Sunday, July 13, 2025

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All of us have those certain times of year that we truly look forward to. For naturalists, one such time is the month of May. Yes, all of it – start to finish. Few other pages on the calendar feature as much abundance, variety, or beauty in the natural world as can be witnessed during these 31 days, and it is a challenge to find a more ideal place to enjoy it all than right here in Cape May County.

A Snowy Egret. Photo Credit: Roger L. Horn

In the county’s north, Belleplain State Forest is known to many of us as a great place to take the dog for a long walk or spend a weekend camping; but did you know that this vast swath of protected land is also a vital space for thousands of both nesting and migrating songbirds? Most of these winged jewels, many no larger than a candy bar, are just arriving in early May from their winter homes that may span from the Caribbean, to Mexico, to even South America.