New Jersey Audubon’s Cape May Bird Observatory (CMBO) celebrates its 42nd anniversary during the 2018 Cape May Fall Festival Oct. 18-21, which is the 72nd consecutive event of its kind held by New Jersey Audubon.
The oldest birding festival in the nation, Cape May Fall Festival stands out among others for many reasons. One, it seeks to connect everyone with all aspects of nature, while many other festivals focus on avid birders alone. Two, because of Cape May’s prime location; as birds migrate south for the winter, many seabird species fly close to the coast, while songbirds and raptors are naturally funneled to the tip of the state – Cape May – which makes it an international destination for birding.
During Cape May Fall Festival, the public is invited to Cape May Convention Hall to immerse themselves in nature and connect with Cape May’s beautiful environment. With free admission, beginners and experts alike can enjoy demonstrations, exhibits, shows and vendors!
Vendors of all kinds will fill Convention Hall, including representatives from all the major optics companies, a wide variety of international birding tour companies, publishers and magazines, and some extremely talented artists, craftspeople and photographers. Don’t miss your chance to get your hands on unique art, high-quality optics, gift certificates from tour companies and local businesses, and many one-of-a-kind nature-related items. Many of the vendors have donated special items for the Silent Auction, which closes on Sunday at noon. Other activities free and open to the public include live demonstrations of Monarch butterfly tagging on Saturday and Sunday at noon, a sand-sculpting demonstration Sunday at 10 a.m. on the beach outside of Convention Hall, and free face painting for children Saturday and Sunday. Convention Hall hours are Friday, 12 noon to 5 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The highlight of this year’s free portion of Cape May Fall Festival is Nature Nick’s Animal Adventures. “Nature” Nick Jacinto will showcase 7-10 exotic animals from all corners of the world. Come see Tinkerbell, the diminutive two-pound fennec fox who has become a crowd favorite, along with a rare Mata Mata Turtle, a Giant Eurasian Eagle Owl, an Endangered Chilean Flamingo, a Blue Crowned Pigeon (the largest pigeon species on Earth) and many other striking animals. The show is full of laughs, learning, fascination and surprises for both children and adults alike. Nature Nick will be performing three shows daily: Friday at 1 p.m., 2:30 p.m. and 4 p.m.; Saturday at 11 a.m., 1:45 p.m. and 4 p.m.; and Sunday at 11 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. He will also have live birds and other animals on display throughout the day.
Along with an abundant selection of walks, talks, tours and other programs held by expert naturalists during Cape May Fall Festival, available for registrants ($69 per day or $185 for three days), the festival will feature two special speakers.
On Friday evening at 6:15 p.m., Dr. J. Drew Lanham will present “Ornitherapy–Confessions of a Lapsed Lister and a Life Saved by Birds,” a medley that blends natural history, travelogue adventure and social commentary that evokes emotions running the gamut from introspection to inspiration. This program is open only to Festival registrants.
On Saturday evening, Cape May Fall Festival welcomes keynote speaker Dr. Merlin Tuttle, scientist, father of modern bat conservation and founder of Merlin Tuttle’s Bat Conservation. Learn more about these fascinating creatures during “The Incredible World of Bats.” This program is open to all, and costs $40 for registrants and $50 for non-registrants. This includes a social, a dinner buffet and the program.
Through the annual Cape May Fall Festival, New Jersey Audubon carries out its mission of connecting people to nature and serving as stewards of the environment for generations to come. Come be a part of the longest running birding festival in the country and be enchanted by fall migration in Cape May!
For more information and to register, visit njaudubon.org, and go to Get Outside, Events, Cape May Fall Festival.
