A Short Sunny Sunday Morning Hike In The South Cape May Meadows In New Jersey
During my recent visit to Cape May, New Jersey , a cold front passed through early Sunday morning. The skies were clear, with a brisk northwesterly breeze and a cooler 63 degrees when I awoke at my hotel. It was my last day in Cape May so I wanted to get in a five mile hike before I left. So, instead of waiting for the sun to rise over the ocean across from my hotel I drove to the South Cape May Meadows Welcome Center before the sunrise. I wanted to get started on my hike and watch the sun from the trail in the meadows.
There was only one other car in the parking lot when I arrived,
and began my hike on the East Trail in the morning twilight.
I remembered there was an observation deck along this trail and I thought this may be a good place to watch the sun rise in the clear skies. I walked on the trail through a meadow of reeds.
I came to, and climbed, the observation deck. I enjoyed the quiet pre-dawn solitude of the marshes and meadows from atop the deck.
There were a few Canada geese and mute swans on a pond below the deck.
I waited for the sun to rise in the east,
and watched as it illuminated the Cape May Lighthouse, and,
clouds on the distant horizon.
After watching the sun rise I continued my hike on the East Trail through the meadow of reeds. Although I heard a few song sparrows, savannah sparrows and swamp sparrows, I was only able to photograph this swamp sparrow.
There were also a few yellow-rumped warblers fluttering in the reeds. I was again disappointed there weren’t the flocks of migrating song birds I hoped to see on my visit to Cape May. However, I read on the birding sites that a large migration was underway as a result of the arrival of the cold front and the winds blowing from the northwest. Unfortunately, it looked that they wouldn’t arrive until arrive I had left.
The trail took me past the ponds where I saw the large flock of green winged teal on Friday,
and a few were still swimming on the pond in the early morning sunshine. I was surprised there weren’t more wading or shore birds on the ponds.
After about a mile I came to a spur trail that veeered off from the wide gravel East Trail. The trail was narrow and followed the dunes along the ocean I could hear the roar of the waves as I follwed the 1/2 mile spur trail through a reed meadow,
with some small oak and conifer trees.
Here I seen the first flock of migrating birds. It was a large flock of northern flickers,
there were dozens of them flying overhead and land on the branches of the trees along the trail.
I also now saw dozens of yellow-rumped warblers, the birds which inspired this visit. I am sure they may have been other migrating birds in the meadows, however , I couldn’t stop very long to wait and try and photograph them since I had to check out of my hotel and had home.
I followed the spur trail through
some thick vegeation where I saw a palm warbler on the ground along the trail.
The trail ended and I returned back to the East Trail,
and watched an osprey fly overhead while I walked.
When I returned to the East Trail I now saw quite a few people walking on the trail in the morning sunshine. Most were birding and had cameras or binoculars. I now followed the Dune Trail through the meadow,and came to the Plover Trail which took me past h long Plover ponds,
here I saw some shore and wading birds including a few mute swans,
some, I believe, blue winged teals,
these mallard ducks and great yellowlegs
The trail would have taken me to the Cape May Lighthouse. I had only walked about 2 1/2 hours but I wanted to be on my way home by 10 a.m. and it was already approaching 9 a.m. so I decided to begin my hike back to the parking lot.
I took the Main Trail back this time walking on the boardwalk I had hiked on Friday afternoon. I saw a lot more northern flickers and yellow-rumped warbler, and this short shinned hawk flew overhead, but the migratory warblers I came to see didn’t show up,
I did see a few monarch butterflies on my return hike. These butterflies also migrate south in the Winter. I saw about a dozen of them , more than I saw all Summer in Northeastern Pennsylvania. They are endangered due ot lose of habitat for the milkweed plants on which the feed and the loss of they Winter homes in Mexico.
I also saw this common buckeye butterfly on my walk.
I returned to the parking area and, as I was ready to enter my Jeep I heard the beautiful song of a northern mockingbird in a tree. These were one of my dads favorite birds and every time I see one I am reminded he is still with me on my travels.
The mockingird flew up to a utility wire and serenaded me with a farewell song. Here is a link to a gallery on my blog webpage with some more photos of the birds I saw on my hike. Cape May Meadows birds October 6 2024.
Although I didn’t see, orv share photos of the migrating song birds I hoped I’d find at Cape May, it was still a wonderful weekend and I hope to return a lot sooner than the 25 years since my last visit. Here is a link to a gallery on my blog webpage with some more photos from my hike. Cape May Meadows October 6 2024.
I think that Jersey Shore is awesome. I’ve gone to Cape May every summer of my life.” Anne Hathaway
“The waves of the sea help me get back to me.”- Jill Davis, Writer
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