New Jersey · Cape May Peninsula

Cape May Fall 2027

Oct 6–10, 2027 5 Days · 4 Nights Limited Availability Small Group

America's Premier Fall Birding Destination

Cape May sits at the tip of a funnel — a narrow peninsula where southbound migrants concentrate in extraordinary numbers each autumn. October brings the peak of hawk migration, with thousands of Sharp-shinned Hawks, Cooper's Hawks, Merlins, and Peregrine Falcons streaming overhead, while the fields and thickets fill with sparrows, warblers, and kinglets.

This five-day tour places you at the heart of it all. You'll hawk-watch from the famous Cape May Point platform, work the songbird traps of Higbee Beach, scan the mudflats of the Delaware Bay for shorebirds, and experience the spectacle of evening flight at the Cape May Lighthouse — all with a small group and expert guidance.

What You’ll Experience

  • Peak autumn hawk migration — thousands of raptors daily
  • Songbird fallout at Higbee Beach and the Meadows
  • Shorebirds and seabirds along the Delaware Bay
  • Evening flight spectacle at Cape May Lighthouse
  • A dedicated guide who knows Cape May's seasonal rhythms
  • Small group size for an unhurried, personal pace

What’s Included

This is a fully all-inclusive tour. Your price covers:

  • Hotel accommodations (double occupancy, Hilton-brand property)
  • All meals — breakfast, lunch, and dinner
  • Ground transportation throughout the tour
  • Professional guide services
  • Spotting scope provided in the field
  • Snacks and water daily
  • Entry fees to all sites in the itinerary

Not included: Airfare to/from the departure airport, alcoholic beverages, and gratuities.

Tour Days at a Glance

Day 1 · Oct 6
Arrival & Welcome
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  • Airport pickup and hotel check-in
  • Afternoon birding at Cape May Point State Park
  • Evening orientation and welcome dinner
Day 2 · Oct 7
Higbee Beach & The Meadows
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  • Pre-dawn Higbee Beach morning flight — songbirds streaming south
  • Warblers, sparrows, kinglets in the dune thickets
  • The Meadows for raptors, sparrows, and late shorebirds
  • Afternoon hawk watch at the Cape May Hawkwatch Platform
Day 3 · Oct 8
Hawk Watch & Delaware Bay
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  • Morning hawk watch — Sharp-shinned Hawk, Merlin, Peregrine
  • Delaware Bay shore for shorebirds and gulls
  • Afternoon at Forsythe NWR or Belleplain State Forest
Day 4 · Oct 9
Cape May Point & Evening Flight
+
  • Morning songbird spots around Cape May
  • Bunting Station and Hidden Valley
  • Cape May Lighthouse evening flight — spectacular at peak season
  • Owling opportunity after dark
Day 5 · Oct 10
Final Morning & Departure
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  • Early morning birding at a local hotspot
  • Final species tally and farewells
  • Airport drop-off

