September at Cape May Point, NJ

Cape May Lighthouse (1859), Cape May Point State Park, NJ

Late summer in the coastal marshes of New Jersey is a thoughtful, serene season. A certain quiet falls over the wetlands. Nature's colors become rich and subdued. Birds are busy preparing for winter and the long flight south. Newly-hatched Monarch butterflies flit from sunflower to sunflower. Honey bees sip nectar from the last of the flowers that will bloom before the frost. We savor these last weeks of life and color before autumn's cool, rainy days transform the landscape to shades of brown and gray and we retreat indoors. 

Wetlands and meadows at Cape May Point State Park.

Cape May Point State Park is a perfect place to enjoy these last fine days of summer. The park is located at the tip of New Jersey just west of the City of Cape May, although the post office address is Lower Township, Cape May County. It boasts a handsome, recently restored lighthouse (1859), a once-hidden, now fully exposed WWII concrete bunker built as part of the Harbor Defense Project of 1942, and several miles of boardwalks and trails through the coastal preserve.

Cape May is on the Atlantic Flyway, the migratory route taken by East Coast birds in the spring and fall. As a result, the area is replete with observation points where birders and photographers can observe hundreds of species as they stop to rest on their way along the coast. Beginning September 1, Cape May Point S.P. begins its “hawk count,” which continues through November. The NJ Audubon Society’s annual “Autumn Birding Festival,” which always takes place during the last week of October, is prime time for viewing and draws hundreds of bird lovers to the area. 

Main Observation Platform, overlooking Shallow Pond West.

Not being much of a birder myself, I was very content to poke around the lighthouse and walk the trails, admiring the autumn color. The visitor center, where one can orient oneself to the natural features of the coastal areas, had the most remarkable sight. Hanging from a wire net across the top of a glass fish tank were about 30 green chrysalises of the Monarch Butterfly, which flies in great multitudes from Canada and the Northeast United States to Mexico every year.  

From the World Wildlife Fund:

Monarch butterflies embark on a marvelous migratory phenomenon. They travel between 1,200 and 2,800 miles or more from the United States and Canada to central Mexican forests. There the butterflies hibernate in the mountain forests, where a less extreme climate provides them a better chance to survive. The Monarch butterfly is known by scientists as Danaus plexippus, which in Greek literally means "sleepy transformation." The name evokes the species' ability to hibernate and metamorphize. Adult Monarchs possess two pairs of brilliant orange-red wings, featuring black veins and white spots along the edges. Males, who possess distinguishing black dots along the veins of their wings, are slightly bigger than females. Each adult butterfly lives only about four to five weeks.

One pupa was hatching just as we arrived. It emerged, looking damp and a bit worn out. Within just a moment or two, it spread wide its brilliant orange and black wings to let them dry. Another butterfly in the case looked perfectly acclimated and ready for its new life of flight.

Monarch butterfly on Jerusalem Artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus)

“Every so often we take the new ones outside the back door and release them,” said the staff member behind the counter. Although undoubtedly she had seen this miracle many times, her sense of joy over this seasonal rebirth was still evident. 

Swamp Rose-Mallow (Hibiscus moscheutos)

We then set out on a trek through the woodlands and marshes. We first opted for the shortest route - .5 miles long, which took us through woodlands with trees and shrubs. Some of the specimens I had never seen before “in the wild,” like the Persimmon. This fruit tree is uncommon in New Jersey, appearing mostly in flood plains and lowlands in the southern part of the state. And don't even think of picking the fruit and taking a bite, at least until it turns brown and starts to decompose, or you will get a very bitter mouthful.

Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana)

There were other shrubs I had never seen before, like the Winged Sumac. This variety is native to eastern North America, like its prolific cousin, the Staghorn Sumac (Rhus typhina) that we see along highways in the northeast U.S. The "drupes" of the Winged Sumac offer food to the birds. The occasional deer will munch on its leaves and stems, which also offer cover for many woodland animals. Apparently this has its folk-medicine uses, too, and was also used to flavor tea.

Winged Sumac (Rhus copallinum)

Another spectacular shrub I had never seen before was Arrowwood Viburnum (Viburnum dentatum), which had deep blue berries on red stems and toothed leaves. The woody stems from this plant were reportedly used by the Native Americans to make shafts for their arrows - hence the name. The flowers attract butterflies and the fall berries are eaten by the birds.

Arrowwood Viburnum (Viburnum dentatum).

Others were very familiar from my many years in New Jersey, like the American Pokeweed, which is eaten by birds, although toxic to mammals (like us), unless properly prepared. The purple juice has had many uses.  The Native Americans used it to decorate their horses. According to some unconfirmed sources, the U.S. Constitution was written using pokeberry ink, as well as were many letters written home during the Civil War.

American Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana).

Still others I could not identify, even with continued research. For one spectacular beauty (photo below), I needed the help of the park naturalist. He informed me that the gorgeous plant with the multicolored berries - white, blue, green, lavender, pink - was really an exotic member of the grape family native to Asia called the "Porcelain Berry" (Ampelopsis brevipedunculata (Maxim.) Trautv.). This vigorous vine was once actively cultivated in American gardens in the late 1800s, but rapidly spread beyond the garden fences and into the wilds. This, the naturalist told me, is one of the aggressive, invasive species that he works to eliminate, since if left to itself will smoother the native species on the site.

