Seasonal Research

MORNING FLIGHT SONGBIRD COUNT 2022 – August 9-16 Summary

Bad photos of good birds are a common theme of morning flight watches and this Cerulean Warbler that came past on Wednesday was certainly no exception. Photo by Gautam Apte. After the unfavorable migration conditions that plagued most of last week, we saw a shift to north winds at the…...

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MORNING FLIGHT SONGBIRD COUNT 2022: August 1-8 Summary

This Worm-eating Warbler passed over the dike on August 3rd. The species is a low-density migrant and is always an exciting bird to see in morning flight! Photo © Gautam Apte.   BY GAUTAM APTE 2022 Morning Flight Counter The 20th official season of Cape May Bird Observatory’s morning flight…...

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CAPE MAY SPRINGWATCH: Mid-late May Summary

  Did we save the best for last? This Gray Kingbird, a very rare overshoot from the South, flew past the Springwatch on our last day of operation, May 31. It represents just the 9th Cape May record for the species. Photo © Jesse Amesbury. BY TOM REED & JESSE AMESBURY…...

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CAPE MAY SPRINGWATCH: Early-Mid May Summary

  Clapper Rail is far from the most likely bird one might expect to see in the dunes at Cape May Point, but this one was encountered after a significant nocturnal movement of the species the night before. Photo © Tom Reed. BY TOM REED & JESSE AMESBURY Summary Less-than-stellar…...

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CAPE MAY SPRINGWATCH: Mid-Late April Summary

  Tree Swallows battle the wind and cold at Cape May Point on April 28th. Where did they come from and where are they going–especially the ones that crossed the bay toward Delaware? Photo © Jesse Amesbury. BY TOM REED & JESSE AMESBURY Summary Late April typically serves as a…...

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Cape May Springwatch: Early-Mid April Summary

Cover Photo: Yellow-throated Warbler is a low-density migrant at Cape Island during spring and fall, and always makes for an exciting find at the Springwatch. This one spent a few minutes feeding in the pines near the count platform on April 2nd. Photo © Tom Reed.   BY TOM REED…...

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Avalon Seawatch Update: November 3rd – 23rd

A group of Wood Ducks migrating in the early morning. The West winds have provided a good diversity and abundance of non-scoter ducks, which provides a good ID challenge in the morning light. Hello Everyone! Things have been quite busy over at the Seawatch the past few weeks; thanks to…...

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Final Cape May Hawkwatch Update: November 19th – 30th

After ninety-one consecutive days of counting migrating birds of prey, the 2021 autumn season has officially ended. Keep reading to find out the grand total of raptors counted this season! First, I need to cover the final leg of the season.  After a slow start to the beginning of November,…...

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