Sussex County Bird Club, New Jersey, USA

06/07/2026

We have an upcoming trip. Be sure to bring a cold drink.

Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge-Liberty Loop Trail Thursday, June 11, 2026, at 8:30 am – Leader Sandy McPhail.
Meet at Owens Station Parking lot off Lake Wallkill Rd in Sussex NJ. Flat easy trail. We will walk the trail through woods, field and swamp looking for warblers, Vireos and sparrows, out to the marsh for waterfowl and hopefully Sandhill Cranes. After the walk back we can check out the Purple Martin colony and the lake. Restrooms at parking area. Bring lunch.

For questions and to register contact leader. [email protected]

06/04/2026

We have an upcoming trip!

Wawayanda State Park Saturday – June 6, 2026, at 8:00 am Leader Matt Skalla

Trip starts at the P7 parking lot on Clinton Road (approx. 30-minute drive north of Sparta) this area is known as “Hiking Terrace Pond parking” on google maps. We will walk approx. 3-4 miles on logging roads through woodland. We hope to see Acadian Flycatcher, Hooded Warbler and Cerulean Warbler as well as the usual suspects for June. We may stop at other sites astime/interest permits. Bring lunch and a drink.

Please email leader with questions and to register. [email protected]

05/20/2026

Trip is rescheduled to next saturday May 30th due to forecast. All other info is the same.

We have a great trip this saturday.

Sparta Mountain Wildlife Management Area Saturday May 23, 2026, at 8:00 am Leader: Matthew Skalla.

We will meet at the Ryker Lake parking lot at 8:00 am for a short walk out and back (about a mile total). The road down to Ryker Lake is an unmarked road off Edison Road it is a few hundred feet with its junction off Glen Rd. Then we will head over to the Edison Monument parking area to do a loop of about 3 miles. This will include a section of power lines, so besides the usual woodland birds we should also have a number of field/brushy area specialists. Moderate walk, a mild up and down route but most of Spata Mountain trails are old logging roads so there is rough footing and loose rocks in places.

For questions and to register for the trip contact the leader, Matt Skalla at [email protected]

05/15/2026

Come join us on bird walks. Most trips are easy walking. We have many trips, interesting meetings with speakers and club events. Check out our website sussexcountybirdclub.org
All our meetings and events are open to the public. If you love wild birds its the only club in Sussex and Warren County. Join us!

05/15/2026

This trip is being held on new date May 17th.
Original date was changed due to weather. Great trip for warblers!

Dryden Kuser Natural Area – Saturday, May 17th 2026, at 8:15 am High Point State Park – Natural Area Parking Lot – Leader: Karyn Cichocki

Dryden Kuser Natural Area is a special place in High Point State Park. The walk around the bog is an easy mile and a half, which includes the boardwalk through the bog where sundews can be found growing in the moss. The woods are filled with native rhododendron, American white cedar, mountain laurel, eastern hemlocks, white pine, and spruce, as well as other plants. An option after the walk, is to drive along Sawmill Rd. to Deckertown Tpk. and look for spring migrants. Bring lunch.
For more information and trip registration contact Karyn at [email protected].
Notes and Directions: The park gate doesn’t open officially until 8:00am, but it may be opened early. There is no charge to enter the park. Upon entering High Point State Park from Route 23, follow the signs for the monument. You will pass the lake on the right and the interpretive center on the left. Just past the center there will be two left turns at the head of the lake. Take the 2nd turn (going past playground), which will take you to the parking lot at the end of the road. There is a sign on the left side of that road, which points to the natural area.

05/15/2026

Tonight. Friday May 15th.

05/15/2026

We have an upcoming trip!

Birding Hike at Tilcon Lake – Waterloo State Park Saturday – May 16, 2026, at 9:00 am Waterloo Village Main Parking Lot – Leader: Michael Livesey

Tilcon Lake is part of Allamuchy Mountain State Park and is administered by the Waterloo Village park staff. The lake was formed when the Musconetcong River breached its banks during a server flooding event and flooded the old quarry formerly run by Tilcon. Many species of waterfowl, swallows and warblers have been seen in this area. Bald Eagles, Great Blue Heron, Belted Kingfisher have also been reported. May is such a great birding month and the nesting season will be well in progress, so we may be treated to the unexpected.
The trails are flat, some quite close to the river allowing good viewing. Among the many swallows reported are Bank Swallows that have been known to nest here. With scopes we should be able to get a view of the nesting sites. With time we can walk through the village, we have seen Chimney Swift there in the past.
If you have any questions regarding this trip and to register please contact the trip leader, Mike Livesey at [email protected]

05/12/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/1L3XuTtRLa/?mibextid=wwXIfr

The three high-school birders, dubbed The Pete Dunnelins, have one day to count as many bird species across the state of New Jersey as physically possible. Here's what it takes.

05/11/2026

Join us for our may meeting and program. 7pm at The Sparta Ambulance Building 14 Sparta Ave. Additional parking across the street. Refreshment served.

May 15, 2026: Exploring the South America’s rich avian diversity, Dr. Lukas Musher

In this talk, we will discuss the amazing Amazon Basin, a place rich in biodiversity and of great importance to the planet’s climate, people, & ecosystems. We will look at some of Dr. Musher’s recent trips to the Amazon to study birds, review some fascinating avian discoveries, and discuss how researchers use museum collections to explore biodiversity and evolution.

Bio: Dr. Luke Musher is an ornithologist working at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA. His field and laboratory research focuses on how new species of birds evolve in the Amazon Rainforest, one of the most biodiverse places on Earth.

05/11/2026

We have a field trip coming up. Please email leader with questions and to register.

Sussex County Bird Club – New Field Trip Site – Farmside Garden Center Thursday – May 14 2026, at 9:00 am – Leader: Karyn Cichocki

The gardens open at 8 am, so we will meet at that time. Park on the left side of the lot by the florist shop. We will explore the back fields on the property, to look for a variety of grassland birds, such as meadowlark, bob-o-link, Savannah and grasshopper sparrows to name a few. This area is closed to the public, but the owners have given us permission to hold the field trip there. It is about a 2 mile flat walk round trip. Some areas could be wet. The address is 21 Loomis Ave, Sussex, NJ 07461.
Please email leader with questions and to register [email protected]