Porcelain Berry (Ampelopsis brevipedunculata (Maxim.) Trautv.)

The path then went past several lakes. On the bank of each lake was a wooden observation platform that extended a bit into the water. Around the edge of the platform were seats where you could sit quietly, unobserved, and watch the beautiful swans, ducks, and other water fowl glide by.

Ducks on Lighthouse Pond East, looking N.

We were so entranced by the short walk that at the fork we opted to continue on the middle walk of 1.3 miles, which followed an unpaved pathway through the upland woods. This route traversed the reforestation area, where there is an active campaign to re-introduce native flora to the preserve. Evidence of new plantings and others several years old are visible throughout the area.

Matt, the naturalist at Cape May Point, develops his list of plantings from other managed habitats in the area. Good resources for him have been the Cape May Natural Wildlife Refuge, about 30 miles north of the Point, and Higbee Beach Wildlife Management Area, located a few miles north of the Point, on the Delaware Bay. The plants he selects for the reforestation effort are native to the Northeast U.S. He often finds examples of native trees that are best suited to the coastal environment from the streets of the historic City of Cape May. The species selected for the Point are not only hardy, but also provide luscious color and for the eye and a wide selection of berries to feed the avian multitudes that come through Cape May each year.

It is interesting to add this effort to others that seek to re-introduce native flora in areas being overwhelmed by invasive exotics. At Duke Farms in Hillsborough, NJ, for instance, there has been a massive effort to eliminate exotics, re-create native habitats, and reintroduce native species like the American Chestnut in hopes of preserving our native flora.

Reforestation Area, where native plants are being reinstated.

The path ultimately circled back towards the beach, crossing small streams and drainage canals where a different kind of life abounds.

Baby turtles!

When we finally arrived at the beach, we climbed to the top of the dune to see the WWII bunker, also known as “Battery 223.” (It and the Cape May Lighthouse are both on the New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places.)  It looked like something out of Star Wars – perhaps a dead war machine of the Galactic Empire or an outpost on Tatooine. 

Once upon a time, the battery was inland about 900 feet, surrounded by earth and covered by sod, so it looked like a hill from the air. Eventually erosion took its toll, and by 2001, it was high and dry – sitting above the sand. Beach replenishment, however, has brought it back to earth. And, if the tide is out, they say that you can now see the gun turrets.

Battery 223, Cape May Point Beach.

So, there was a bit of everything for me and my two companions – birds for the birders, historic sites for the architecturally-minded, and beautiful autumn flora for the leaf-lovers.  A lovely day was had by all. Cape May Point is a must see, if you are in the area.

Late afternoon, Cape May Lighthouse.

Resources:

Battery 223 (ID#4770), Beachfront, Cape May State Park, Lower Township, NJ. SHPO Opinion: 4/29/1998; NJ Register of Historic Places: 4/14/2008; National Register: 6/25/2008 (NR Reference # 08000555). NJDEP, Historic Preservation Office. URL: http://www.state.nj.us/dep/hpo/1identify/nrsr_lists/cape_may.pdf  accessed 30 September 2012.

“Cape May Autumn Birding Festival.” New Jersey Audubon Society. Official website. URL: http://www.njaudubon.org/SectionCapeMayBirdObservatory/CMBOHome.aspx accessed 30 September 2012.

Cape May Lighthouse, Cape May Point (ID#998). SR: 6/15/1973; NR: 11/12/1973 (NR Reference #: 73001090). NJDEP, Historic Preservation Office. URL: http://www.state.nj.us/dep/hpo/1identify/nrsr_lists/cape_may.pdf  accessed 30 September 2012.

“Cape May National Wildlife Refuge.” U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Official Website. URL accessed 30 September 2012: http://www.fws.gov/northeast/capemay/pdf/refuge_brochure.pdf  and http://www.fws.gov/northeast/capemay/

“Cape May Point State Park.” New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Parks and Forestry. Official Website. URL accessed 30 September 2012: http://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/parks/capemay.html

Fox, Karen. "Higbee Beach ... a journey back to Nature." CapeMay.com (June 2008). URL: http://www.capemay.com/Editorial/june08/HighbeeBeach.htm accessed 4 September 2012.

Headington, Bill. “Need a Bunker? This One’s Ready to Go.” CapeMay.com. Online Magazine (1 September 2001). URL: http://capemay.com/magazine/2001/09/need-a-bunker-this-ones-ready-to-go/ accessed 30 September 2012.

“The Nature Center of Cape May.” New Jersey Audubon Society. Official website. URL: http://www.njaudubon.org/SectionCenters/SectionNCCM/AbouttheCenter.aspx accessed 30 September 2012.

Stinchcomb Richard W.  “Battery 223, Cape May, New Jersey.”  Personal website. URL: http://www.stinch.com/military/battery223.html accessed 3 October 2012.

"Species: Monarch Butterfly." World Wildlife Fund. Official Website. URL: http://worldwildlife.org/species/monarch-butterfly accessed 30 September 2012.

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