Visit your favourite destinations

Cape May, New Jersey - USA,

Blitterswijckseweg 3, 5871 CD Broekhuizenvorst, the Netherlands Justinjansen@hotmail.com

I visited twice, once from 14 - 21 June 1997 and between 29 September – October 2000. I stayed mainly around Cape May with few excursions outside this spot. Cape May is situated on the most southern tip of New Jersey, 100 km from Philadelphia and 200 km from New York. I noted here what species I recorded and where. Three trips outside Cape May County, this was to Seeley for cranes, Forsythe for ducks and to Chedar Ville for the Loggerhead Shrike.

Marked with a * where new species for me!

1.   Great Northern Diver – A summer plumaged bird at Stone Harbour at 19/6, Few birds migrating at the Hawk Watch at 29/9, also here at 3/10
2.   Pied-billed Grebe podiceps – At both visits daily at the Southern Cape May Meadows, few at other spots.
3.   *Great Shearwater – Two birds recorded on migrating along the Southern Cape May meadows at 17/6 and a bird behind the ferry Lewis/Cape May at 18/6
4.   *Wilson’s Storm-petrel – A single bird past the Southern Cape May meadows at 19/6
5.   Northern Gannet – A single bird past the Southern Cape May meadows at 19/6
6.   *Brown Pelican carolinensis  – Few birds past the Hawk Watch at 29/9, at Stone Harbour recorded at 1/10 and 6/10
7.   *Double-crested Cormorant auritus –  At both visits common, and found at any suitable habitat
8.   Great Cormorant carbo – Recorded at 6/10 around Stone Harbour
9.   *American Bittern – Several bird at the Southern Cape May meadows and the Hawk Watch at 1/10
10.  *Least Bittern exilis – At Southern Cape May Meadows at 15/6 
11.  *Great Blue Heron fannini – At 19/6 a bird at the Southern Cape May Meadows, second time several birds seen most at Wildwood and Stone Harbour
*Würdemann’s Heron – a bird at Stone Harbour on 30/9
12.  Great Egret egretta – Both visits daily sightings, mostly at Stone Harbour and Southern Cape May Meadows
13.  *Snowy Egret brewsteri – Bot visits almost daily found
14.  *Little Blue Heron –  Both visits almost daily found
15.  *Tricolered Heron ruficollis – Few dates both times seen
16.  Cattle Egret ibis – Few birds recorded
17.  *Green Heron – At the Southern Cape May meadows recorded at 16/6, 17/6 and 30/9
18.  Black-crowned Night-heron hoactli – Regularly seen, together with Ycr N Heron breeding at Stone Harbour, daily small numbers at Southern Cape May Meadows
19.  *Yellow-crowned Night Heron violacea – Only seen at Stone Harbour at 19/6 and 6/10
20.  Glossy Ibis – Only recorded at 29/9 the last visit, the first visit produced this species daily at the Southern Cape May Meadows.
21.  *Black Vulture atratus – First visit one some dates recorded mostly at the Beanery, second visit one bird at 7/10 from the Hawk Watch
22.  *Turkey Vulture septentrionalis – Daily recorded both visits
23.  Greater Snow Goose atlanticus – Two birds at Stone Harbour at 29/9 and 3/10, thousands around Forsythe at 2/10
24.  *Canada Goose canadensis – Both visits regularly recorded
25.  White-bellied Brent – A single bird at Stone Harbour at 19/6 at 29/9 a small flock at Stone Harbour
26.  Mute Swan – Daily seen both visits, mainly Southern Cape May Meadows
27.  *Wood Duck – At Hidden Valley 4 males, 2 females and young at 17/6 and at the sewage pools near the canal a male at 20/6
28.  Gadwall – Recorded at the Hawk Watch at 7/10
29.  American Wigeon – Low numbers on various dates near the Hawk watch during the last visit
30.  *American Black Duck – Daily at Southern Cape May Meadows both times
31.  Mallard – Daily recorded, mostly at Southern Cape May Meadows
32.  Blue-winged Teal – At both visits seen, not on every date, mostly at Southern Cape May Meadows
33.  Northern Shoveler – Recorded at the Hawk Watch at 29/9, 1/10, 2/10, 5/10 and 6/10 mostly small flocks, also at Forsythe at 2/10
34.  Northern Pintail – On 2/10 at Forsythe and 6/10 at the Southern Cape May Meadows
35.  Green-winged Teal – Recorded at the Southern Cape May Meadows during the last visit on most dates small flocks
36.  Common Eider borealis – At Cape May Point a bird at 15/6 and a bird at Stone Harbour at 4/10
