Cape May Birding Hot Spots
Higbee
Beach
The first stop for migrating songbirds and visiting birders.This
wildlife management area has the last stand of dune forest in New Jersey.
Fronting the Delaware bay, Higbee welcomes more than a million hungry,
tired migrants on their way north and south. Traditionally, birders stand
on "the dike" (actually a pile of dredge spoil) and platforms
at sunrise..and watch the birds come in. After dawn, try the trails, especially
sunny forest edges....where songbirds gather to feed. Good for sparrows
in the late fall and winter.
Cape May
Migratory Bird Refuge
This
Nature Conservancy refuge is known locally as the Cape May Meadows..no
doubt dating back to the time when cattle grazed here. It's near the intersection
of Bayshore Rd and Sunset Blvd., on the way to Cape May Point. Endangered
piping plovers nest on the refuge beach...right along the Atlantic Ocean...in
the spring. Migrating
and resident shorebirds, water fowl, rails and terns, herons and egrets
all feed here.
Cape May
Point State Park and Hawkwatch
In
the fall, the hawkwatch platform is a happening place. Official
hawkwatchers keep a tally sheet. And on a weekend day in the fall, it
can be elbow to elbow. Migrating Sharp-shinned, Cooper's and Red- tailed
hawks, Merlins, Peregrines, Northern Harriers, even Bald Eagles, Golden
Eagles and Goshawks pass by on their way south.
Avalon
Seawatch
The
best place to see thousands of seabirds migrate down the coast in the
fall. The Seawatch is on 7th St. and the Beach in the north end of Avalon.
A Seawatch counter keeps tabs on the numbers and species.. November, when
other spots slow down, is prime time for birding here
Stone
Harbor Point
Another
favorite of piping plovers. Colonies of black skimmers and least terns
also nest here. The wide open mud flats are a fertile feeding ground for
all kinds of shorebirds. It's been one of the best places this year to
see the shorebird migration. Later in the season, you can also see migrating
seabirds.
Nummy
Island
Between
Stone Harbor and North Wildwood, this marshy, bug infested piece of land
is heaven for wading birds..you'll find all kinds of herons and egrets
here. Just be careful of traffic. You have to park on the shoulder of
the road. There is no parking lot.
Belleplain
State Forest
The
thick woods shelter all kinds of songbirds..Best in the spring...when
all the birds are flitting around in their breeding plumage..
Forsythe
National Wildlife Refuge
(formerly Brigantine)
This
is a bit up the road..but it's shorebird heaven. About 45 minutes north...near
Smithville. There's an eight mile driving loop that takes you right through
some pretty marsh habitat.
Jake's Landing Road
Go north on Route 47 and take a turn onto a dead end road that leads to a favorite marsh spot for hawks, rails and waterfowl.
Cape May
National Wildlife Refuge
One of the new natural hot spots.
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