Week 10 at The Nature Conservancy’s South Cape May Meadows was nothing short of magnificent. Migration continued in full swing, and the air over Cape May seemed to shimmer with wings — most of them belonging to one unmistakable fall favorite: the Yellow-rumped Warbler.
After the record-breaking rush of Week 9, the team might have expected things to slow down a bit. Instead, every single day this week was a triple-digit banding day, keeping everyone moving from sunrise into the early afternoon. The Meadows was alive with birds, the trees and dunes chattering with flocks of “butter butts,” as the Yellow-rumps are affectionately known.
By the end of the week, the numbers told the story of a truly remarkable stretch: 2,057 birds banded in total, with a staggering 1,794 of them being Yellow-rumped Warblers (MYWA). Their dominance this week was a vivid reminder of how abundant this hardy, adaptable species becomes as fall deepens — feeding on bayberries, swirling overhead, and filling nearly every mist net at the station.
But the week wasn’t just about numbers. On Friday, October 24, the team was treated to a very special moment: the capture of a Vesper Sparrow, a first-of-season and first-ever for the banding station! This subtly beautiful grassland bird drew plenty of admiration from those lucky enough to get a quick look before it was released back into the Meadows, a fitting guest for such an exceptional week of migration.
Week 10 was another high point in an already incredible season, with the team working tirelessly amid waves of migrants and fall colors beginning to glow across Cape May. As the days grow shorter and cooler, the Yellow-rumped Warblers will eventually thin out, but for now, the South Cape May Meadows is brimming with their energy!
Stay tuned for Week 11 — migration may be starting to wind down, but Cape May always has a few surprises left before the season ends.
All bird capture, handling, and banding are authorized under appropriate state and federal permits.
Lincoln’s Sparrow by Stephanie Bartlett
Vesper Sparrow by Noah Nei
White-throated Sparrow by Noah Nei
