Saturday, May 24: South Mountain Reservation

Meet at 7:30 am in the main parking lot on Crest Drive (2nd on right; you'll see a wooden sign reading Bramhall Terrace, entrance to Summit Field).

South Mountain Reservation is a 2,100-acre nature reserve in southern Essex county. Nestled between the first and second ridges of the Watchung Mountains and overlooking the urban sprawl of the greater Newark area, it can be a tremendous migrant trap in the heat of spring migration. We will walk several trails, hoping to see good numbers of thrushes, warblers, sparrows, and others as they pass through our area.

Many of the trails are paved, but it is recommended to wear sturdy hiking boots, as some trails are a little rocky and uneven.

There are no bathrooms at this location, but there are at a later stop.

For more information, email mbcoutings@gmail.com.

Directions: From I-280, take Exit 7, Pleasant Valley Way, south for 3.5 miles, then turn left onto South Orange Avenue. Take this road for 1 mile and turn right onto Crest Drive, marked with a sign for the dog park (you will encounter Crest Drive just after you've reached the crest of the hill). Stay straight on Crest Drive, and within a half mile there will be a very long parking lot on the right, in an open space with a vista to your left. We will meet at the far end of this parking lot.