The Nature Conservancy in New Jersey & NJ Audubon co-hosted an inclusive birding outing and nature preserve tour as part of Birdability Week, a week-long celebration filled with engaging virtual and in-person events designed to connect birders of all abilities. Two accessible outings were held at the South Cape May Meadows preserve of Friday, October 25th, and Saturday, October 26th. Together, at a leisurely pace, we explored the diverse habitats of the Meadows and enjoyed the newly opened ADA Boardwalk on the property. An American Sign Language interpreter was also present for both tours.
Leaders: Adehl Schwaderer. Kristal Stahler, Erika Iouriev, Phoebe Lanzone
Temp:
Winds:
Weather Conditions: warm, breezy morning
Our group traversed the entire mile-and-a-half loop of the Meadows. From the observation tower, we spotted a hunting peregrine falcon, several species of feeding ducks and migrating double-crested cormorants. By the time we reached the new boardwalk, we had seen several sharp-shinned and Cooper’s hawks, as well as startled a woodcock to fly across the path! The addition of Emily, our ASL Interpreter, made the experience even more enjoyable and allowed us to make the natural world more accessible to all our participants.
28 species
| Species | Count |
| Canada Goose | 14 |
| Mute Swan | 8 |
| Blue-winged Teal | 4 |
| Mallard | 11 |
| American Black Duck | 2 |
| Green-winged Teal | 9 |
| Mourning Dove | 4 |
| Killdeer | 2 |
| American Woodcock | 1 |
| American Herring Gull | 3 |
| Double-crested Cormorant | 100 |
| Great Egret | 4 |
| Black Vulture | 5 |
| Turkey Vulture | 21 |
| Osprey | 1 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 3 |
| Cooper’s Hawk | 5 |
| Northern Harrier | 1 |
| Peregrine Falcon | 1 |
| Blue Jay | 2 |
| American Crow | 2 |
| Tree Swallow | 150 |
| Carolina Wren | 1 |
| Northern Mockingbird | 1 |
| American Robin | 35 |
| American Goldfinch | 1 |
| Swamp Sparrow | 1 |
| Yellow-rumped Warbler | 75 |
