Birds of the Atlantic Coast

Any time you go to the beach, there are opportunities to see birds. We went to Cape Henlopen State Park, Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge in Delaware, Assateague Island National Seashore in Maryland and Cape May Point State Park in New Jersey -- all were great places to see wildlife. Unfortunately for us, the first couple of days at Cape Henlopen, Prime Hook were cloudy and raining, and the next day (May 25) on Assateague Island had very high wind (they even cancelled the ferry service between Lewes and Cape May on that day, something they rarely do). Finally the last day at Cape May gave us an excellen chance to see some nesting birds, including some endangered species such as the Least Tern and Piping Plover.

(Click on each image to see the high-resolution version)

Even at Sandy Point State Park in Maryland on our way to our destinations, we managed to see some shorebirds, such as these Sanderlings.


Sanderling


Sanderling

At Slaughter Beach in Delaware, the eggs of the horseshoe crabs provided high protein food source for the migrating sea birds, such as these Semipalmated Sandpipers.


Semipalmated Sandpiper


Semipalmated Sandpiper


Flock of Semipalmated Sandpipers

A Purple Martin at Prime Hook NWR.


Purple Martin

A Black-bellied Plover on Assateague Island.


Black-bellied Plover


Black-bellied Plover


Black-bellied Plover

What appears to be an immature Greater Black-backed Gull trailing the ferry from Lewes to Cape May.


Greater Black-backed Gull

Cape May did not disappoint with its reputation of being a "birding hotspot".


Forster's Tern


Forster's Tern


Least Tern


Least Tern


Black Skimmer


American Oystercatcher


Piping Plover


Short-billed Dowitcher


Short-billed Dowitcher


Mute Swan

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