U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Cape May National Wildlife Refuge 24 Kimbles Beach Road Cape May Court House, NJ 08210-2078 609/463 0994 Cape May 609/463 1667 Fax E-mail: [email protected] Internet: http://www.fws.gov/northeast/capemay National Wildlife Federal Relay Service Refuge for the deaf and hard-of-hearing 1 800/877 8339

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 1 800/344 WILD http://www.fws.gov/

August 2006

U. S. FISH & W ILDL IFE SERVICE

D E R P O A I R R E T T M N EN I T OF THE

Red Knot © Clay Myers Overview Cape May National Wildlife Refuge “ The mission of the National Wildlife was established as part of the Refuge System ... is to administer a National Wildlife Refuge System in 1989. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife national network of lands and waters Service has acquired about 11,500 for the conservation, management, acres and the refuge continues to and where appropriate, restoration of grow. Ultimately, the refuge will protect 21,200 acres of precious the fish, wildlife, and plant resources wildlife habitat in New Jersey’s Cape and their habitat within the United May Peninsula. Cape May National States for the benefit of present and Wildlife Refuge’s key location in the Atlantic Flyway makes it an future generations of Americans.” important link in the vast nationwide network of National Wildlife Refuges administered by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. It ensures availability of critical habitat to hundreds of thousands of migratory birds each year, as these long-distance flyers travel along the New Jersey coast.

The refuge is located within the portion of the Delaware Bay watershed that is designated a Wetland of International Importance by the Ramsar Convention. Due to the extent the area is used by migrating shorebirds – particularly the red knot, ruddy turnstone, semipalmated sandpiper and sanderling – the refuge is located in an area of the Delaware Bay considered to be hemispherically important to shorebirds. Heidi Hanlon/USFWS

Cook’s Beach Meadow Virginia Rettig/USFWS Diamondback terrapin Three Divisions Cape May refuge has been designated a “Flagship Project” of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan because of its importance to migratory waterfowl, particularly American black duck. The plan is a far-reaching international agreement Heidi Hanlon/USFWS to conserve and restore millions of acres of wetland habitats throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Cape May National Wildlife Refuge is comprised of three units. The Piping plover The Two Mile Beach Unit is a Great Cedar Swamp Division is at the chicks barrier island with beachfront, tidal northern end of the refuge in Dennis ponds and maritime forest in Lower and Upper Townships. Habitats such Township. The site is important for as salt marsh, hardwood swamp, the federally listed piping plover bog, grasslands and large tracts of (threatened), the state endangered forested uplands are used by wildlife least tern, and American black duck. such as blue-winged warblers, ovenbirds, and short-eared owls. The Wildlife Cape May National Wildlife Refuge refuge connects with a state forest provides important habitat to a wide and the Pineland National Reserve. variety of migratory birds and other wildlife. It supports 317 bird species, The Delaware Bay Division is located 42 mammal species, 55 reptile and in Middle Township and extends Heidi Hanlon/USFWS amphibian species, and numerous along five miles of Delaware Bay. fish, shellfish and other invertebrates. Bayshore, salt marsh, wet and dry Its value for the protection of forests, vernal pools, shrub/scrub migratory birds and their habitat habitat and grasslands are found in continues to grow as wildlife habitat this division. Thousands of shorebirds, along the Jersey Shore is lost to including red knot, ruddy turnstone development. and sanderling use the bayshore Southern leopard habitat during migration. Additionally, frog Cape May Peninsula’s unique vernal pools are critical for the configuration and location state endangered Eastern tiger concentrates songbirds, raptors salamander. and woodcock as they funnel south to Cape May Point during their fall migration. Faced with 12 miles of water to cross at the Delaware Bay, migrants linger in the area to rest and feed until favorable winds allow them to cross the Bay or head north along the Bay’s eastern shore.

