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May 17, 1990 - The Wildlife of Cape May, N.J., Part I_ . C16_.Tha,C11ffn11, , C6 The Suffolk Times • May 17, 1990 The Wildlife of Cape May, N.J., Part 1 By Paul Stoutenburgh Jump into my camera case and come with Barbara and me on a quick journey to southern New Jersey to see the an- nual return of the horseshoe crabs to the shores of Delaware Bay, where the mi- Focus on Nature grating shore birds feast on their eggs. The night before we leave there is much hustle and bustle of last minute packing of the camper and, of course, making room for you in my camera case — along with the Nikons, telephoto lenses and, most importantly, the binoculars. Once in place, I clamp the lid on the waterproof case and put it in the camper along with a hefty tripod ready for the ride south. We start on the L.I.E. and because we have commercial plates we go across the Brooklyn - Queens Expressway, then the Verrazano Bridge, across Staten Island and head south on the Garden State Parkway to a camp site east of Cape May Court House. We arrive about noon and square away the necessities, then immediately head out for Reeds Beach, where I'd been told the most spectacular migration of shore birds that feed on the horseshoe crab ` eggs along these shores takes place ev- ery year about this time. We'd timed our trip with the full moon in mind, for it's then the tide is highest and ideal for egg laying. Spring time in lower New Jersey seems to be about a week or more ahead of ours. We spot dogwoods with their burst of white throughout the woods as we drive west to our destination along the bay. We pass overgrown fields, farm fields and old buildings that seem appropriate for the area, but are aroused by the ever - present "New Development" signs along the road. It seems you can't escape man's ever - creeping "progress." Most roads are winding and haven't yet been straightened to make way for today's concepts of what some people think country roads should be. Heading for the Beach We passed roadside stands that told us of the summer trade of fish, clams and shedders. Crabs must be a big thing there. Then we saw a great marsh with a SHORE BIRDS— Because the shores of New Jersey's lower Cape attract the largest concentration of horseshoe crabs that come to lay their eggs, it has become a mecca for shore birds who fatten up here on their annual migration to their nesting grounds in the near Arctic. marina that serves the local population and wondered what its expansion will be in the future. Here's where we turn to Reeds Beach. Laughing gulls flying over the road headed east and west in what seemed to be a procession. Could they have been feeding on the beach we were looking for? Now on a bumpy road leading to the bay we see summer cottages stretched out on a narrow sand spit. Once there we see the road goes down the center. Houses with their feet and plumbing at the water's edge on the bay side and cottages of all descriptions on the marsh side. The architecture dates back some 50 to 60 years, with a sprin- kling of large new out -of -place homes. Then the moment we'd been waiting for arrives. The vista opens and before us on the beach is a solid mass of shore birds. Never have I seen anything like it! I'll have to let you out of my camera case to take a look. My hand grabs the telephoto and camera and I peer through the lens that now acts like a pair of binoculars. There are literally thousands of milling birds on the beach — most pecking the sand with their bills to get IN G T j Rustic Sheds �s Main Road, Jamesport - 722 -4533 500' East of Light Custom -made to order (next to Herb Shed) Large selection Geranium Hardy Azaleas of dish gardens Special •4.00 each and patio $27 ' 12s read planters $27 per dozen P 9 ANNUALS • PERENNIALS • NURSERY STOCK �_ ,,, t, p,� <A,'..�i ^ +. .[';tf`x�f a A _ . .. _ - _. a r'f•� —... ..fo -- . at the tiny round greenish eggs of the horseshoe crab. Sanderlings and Turnstones There are three main kinds of shore birds. The majority are sanderlings, those small birds we see chasing the ocean waves up and down. The next in number are the ruddy turnstones, with their gaudy black- and - white- and -brown colors, named for their habit of feeding by turning over shells and stones to find food. Then in lesser numbers were the red knots that have already put on their rusty-red vests of color for their mating game. This mass of birds is hard to con- ceive. It's the closest thing to what it was years ago in Audubon's time, when the shore birds blacked out the sun in their migration flights. My camera clicks and I refocus on an- other group. Something scares them and it seems the whole beach rises and falls in one motion. The activity is unbeliev- able. Each bird seems to be rushing about as if its life depended on it getting its fill right that very minute. And per- haps it does, for these birds have just come up from as far away as South America and this is one of the stopovers where they refuel. Time goes by so quickly as I take in the magic of what I see before me. Barbara's binoculars haven't gone down since we got here. She, too, is caught in the wonder of it all. Scattered among the masses are a few herring gulls and a good number 'of laughing gulls. They tower over the busy shore birds. Now I notice higher See Focus, next page 97z,41ERB DIED Greenhouse • Country Herb & Gift Store overl00 varieties of herb plants Dried Herbs, Spices, Teas, Potpourri Windowsill Herb Gardens PARSLEY A wide assortment of hand - crafted gifts, 5PGE baskets, herb and flower wreaths, dried - flower bouquets and arrangements, pottery, candles, herb books and much more. 