Are you thinking of taking up bird watching? You’ll get a primer at the Long Beach Island branch of the Ocean County Library in Surf City on Thursday, Aug. 15, at 2 p.m. when Susan Puder, founder and president of the Southern Ocean Birding Group, will discuss the basics of this outdoor hobby.

The authorof New Jersey Birds and Beyond, Puder will teach participants how to identify birds, why New Jersey is such an important state to view birds, what equipment you need, hot spots in the area to see…