Cape May Point Beach in June

By Luke Musher

American Oystercatcher, Cape May, NJ

This afternoon, I went out to Cape May Point State Park to watch the terns that have been hanging around.  Species seen have included Common, Forster's, Least (these first three breed commonly in the area), Royal (Tom Reed watched two copulate a few days ago, but where are they breeding?), Black, Sandwich, and Roseate over the past week or two.  I walked the beach, but didn't find the terns for a little while.  They were in the roped in Piping Plover/Least Tern nesting area roosting with Black Skimmers, at least one of which, but likely several more, was on a nest.

American Oystercatcher, Cape May, NJ

Northern Rough-winged Swallow leaving its nest in the WWII Bunker with a fecal sac, Cape May, NJ

Laughing Gull, Cape May, NJ

I checked the flock of terns and waited around for about 20 minutes, but no Roseate or Black terns were present.  I was leaving when I bumped into Tom Reed who was on his way out to watch the terns until sunset.  I decided I'd stick around.  After some patience Tom noticed a Black Tern that somehow snuck by us and was now roosting with the flock.  That kept us busy for a while, but at around 8 o'clock a gorgeous Roseate Tern also joined.  We also had one third-cycle Lesser Black-backed Gull way up the beach (in front of the meadows?).

Black Skimmers (and Black Tern behind), Cape May, NJ

Black Tern, Cape May, NJ

Black Tern, Cape May, NJ

Roseate Tern (center) with Common Terns, Cape May, NJ

Roseate Tern (center) with Common Terns, Cape May, NJ

Roseate Tern (center) with Common Terns, Cape May, NJ

Roseate Tern (center) with Common, Forster's, and Black Tern (way right), Cape May, NJ