This diverse preserve lies on a peninsula jutting into the Chesapeake Bay and offers a wonderful opportunity for viewing birds and wildlife as it includes coastal forest, shrub, salt marsh, and sandy beach habitats, said publicity chair Maggie Gerdts.

Fall is a prime time for bird watching because of the many migrating birds coming through the Atlantic flyway.

This week, the following were among the birds sighted by an audubon member: bald eagle, osprey, merlins, pine and yellow-rumped warblers, royal and Forster terns, dunlins, brown pelicans, great egrets, American black ducks, spotted and semipalmated sandpipers, semipalmated plovers, brown creepers, Eastern phoebes, catbirds, swamp and white-throated sparrows, belted kingfishers, flickers, and ruby-crowned kinglets.

If time permits, the group may continue on to Dameron Marsh.

Binoculars and water resistant shoes are recommended. Carpoolers will leave Grace Episcopal Church in Kilmarnock at 7:15 a.m. Those driving directly should plan to arrive at Hughlett Point Preserve at 7:30 a.m.

For additional directions, contact Maggie Gerdts at 758-2963.