Cape May & Delmarva Peninsula Birding | North Branch Nature Center

A Fall Migration Extravaganza

September 21 – 26, 2027

$2,750 – Double Accommodations
$3,250 – Single Accommodations
7 participants max | Includes all lodging, transportation, and food.

Yellow-throated Warbler bird Explore this extraordinary birdwatching paradise during one of its most exciting times to visit. With over 430 total species observed, and up to 200 species seen this time of year, Southern New Jersey and the Delmarva Peninsula are home to some of the greatest avian biodiversity in the northeast. September in Cape May offers a bit of everything: migratory songbirds in the shrubs and forests, birds of prey cruising overhead, and southbound shorebirds along the beaches and backwaters. Wading birds stalk the saltmarshes, while waterfowl and seldom-seen pelagic birds float on the open ocean. We’ll also have 2 nights in Delaware where we can enjoy some fantastic birding at Bombay Hook NWR, Assateague Island National Seashore in Maryland, Henlopen State Park and other hotspots of the Delmarva Peninsula.

Trip Details

Chip Darmstadt, NBNC’s Birding Ambassador, is the former founding executive director of the North Branch Nature Center and an avid birder and naturalist. Chip has led birding trips in the US and across the world with NBNC for the last two decades, observing over 2,000 bird species along the way. Cape May has become an annual pilgrimage for Chip, who regularly brings NBNC groups to this region, including leading youth teams to participate in the World Series of Birding event that takes place each spring in Cape May.

Flow of the Day: We’ll leave the hotel to begin our search each morning at sunrise to encounter songbirds when they are at their most active. We’ll travel from place to place throughout the day, with plenty of stops for refreshments and restrooms along the way, and return to our lodging with time to freshen up before dinner in town. While we don’t include mid-day siestas on this action-packed trip, we will be within 10 minutes of our lodging most of the time, so we can easily swing by the hotel for those needing a couple hours of downtime.

While we will spend the entire day birdwatching each day, we will not be “rushing” from place to place. Our goal is to enjoy spending time with these amazing animals. We are searching for rich experiences and astonishing biodiversity, and not necessarily the longest species list.

Climate: Temperatures in Cape May in late September typically range in the 60s-70s during the day, and 50s-60s overnight. The region experiences rain on about 7-8 days over the course of September, typically in the form of passing showers rather than intense storms.

Health Considerations: Dehydration and sun exposure are common issues. Please come prepared to drink plenty of fluids and wear sunscreen. There are no vaccines or other travel-related medications that are typically administered for domestic travel to this destination. Tap water is safe to drink throughout the trip.

Physical Requirements: Participants should be able to hike on moderate terrain up to 3 miles per day on-and-off trail. Participants should be ready to expect conditions that may be hot, cold, dry, wet, or anything in-between. Restrooms may not be easily available at all times in the field, so participants needing frequent bathroom breaks may want to be comfortable using the “facili-trees.”

We’ll be staying at the Seacrest Inn right in Cape May. We selected our lodging to ensure clean and comfortable accommodations situated right in the heart of the birding hotspots we’ll be visiting – right on the shore, and less than a block from the edge of the Cape May Wetlands State Natural Area.

We will typically have picnic breakfasts (including coffee) and lunches in the field each day, and we provide a range of options to accommodate preferences and dietary restrictions. Our dinners will typically be at restaurants in the town of Cape May.

We’ll be traveling in a comfortable 15-passenger Ford Transit van. Group numbers are capped to ensure plenty of space in the van.

The trip cost includes:

All lodging
All meals
All transportation (including from NBNC to Cape May) in a comfortable van.
Expert bird guide.
Park entrance fees.
Pre-departure group briefing before the trip.
Use of high quality spotting scopes and binoculars.
Use of field guides.

The trip cost does not include:

Travel insurance
Alcoholic beverages, snacks and other incidentals
Guide gratuities (the standard recommendation is $10-20/day per guide per traveler)

Clothing: Pack field clothing of neutral colors. Bring several pairs of long pants and comfortable, long-sleeved shirts. Layers are a must! Long underwear, fleeces or wool sweaters, and wind-and-rain-proof outerwear are important. A small umbrella is also recommended. Be sure to have a pair of comfortable, waterproof walking shoes or hiking boots, plus a second pair of light tennis shoes for long van rides and/or around town. You may want more casual clothing for traveling or dinners. A small washcloth and handkerchiefs will be helpful.

Equipment: Bring a pair of binoculars, a field guide, and a camera with extra batteries. The guides will have two spotting scopes. Pack sunglasses and sunscreen, a small flashlight or headlamp, a small alarm clock (a smartphone will work), insect repellent, a small daypack, and a small folding stool if you get tired standing for long periods observing birds and other wildlife.

Here’s an eBird Checklist of species seen in September in the Cape May area in September over the last five years.

NBNC is proud to announce that all of our trips are 100% carbon-neutral. This includes each traveler’s flights to and from this destination, as well as carbon emitted during the trip. We’re proud to be working directly with the Northeast Wilderness Trust’s Wild Carbon program. The carbon credits we purchase to offset our carbon emissions are used to permanently conserve forestland as wilderness. Learn more about this program at our Adventures Afar landing page.