37.  *Surf Scoter – First visit seen at Southern Cape May meadows on 19/6 and during the second visit recorded past Higbee Beach, Stone Harbour, Hawk Watch and Concrete Ship on 6/10 (100-s)
38.  *Black Scoter – A small flock past Stone Harbour on 30/9 and 6/10
39.  *Ruddy Duck jamaicensis – At Forstythe 4 birds at 2/10
40.  Osprey carolinensis – Common, most seen around Wildwood and Stone Harbour
41.  *Bald Eagle leucocephalus – At the second visit daily recorded up to 5 a day, mainly migrating at the Hawk Watch
42.  Northern harrier hudsonius – Second visit almost daily, during the first visit few birds
43.  *Sharp-chinned Hawk velox – Second visit daily recorded
44.  *Cooper’s Hawk – Second visit almost daily recorded
45.  Northern Goshawk atricapillus – Recorded at the Hawk Watch at 29/9 and 2/10
46.  *Red-shouldered Hawk lineatus – A single bird migrating at the Hawk Watch at 7/10
47.  *Broad-winged Hawk platypterus – Second visit in variable numbers on various days from the Hawk watch
48.  *Red-tailed Hawk borealis – One bird at the Hawk watch at 29/9 and at Hidden Valley at 17/6
49.  *American Kestrel sparverius – Second visit daily in variable numbers, mainly from the Hawk watch
50.  Merlin suckleyi – At various dates in various numbers during the last visit at the Hawk watch
51.  Peregrine Falcon anatum – Almost daily seen at the Hawk Watch during the last visit, in various numbers
52.  *Northern Bobwhite marilandicus – Only recorded 2 males and 1 female at Bellplain State Forest at 20/6
53.  *Clapper Rail crepitans – Some where around Wildwood at 18/6, I found even a nest
54.  *Virginia Rail limicola – At 16/6, 1/10 and 5/10 at the Southern Cape May Meadows, calling and seen
55.  *American coot americana – Two birds near the Hawk Watch but very elusive at 4 and 7/10
56.  *Lesser Sandhill Crane rowani – At Seeley 5 birds on a ploughed field
57.  Common Crane – At Seeley together with the Sandhill Cranes
58.  Black-bellied Plover – Almost daily recorded during both visits, most at Stone Harbour
59.  *Semipalmated Plover – Almost daily recorded during both visits, mostly Stone Harbour and the Sewage Works near the canal
60.  *Piping Plover – Daily at my first visit at Southern Cape May Meadows up to 10 birds with young, at my second visit 3 birds at 1/10 at Stone Harbour
61.  *Kildeer vociferus – First visit common, for example at Southern Cape May Meadows, second visit at a few dates at Stone Harbour
62.  *American Oystercatcher palliatus – At the first visit once been at Stone Harbour (19/6), second time every time recorded up to 50 birds there
63.  *Greater Yellowlegs – Common, mainly around Stone Harbour and Wildwood at both visits
64.  *Lesser Yellowlegs – Both visits recorded, in variable numbers
65.  *Solitary Sandpiper – Two birds at the Beanery at 5 and 6/10
66.  *Eastern Willet – During the first visit daily seen at Southern Cape May Meadows
*Western Willet – At 1/10, 3/10, 4/10 and 6/10 recorded at Stone Harbour
67.  Spotted Sandpiper – During my first visit daily at some sewage works just out Cape May left of the bridge past the channel
68.  *Hudsonian Whimbrel hudsonicus – A single bird at Forsythe at 2/10
69.  *Hudsonian Godwitt – About 25 birds at Stone Harbour at 29/9, one bird at 4/10
70.  *Marbled Godwitt beringiae –  At 3/10 two birds at Stone Harbour, 4 birds there at 6/10
71.  Ruddy Turnstone morinella – On few dates at Stone Harbour the second visit
72.  Red Knot rufa – On a few dates the second visit at Stone Harbour
73.  Sanderling – Both visits almost daily seen
74.  Semipalmated Sandpiper – Both visits recorded, but biggest numbers second visit mainly at Stone Harbour
75.  *Western Sandpiper – Recorded at Stone Harbour at several dates, few birds  (1,2 and 4/10)
76.  *Least Sandpiper – Seen at Stone Harbour a few birds at 29/9
77.  White-rumped Sandpiper – A single bird at the Southern Cape May meadows at 15/6
78.  Pectoral Sandpiper – Records at 29/9, 2/10 and 7/10
79.  Dunlin hudsonia – At 6/10 few birds at Stone Harbour
80.  *Short-billed Dowitcher griseus & hendersoni – At both visits regularly recorded, best spots Wildwood and Stone Harbour
