Citizens United To Protect The Maurice River - What It's Like To Be A Fish Hawk / 5-13-25

Join CU Maurice River to learn what it means to be a Fish Hawk, CU's World Series of Birding team! The team will share its stories of life birds, rare encounters, and the preparation that goes into the big day. This class offers a unique opportunity to learn more about the rare bird species that may frequent our area, especially during the peak of spring migration.

Each year, the Fish Hawks stay rooted in New Jersey’s Bayshore region for the event—an area renowned for its incredible biodiversity. From coastal wetlands and forests to nearby waterways like the Maurice River, this landscape provides vital stopover habitat. You’ll hear firsthand accounts from seasoned birders and gain insights into the strategies that make a successful birding day in one of the most ecologically vibrant regions in the state.

The complementary outing for this class will be the Dawn Song bird walk as part of CU’s Big Day on May 17. Don’t miss this chance to learn from past and present members of the Fish Hawks team.

Meet the Team (from the left in the photo)   Tony Klock is a retired teacher and resides in Port Norris. He enjoys leading walks for CU Maurice River, including being a trail leader for Wild About Cumberland, and his personal mission is to bring both young and old to a deeper appreciation of the natural wonders of the Down Jersey region. An avid native plant gardener, Tony has opened his property to the CU garden tours led by Pat Sutton. He is also active with the Bayshore Center at Bivalve (look for him shucking oysters at the raw bar on the docks) and with the Port Norris Fire Company.    Jim Blumenstein, a Fish Hawk team member since 2019, is a high school social studies teacher with a commitment to civic participation and community service. Jim's passion for education is evident through his volunteering for CU Maurice River in many capacities: helping lead the annual Frog Slog in prior years, teaching the What It's Like to Be a Bird series, leading raptor walks, and volunteering at the annual Eagle Festival.   Mary Watkins captains CU’S World Series of Birding team, the Fish Hawks. She's a retired Registered Nurse with a BA in Music Education who formerly served on the CU Board of Trustees. She considers herself a “rabid birder” and has attended several seminars on bird I.D., behavior, song I.D. and migration. Mary volunteers for CU as a Chili Bowl chef and on the auction committee, guides nature walks, and participates annually in Wild About Cumberland as a trail leader. She also volunteers as an assistant trip leader with Cape May Bird Observatory, and participates in annual citizen science research including Cornell FeederWatch, Cumberland Christmas Bird Count, and raptor and black rail surveys.   Kathy Michel is a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and Professor of Nutrition at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. In addition to being a Fish Hawk for many years, she volunteers for CU Maurice River annually on the Purple Martin Cruises and as a trail walk leader during the Winter Eagle Festival.