It all started with Fred Lesser of Pine Beach, a bird-watcher since 1959, looking for a way to interest Ocean County families in the nation's fastest growing recreational activity. Lesser has spotted 725 North American species of birds and 1,750 worldwide. In the fall of 1999 Lesser, a naturalist at Cattus Island County Park, got the ear of parks department recreation manager Mike Mangum, and the first Spring Wing Fling was born last year. The idea was to create a birding festival for families and beginners, Urban said.
Ocean County is a bird watching mecca and the festival was designed to get more people involved.
Some of the hot spots for birders include Island Beach State Park, Manasquan Inlet, Barnegat Lighthouse State Park, Seven Bridges Road in Little Egg Harbor Township and Little Egg Harbor Inlet. This year's Spring Wing Fling will be held May 20, with activities at Island Beach State Park, Cattus Island and Wells Mills county parks and Tuckerton Seaport. A host of activities are planned. Sponsors include the Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, the New Jersey Audubon Society, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection's Division of Parks and Forestry and Fish and Wildlife, the county freeholders and Department of Parks and Recreation and Tuckerton Seaport. Children under 12 can participate for free.