The Wetlands Institute and Stone Harbor, NJ

Love shorebirds?  What about egrets, herons, gulls, ibis, and terns?   Ever seen an American Oystercatcher?

All these birds (and more) utilize the essential coastal ecosystem protected by The Wetlands Institute (https://www.wetlandsinstitute.org) which makes this location a wonderful place to go birding.  Please join Valley Forge Audubon Society on an outing to this exceptional place.  Our birding trip will be guided by the Institute’s own Devin Griffiths, who will also provide some history of the Wetlands Institute and the work done there, particularly that which involves the area’s coastal birds.

After a morning of birding at the Institute we will break for lunch at one of the local restaurants, and then continue birding at various locations around Stone Harbor.  Feel free to join us just for our morning session, or for the entire day.

Bring binoculars; the guides will have spotting scopes available to share, but if you have one you may want to bring it along.  Dress in layers as it may be cooler (or warmer!) at the shore than inland.

Bathrooms are available at The Wetlands Institute and at Stone Harbor Point.  The Institute’s building and grounds are ADA-accessible, including the elevated marsh walkway.

The vision statement of The Wetlands Institute is to see “a world where wetlands and coastal ecosystems thrive, and all people know how essential these systems are to life” – and of course, that life includes the birds we love.  The Institute promotes appreciation, understanding, and stewardship of wetlands and coastal ecosystems through programs in research, conservation, and education.  Their goals are: 

• To teach people of all ages the value of wetlands and coastal ecosystems for the survival of life on Earth
• To conduct cutting-edge research regarding wetlands and coastal ecosystems
• To encourage the stewardship of these ecosystems worldwide