Seasonal Research

Week 6 proved to be a challenging one! The week started with breezy, overcast mornings, with southeast winds on Sunday switching to south, bringing in a slow trickle of songbirds. The breeze picked up throughout Monday, bringing a decent variety of species on an otherwise overcast day, in the ever-looming…...

Week 5 brought a little bit of everything! The week began on a rainy note, delaying net opening with off-and-on conditions throughout the day. While Monday was slow and windy, overnight radar showed potential for a strong push of migrants on Tuesday, but that potential was offset by northeast winds.…...

Week 4 of the Cape May Songbird Stopover Project proved very eventful, with migration picking up in both numbers and diversity throughout the week. From Northern Waterthrush migration in full swing to a steady flow of season’s firsts, there was plenty to keep our banders on their toes. A quick…...

As August came to a close and September began, summer’s heat stuck around Cape May, with sunny, humid days occasionally interrupted by breezy conditions. Despite the heat, migration continued to pick up, bringing more species, more birds, and some exciting highlights for our banding team. Week 3 began with solid…...

The 2026 Cape May Songbird Stopover Project is officially underway! Banding began Tuesday, August 18, with 32 captures, kicking off a hot, sunny, humid, and occasionally windy start to the season. Despite an unusually high number of mosquitoes, our banders persisted and processed a total of 764 birds. Impressive! This…...

As the fall migration season drew to a close, Week 12 of the Cape May Songbird Stopover Project delivered a fitting finale. This week was full of weather shifts, migration surprises, and a celebration of another successful season at the South Cape May Meadows. After days of high winds and…...

Week 11 of the Cape May Songbird Stopover Project brought the full spectrum of fall migration with busy nets, changing winds, and a reminder that weather always has the final say. The week began on a high note, with a remarkable 618 new birds banded over just two days. On…...