Cape May Point Hawk Currently Wintering in Cuba

Originally shared by The Cape May County Herald -Subscribers can read the full article here.

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By Vince Conti | Jan 8, 2023

CAPE MAY POINT - A sharp-shinned hawk, dubbed Dave by the Cape May Point Science Center, was locally banded with a transmitter that is allowing scientists to trace movements and migration patterns via normal cellular service. 

Dave is currently wintering in Cuba, no visa required.

Dave’s story is a product of a unique partnership sponsored by the Cape May Point Science Center. The partnership combines the work of the Cape May Raptor Banding Project, Conservation Science Global and Cellular Tracking Technologies (CTT). 

The partnership is a mix of the old and the new, with the banding project in its 55th year and Conservation Science Global, a nonprofit founded in 2016, and CTT having relocated to Cape May County in 2015. 

With it all, the newest entity involved in this scientific research is the Cape May Point Science Center, an environmental research center located in what, until a few years ago, was a religious retreat house.

It was during summer 2022 that the project had its inception, with the donation to support the partnership coming from David and Christina Clements, one of the science center’s major donors. 

With financial support and the partnership initiated, CTT was able to develop the information transmitter technology for banding to the raptors. 

The trackers supply real-time information to scientists, allowing an intimate and real-time view of local migration patterns. Soon, as in the case of Dave, it was clear the patterns were not going to stay local for long.

Dave, the sharp-shinned hawk, acquired his nickname following the passing of Dave Clements in August. It was shortly after the loss of this local philanthropist and environmentalist that the first sharp-shinned hawk received a transmitter Sept. 19. 

The hawk, often seen flying around Dave Clements’ home, acquired the nickname Dave among those at the science center. It turns out the name missed the mark since the bird turns out to be female.

The hawk soon left the area, heading out over the Delaware Bay on her way south. Dave waited out hurricane weather north of Fort Myers, Florida, and then continued south.