Birding by Boat is awesome as usual. I attended with my 9-year-old son, who is into birding, during Fall migration season in Cape May. The guides for our trip have obviously been doing this for a very long time so they know everything about the birds, the habitats, the history, of the area. They were also highly personable, entertaining, and welcoming in addition to being knowledgeable.
The boat itself is pretty basic -- a somewhat small space, a basic restroom, and windows that could use ac lean, but the experience is excellent. Even during windy days ("Gale Force Winds" warning from my phone) the trip was stable and smooth, and my son did not have any issues with sea sickness though we did take a Dramamine beforehand. Since the trip is in the back bay, and not the open ocean, that helped with keeping the boat much steadier and in calmer waters.
Here's the list of birds we saw (plus dolphins!):
Merlin
Osprey
Golden crowned night heron
Belted king fisher
Double crested cormorant
Black bellied plover
Semipalmated Sand piper
Short billed dowitcher
Greater yellow legs
Forester tern
Common tern
Royal tern
Fish crows
Oyster catchers
Great blue heron
Green heron
Snowy egrets
Great egret
Bald eagle
Tree swallows
Clapper rail
Ruddy turnstone
Western willet
White ibis
M
mattmQ5155PC
September 21, 2026
Great birding!
Been doing this for many years. So fun and great seeing all the birds. They know all the birds, where they hide, when they migrate, etc. Will be back.
P
paulinecK6755EZ
September 21, 2026
Birding on the Osprey
We had a lovely 2 1/2 hour cruise that flew by as we were looking for flying creatures. The captain and the naturalist on board were so knowledgeable and even took the time to point out birds that I could not find. He was able to bring the boat very close to groups of birds as well. You could tell they really enjoyed showing us around the marshes and we were lucky to see many different kinds of birds in their own habitats. I would highly recommend this tour!
J
jimfitz1
September 20, 2026
Very Pleasant
Very pleasant 2 hour boat ride . Capt Bob was great at pointing out a tremendous amount of birds. Great variety of birds . But the trip was mostly about relaxing and enjoying the beautiful unique scenery. We were 3 couples with only 1 birder amongst us, yet everyone really enjoyed the trip
J
JennyG0219
September 20, 2026
Enjoyed the trip!
I enjoyed the trip. Patti & Bob were informative and fun. We saw lots of birds, and it was also cool to travel thru the bay on a small boat. They supply the binocs.
S
seanoH7027BN
September 20, 2026
Thoroughly enjoyed our time
Captain was very knowledgeable on birds and truly passionate about it. Great to see people doing what they love!
Thank you for your time.
J
judithsA9347BW
September 18, 2026
Nice way to spend your time
This is the second time I’ve gone on this trip. The first time I went in June and I saw many more birds than this time. But that’s the time of year - not the trip. Despite not seeing that many birds, it’s still a really nice trip. The people who run the trip are very nice and very knowledgeable and it’s a nice couple of hours out on the water.
B
BarryC100
September 17, 2026
Definitely a must experience
This was a great experience. Both the captain and nature guide were very knowledgeable and helpful. Definitely a must for visiting Cape May.
S
shellyb32
September 17, 2026
Great tour
We had a great time on the Osprey. The naturalist and captain were both very knowledgeable. We saw lots of beautiful shore birds with great viewing for all. Some lifers too. Will definitely be back again!!!
L
lukesX5027LL
September 17, 2026
Great experience, great birding
My family and I had an incredible experience on The Osprey! Captain Bob had an intimate knowledge of the water, marshes, and birds and shared that knowledge enthusiastically. He went above and beyond to give us a great experience. The boat was also comfortable and smooth. We benefited from having a group of only about 12, but I'm confident that it would have been just as fun with 20+ people. Overall, we saw 38 species including White Ibis, Hudsonian Whimbrel, Willet and six heron species!