The Avalon Sea Watch, a count of migrating seabirds, is conducted from an observation point overlooking the ocean at the north end of Avalon at 7th Street. This location was selected because the northern tip of Avalon extends a mile farther out into the ocean than the coastline to the north. Southbound seabirds that are following the coastline pass very close to this beachfront. Birds are counted seven days a week, from dawn to dusk, from September 22 to December 22. The migration of seabirds along the coast of New Jersey is spectacular, and an average of almost 800,000 seabirds are counted at the Avalon Sea Watch annually. In some years the count approaches one million birds. As remarkable as those numbers are, the bulk of this flight is extremely contracted. In most years about 70 percent of all the migrant seabirds pass in five weeks (from about October 7 to November 14).

Click here to download a table (in PDF format) containing Sea Watch totals, and other data, through 2004.  We are currently processing data from Fall 2005, and they should be posted shortly.

(NOTE:  PDF files require the use of the Adobe® Reader® software application.  If you do not have this software on your computer, you can download a free copy of it at the Adobe website by clicking here.)