Cape May, Naturally is a column about birding & the natural world written by a rotating cast of experts at the NJ Audubon.
Wait. What?! That can’t be, it’s only the end of July!
In the world of birds, seasons don’t always follow the calendar. While birders know that spring and fall migrations can be the most exciting times of the year, many don’t realize that fall migration is already underway in July. As many of us are enjoying the sights, sounds and weather of summer, birds are winging their way south to winter destinations in the Southern US, Central America and South America.
Several groups of birds are early “fall” migrants—notably some shorebird and warbler species. Having already completed nest-making, egg laying and rearing of young in far northern reaches—including the tundra areas bordering the Arctic Ocean—many shorebird species travel thousands of miles over continents and open ocean to reach resource rich areas to the south. With such long distances to cover, an early start may be just the advantage they need to successfully navigate and survive their journey, which is fraught with risks including exhaustion, lack of food, bad weather and predators.
The marshes, mudflats and beaches of Cape May, Delaware Bay and the Atlantic Ocean are perfect stopover points on these travels—places to rest and refuel before continuing their migration. Shorebird species, such as Semipalmated Plover, Lesser Yellowlegs, Spotted Sandpiper, Whimbrel, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper and Short-billed Dowitcher can be seen right now at many locations, probing the soil for food or roosting in groups to gather strength.
Favorite locations to enjoy the spectacle include The Nature Conservancy’s South Cape May Meadows Preserve, Cape May Point State Park, Two Mile Beach, the Wetlands Institute in Stone Harbor and Edwin B. Forsythe NWR in Brigantine, but the possibilities are endless in South Jersey with extensive appropriate habitat, so see what you can find.
For many birders, warblers are one of the most exciting and colorful groups of songbirds to enjoy and, like shorebirds, a number of species are already heading south. Nesting across the boreal forest of Canada and throughout woodlots, successional forest and field edges of the northern US, many warblers will spend their non-breeding (winter) months in the warmer climates of Central and South America, where food sources are abundant. Birding at places like the Cape May Bird Observatory’s Northwood Center in Cape May Point, Higbee Beach WMA, Cape May Point State Park, The Nature Conservancy’s Garrett Family Preserve and Cox Hall Creek WMA provides the best chance to encounter a number of species.
You can expect to see the likes of the Worm-eating Warbler, Louisiana Waterthrush, Northern Waterthrush, Prairie Warbler, Prothonotary Warbler, Yellow Warbler, and Black-and-white Warbler on their way south.
Of course this is just the start of things to come, with hundreds of diverse species—from ducks and seabirds to raptors to a cornucopia of songbirds—moving through the area as fall migration hits its stride in August and continues into December, with different species peaking at different times.
Take advantage of the great birding and butterflying that Cape May offers by visiting the Cape May Bird Observatory’s Northwood Center, (701 East Lake Dr., Cape May Point), the Nature Center of Cape May (1600 Delaware Ave., Cape May) or go to www.birdcapemay.org and check out our full calendar of upcoming programs and information. We have exciting program offerings daily, including a Beach Birds of Summer special field trip on August 5th, Basics of Birding workshop on August 19th and a shorebirds workshop (Shorebirds with the Man Who Wrote the Book) on August 27th-28th, to help you make the most of your time and learning, so sign up today!
See you in the field!
