Wetlands Institute Celebrates 4th Annual Spring Shorebird and Horseshoe Crab Festival

Join The Wetlands Institute for a festival that celebrates an amazing spectacle of nature - the shorebird migration and horseshoe crab spawning season.

​​​​​​The Wetlands Institute is pleased to announce our 4th annual Spring Shorebird and Horseshoe Crab Festival, May 20, 21 and 22, 2016.

Located on the Cape May Peninsula between the Delaware Bay and Atlantic beaches, The Wetlands Institute is situated in an area considered to host one of the “wonders of the world.” With an act of timing only Mother Nature can provide, horseshoe crabs climb onto the beaches of the Delaware Bay to lay their eggs, while thousands of shorebirds time a pit stop during their spring migration to feed on these energy-packed horseshoe crab eggs. Cape May is a world-renowned hot-spot for witnessing the annual spring migrations of many types of birds. “With so much life and a myriad of exceptional species on our beaches and in the marshes, it is impossible not to appreciate this phenomenon!” stated Dr. Lenore Tedesco, Executive Director.

"With so much life and a myriad of exceptional species on our beaches and in the marshes, it is impossible not to appreciate this phenomenon!"

Dr Lenore Tedesco, Executive Director

Join The Wetlands Institute for a festival that celebrates an amazing spectacle of nature – the shorebird migration and horseshoe crab spawning season. Guests of all ages can enjoy shorebird banding demonstrations, back-bay kayaking tours, back-bay birding and wildlife boat tours, reTURN the Favor horseshoe crab rescue walks, horseshoe crab teaching tank and aquaculture tours, horseshoe crab themed children’s activities, guided shorebird viewing walks, and more! For a full schedule of activities and pre-registration information, visit wetlandsinstitute.org.

New this year, the Institute will hold a perennial native plant sale as part of the festival. The Institute has selected a beautiful array of plants that will bloom throughout the season and provide all the various food resources that butterflies and other pollinators need to thrive. Knowledgeable native plant and garden naturalists will be on hand to answer questions. Plants can be pre-ordered to ensure the best selection. An order form is available on the Institute's website.

Proceeds from the event will help support The Wetlands Institute’s conservation and education programs focused on shorebird and horseshoe crab conservation.

The Spring Shorebird and Horseshoe Crab Festival is sponsored by Lucky Bones Backwater Grille, 29th Street Market in Avalon. It is also supported in part by a Grant from the New Jersey Department of State, Division of Travel and Tourism and includes the collaboration of the Borough of Stone Harbor; Conserve Wildlife; Cape May Bird Observatory; Township of Middle; and US Fish and Wildlife Service – Cape May National Wildlife Refuge.​ 

Visit the Institute's website for a complete schedule of activities and to purchase your tickets (also available at the door).

Two-Day Ticket: Non-Member:  $15 Adult, $10 Child.  Member:  $13 Adult, $8 Child.

One-Day Ticket: Non-Member:  $10 Adult, $8 Child, $30 Family Pack of 4. Member:  $8 Adult, $6 Child, $25 Family Pack of 4.

Source: The Wetlands Institute

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About The Wetlands Institute

The Wetlands Institute is a non-profit 501 (c)(3) educational and research facility promoting appreciation, understanding, and stewardship of coastal and wetland ecosystems through programs in research, conservation, and education.

The Wetlands Institute
1075 Stone Harbor Blvd
Stone Harbor, New Jersey
08247