CANCELED: Saturday, February 7: Wallkill River NWR

Due to a prediction of severely cold temperatures with high wind gusts, the field trip to Wallkill National Wildlife Refuge is cancelled for this Saturday, February 7. The trip is re-scheduled for Saturday, February 21 when, hopefully, the weather will be more accommodating. So, please mark your calendars!

Meet at 2:00 pm in the parking lot at 136 Owens Station Road, Sussex, New Jersey.

This trip is canceled in the event of inclement weather.

Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge is a designated Important Bird and Birding Area in northwestern New Jersey. It is part of the Lenape National Wildlife Refuge Complex, which we learned about at our November 12, 2025, in-person meeting.* Wallkill’s 15,821 acres border nine miles of the Wallkill River in Sussex County, and encompass habitats including riparian woods, marshes, ponds, and forested wetlands.

We will meet at the Owens Station parking lot and scan any open water in search of waterfowl and possible rarities. Provided that it isn't too icy, we will then walk part of the Liberty Loop Trail and back in search of other Wallkill specialties such as the northern harrier, red-shouldered hawk, rough-legged hawk, American kestrel, eastern bluebird, and white-crowned and American tree sparrows. After that, we will carpool to the Oil City Road parking area at the north end of the refuge, in New York, in the hopes of seeing horned larks, which have been reported there. At sunset, with any luck, we will watch as short-eared owls emerge at dusk.

Bring binoculars and a scope if you have one, a snack, and something to drink. Dress warm, as the weather is expected to be quite cold. If it is icy, we will avoid walking as much as possible, but if you have ice traction cleats and walking sticks, please bring them. There are bathrooms at the Owens Station Parking Lot.  

For more information, please contact mbcoutings@gmail.com. If you are available for carpooling or looking for a ride, please reach out as well.  

*Other parts of the complex are Great Swamp NWR in Basking Ridge, NJ; Cherry Valley NWR in Stroudsburg, PA; and Shawangunk NWR in Wallkill, NY. 

Feb. 18–20, 2026: Cape Ann, Massachusetts

Led by Donna Traylor.

Montclair Bird Club will be visiting Cape Ann in Massachusetts again this year. This February outing is a two-and-a-half–day trip through the Cape Ann peninsula (Amesbury, Gloucester, Rockport, Plum Island, Bass Rocks, and more). It’s a cold and windy trip that often turns up some very interesting birds, including white-winged gulls, alcids, scoters and other ducks, both loons, or snowy and short-eared owls.

Reservation and Sign-up Details

Hotel: Fairfield Inn

35 Clarks Road, Amesbury, Massachusetts

Phone 978 388-3400

Room rate $104 plus applicable taxes

To receive this rate when making your reservation, you MUST identify yourself as with the Montclair Bird Club. Cancellation is possible up to 24 hours before check-in date. Reservations must be made no later than February 2 to receive this special rate and special cancellation policy.

Participants must register in advance with Donna (montclairbirdclub1920@gmail.com). You will then receive a tentative schedule. We typically leave for our first birding stop around 8:00 or 8:30 on Wednesday. If you happen to have Talk About radios, please bring them to make it easier to stay in touch while driving. Pack appropriate clothing layers for extreme winter weather, and hope not to have to use them all! Proper footwear is important: there is limited walking, but it could be icy or snow-covered. Bring a scope if you have one; we will have two with us. Dinners will be a group affair; let me know if you plan on joining us on Tuesday evening. The trip will conclude at mid-day on Friday on the northern New Hampshire coast.

Week of March 11–15: Woodcock Watch - A Birder's Meet-up

American woodcock. Photo by Rick Wright.

Week of March 11-15, 2026 (specific date dependent upon the woodcock’s calendar). Meet at 6:15 p.m. Address provided upon registration. To register, email your contact information to MBCoutings@gmail.com. Attendance limited to 12 people.

Each spring, American woodcock males put on an amazing courtship display that we can witness here in NJ. At dawn and dusk, the males produce a loud peent call from the ground, then spring up into the air, flying in a wide spiral with their wings twittering. Once they reach 200-250 feet, they zig zag back to the ground, chirping as they go. 

Club member, Deb DeSalvo, has generously offered to host a meet-up to view the woodcock courtship dance at her Hunterdon County farm in Oldwick, NJ. Depending upon when the woodcocks begin to display, Deb will give us a heads-up and the meet-up will happen in the next day or two. Woodcock courtship usually happens sometime between March 11-15.  Once we arrive, we will walk around Deb’s property for a short time, birding as we go. At sunset, which is around 7 p.m., we will walk to a wetland area at the northern end of her property, where we are likely to hear and, with luck, see the birds.