The Washington Crossing Audubon Society announces its events for September:
Join the society at 9 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 12, for a walk led by Brad Merritt at the Forsythe NWR at Brigantine.
“The Brig” offers viewing access to migrating shore birds, terns, raptors, waterfowl, herons, egrets and the occasional uncommon bird.
For more information, call Mr. Merritt at 609-921-8964.
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Join the society at 8 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 13, for a free, public birding trip at the Featherbed Lane banding station.
Led by Mark Witmer and Hannah Suthers, this field trip will expose the ongoing research conducted for more than 30 years by Ms. Suthers and her volunteers (hopewell-birds.freehostia.com). The group will see the entire process of bird banding and learn what data are collected and likely will see a variety of species, including warblers, thrushes, wrens and Ms. Suthers’ favorite, the catbird.
Registration is required and limited to 12 persons. Call Mr. Merritt at 609-921-8964 to register.
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At 8 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 19, the society will have a walk led by Sharyn Magee and Charles Brine at Palmyra Park, located along the Delaware River just under the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge.
The park offers a variety of habitats and is a spot for various species, including warblers and sparrows.
Contact Mr. Merritt at 609-921-8964 with any questions.
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Sept. 21 at 8 p.m., the society will present Tyler Christensen on hummingbirds.
Join self-taught, local naturalist Mr. Christensen for his presentation. The presentation will focus on ruby-throated hummingbirds, behavior, migration and life histories of hummingbirds in general, and his research and experience with tropical hummingbirds as founder and co-director of the Nicoya Peninsula Avian Research Station in Costa Rica.
He also will discuss how to attract hummingbirds to the yard with native flowering plants and share tips on choosing and maintaining hummingbird feeders.
Mr. Christensen is the society’s vice president and education chairman and a student at Rutgers University in the department of ecology, evolution and natural resources.
The program will be held in Stainton Hall on the campus of the Pennington School at 112 W. Delaware Ave., Pennington. Refreshments will be served at 7:30 p.m.; the talk will begin at 8. The public is invited.
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The society is announcing its annual Holden Fund grant competition to assist individuals and organizations in advancing environmental education and conservation through initiatives emphasizing, but not limited to three areas: habitat protection and restoration; avian monitoring and conservation; and public awareness and education.
The program also encourages grants addressing conservation concerns related to other threatened taxa or preserving biodiversity as well as initiatives to reconnect people with the natural world.
Funding for this program is possible through a bequest from the late Polly Holden. This year, a total of up to $20,000 is available from the fund. Individual grants will be capped at $5,000.
Grant applications will be reviewed by the society’s Grants Committee, which will provide recommendations to the full board for approval and announcement of recipients by Feb. 1. Submissions must be received by Nov. 1.
Interested individuals and organizations should submit an application that supplies information — with supporting material as appropriate — to contact.wcas@gmail.com.
Grant money can not be used toward salaries or operating expenses.
Recipients will be required to submit a report upon project completion.
Information for the grant must include the name of the individual or organization; contact information, address, telephone number and email.
It also should list the project objective, what need it will fill and its benefit.
Applicants must describe the project and include how the project will proceed, who will be in charge, what qualifications and past experience the applicant has and how the project will be evaluated.
The application also should include if the project will continue and how will it be funded, a timeline and a budget.
The society has approximately 1,600 members, mostly from the five counties of Central New Jersey. Its monthly lectures and frequent field trips are free and open to the public.
More information can be found at www.washingtoncrossingaudubon.org.
