CAPEMAYBIRDS
Knotgatheronthebaybeachestofeaston
thesurfeitofhorseshoecrabeggs.
ThespecialnatureofCapeMayCounty
Warblers? May is best. But southern
ByPeteDunne
breederslikeYellow-throatedWarblerand
ProthonotaryWarblersarriveinApriland
remainuntilJuly.
O
VER 400 species of birds have Monarch are migratory, although most of Formigrants,yourbestbetistosearchthe
been recorded in Cape May the100-plusspeciesareresidentsorannual woodlands and wood lots in and around
County – that’s half the bird visitors. But in August and September, if Cape May. Popular spots include Higbee
speciesfoundinallofNorthAmerica.It’s Monarchs have had a good breeding sea- Beach Wildlife Management Area and
possible–andithasbeendone–torecord son and winds are right, thousands of Forsythe Wildlife Refuge. For breeding
more than 200 species in a single day, migrating butterflies can be seen pulsing birds,BelleplainStateForestinthenorthern
although about 30 to 50 species is more down beaches – once 60,000 Monarchs partofthecountyishardtobeat.Mostof
thenormduringatwo-hourwalk. passedtheCapeMayLighthouseinasingle these breeders will have young just out of
Duringmigration,flightsinexcessofseveral day. At night they gather in roosts that the nest when the first southbound shore-
millionbirdsarenotuncommon.Iremem- makebranchesbendbeneaththeirweight. birdsreachourshoresonoraroundJune21.
beroneparticularfallweekendinthelate In summer, the marshes are home to Autumn migrants are here before most
’90swhen2.5millionrobinswerecounted thousandsofheronsandegrets.InAugust people have put the finishing touches on
betweendawnand10a.m.That’samind- and September, scores of Ruby-throated theirsummervacationplans.ByearlyJuly,
boggling number until you consider that Hummingbirds visit gardens throughout coastal marshes in Cape May and Cum-
themigration,astrackedbyradar,actually theregion. berlandcountiesarefilledwithdowitchers
beganat10p.m.thepreviouseveningwhen In winter, the bayshore marshes are andothertundrabreeders.Timeyourvisit
it was too dark to see. Those 2.5 million covered by a blizzard of snow geese and tocatchthefullmoontideinJuly:forced
robinswerethetailendoftheflight. theeaglesthathuntthem.Infall,nearlya
Itdoesn’tmatterwhenyouplanyourvisit. million loons, gannets, and sea ducks
There is never a time when birds are not muster past the Avalon Sea Watch (con-
migratingthroughthisregionofCapeMay, ductedbytheCapeMayBirdObservatory)
Cumberland and Atlantic counties: migra- andinspring,thewoodlandsofCapeMay
tionisvirtuallynon-stop.Infact,thebiggest andespecially,BelleplainStateForestcan
problemanybirderfacesistryingtodecide beakaleidoscopeofmigratingsongbirds.
when to visit. Spring migration begins in In April, large numbers of wintering
JanuaryandendsinJuly;autumnmigration birds – Northern Gannet, Red-throated
beginsinJuneandendsinFebruary. Loon and others – are staging in the
Butterflies are also part of our natural DelawareBay.InMay,tensofthousandsof
dowry. Some, like the Red Admiral and Sanderling, Ruddy Turnstone, and Red
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