81.  Long-billed Dowitcher – At Wildwood a single bird at 6/10
82.  *Wilson’s Snipe delicata  – At the Southern Cape May Meadows a bird at 30/9
83.  *American woodcock – A bird at dusk at Higbee Beach at 4/10
84.  Parasitic Jaeger – A single bird past the Southern Cape May Meadows at 19/6 and the day before probably the same bird from the ferry Lewis/Cape May. Two birds at 6/10 past Higbee Beach
85.  *Laughing Gull – Common at both visits
86.  *Ring-billed Gull – Common at both visits
87.  *American herring Gull smithsonianus – Common at both visits, mainly Stone Harbour
88.  Lesser Black-backed Gull – At the Concrete Ship an adult bird 6/10
89.  Great Black-backed Gull – At the concrete Ship an leucistic bird at 6/10, Found common on shores during the last visit
90.  Gull-billed Tern arenea – Two birds at the Southern Cape May meadows at 20/6
91.  Caspian Tern – Recorded at 4 and 6/10 at Southern Cape May Meadows
92.  *Royal Tern maxima – Recorded at both visits nearly daily, most at the Southern Cape May Meadows
93.  Roseate Tern dougalii – One bird at the start of the ferry to Lewis at Cape May Point on 18/6
94.  Common Tern hirundo –  At both visits regularly seen most near Stone Harbour
95.  *Forster’s Tern – At both visits in good numbers
96.  *Least Tern athalassos – Daily at my first visit, some birds with nest at Southern Cape May Meadows
97.  Black tern surinamensis – A single bird from the Lewis/Cape May ferry at 18/6
98.  *Black Skimmer niger – At the first visit daily up to several hundredths at Southern Cape May Meadows, Hawk watch, Stone Harbour and Wildwood. Second visit one bird at 29/9 at Stone Harbour
99.  Feral Pigeon - Common
100.   *Mourning Dove carolinensis  – At both visits common
101.   *Yellow-billed Cuckoo – At Bellplain State Forest at 20/6 (20+)
102.   *Eastern Screech-owl naevius – At the Beanery at 20/6
103.   *Great Horned Owl lagophonus – At 18/6 4 birds at Cape May Point and at Higbee Beach a bird at 4/10
104.   *Chimney Swift – At the first visit daily in good numbers, the second visit produced birds at 6/10 migrating above Higo Beach
105.   *Ruby-throated Hummingbird – A single bird at Bellplain State forest at 20/6
106.   *Belted Kingfisher alcyon – A male and female at Hidden Valley at 17/6 and during the second visit various birds at Higbee Beach
107.   *Red-bellied Woodpecker – At Southern Cape May meadows a single bird at 15/6
108.   *Yellow-bellied Sapsucker – Recorded at Higbee Beach at 29/9 and 2/10
109.   *Downy Woodpecker pubescens – Recorded at Bellplain State Forest at 20/6 and on few dates during the second visit, these birds where at Higbee Beach and Bellplain State Forest
110.   *Hairy Woodpecker villosus – Only recorded at Bellplain State Forest few birds at 20/6
111.   *Northern Flicker auratus – First visit at some dates around Cape May, Last visit daily in sometimes huge numbers at Higbee Beach
112.   *Eastern Kingbird – Few birds recorded at my first visit at Cape Henelopen at 18/6  and around the bird shop at 19/6
113.   *Great Crested Flycatcher – At the birdwatching centre a single bird at 16/6
114.   *Eastern Wood-Pewee – First visit only recorded at Bellplain State Forest at 20/6, second visit at Higbee Beach at 1/10 and 4/10
115.   *Eastern Phoebe – Between 3 and 7/10 daily recorded in variable numbers at Higbee Beach
116.   *Least Flycatcher – Recorded twice at Higbee Beach at 30/9 and 3/10 just single birds
117.   *Acadian Flycatcher – During the first visit recorded at Bellplain State Forest at 20/6,  second time only recorded at Higbee Beach a single bird on29/9
118.   *Willow Flycatcher traillii – Recorded at the Southern Cape May Meadows at 18/6  2 males
119.   *Tree Swallow – First visit few birds seen, second visit daily hunderds of birds at  Hawk Watch
120.   *Purple Martin – Few birds at Cape May village at 15/6
121.   Sand Martin – Few birds seen during the first visit, at the sewage pools near the canal
122.   *Northern Rough-winged Martin serripennis – First visit few seen mainly near the  canal, second visit at 7/10 thousands from the Hawk Watch
123.   *Cliff Swallow pyrrhonata – A bird between many other swallows at 7/10 at the Hawk Watch
