Spot All Three Falcon Species This Fall at Cape May Hawkwatch

Issue #458

September 17, 2025

In This Cape May Local Scoop Issue…

 📆 Cape May Events

☀️ Cape May Local Weather

🍀Spot All Three Falcon Species This Fall at Cape May Hawkwatch

🐶 Stone Harbor Man Discovers Heartfelt Message in a Bottle

🏊 Simonsen Urges Action on Housing, Transit, and Energy in Cape May County

Cape May Local Scoop’s Events Are Sponsored By: East Lynne Theater Company’s Fundraising Gala

👇 Here’s what’s going on in the Cape May Local Area👇  

 September 17

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Spot All Three Falcon Species This Fall at Cape May Hawkwatch

Cape May’s fall migration season offers the perfect chance to spot New Jersey’s three most common falcon species—American Kestrel, Merlin, and Peregrine Falcon—in one visit. From the tiny, colorful kestrel to the powerhouse Peregrine, these birds are best viewed at the Cape May Hawkwatch Platform through October. Staff and volunteers are on site to help identify birds and answer questions, and some lucky guests may even get a close-up look at a raptor being banded for scientific research, courtesy of the Cape May Raptor Banding Project. With falcons soaring overhead and the fall skies alive with movement, there’s no better time to connect with the wild world—right in our own backyard.

Stone Harbor Man Discovers Heartfelt Message in a Bottle

 Stone Harbor resident Doug Basile found a message in a bottle while cleaning litter from the beach.  Inside was a carefully rolled note from a woman named Kim. In her message, she described what she believed might be her final beach day with her 85-year-old mother, expressing gratitude and emotion tied to the moment. What made the discovery even more poignant was Doug’s own personal experience. He had recently lost his mother, also at the age of 85, just this past summer. The letter, meant for no one in particular, somehow found its way to someone who intimately understood its significance. For Doug, the message felt like more than coincidence. It was a quiet, serendipitous reminder of shared human experience—delivered gently by the sea.

 Simonsen Urges Action on Housing, Transit, and Energy in Cape May County

Assemblyman Erik Simonsen was honored with a key to Lower Township for his 30 years in education, including roles as a teacher, coach, and administrator. Having also served as mayor, the longtime Cape May County resident, is prioritizing education funding, economic development, and infrastructure improvements in his political platform. He seeks to address the region’s high cost of living, seasonal economy, inadequate transportation, and social challenges like homelessness and mental health. Simonsen supports expanding year-round tourism, improving transit, and investing in nuclear and natural gas energy over wind power. He also calls for a more realistic approach to climate regulations and community-based support programs for vulnerable populations.

What Victorian-era Cape May mansion, now a museum, is one of the best-preserved examples of "Stick Style" architecture in the area?

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Answer to the September 16th Trivia Question

Cape May's Washington Street Mall is known for which of the following?

A) Amusement park rides
B) A historic open-air shopping district
C) The oldest winery in New Jersey
D) A famous pier for fishing

Answer: B) A historic and festive open-air shopping district.

Washington Street Mall is a popular open-air shopping district in Cape May, known for its quaint shops, restaurants, and boutiques. It’s a favorite spot for both locals and tourists, offering a charming and historic atmosphere.​

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