Tuesday, May 26, 2026: Stokes State Forest in Sussex County, NJ

Ovenbird. Photo by Beni Fishbein.

Meet at 8:30 a.m. at Culver’s Gap Parking Lot which is the first parking lot on Sunrise Mountain Road.

Northern NJ is known for its’ pristine forests and significant amount of public open space. Stokes State Forest in Sussex County is one of those areas that feature a great diversity of breeding birds. This trip will be a driving route with numerous stops to listen and look for the local breeders including cerulean, blackburnian, black-throated green and black-throated blue warblers, ovenbird, a variety of vireos, thrushes, both black-billed and yellow-billed cuckoos, scarlet tanager and many other species.

There is a porta-potty in the parking lot and several other rest-stops along the route. There will be limited walking - mainly along the road. Please be mindful of ticks and dress accordingly. We will bird until early afternoon or whenever the birds quiet down or the birders tire. Bring binoculars, a sunhat, bug repellant, sunscreen, lunch and beverages - there are nice areas to picnic.

Directions:

From State Highway 206, go past Culvers Lake and take the right turn marked Culvers Lake Upper North Shore Road/Sunrise Mountain Road. You will go about 1/2 a mile and the turn for Sunrise Mountain Road will be a left turn (easy to miss). The parking lot is immediately on your left.

Sunday, June 7, 2026: Negri-Nepote Native Grassland Preserve

Yellow warbler. Photo by Beni Fishbein.

Negri-Nepote Native Grassland Preserve

260 Skillmans Lane, Somerset, NJ (use this address for GPS)

8 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Trip is canceled if it rains.

In the heart of Franklin Township, the 164 acres of restored native grasses and other plants at Negri-Nepote Grassland Preserve attract a variety of breeding and migratory birds. eBird lists 115 species seen at the preserve in June. We hope to see the site’s specialty, the grasshopper sparrow, along with other nesting birds such as the eastern meadowlark, orchard oriole, common yellowthroat, yellow warbler, American kestrel, and blue grosbeak. A small wetland area can attract shorebirds and waterfowl. 

There is no restroom on site.  There is a bathroom at the QuickChek on the right immediately after you leave Route 287 at Exit 10 and one at the WaWa on the corner of Route 27 and Skillmans Lane. 

We will be walking on open, flat trails. Bring a sunhat and sunscreen, water, a snack, binoculars, and a scope if you have one.  Email mbcoutings@gmail.com for more information. 

Saturday, June 13, 2026: Halifax Road, Mahwah, NJ

Orchard oriole. Photo by Michael Yellin.

Meet at 8:00 am at Continental Soldiers Park, 550 Ramapo Valley Road, Mahwah, NJ.

Halifax Road is a birding hotspot in Bergen County. We will hike an easy, forested trail along the Ramapo River that loops around a lake. We might see wood ducks, snowy egrets and green herons, yellow-billed cuckoos, a variety of warblers and vireos, and flycatchers including great crested flycatchers, eastern kingbirds, and eastern wood-pewees. If time permits, we may also hike another easy trail that cuts through a meadow where we can possibly see indigo buntings, blue-gray gnatcatchers, eastern bluebirds, and orioles; there may be ticks here, so please come prepared to do battle.

Bring binoculars, sunscreen, insect repellent, a sun hat, water and a snack. There are restroom facilities at Continental Soldiers Park.

Call Michael Yellin at 908 380-2719 if you need more information.