Week 8 of the Cape May Songbird Stopover Project at The Nature Conservancy’s South Cape May Meadows brought an exciting mix of quiet moments, steady work, and one absolutely insane banding day! The week began on October 5 with a delightful surprise — our first Ruby-crowned Kinglet of the season! This tiny burst of yellow and red energy lifted everyone’s spirits on what was otherwise a very slow day, with just 20 birds newly banded and released.
The next two days continued at a calmer pace, giving the team a chance to focus on some important research tasks. Four Gray Catbirds were fitted with CTT transmitters, adding to our growing data on local movement and stopover behavior. These quieter days are always valuable for maintenance and prep because, as Cape May often reminds us, a big push of migrants can arrive overnight.
And that push came spectacularly on Thursday, October 9. After a rainy Wednesday, migration conditions lined up perfectly, and the Meadow was suddenly alive with birds. The team had their busiest day of the season so far. An incredible 476 newly banded birds in one day! Highlights included three seasons first: Blue-headed Vireo, Golden-crowned Kinglet, and White-throated Sparrow. It was an all-hands-on-deck kind of morning, with nets full and spirits high.
The final days of the week stayed active, though nothing quite matched Thursday’s frenzy. On Saturday, October 11, sparrows took center stage, with four different species (White-throated Sparrows, Savannah Sparrows, Song Sparrows, and Swamp Sparrows!) banded in one day. A true sign that fall migration is well underway.
By the end of Week 8, the team had banded a total of 659 new birds, marking another successful chapter in the 2025 migration season. With the weather cooling and sparrow numbers climbing, we can’t wait to see what Week 9 will bring to the meadows!
All bird capture, handling, and banding are authorized under appropriate state and federal permits.
Blue-headed Vireo by Noah Nei
Golden-crowned Kinglet by Noah Nei
Gray Catbird with a BluBat Transmitter by Maia Nguyen
