The Avalon Sea Watch, a count of migrating seabirds, is conducted on the beach between 8th and 9th Streets in Avalon. 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.

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). Rarities can and do show up at any time, and some very unexpected species have chosen to fly by the Avalon Sea Watch.