View wings at the water with expert birders

Cape May County has been called the bird-migration capital of North America, and it is perhaps most famous for the hundreds of birds that visit in autumn. Cape May’s fame as a birding Mecca is based on a unique combination of factors — its location and geography, the diversity, quality and extent of the habi-tats found here, and the many protected natural areas available to birders. Over 444 species of birds have been found here, and the 26th annual Wetlands In-stitute Wings ‘N Waters Festival, in Stone Harbor, is the perfect chance to see them for yourself.
Two local experts will be on hand Sunday, Sept. 21, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Women’s Civic Club, 96th Street and the beach, to help visitors to view the passing ornithological spectacle, using binoculars, telescopes, and bird field guides. Clay and Pat Sutton of Cape May, New Jersey, are long-time naturalists, who have written numerous books on the subject of birds. Clay grew up in Stone Harbor and man-aged an environmental consulting firm specializing in threatened and endangered species. Pat Sutton was Program Director at New Jersey Audubon Society’s Cape May Bird Observatory and the Park Naturalist at Cape May Point State Park.
Today, Clay and Pat are freelance writers, naturalists, lecturers, and tour leaders. Pat’s consuming interests include owls, butterflies, and wildlife gardening. Clay is captivated by migration in all its forms. Their latest book, Birds and Birding at Cape May, is the com-plete guide to Cape May County and all of southern New Jersey. It offers recommendations based on the authors’ collective sixty years of experience in southern New Jersey, and covers 32 popular sites and little known hotspots (including Stone Harbor Point, Champagne Island and the Wetlands Insti-tute).
There will be fun at the Civic Club all weekend long with a contest for the best shrimp sandwich, a handmade quilt raffle.