Meetings and Field Trips
Please join us for the upcoming meetings and field trips. For field trips, please dress appropriately, and bring water, snacks, sunscreen, and bug spray. We usually eat out after the trip, but you may bring lunch.
A document listing all of our programs and field trips since 2016 can be downloaded here.
All Dates and Programs are Subject to Change.
Greg Miller, known as “the real-life birder from the movie The Big Year,” will talk about “My Big Year: How it became a book and a movie, and what it was like to work with Jack Black.” Greg Miller has been birding for more than 50 years, in all 50 states and Canada. He currently serves on many bird-related boards and committees.
This is a joint program with Atlantic Audubon. SOBG members can watch via Zoom from the comfort of their homes, or can watch this Zoom program together with Atlantic Audubon members at the Galloway Library, 306 E. Jimmie Leeds Rd., Galloway Township, NJ 08205. Doors will open at 6:30 PM for socializing and snacks.
If you have not received the login information, please send an email to soceanbirds@yahoo.com prior to the meeting.
Our March 6, 2025 meeting will be our annual member participation event entitled “Favorite Birding Moments of 2024”, where members are invited to tell us about their favorite birding experiences of the past year. This is your opportunity to share your most memorable birding moments of 2024. It might be a common bird that was doing some interesting behavior, or an exotic bird that you saw on vacation, some rare bird that you chased, or a bird that offered a great photo opportunity. Joanne will be coordinating this program and assembling the submitted photos into a powerpoint presentation. Typically we have to limit each member to a maximum of five minutes. You can divide that time as you please, but we suggest describing up to five birding experiences. You can certainly present fewer than that if you prefer, and you can show more photos, as long it it doesn’t exceed the time limit. If you don’t have photos, you should still feel free to share the story to help us re-live your birding highlights of the past year. We look forward to a fun evening of great bird stories.
Please send your photos to Joanne Hall by February 20 to joannehall2005@comcast.net. Remember to include the name of your bird or subject and your name!
The meeting starts at 7PM at the Ocean County Library Barnegat branch at 112 Burr St., Barnegat, NJ, 08005, but the doors open at 6:30 for socializing. Join us.
The Southern Ocean Birding Group will host the 15th annual “Wings Over LBI” event with 3 field trips across Long Beach Island. You can join all of them or any ones that you want.
The group will meet at the parking lots at the following locations:
8AM- 9:30AM Cedar Bonnet Island – 1355-1357, NJ-72, Stafford Township (on 72E, across from The Boathouse. Additional parking on E. Bay Ave.)
10AM-noon Barnegat Lighthouse State Park – 208 Broadway, Barnegat Light
2PM-3:30PM Holgate unit of Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge – 6805 S. Long Beach Blvd., Beach Haven
Rain date is March 16th.
Any donations collected will be put toward the scholarship fund for the Marine Academy of Technology and Environmental Science (MATES).
SOBG recently was awarded a $500 grant by the Ocean County Adopt-A-Natural Land Site Program to help preserve the natural environment. This money will be used to help fund the SOBG’s annual scholarship. Val Henken is the Administrator. The program requires two clean-up events per year with 10 participants each.
This is the first Ocean County Clean Communities cleanup, at Southwinds Preserve in Little Egg Harbor. The rain date is March 23. Please participate to help raise funds for SOBG. The second clean-up will be at Tilton Creek Preserve in Toms River on April 5.
This is the second of two Ocean County Clean Communities cleanups. SOBG was awarded a $500 grant by the Ocean County Adopt-A-Natural Land Site Program to help preserve the natural environment. This money will be used to help fund the SOBG’s annual scholarship. Val Henken is the Administrator. The program requires two clean-up dates per year with 10 participants each. We will meet at Shelter Cove Park (1390 Bay Ave) in Toms River and from there proceed to Tilton Point.
Please participate and help raise funds for SOBG. The rain date is April 6.
We will look for spring migrants in Estell Manor Park (Atlantic County Park System), searching for early spring migrants that are difficult to find in Ocean County, such as Prothonotary Warbler, Yellow-throated Warbler, and Worm-eating Warbler.
Expect about 3 hours, but you can leave at any time. Pack a lunch if you choose.
If the birds are active, we can explore another nearby location further.
If you arrive late, you can call Jason Nargiz to try to catch up with us.
PLACE: Atlantic County Park at Estell Manor, 109 NJ-50, Mays Landing, NJ 08330
See you there!
We will visit Manasquan WMA to look for spring migrants, hoping for a good warbler flight. This typically is the peak time for spring warbler and other migrants. Meet at the Manasquan WMA parking lot at 719 Ridge Rd in Brick. There are no bathrooms here, so take it easy on the morning coffee and prepare accordingly.
For details, call Jason Nargiz.
Today we will search for late spring migrants at the Cedar Bonnet Island portion of Forsythe NWR in Stafford Township. Ever since this property opened to the public, it has become a migrant hotspot. After we finish at Cedar Bonnet, for those who wish to continue further, we have the option of going to nearby Manahawkin WMA to search further.
There are no bathroom facilities at CBI. One option is stopping beforehand at the Manahawkin Shop-rite on Rte 72, 5 miles before CBI.
Meet at the CBI parking lot on Rte. 72 at 8AM. For details, call Jason.
Rain date if needed is Sunday May 18.