalist Greg Hartman will lead the Native Gardening Series from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 10 and July 29. During this tour of the preserve’s native gardens, visitors will learn about connections between native plants and wildlife. The first part of this series will introduce native plants, identification and plant sight selection. The second part will be a hands-on session covering planting and maintaining a happy and healthy garden.
   A Dinosaur in your Backyard is a program geared toward families with children in third through sixth grade that explores how birds and dinosaurs are connected. Hands-on activities at 2 p.m. June 11 will teach about the fossil record and the basic morphology of living birds.
   Things That Go Bump in the Night will take place at sundown on June 14, July 12 and Aug. 9. The program will explore nocturnal life at the preserve from bats munching on insects to the chorus of frogs. Call the preserve for the program’s exact times.
   The Story Time is Fun Time series from 3 to 4 p.m. June 16, July 21 and Aug. 18 features storyteller Rosemary Wright weaving tales of animals and nature for the whole family to enjoy. This series is free for NJAS members and $3 per person per session for non-members.
   During Wild about Our Native Animals at 1 p.m. June 17, visitors can meet live animals from the Mercer County Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. Learn more about New Jersey’s native animals, the challenges they face, and why wildlife rehabilitation is important. This show is limited to children ages 5 and up. The cost for members is $7 per person, $25 per family of four. Non-members pay $10 per person and $35 per family of four. Pre-registration is required seven days in advance.
   A hike in Ralph Stover State Park in Pennsylvania will take place from 9 a.m. to noon Aug. 5. Sanctuary Director Sean Grace will lead the hike along the Tohickon Creek and past the "High Rocks," a 200-foot rock wall used by climbers in the area.