Our yearly family camping trips took us to Assateague Island, Maryland. Our sons were off from school so camping occurred somewhere between late June until fall sports’ practice began in mid-August. The attraction was the sun, sand and surf. I squeezed in some birding then, but I was limited to seeing the summer breeding birds. A career change allowed me to take a few vacation days in fall and we found that the ocean was still rather warm, the beaches were relatively empty, and bird migration was in full swing. I’m no longer camping, but discovered some great birding a little closer to home and a bit farther north, Cape May, New Jersey.

If you have a chance to spend a few days away and enjoy birding, I recommend Cape May in early to mid-October. There are oodles of hotels available but if you don’t want to have that expense, just leave before daylight and in a few hours, you are at your destination. A full day of birding will offer up some neat finds and allow you to revel in the wonders of migration.

Cape May Point, where the Cape May lighthouse is located, is the site of the official hawk watching station. There is a large parking lot and only a few steps to a large raised platform overlooking some ponds and shoreline vegetation. As long as you don’t choose a rainy day, there will be many raptors zipping by. Some oblige by circling overhead. If you are a beginning birder, a number of official counters and birding experts are scattered all around this platform. They’ll either be “calling out” what is overheard or will be close by for you to ask.

If you “hit” a good day, hundreds or maybe thousands of raptors can be seen. Unlike Hawk Mountain or Bake Oven Knob, you will see almost no broad-winged hawks, but accipiters and falcons will keep you entertained. Peregrine falcons, and their cousins merlins and kestrels, are the falcon species. Sharp-shinned hawks and cooper’s hawks are the accipiter species.

The reason Cape May is a good hawk migration lookout is because, unlike many of the smaller migrants like warblers and tanagers which make migrations across the Gulf of Mexico, raptors hesitate crossing open water. These birds may circle and congregate until they decide to make the flight across Delaware Bay.

As a special treat when you are there, is the tree swallow flights. If conditions are just “right” you could see flocks of tree swallows feeding over the pond or looking like very large gnats swarming overhead. Northern flickers, with their white rump spots, are also migrating through and hoping to evade some of the accipiters. Migrating ducks and shorebirds will be there as well. Hopefully, a good monarch breeding year will have occurred and migrating monarchs will be streaming by all day. If that isn’t enough to see, add in regular sightings of bald eagles, ospreys and vultures.

On your way to Cape May point there is a wildlife area I like to visit early in morning. It is The Meadows Preserve, about one mile from Cape May Point and the beautiful lighthouse. There are wide sandy trails (roads) to walk and mostly low vegetation (primarily bay berry bushes) all around. A large pond is where swans and a good variety of ducks can be seen. The shrubs are “loaded” with migrating yellow rumpled, black and white, and parula warblers. Throw in brown thrashers, catbirds, and hawks, just above your heads hunting for them, will keep you excited.

Bake Oven Knob, Hawk Mountain, or Cape May, no matter which you choose, will offer some wonderful migration sightings. So find some time, get to one of those, or just “Get Out There” close to home.

Test Your Outdoor Knowledge: A squirrel’s nest is called a (n): A. man cave B. niche C. drey D. aerie

Last Week’s Trivia Answer: Weasels feed 5 to 10 times a day.