Shorebirds The refuge’s shore along Delaware Bay is a major resting and feeding area for migrating shorebirds and wading birds. The Delaware Bay shoreline gained international recognition as a major shorebird

Heidi Hanlon/USFWS staging area in North America, Vernal pool Cedar Swamp Trail Belleplain Petersburg 631 476 95 422 Trenton 50 PENNSYLVANIA276 195 Great Cedar Swamp 63 700 76 Division 202 Philadelphia 295 676 NEW JERSEY Cedar Swamp Creek 1 550550 Road Tyler 322 42 444 Camden 495 Seaville Wilmington Eldora 1 55 446 9 610

301 Vineland Dennisville Atlantic City

13 47 Dennis Creek Corsons Tavern Road Sea Isle City 83

Dover Cape May DELAWARE NWR Cape May 47

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o h s y a Legend B Rio Grande Refuge Boundary ! Trail Head Parking Area Refuge Office Town Bank Wildwood Observation Platform Cap e May Ca nal Hiking Trail O ive North cean Dr Cold Spring Inlet Two Mile 00.5 1 2 3 4 Beach Unit Miles For enlarged view of trails Cape May Dune Trail refer to back page of brochure Northern harrier, American kestrel, Cooper’s and sharp-shinned hawk. Because many raptors do not choose to cross large bodies of water like the Delaware Bay, many use the bayshore upland forest edge as a migration corridor. USFWS

Heidi Hanlon/USFWS Red-tailed hawks frequent the refuge Shorebirds feeding at Kimbles Beach year-round. Owls use Cape May’s woodland habitats in winter, and second only to the Copper River American several species–such as the barred Delta in Alaska. Each spring kestrel owl, barn owl, and Eastern screech- thousands of shorebirds–nearly 80 owl–also nest here. percent of some populations–stop to rest and feed here during migration American During migration, especially in from Central and South America to Woodcock the fall, woodcock concentrate in their Arctic breeding grounds. massive numbers in Cape May’s moist woodlands and thickets. These The arrival of more than twenty unique upland shorebirds forage shorebird species coincides with the here, replenishing their fat reserves horseshoe crab spawning season, by eating more than their weight in which occurs in May/early June. The earthworms daily. On the Atlantic crab eggs provide an abundant food Coast only Cape Charles, Virginia supply that these long-distance flyers hosts comparable concentrations use to replenish their energy reserves of woodcock. The refuge provides before moving on. (In May virtually excellent resting and feeding habitat the entire North American red knot for this interesting species. In population gathers along Delaware January and February, the males can Bay beaches!) be observed doing their entertaining courtship flights throughout the Songbirds/ Neotropical migrants––birds that county. Neotropical breed in Canada and the U.S., and Migrants winter in Mexico, the Caribbean, Endangered/ Bald eagles–on the Federal List Central America, and South America– Threatened of Endangered and Threatened –use Cape May Peninsula’s varied Plants and Animals–use the refuge’s habitats during their long and difficult protected habitats, and are commonly migrations. Due to loss of habitat seen during migration. Bald eagles throughout much of their range, historically nested on areas within Dave Menke/USFWS many of these species are in decline. the refuge acquisition boundary. New Almost 80 neotropical songbird Jersey State-listed species confirmed species stop to rest and feed along within the boundary include osprey, the Cape May Peninsula, most often Virginia Rettig/USFWS red knot, short-eared owl, barred owl, using forest habitats. Many songbird red-shouldered and Cooper’s hawk, species also nest here–including Northern harrier, great and little ovenbirds, wood thrushes, and yellow- blue heron, red-headed woodpecker, Common throated warblers. yellowthroat yellow-crowned night-heron, bobolink, Southern gray treefrog, and Eastern Raptors Cape May Peninsula is renowned tiger salamander. for its spectacular raptor migration Eastern tiger each fall. Great numbers of 17 salamander Swamp pink–a unique lily family raptor species are commonly seen, member which is on the Federal including peregrine falcon, osprey, Cedar Swamp Belleplain Trail Petersburg 631 476 95 422 Trenton 50 PENNSYLVANIA276 195 Great Cedar Swamp 63 700 76 Division 202 Philadelphia 295 676 NEW JERSEY Cedar Swamp Creek 1 550550 Road Tyler 322 42 444 Camden 495 Seaville Wilmington Eldora 1 55 446 9 610

