Cape May in Spring

Cape May has long been heralded as the most exciting migration hotspot in the eastern United States. Each spring and autumn over 300 species of North American birds – many in huge numbers – pass through and over the point as they migrate between their wintering and breeding grounds, along the so-called ‘Eastern Flyway’. Bordered by Delaware Bay to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, the peninsula acts as a natural funnel, eventually concentrating the birds at its tip. These weary migrants suddenly find themselves 'trapped' by water on three sides and many opt to land and rest rather than continue south over the bay and into Delaware. Numerous Semipalmated Sandpiper, Red Knot and Short-billed Dowitcher can be seen joining the local breeding birds on the shore and bay pools; many migrating warblers drop in as the trees come into leaf. Combined, we can enjoy superb views of up to 25 species of American wood warblers, plus a host of colourful orioles, tanagers, buntings and vireos. Such a concentration of birds in a relatively small area attracts plenty of keen naturalists too, and presents us with the opportunity to enjoy a week of outstanding, and easy, birding!

Our tour begins with a direct flight from London to Philadelphia in Pennsylvania, then a drive of a couple of hours south-eastwards to the cape. We will be based for the whole week in the delightful coastal town of Cape May, taking daily excursions to explore the region's birding hotspots. We will keep our plans for the week flexible in order to take advantage of the weather conditions and recent sightings, but many of the sites we visit will be just a short drive from our hotel.

To the east of the town, Cape May State Park holds a wealth of wonderful birdlife at this time of year, with Barn and Tree Swallows and Purple Martins nesting here. Warbler species may include Myrtle, Blackpoll, Yellow, Magnolia, Blackburnian, Prairie and Pine Warblers, along with flycatching Eastern Phoebes, Cedar Waxwing, smart male Indigo Bunting, Veery and American Robins. By the beach, Red-winged Blackbirds display in the marshes, while the beach itself is patrolled by Least and Forster's Terns, and pools may hold tiny Least Sandpiper and Greater Yellowlegs. Just to the north, Higbee's Beach is the place to look for Blue Grosbeak, Baltimore Oriole and possibly Bobolink and White-eyed Vireo. The area around the Cape May Bird Observatory attracts feeding birds, with Cape May, Chestnut-sided and Black-throated Blue Warbler being found here, and early butterflies may include Common Buckeye and Eastern Tailed-blue. South Cape May Meadows, meanwhile, are best visited at the end of the day for shorebirds and gatherings of swallows, or maybe some interesting sparrows. Black Skimmers often come in to feed off the water surface, and along the water's edge we can spot Stilt and White-rumped Sandpiper picking off flies.

To the north of Cape May lies Stone Harbor Point, a wide, sandy beach that is fantastic for shorebirds and terns when the tide is just right, and a must-visit site during our week. Here, we hope to find Little Blue Heron, Sanderling, American Oystercatcher and the threatened Piping Plover. We will take our time to explore this area, as nearby we may find Willet, Grey Plover, Clapper Rail and Tri-coloured Heron too. Osprey are often sighted patrolling overhead, while Great Northern Diver and Gannets can be seen offshore. Across the peninsula, Delaware Bay has a string of refuges around the eastern shore which are superb for shore birds, as well as Seaside Sparrow and Marsh Wren which we should find amongst the salt marsh. Red Knot, screaming Laughing Gull, Ruddy Turnstones and Boat-tailed Grackle form flocks on the beaches; shallow lagoons can have high tide roosts of thousands of birds including Semipalmated Sandpiper, Short-billed Dowitcher, Dunlin, Semipalmated Plover, Least Sandpiper and Lesser Yellowlegs. The Double-crested Cormorant and Great Egret colonies are often carefully watched by a pair of Bald Eagle.

On another day during our week, we will take a drive north to Belleplain State Forest, where mixed woodland holds Acadian Flycatcher, Hooded, Prothonotary and Worm-eating Warblers, Hermit Thrush, and Eastern Wood Peewee, plus possibly Ruby-throated Hummingbird and Louisiana Waterthrush. All too soon, however, it will be time to tear ourselves away from Cape May, and make our way back to Philadelphia ahead of our overnight flight back to the UK. 

Our corresponding autumn tour is timed to coincide with the peak of migration when, along with the songbirds, there will also be a variety of raptors including Sharp-shinned, Cooper's and Broad-winged Hawks, Northern Harriers and American Kestrels, plus waders, herons, gulls and terns travelling south... as well as dragonfly and possibly Monarch butterfly migration movements too!