Sunday, October 2, 2011

Cape May birds from October 2nd (photos)

Adult (left) and juvenile (right) Hudsonian Godwits, two of the eight that passed the Point today. To generalize, adults usually migrate earlier in the season (July/ August), while juveniles come through later (often September/ October). It was interesting to have a mixed age flock fly by today. The adult has a whiter belly (basic plumage) with traces of reddish belly feathers (presumably retained alternate plumage), while the juvenile has a creamy belly (the upperwing showed crisp, neatly fringed juvenile coverts as well). I would guess that the adult bird is a female based on its very long bill - the juvenile is likely a male with a shorter bill, but I'm not sure when the juveniles' bills reach full length, so such a claim might be presumptuous. Curlews, for example, often have shorter bills into at least the beginning of their first winter.

This Pine Warbler was boldly occupying a non-pine this evening in Cape May Point.

A Black-throated Blue Warbler delighted many visitors today as it fed at waist-height in a buggy Siberian Elm.

... and Cape May Warblers stole the show again, with up to 7 in one tree on East Lake Drive during the late morning hours.



[all photos copyright Tom Johnson]

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