Kevin Karlson (center, white shirt), leading a morning bird walk at DeKorte Park last August.

Our awesome August lineup kicks off this Sunday (Aug. 4) with a free bird and butterfly walk, followed by Kevin Karlson Shorebird Day on Saturday, Aug. 10 (also free) ; a canoe trip that same day;  Harrier Meadow walk on Tuesday, Aug. 20 (also free), and a new birding by boat cruise on Tuesday, Aug. 27.

Full listings follow.

Sunday, August 4 , 10 a.m.
First Sunday-of-the-Month Bird Walk with the NJMC and BCAS
Enjoy early April out of doors by joining us on this free two-hour guided nature walk in DeKorte Park in Lyndhurst. We’ll walk around parts of the park, looking for shorebirds, raptors and other birds. The walk starts at 10 a.m. outside the Meadowlands Environment Center. The walk is run by the N.J. Meadowlands Commission and the Bergen County Audubon Society. Check meadowblog.net for last-minute weather updates. You will have to sign a standard liability release that is good for NJMC/BCAS events throughout the year. To rsvp, contact Don Torino of the BCAS at greatauk4@aol.com or 201-230-4983.
Note: Sunday, Aug. 4, is also the rain date for Butterfly Day.

Saturday, August 10, 8:15 a..m. to 3:45 p.m.
Fifth Annual Kevin Karlson Shorebird Day, with the NJMC and BCAS
Spend the day with noted shorebird expert and nature photographer Kevin Karlson. Karlson is leading 90-minute bird walks at 8:15 and 10:15 a.m., presenting a talk on “Improving Your Birding Skills” at 12:45 p.m.   At 1:45 p.m. Kevin will discuss and show images from his brand-new eBook on shorebirds and preview a new book in the Peterson Reference Series.  At 2:30 p.m., he and another noted photographer, Lloyd Spitalnik, will lead an hour-long wildlife photography workshop. All events are free, but you must sign a standard liability release for 2013 if you have not already. To rsvp, contact Don Torino of the BCAS at greatauk4@aol.com or 201-230-4983.

Saturday, Aug. 10, 8:30 a.m.
NJMC Canoe Trip
Take a three-hour guided tour exploring the Hackensack River and its marshes. Paddlers will learn the basics of salt marsh ecology and enjoy the magnificent natural and man-made scenery while rowing past wetlands and down creeks.
$15 per person; ages 10 and up.
Pre-registration required.
Departs from Mill Creek Point Park, Secaucus.
For more information or to register, go to www.njmeadowlands.gov/environment/tours.html or call 201-460-4640.

Tuesday, August 20, 10 a.m to noon
Third-Tuesday-of-the-Month Bird Walk with the NJMC and BCAS
Check out the shorebirds on this Harrier Meadow summer bird walk in North Arlington. We’ll walk around the 70-acre natural area, which is normally closed to the public, and look for herons, egrets, shorebirds, and ospreys and other raptors. The walk starts at 10 a.m. at Harrier Meadow, on Disposal Road near Schuyler Avenue.  Please park inside the fenced-in area. The walk is run by the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission and the Bergen County Audubon Society. Check meadowblog.net for last-minute updates. You will have to sign a standard liability release that is good for NJMC/BCAS events throughout the year. To rsvp, contact Don Torino of the BCAS at greatauk4@aol.com or 201-230-4983.

Tuesday, August 27, 10 a.m to noon
Birding by Boat (bonus event).
A two-hour birding trip along the Hackensack River and its marshes.  Meet at River Barge Park, Carlstadt. Looking for Peregrine Falcons, Ospreys, Northern Harriers, Shorebirds, various Egrets and Herons.  Space is limited, and reservations are required. A donation of $15 per person is suggested. Gabrielle Bennett-Meany of the NJMC at 201-460-4640.