Full Itinerary

piping plover bird We’ll depart early in the morning on September 21st for an eight-hour drive down to Cape May, NJ, in a comfortable van, with rest stops along the way for stretching our legs and doing a little birding. The Ocean City Welcome Center makes for a great pit stop, with its rookery of White and Glossy Ibis, Yellow-crowned and Black-crowned Night-Herons, and sometimes Tricolored Heron. We’ll arrive in Cape May with time to enjoy an evening stroll on the beach on our way to dinner.

For the next several days, mornings and evenings will be spent at hotspots like Higbee Beach and Cape May Point State Park searching for migratory songbirds like Blue Grosbeak, White-eyed Vireo, Northern Parula, American Redstart, Cape May and Tennessee Warbler.

mississippi kite bird In the sunny afternoons, we’ll head to places like the Cape May Point State Park hawkwatching platform and turn our attention skyward in search of uncommon raptors like Mississippi Kite, Peregrine Falcon, Bald Eagle, and Red-shouldered Hawk.

We’ll then explore Forsythe NWR (also known as Brigantine or “Brig” for short!) and The Wetlands Institute looking for shorebirds like Marbled Godwit, Black-necked Stilt, Red Knot, Whimbrel, Willet, and Western Sandpiper, among many others.

red knot bird In the marsh grass and shrubs of Cape May Meadows and Brig, we’ll watch for Saltmarsh Sparrow, Seaside Sparrow, and maybe even a stray Lark Sparrow or Clay-colored Sparrow. In the nearby channels and lagoons, we’ll look for unusual and beautiful wading birds like Yellow-crowned Night Heron, Snowy Egret, Little Blue Heron, White Ibis, White-faced Ibis, and possibly a reclusive Clapper Rail.

After several days of birding the Cape May area, we’ll hop on the Lewes Ferry for a crossing of Delaware Bay. En route, we’ll keep our eyes out for ocean-loving species like Parasitic Jaeger, Royal Tern, Lesser Black-backed Gull and Brown Pelican. For the next two days we’ll explore the Delmarva Peninsula, including Cape Henlopen State Park, a stronghold for the world’s northernmost population of Brown-headed Nuthatch.

saltmarsh sparrow We’ll have plenty of time to explore Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge, which can host a breathtaking array of shorebirds, including Black-bellied Plover, Pectoral Sandpiper, Dunlin and the stunning American Avocet. We’ll also have a full day to explore Assateague Island National Seashore, which in addition to great birding, is always home to a population of wild horses.

We’ll head back home on the 26th, returning to Vermont around dinnertime.

Payment Policy

All of our trips have a standard payment plan of an initial deposit plus two installment payments. Our office will reach out with an invoice for the two installments before they are due.

Deposit of $500 required upon registration ($250 of this deposit is nonrefundable).
Half of balance due 180 days before departure (or upon registration if the trip departs in less than 180 days).
Remainder of balance due 90 days before departure (or upon registration if the trip departs in less than 90 days)
Solo travelers will be expected to pay the Single Accommodations rate
Those traveling as a pair will be expected to pay the Double Accommodations rate. If two solo travelers of the same gender are open to having a roommate, we will do our best to place them together and extend the Double Accommodations rates to both travelers.

Cancellation Policies

We understand that incidents and emergencies arise that may force you to cancel your trip. However, NBNC invests considerable time and often nonrefundable deposits to lodges and local contractors to secure our rooms and programming. NBNC aims to be as flexible as possible in our refund policy, but a full refund of your payments may not be possible after the dates indicated. All cancellations must be made in writing.

Cancellation more than 180 days before the trip: Refund of half the $500 deposit, and a full refund of any other payments made up to that point.
Cancellation 90-180 days before the trip: Refund of any payments minus the full $500 deposit.
Cancellation 30-90 days before the trip: No refund guaranteed. If your space is filled by another traveler, we will provide a full refund minus the full $500 deposit.
Cancellation less than 30 days before the trip: No refunds guaranteed.

We advise travelers to purchase independent travel insurance through companies such as Allianz when booking a trip to recover reimbursement in the event of a cancellation that does not qualify for a refund as outlined in the policies above.

Health and Illness Policies

All participants and instructors will be required to affirm negative test results from a self-administered Covid-19 rapid antigen test taken prior to arrival on the first day of the program.
Participants on NBNC’s Adventures Afar and multi-night overnight trips must be comfortable with the possibility that someone may contract Covid-19 (or other contagious illnesses) during the trip, even if they test negative on the first day as required. NBNC will attempt to limit exposure and isolate any such participant, which could include that participant incurring additional expenses such as hotel rooms, meals, or transportation, and missing out on group activities. However, isolation may not be possible at all times on all trips, so all participants should be aware that circumstances may require that a participant with Covid-19 continue to travel with the group.
Participants experiencing respiratory symptoms will be required to wear a mask at all times when around other travelers.
Failure to comply with the health and safety instructions of the trip guides will result in dismissal from the trip.
NBNC encourages all Adventures Afar participants to be honest and transparent about their symptoms, for the sake of their health and the health of those they are traveling with.
NBNC encourages all Adventures Afar participants to secure individual travel insurance.