Leader: Mark Garland
Members $120; nonmembers $168
Location: Cape May, NJ
Cape May explodes with vernal vibrance during the second half of May, especially in the few days around the full moon.  This is when thousands of horseshoe crabs crawl onto the Delaware Bay beaches to spawn, with huge flocks of shorebirds gathered to feast on the eggs.  Beach nesting birds are active, and some songbirds are setting up territories while others are passing through in migration.  Frogs are in full song, and on sunny days a good variety of butterflies may be seen.  High tide, when the greatest horseshoe crab activity occurs, will be in the evening, so on the 21st we’ll pause for an early dinner and then head back afield to witness this spectacle as the sun sets.  While the program formally ends at 5:00 pm on the 22nd, there’s an option to stay into the evening to watch the show again.  Note that like many natural phenomena, this is weather dependent – if storms pick up big waves in Delaware Bay, the horseshoe crabs won’t come ashore. Program cost covers field activities only; we’ll share information about lodging options to all registrants. REGISTER