124.   Barn Swallow erythrogaster – Common during the first visit.
125.   *Blue Jay cristata – Both visits daily seen at Higbee Beach and the Birdwatching centre
126.   *Fish Crow – Rarer and recorded few times at both visits, mostly at the Beanery
127.   *American Crow paulus – Both visits daily seen
128.   *Tufted Titmouse bicolor – First time only recorded at Bellplain State Forest at 20/6, second visit daily at Higbee Beach
129.   *Carolina Chickadee extimus – First visit few times seen, second visit daily at Higbee Beach
130.   *White-breasted Nuthatch caolinensis – Two birds at Bellplain State Forest at 20/6
131.   *Red-breasted Nuthatch – Recorded at Higbee Beach at 30/9 and 5/10 a few birds
132.   *Brown-headed Nuthatch pusilla – At Cape Henelopen (Delaware) two birds at 18/6
133.   *House Wren aedon  – Both visits on most days recorded
134.   *Carolina Wren ludovicianus –  First visit recorded on a few dates, at Bellplain State  Forest and the Birdwatching centre, second visit daily seen and heard at Higbee  Beach
135.   *Marsh wren palustris – First visit recorded on several dates at the Southern Cape May meadows and second time here twice at 1/10 and 5/10
136.   *Golden-crowned Kinglet satrapa – At the second visit daily in variable numbers,  mainly at Higbee Beach
137.   *Ruby-crowned Kinglet calendula – Second visit almost daily in variable numbers, mainly around Higbee Beach and the Bird Shop
138.   *Blue-gray Gnatcatcher caerula – Recorded at Bellplain State Forest at 20/6 and at 1/10 at Higbee Beach
139.   *Eastern Bluebird sialis – On my way to the Cranes to Seeley I recorded few birds at 5/10
140.   *Wood Trush – At Bellplain State Forest at 20/6 (20+) and a single bird at Higbee Beach at 2/10
141.   *American Robin nigrideus – First visit good numbers daily, second visit few dates  few birds
142.   *Loggerhead Shrike migrans – A bird at Chedar Ville
143.   *Gray Catbird – At both visits daily recorded
144.   *Northern Mockingbird polyglottos – Common at both visits
145.   *Brown Trasher rufum – Few birds at Cape Henelopen (Delaware) at 18/6, second visit daily in variable numbers at Higbee Beach
146.   Eurasian Starling principallis – At both visits daily recorded in sometimes huge numbers
147.   *White-eyed Vireo noveboracensis – Recorded at Stone Harbour at 19/6 and 2/10
148.   *Solitary Vireo solitarius – A bird at Higbee Beach at 7/10
149.   Red-eyed Vireo olivaceus – First visit 2 birds singing at Bellplain State Forest at 20/6 and the last visit daily found in variable numbers at Higbee Beach
150.   *Warbling Vireo gilvus – At Cape May Point at 18/6
151.   *Philadelphia Vireo – At Higbee Beach single birds at 30/9 and 6/10
152.   *American Pipit rubescens – A migrating bird at Higbee Beach at 29/9
153.   *Cedar Waxwing – At both visits almost daily seen
154.   *Blue-winged Warbler – Two males and a female at Bellplain State Forest at 20/6
155.   *Tennessee Warbler – At 4/10 and 7/10 few birds at Higbee Beach
156.   *Nashville Warbler ruficapilla – Last visit every day few birds at Higbee Beach
157.   *Northern Parula – At 3/10, 4/10, 5/10 and 7/10 in variable numbers at Higbee  Beach
158.   *Yellow Warbler rubiginosa – At the Southern Cape May Meadows few birds during  the first visit, second visit at Higbee Beach at 30/9, 4/10 and 7/10
159.   *Chestnut-sided Warbler – At 3/10 a single bird at Higbee Beach
160.   *Magnolia Warbler – At 1/10, 3/10, 4/10, 6/10 and 7/10 in low numbers at Higbee Beach
161.   *Cape May Warbler – A bird at the Hawk Watch at 7/10
162.   *Black-throated Blue Warbler caerulescens – At 1/10, 3/10, 4/10, 5/10 and 7/10 in sometimes good numbers at Higbee Beach
163.   Yellow-rumped Warbler coronata – Very common in the last visit.
164.   *Black-throated Green Warbler – At 4/10, 5/10 and 7/10 in low numbers at Higbee Beach
165.   *Yellow-throated Warbler dominica – Two males singing at Bellplain State Forest at  20/6 and at Higbee Beach single birds at 3/10 and 7/10
166.   *Pine Warbler pinus – Recorded at Cape Henelopen at 18/6 and 50+ at Bellplain  State Forest at 20/6. During the second visit twice recorded at Higbee Beach at 29/9 and 4/10
167.   *Prairie Warbler discolor –Twice a bird at Cape May Point at 15/6 and 18/6
168.   *Eastern Palm Warbler hypochrysea – Very common at Higbee Beach, but also at  other spots, only at the last visit.
