Many birds migrate along the Atlantic coast. Land birds fly over the beaches, dunes, fields, and forests near the shore. Water birds move over the ocean itself. Geography brings many water birds close to shore along the coast of southern New Jersey. Spring migration is often excellent; fall migration is always spectacular, as nearly a million birds are counted flying south over the ocean here.
Since 1993, Cape May Bird Observatory’s Avalon Sea Watch has tallied
the coastal migration of many so
uthbound water birds: loons, grebes,
cormorants, gannets, pelicans, ducks, geese, herons, egrets, swans,
gulls, terns, jaegers, and alcids.
The average fall count is almost 800,000 birds, but in some years it approaches one million. More remarkable yet is that 70 percent of the migration, which includes over 75 species, occurs during a five week period (about October 7 to November 14). Double-crested Cormorant, Surf and Black Scoter, Red-throated Loon, and Northern Gannet, are the most abundant species, accounting for nearly 80% of the total flight.
Surprises come every year. The Sea Watch rarities list includes Atlantic Puffin, Long-billed Curlew, Wood Stork, Pacific Loon, California Gull, and Sandhill Crane. Pomarine Jaeger, Black-legged Kittiwake, Common Eider, King Eider and Razorbill are seen every year with a few exceptions.
In 1978 Dave Ward, an Avalon resident, discovered this spectacular migration event and began a part-time watch that monitored most peak fall flights through 1992. Through the volunteer efforts of Dave, Clay Sutton, Fred Mears, and others, CMBO’s Avalon Sea Watch became the East Coast’s first full-season sea watch in 1993.
Currently, we use the count data to assess changes in Atlantic Flyway water bird populations, and to understand how large-scale weather systems and ocean temperatures affect water bird migration.
The Sea Watch is conducted at the north end of Avalon, where 7th
Street meets the sea wall.
This location is ideal because the
northern tip of Avalon extends a mile farther out into the ocean
than the coastline to the north. Southbound seabirds following the
coastline pass very close to this beachfront. Birds are counted
seven days a week, dawn to dusk, from Sept. 22 through Dec. 22.
Sea watching requires incredible skill and perseverance. Our Sea Watch staff is always happy to greet visitors, point out migrating birds, and talk about the project. Join them for a few hours to see a slice of the migration.
Support for the Avalon Sea Watch comes from Kowa Sporting Optics. Kowa binoculars and spotting scopes are considered among the finest in birding optics. Kowa optics are available at both Cape May Bird Observatory centers. Additional support comes from the generous contributions of visitors to the Sea Watch and from CMBO members.