What is "warbler neck?"

The answer to this question and many others will be revealed when the Monmouth County Audubon Society hosts their annual field trip to Allaire State Park, Wall Township, on Saturday, May 7. "At this time of year, bird plumage is at its brightest and songs are loudest," says Dena Temple, trip leader. "To hear birdsong echoing through the woods is a delight. Anyone interesting in learning how to identify spring migrants by song is in for a real treat. We are never disappointed at Allaire."

"And yes, you'll definitely find out what 'warbler neck' is," she added. The migration season brings a great variety of birds through Monmouth County, and Allaire State Park is what birders refer to as a "migrant trap," an oasis of woodland habitat surrounded by suburbs. This acts as a magnet for birds passing through, which are drawn to the plentiful food (mostly insects) and native plant cover.

Anyone interested in participating in the event can meet at 8:15 a.m. May 7 in the main parking lot by the historic village. Follow the Garden State Parkway to Exit 98, then follow the brown signs for Allaire State Park. The walk through the park will end before noon. While most of a bird's year is spent trying to be invisible to predators, things change in the spring. The priority for birds in the spring is breeding, and birds have a variety of ways to attract a mate. For one, most birds molt into their beautiful, colorful breeding plumage, to make them more attractive to the opposite sex. In addition, birds sing – loudly and often – in an effort to establish a territory and attract a mate. Once summer is underway, a bird's priorities shift to nesting and raising young. Their feathers revert to the duller "basic plumage," and they sing much less.