           *Western Palm Warbler palmarum – At 3/10 few birds at Higbee Beach
169.   *Bay-breasted Warbler –  At 3/10 a single bird at Higbee Beach
170.   *Blackpoll Warbler – At 4/10, 5/10 and 7/10 recorded at Higbee Beach in low numbers
171.   *Black-and-white Warbler – Two males and a female at Bellplain at 20/6, my last  visit produced almost daily several birds at Higbee Beach.
172.   *American Redstart – Last visit daily several birds at Higbee Beach
173.   *Protonotory Warbler – Two males at Bellplain State Forest at 20/6
174.   *Ovenbird cinereus – At Bellplain State Forest at 20/6 (50+)
175.   *Northern Watertrush – A single bird at Bellplain State Forest at 20/6
176.   *Connecticut Warbler – A single bird at Higbee Beach at 2/10
177.   *Common Yellowthroat trichas – At the first visit daily at Southern Cape May  meadows and some other spots, last visit daily birds at Higbee Beach
178.   *Hooded Warbler – Four singing males at Bellplain State Forest at 20/6
179.   *Wilson’s Warbler pusilla – At 3/10 and 7/10 single birds at Higbee Beach
180.   *Yellow-breasted Chat virens – At Higbee Beach at 16/6 2 birds
181.   *Summer Tanager rubra – Three singing males at Bellplain State Forest at 20/6
182.   *Scarlet Tanager – At 3/10, 5/10 and 7/10 at Higbee Beach few birds seen
183.   *Eastern Towhee erythrophthalmus – During the first visit only recorded at Cape Henelopen (Delaware) on 18/6, during the second visit single birds at Higbee Beach   at 4/10, 5/10 and 7/10
184.   *Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow caudacutus & diversus – At Wildwood few birds at 18/6 and 2/10
185.   *Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrow – A bird at Higbee Beach at 2/10
186.   *Seaside Sparrow maritimus – At Wildwood 4 birds at 18/6, and a bird there at 29/9  and 6/10
187.   *Savannah Sparrow mediogriseus – Recorded during the second visit daily, mostly at Higbee Beach but good numbers also at Forsythe
188.   *Song Sparrow atlantica – First visit good numbers, second visit few birds at Higbee  Beach at  2/10 at 3/10
189.   *Field Sparrow – At Higbee Beach and Hidden Valley in good numbers during the  first visit
190.   *Chipping Sparrow passerina – At 5/10 a single bird at Higbee Beach
191.   *White-throated Sparrow – Recorded almost daily at the second visits on various  places
192.   *Lincoln’s Sparrow lincolnii – At 6/10 at Higbee Beach at 6/10
193.   *Swamp Sparrow ericrypta – Recorded almost daily at Higbee Beach in good numbers
194.   *Northern Cardinal cardinalis – Both visits daily
195.   *Rose-breasted Grosbeak – Recorded at 3 and 6/10 at Higbee Beach few birds
196.   *Blue Grosbeak caerulea – Only seen at Higbee Beach at 16/6 two birds
197.   *Indigo Bunting – First visit more common than second but daily seen, mainly around Higbee Beach and the Beanery
198.   *Bobolink – At Higbee Beach few birds at 3/10, 5/10 and 7/10
199.   *Red-winged Blackbird phoeniceus – Daily seen at both visits
200.   *Rusty Blackbird carolinus – Second visit daily recorded
201.   *Brown-headed Cowbird ater – Second visit daily recorded, most at Higbee Beach
202.   *Common Grackle stonei – Both visits regularly seen
203.   *Boat-tailed Crackle torreyi – Both visits around in various numbers
204.   *Orchard Oriole spurius – Recorded singing at Cape May point at 18/6
205.   *Baltimore Oriole – A male at Bellplain State Forest at 20/6 and a other bird at Higo Beach at 6/10
206.   *American Goldfinch tristis – Seen regularly during both visits, easiest at the most northerly bird centre
207.   *House Finch (escape) – At Cape May village at both visits recorded.
208.   House Sparrow – Daily seen both visits

Why not send us a report, or an update to one of your current reports?

Back to top	Back to Birdtours.co.uk
	Recommended Books, Worldbirder.com