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Cape May’s Fall Migration Offers a Front-Row Seat to Thousands of Raptors

Issue #816

September 21, 2026

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In This Cape May Local Scoop Issue…

 📆 Cape May Events

☀️ Cape May Local Weather 

🐦‍🔥Cape May’s Fall Migration Offers a Front-Row Seat to Thousands of Raptors

 🐶Cape May Goes to the Dogs for Annual Rusty Nail Pageant

🛟Young Man From Turkey Dies Following North Wildwood Ocean Rescue

Cape May Local Scoop’s Events Are Sponsored By: Shop Local

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

 September 21

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Cape May’s Fall Migration Offers a Front-Row Seat to Thousands of Raptors

Fall migration is underway in Cape May, bringing hawks, falcons, eagles and other birds of prey over one of North America’s most celebrated bird-watching locations.

The Cape May Bird Observatory is giving visitors an opportunity to learn how experienced hawk watchers find and identify migrating raptors during weekend programs at Cape May Point State Park.

One family-friendly program focuses on the skills used to distinguish birds that can be challenging for beginners to identify, including Sharp-shinned and Cooper’s hawks. Participants can also learn how observers locate distant Bald Eagles and recognize other raptors passing high overhead.

The half-hour program is scheduled every Saturday and Sunday through Oct. 11, from 9:30 to 10 a.m.

No preregistration is required. Participants meet at the East Shelter, the picnic pavilion next to the park’s Hawkwatch Platform.

For visitors interested in spending more time exploring the park, CMBO naturalists are also leading Hawks, Trails & Beach, a two-hour Saturday walk through Cape May Point State Park.

The walks are scheduled Saturdays through Nov. 7, from 10 a.m. to noon, and preregistration is required.

While hawks are a major attraction, the walks provide opportunities to find a much broader range of migrating wildlife. Falcons can move through the area during strong flights, while seabirds and shorebirds may be spotted passing offshore or resting along the beach. Songbirds can also be found along the park's trails.

Cape May’s geography is one of the main reasons the area has become internationally known for migration.

The peninsula is an extension of New Jersey’s coastal plain, bordered by Delaware Bay to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. During fall migration, that geography acts as a natural funnel, concentrating southbound birds as they approach Cape May Point.

That effect is particularly important for observing birds of prey. Raptors are naturally less abundant than the animals they hunt, making species such as Cooper’s Hawks and Merlins difficult to encounter consistently during much of the year. Migration can dramatically change the equation by concentrating large numbers of birds along geographic corridors.

Few days illustrate Cape May’s potential better than Oct. 4, 1977.

Following several consecutive days of northwest winds, an extraordinary migration unfolded over Cape May Point. Sharp-shinned Hawks began streaming past early in the morning, followed by large numbers of Broad-winged Hawks and other raptors.

By the end of the day, observers had counted approximately 21,800 hawks, including about 11,000 Sharp-shinned Hawks and 9,400 Broad-winged Hawks.

The remarkable flight helped establish Cape May Point’s reputation as the “Raptor Capital of North America.”

Nearly five decades later, the annual fall migration continues to bring birders and curious visitors to Cape May Point to scan the skies.

For newcomers, the weekend programs provide a chance to learn what veteran hawk watchers already know: sometimes the first challenge isn't identifying the bird overhead — it's learning where to look.

Cape May Goes to the Dogs for Annual Rusty Nail Pageant

The annual Rusty Nail Doggie Pageant returned to Cape May on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026, bringing together dogs, their families and spectators for an afternoon of friendly competition and fundraising. Held at The Rusty Nail on Beach Avenue, the popular tradition has been entertaining Cape May crowds since it was founded by Lisa Johnson in 2013.

Ten dogs advanced to the live competition after being selected through a public social media voting process. Once at the pageant, the finalists competed in three categories — style, tricks and musical chairs — as judges evaluated their performances and personalities.

Piper, a 9-year-old Bichon Poodle owned by Lindsey Harper and her family, emerged as the 2026 grand champion. Piper received a $250 Rusty Nail gift card as well as a basket filled with prizes and goodies.

The judging panel featured reigning Miss New Jersey Kylie Gene Wright, dog trainer and 2015 pageant winner Bob Wharton, and local radio personality Harry Hurley.

While the dogs provided plenty of entertainment, the event also supported a local cause. Proceeds benefited Animal Outreach of Cape May County, a nonprofit organization that helps animals in need throughout the community.

Young Man From Turkey Dies Following North Wildwood Ocean Rescue

A 21-year-old man from Turkey died after being pulled unconscious from the ocean near 2nd Avenue in North Wildwood on Thursday afternoon. Surfers and civilians brought Ahmet Yimenici to shore before emergency crews arrived and began lifesaving efforts. He was transported to Cooper University Hospital Cape Regional, where he was pronounced dead. Police said foul play is not suspected and reminded beachgoers to swim only when lifeguards are on duty.

What body of water lies immediately west of Cape May

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 Answer to the September 20th Trivia Question 

Which building in Cape May was designed by architect Stephen Decatur Button and became one of his most well-known works in the city?

A) The Mount Vernon Hotel
B) The Emlen Physick Estate
C) The Windsor Hotel
D) The Columbia Hotel

Answer: C) The Windsor Hotel

Stephen Decatur Button designed the Windsor Hotel along with several other notable buildings in Cape May, contributing significantly to the city's architectural heritage.

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