Page 106
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Bird Droppings ? From Page 105 of course, lots of terns. The salt marshes are alive with herons and egrets. One hundred years ago, the birds were rare in New Jersey. Now, after a century of conservation, the birds are once again common. It’s funny, really, but when people think of wildlife they think of places like Florida and Alaska. The truth is that New Jersey’s wildlife riches are equal to any place. We have natural spectacles here that other celebrated states only dream of offering visitors. Great concentrations of migrating shorebirds, Purple Martins, songbirds and birds of prey. No, of course not now. It’s summer. The birds have spread out. Apportioned themselves across the northern hemisphere. Taken advantage of seasonal warmth and a super abundance of food. Okay, I guess you can find a pretty good concentration of Laughing Gulls breeding locally. In fact, the largest concentration of breeding Laughing Gulls in the world is found in the marshes behind Stone Harbor. This is just one of the spectacles you’ll see on one of our CMBO-sponsored birding by boat trips.
Look for a Least Bittern in the meadows. Come June, the first southbound birds enter Cape May airspace and the focus of the CMBO’s walks shifts. Want to experience yourself what I’m writing about? A CMBO field trip is in your future. Just stop by the Cape May Bird Observatory and ask any of the staff or volunteers and they’ll be glad to show you what’s on our schedule. Then you’ll see why the Cape May Bird Observatory is THE place to come for all your nature needs.
The CMBO, located at 701 East Lake Drive overlooking Lake Lily in Cape May Point, is open every day from 9:30am to 4:30pm except Tuesdays through August. While you're there, check out the view of the lake from the wide selection of scopes and binoculars, pick up a schedule of daily walks, take a look at the sighting sheets to check what's being seen, scan the bookshelves or pick up a bargain from the used and vintage books section, look at some of the wonderful Charley Harper merchandise (including a terrific lithograph done just for the Cape May Bird Observatory), or just browse around. Sit outside on our garden benches and enjoy the birds at the feeders and the view of Lake Lily. If you can’t make it in person, visit us online www.BirdCapeMay. org – where birding Cape May is only a click away! Seymore Thanu is none other than New Jersey's own Pete Dunne, Director of the Cape May Bird Observatory and Chief Communications Officer for New Jersey Audubon. Pete uses his talents and energy to make the natural world real for others. Author of several books on and about nature (available at the CMBO) he weaves information, insight and even fantasy into a net that captures minds and hearts. He has written for virtually every birding publication and for The New York Times.
Earning your trust... one boat at a time. Robert C. Ransom, a lifelong resident of the Cape May area, has been fishing and boating since the ripe old age of seven. Times have changed... but Robert’s love for the water never has.
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Phone: 609.425.7570 • Fax: 609.884.5035 Web: www.unitedyacht.com/Robert E-mail: robert@unitedyacht.com