Expected Species List

Waterfowl14 species
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Canada GooseBrantTundra SwanWood DuckAmerican Black DuckMallardNorthern PintailGreen-winged TealBlue-winged TealNorthern ShovelerAmerican WigeonRing-necked DuckBuffleheadHooded Merganser
Grebes3 species
+
Pied-billed GrebeHorned GrebeRed-necked Grebe
Gannets & Cormorants3 species
+
Northern GannetDouble-crested CormorantGreat Cormorant
Herons, Ibises & Allies10 species
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Great Blue HeronGreat EgretSnowy EgretLittle Blue HeronTricolored HeronGreen HeronBlack-crowned Night-HeronYellow-crowned Night-HeronGlossy IbisAmerican Bittern
Rails and Allies4 species
+
Clapper RailVirginia RailSoraAmerican Coot
Shorebirds22 species
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Black-bellied PloverAmerican Golden-PloverSemipalmated PloverKilldeerAmerican OystercatcherBlack-necked StiltGreater YellowlegsLesser YellowlegsWilletSpotted SandpiperWhimbrelMarbled GodwitRuddy TurnstoneRed KnotSanderlingDunlinLeast SandpiperWhite-rumped SandpiperPectoral SandpiperSemipalmated SandpiperShort-billed DowitcherWilson's Snipe
Gulls, Terns & Skimmers10 species
+
Laughing GullBonaparte's GullRing-billed GullHerring GullGreat Black-backed GullCaspian TernRoyal TernSandwich TernForster's TernBlack Skimmer
Raptors17 species
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OspreyBald EagleNorthern HarrierSharp-shinned HawkCooper's HawkNorthern GoshawkRed-shouldered HawkBroad-winged HawkRed-tailed HawkRough-legged HawkGolden EagleAmerican KestrelMerlinPeregrine FalconBlack VultureTurkey VultureShort-eared Owl
Owls4 species
+
Eastern Screech-OwlGreat Horned OwlBarn OwlLong-eared Owl
Doves and Pigeons3 species
+
Rock PigeonMourning DoveEurasian Collared-Dove
Cuckoos2 species
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Yellow-billed CuckooBlack-billed Cuckoo
Hummingbirds2 species
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Ruby-throated HummingbirdRufous Hummingbird
Kingfishers1 species
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Belted Kingfisher
Woodpeckers6 species
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Red-bellied WoodpeckerRed-headed WoodpeckerYellow-bellied SapsuckerDowny WoodpeckerHairy WoodpeckerNorthern Flicker
Flycatchers8 species
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Eastern Wood-PeweeYellow-bellied FlycatcherAlder FlycatcherWillow FlycatcherLeast FlycatcherEastern PhoebeGreat Crested FlycatcherEastern Kingbird
Vireos6 species
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White-eyed VireoYellow-throated VireoBlue-headed VireoPhiladelphia VireoWarbling VireoRed-eyed Vireo
Jays and Crows3 species
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Blue JayAmerican CrowFish Crow
Swallows6 species
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Tree SwallowNorthern Rough-winged SwallowBank SwallowCliff SwallowCave SwallowBarn Swallow
Chickadees, Nuthatches & Creepers4 species
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Carolina ChickadeeBlack-capped ChickadeeWhite-breasted NuthatchRed-breasted Nuthatch
Wrens5 species
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Carolina WrenHouse WrenWinter WrenMarsh WrenSedge Wren
Kinglets and Gnatcatchers3 species
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Golden-crowned KingletRuby-crowned KingletBlue-gray Gnatcatcher
Thrushes7 species
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Eastern BluebirdVeeryGray-cheeked ThrushBicknell's ThrushSwainson's ThrushHermit ThrushAmerican Robin
Thrashers and Mimids3 species
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Gray CatbirdBrown ThrasherNorthern Mockingbird
Warblers31 species
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Orange-crowned WarblerTennessee WarblerNashville WarblerNorthern ParulaYellow WarblerChestnut-sided WarblerMagnolia WarblerCape May WarblerBlack-throated Blue WarblerYellow-rumped WarblerBlack-throated Green WarblerBlackburnian WarblerYellow-throated WarblerPine WarblerPrairie WarblerPalm WarblerBay-breasted WarblerBlackpoll WarblerBlack-and-white WarblerAmerican RedstartProthonotary WarblerWorm-eating WarblerOvenbirdLouisiana WaterthrushNorthern WaterthrushConnecticut WarblerCommon YellowthroatHooded WarblerWilson's WarblerCanada WarblerYellow-breasted Chat
New World Sparrows15 species
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Eastern TowheeChipping SparrowClay-colored SparrowField SparrowLark SparrowSavannah SparrowGrasshopper SparrowNelson's SparrowSaltmarsh SparrowSong SparrowLincoln's SparrowSwamp SparrowWhite-throated SparrowWhite-crowned SparrowDark-eyed Junco
Cardinals and Allies5 species
+
Northern CardinalRose-breasted GrosbeakBlue GrosbeakIndigo BuntingPainted Bunting
Blackbirds and Orioles6 species
+
Red-winged BlackbirdEastern MeadowlarkCommon GrackleBoat-tailed GrackleBrown-headed CowbirdBaltimore Oriole
Tanagers2 species
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Summer TanagerScarlet Tanager
Finches and Allies6 species
+
Purple FinchHouse FinchPine SiskinAmerican GoldfinchWhite-winged CrossbillHouse Sparrow
Pricing
TBD / person
Fully all-inclusive

Pricing for this tour will be announced soon. Register your interest and we'll notify you when details are finalized.

Notify Me

Every tour is fully all-inclusive — hotel, meals, transportation, expert guide, spotting scope, and daily snacks & water.

Bob Needham — tour guide

Guided by Bob Needham

Bob Needham brings the same meticulous planning and guest-focused approach to Cape May that defines every Premier Birding tour. Having birded the cape's legendary fall migration extensively, Bob knows where the hawks concentrate, where the songbird traps produce, and how to position the group for the best experiences each day.

Reserve Your Place at Cape May

The Cape May Fall 2027 tour will open for booking soon. Register your interest and we'll notify you when pricing and availability are confirmed.

Notify Me

Fully all-inclusive · Pricing announced soon

Guided Journeys Crafted with Expertise

Since its inception, the team has facilitated comprehensive small-group tours that reveal the cultural, historical, and ecological narratives of each destination, thereby demonstrating meticulous planning and on-site proficiency.

Grounded in rigorous safety standards and sustainable practices, the organization implements evidence-based solutions that optimize travel logistics while ensuring every guest experiences informed guidance and respectful engagement with local communities.

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