5-17-25 SHORT HILLS: It’s been a few days, but I will finish Cape May, days two and three. The first thing on Wednesday was the morning cruise on The Osprey, a pontoon boat that can get very close to the mud flats in the wetlands. Some shore birds and coastal birds live and nest in the wetlands, while others are resting on their way to Arctic nesting areas. The crew are very up on the birds, and very good at spotting them.
We saw—sandpipers, oystercatchers, dowitchers, plovers, brants, rails, skimmers, scoters, terns, dunlins, gulls, turnstones, red knots, loons, egrets, ibises, herons and more. I have lots of pix.
After lunch, the weather cleared up and we went to see the beach. Happily there was an ice cream stand nearby. There was moderate surf, a sea breeze, and a couple of guys trying to surf, but the waves were breaking on the shore. Then it was naps or walks until dinner at the Washington Inn.
It's important to note that Cape May was originally a black settlement, Harriet Tubman lived there, and it was a stop on the underground railroad.
The next morning after another elaborate breakfast at the Mason Cottage, we took a bus tour of the town, emphasising history and architecture—be warned—more pix. Then lunch and the GSP home.
Male Surf Scoter, one of a group of three frequently diving. The Osprey before our three hour cruise. One of several Osprey nests, all with chicks. We also saw an eagle nest with two eaglets. One of many Terns we saw, this one has a small fish in its beak, many perched like this one around marinas. Loon looking for lunch. Cormorant drying off, notice how foggy it was. A sandy beach in the fog with sandpipers. Judy's favorite, a Tern coming in for a landing. Brants, a kind of goose, on the water and lots of Laughing Gulls nesting on the land, the one in front is carrying nesting material. Plovers, Dowitchers, Red Knots, Dunlins in the marsh. Clapper Rail. American Oystercatcher. An island with trees and Egrets and Ibises nesting, there was also a Black-Crowned Night Heron nest and an RWB. Black Skimmer cruising the beach. Dunlin, Semipalmated Plovers. More Surf Scoters. Black Scoter. On to the town, atypical B + B. An early Hotel with lots of gingerbread. The Harriet Tubman Museum.