301 Vineland Dennisville Atlantic City

13 47 Dennis Creek Corsons Tavern Road Sea Isle City 83

Dover Cape May DELAWARE NWR Cape May 47

Bidwell Creek For enlarged view of trails List of Endangered9 and Threatened refer to back page of brochure Plants and Animals–also occurs on the refuge, Swainton as do 34 State-listed plant species. ay Songbird 47 w rk Trail Fishery Cape May Nationala Wildlife Refuge’s ResourcesCape Maymarshes and tidal P creeks provide Woodcock te a Cedar Swamp H Court Houseimportant nurseryt areas and nutrient Avalon Trail an S d A resourcesBelleplain nfor many popular species Trail ve e D nu of finfishd and shellfish, including Petersburg Heidi Hanlon/USFWS ia e r 631 s 95 summera flounder, weakfish, striped Surf fishing at Cold Spring Inlet C 476 G 422r e bass, blue crabs and lady crabs. e Important The refuge is open daily from dawn k Trenton W.J. Berg/USFWS 276 50 PENNSYLVANIAIn 195 Information For to dusk. d These fisheries provide abundant Great Cedar Swamp ia 63 700resources for wildlife, as well as Visitors 76 n Tra for people. Seventy percent of the Division Pets must be on a short, hand-held Philadelphiail 295 202 R species sought by recreational and leash. No pets are permitted at the oa 676 Atlantic Ocean d NEWcommercial JERSEY fishermen depend on Two Mile Beach Unit.

Cedar Swamp Creek 1 Road Tyler White-tailed deer shallow water habitats for at least 550550 Fishing Creek 322 42 444 The following are Use of motorized and nonmotorized fawnCamden part of their life cycle. Delaware Bay 495 Stone Harbor prohibited on the vehicles, horses Seaville Eldora refuge: Wilmington Enjoying the Refuge visitors are welcome to Disturbing, injuring, destroying, d Cape May 1 a Refuge enjoy a wide range of wildlife- Heidi Hanlon/USFWS collecting plants, wildlife, or other o 55 446 R dependent activities here. The refuge 9 natural objects e r headquarters is located at 24 Kimbles National610 o h Picking fruits or flowers s Beach Road in Cape May Court y 301 a Vineland House, and is open weekdaysDennisville B Wildlife RefugeFeeding wildlife Rio Grande from 8 amAtlantic – 4:30 City pm. 13 Entering closed areas 47 There are four hiking trails Dennis Creek Monarch Corsons Tavern Road Cedar Swamp throughout the refuge. These include butterflyLegend Camping, fires Sea Isle City 83 Belleplain Trail Cedar Swamp Trail in the Great Surfing, swimming, kite-flying Petersburg Cedar Swamp Division; Woodcock Dover 631 Refuge Boundary 476 95 Town Bank Trail andCape Songbird May Trail in the Cape May Cape May National Wildlife Refuge 422 DelawareNWR Bay Division; and Dune ! TrailNational Head Wildlife Parking welcomes Area volunteers. Individuals Trenton DELAWARE WildwoodTrail at the Two Mile Beach 47Unit Refuge supports interested in volunteering are PENNSYLVANIA276 195 50 Cape May Great CedarCape Swamp May C (see maps). Best wildlife viewing our precious encouraged to contact refuge 63 700 ana Two Mile Refuge Office 76 l opportunities occur in spring and fall. wildlife headquarters. Division resources for the Philadelphia 295 Oc rive Beach Unit Observation Platform 202 ean D Cold Spring Inlet Seasonal deer hunting and migratory ongoing benefit of 676 NEW JERSEY game bird hunting are allowed in people...want to Cedar Swamp Creek Hiking Trail For enlarged view of trails 1 550550 Road Tyler Dune designatedBidwell Creekareas of the refuge, under help? 322 42 444 State and Federal regulation. Please refer to back page of brochure Camden Trail North 9 495 Seaville Eldora Cape May contact refuge headquarters or go to 00.5 1 2 3 4 Wilmington the refuge website (http://www.fws. Swainton Miles 1 gov/northeast/ y 55 446 47 capemay) for a 9 Songbird w 610 additional rk Trail a information, P 301 Cape May Woodcock regulations te Vineland Dennisville ta Avalon Trail H andCourt maps. House Atlantic City and S

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