4 replies to this topic

[BirdingBlues]

Hello All,

I'm heading down to Cape May, NJ the first week of May and was curious as to where some good birding spots are in the area, as well as what I should keep an eye out for.

Any suggestions would be very helpful - thanks!

[birdbrain22]

Here is the the same info I posted in your East coast birding thread. New arrivals are showing up daily so will be greatly impressed. Try and signup for some of the walks by CMBO if you can.



If you could hold off until the middle to end of May...Cape May in May is THE place to be in NJ. You have all the migrating passerines coming through as well as all the shorebirds. As far as locations in Cape May... you have Higbee Beach and if you get there at sunrise, the warblers and such will be dropping in to rest right after the night flight and making it over the Delaware Bay. Other great spots are the Cape May State Park trails and Nature Conservancy Migratory Bird Refuge property(formerly the South Cape May Meadows), Nesting Least Terns, Piping Plovers and B. Skimmers on the beach off the N. Conservancy property. Nearby Belleplain State Forest is another great spot for migrants and the shorebirds will be congregating and gorging on the Horseshoe Crab eggs all along the Delaware bay shoreline. You will be impressed and can not go wrong with Cape May. Also Dolphins are seen from the beach riding the surf and I have seen Humpback Whales as well, although not many times. The Hieslerville impoundments often get a few Curlew Sandpipers.Very often rarities show up in Cape May, such as Swallow-tailed Kites, Purple Gallinule, Swainson's Hawk, Black-bellied Whistling Ducks, Painted Bunting and others and have had flyover Anhinga, and Wood Stork last year. This winter they had Broad-tailed Hummingbird, Rufous Hummingbird, Western Grebe, Dickcissel, WW Dove, and Eurasian Collared Doves have just been confirmed as nesting this year(don't know if that is good or bad though). The World Series of Birding is on May 12.... so Cape May will be hoping!!!! Other good spots in the area are.... Reeds Beach, The Villas, The Beanery,Turkey Point, Stone Harbor, and many others. Here are some links for more info. http://www.birdcapem...checklist.shtml open the maps to see the Hotspots http://www.birdcapemay.org/index.html

[BirdingBlues]

Unfortunately I won't be able to change the dates - hopefully we get some earlier than usual visits after this mild winter! I'm just being optimistic...

Thanks birdbrain! (especially for ensuring I'd get the info by posting on both threads!) Very much appreciated.

[birdbrain22]

Cape May is always hopping birdwise... so you are sure to be busy. Another stop for you might be Forsythe NWR in Brigentine, NJ... which is exit 48 from the Garden State Parkway South. Then aprrox 7 miles to Great Creek Rd(Make left). This is an excellent 8 mile drive(Wildlife Drive) through various habitats. It is about an hour north of Cape May and if possible it is an easy stop either on the drive down or return trip.

Good Luck and let me know how you make out down there. We actually may head down there one day next weekend.

[BirdingBlues]

Thanks for all the great insight - I am looking forward to getting down there!