Cape May is well known as one of the top birding spots in the world. It’s located along the Atlantic flyway, one of the busiest migratory corridors on Earth. Hundreds of species of birds heading south along the East Coast are funneled via westerly winds down the peninsula to Cape May. Many stop among the barrier islands and wetlands to eat and rest before carrying on... others choose not to proceed south across the thirteen mile stretch of the Delaware Bay and opt instead to take up in the local meadows and woodlands.
The spring migration brings thousands of songbirds, shorebirds and waterfowl through the area. June, in particular, brings droves of shorebirds to the beaches of the Delaware Bay to feast upon eggs laid by the legions of Horseshoe Crabs that storm the beaches every summer. Regular visitors to the beaches include Semi-Palmated Sandpipers, Ruddy Turnstones, Red Knots, Laughing Gulls, and Sanderlings (whose flocks are most amusing to watch as they chase receding waves, only to run away from the waves as they return).
While birding in Cape May is good just about any time of the year, the Fall migration is legendary. The migration begins in June and continues through November. Late September through mid-October brings unbelievable numbers of raptors... Hawks in particular. The numbers are so great in fact that the Cape May Bird Observatory sets up an annual Hawk Watch at the Cape May Point State Park. Head to the Hawk Watch platform to watch thousands of migrating Hawks, Ospreys, Kestrels and Bald Eagles soar overhead... it’s free and open to the public.
Many of the best birding spots are within a short drive of the cottage, including the Cape May Bird Observatories, Cape May Point State Park, Higbee Beach, Cape May Migratory Bird Refuge (Cape May Meadows), Nummy Island, Stone Harbor Point, Avalon Seawatch, and Belleplain State Forest to name just a few. And, of course, shorebirds and waterfowl can be seen just steps from the cottage on the beaches of the Delaware Bay.
Birding Links of Interest:
New Jersey Audubon Society
Nature Center of Cape May
Cape May Bird Observatory
Cape May Spring Weekend
World Series of Birding
Cape May Autumn Weekend
Cape May Hawk Watch
NJ Birding & Wildlife Trails
New Jersey Birds
Sam Crowe’s New Jersey Birding
Birding.com
American Birding Association
Birdzilla
The Fat Birder
Guided Birding
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