'Vc"-�7 10% Senior Citizen Discount Day Every Monday '° tw rie "Happiness is an Herb Garden" Roy Main Road, Jamesport 722 -4026 (next to sorinabrne) Open 7 Days Life After Bulbs Flower The question arises at this time of the year: What to do with spring- flowering bulbs which have just finished flower- ing? The minor bulbs such as crocus, eranthus, leucojeum, scilla, puschkinia, muscari, and anemone blanda are no problem. They multiply and give a bet- ter show next year. The major bulbs, such as hyacinths and narcissi, offer a choice. Narcissi should be left in the ground to grow and multiply for future years, if they are planted in fertile, well- drained soil. They increase until they become close - knit clumps with several flowers to the clump. Eventually, the clumps become so dense and overcrowded that competi- tion cuts down flower production. At this point, the mass of bulbs should be separated when the foliage starts to turn yellow in early summer. The bulbs should be replanted as soon as possible to avoid drying, although it is possible to dry the bulbs and hold them until fall planting time. In either case, the bulbs should be spaced to al- low room for the development of more bulbs and flowers in subsequent years. Mother and Her Bulblets Hyacinths generally do not multiply freely. Sometimes the mother bulb will produce one or two bulblets. But usu- ally the one dominant bulb remains. Hyacinths can remain for several years in the same location — subject only to In the Garden the damages of insect grubs and small rodents. If you start with the large exhi- bition -size bulbs, you will find the hy- acinth flower heads will be somewhat smaller in following years. Most people find the smaller flower heads more desir- able; they are less subject to damage from the heavy rains and winds of springtime. If you must have the colossal flower heads you will have to replace the bulbs each year. Tips For May 1. Make second and third sowings of beets, carrots, peas, radishes, spinach, lettuce and onions. 2. Apply all- purpose petal -fall spray on peaches, plums, and cherries. 3. Plant dahlias, cannas, and daylilies now through the end of the month. Plant gladiolus now through late June for uninterrupted flowering for the entire summer. 4. Sow seeds of lima and green beans, corn, tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, cu- cumbers, and squash. 5. Fertilize roses every two to three weeks with a complete fertilizer and spray weekly with an all- purpose rose spray. Focus on Nature... Continued from previous page up on the beach, away from the active feeding birds, a whole section of resting birds. These must have been the early comers. They are the birds whose stom- achs can hold no more; like after a big Thanksgiving dinner, they are now con- tent to sit back and relax. Some stand on one foot, and as my telephoto lens swings over them, I see a watchful eye open and close as if on guard. Now is their time to rest. They have a long way still to go. The near Arctic is their nest- ing destination. Horseshoes Everywhere Scattered among them are carcasses of horseshoe crabs that have been sacrificed in the name of continuing the species. We could not figure out why or how they had gotten there. There were thou- sands of these hulks for miles along the shore. Some had been picked clean by gulls, others were still alive on their back, their tails pathetically moving in slow motion. Some were buried in the sand where they laid their eggs — safe for now, hopefully to be freed by the next high tide. After what seemed but a short while, but in reality was hours, we moved down to the end of the road where a groin or jetty went out into the bay and protected a small inlet. Here we found an entirely different concentration of birds. The laughing gulls held the terri- tory and the mass of birds along the wa- ter's edge was unbelievable. The noise was deafening as they screamed and fed. The area was so covered with black and white it was hard to pick out individual birds. The mass of eggs they seek must run in the billions. We were anxious to witness this natural spectacle at its height. It was going to be full moon on the 10th of May, the ideal time to see this horseshoe crab invasion. 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