Friday, October 19, 2012

Cape May Birding Hotline -- October 19th, 2012

Hotline: Cape May Birding Hotline
To Report: call: (609) 884-2736 or email: coturnicops AT gmail DOT com
Coverage: Cape May, Cumberland and Atlantic Counties, NJ
Compiler: Tom Reed

This is the Cape May Birding Hotline, a service of New Jersey Audubon's Cape May Bird Observatory. This week's message was prepared on Friday, October 19, 2012. Included this week are sightings of AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN, SWAINSON'S HAWK, AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER, PARASITIC JAEGER, EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE, RED-HEADED WOODPECKER, WESTERN KINGBIRD, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, CLAY-COLORED SPARROW, LARK SPARROW, DICKCISSEL, RED CROSSBILL, and PINE SISKIN.


A SWAINSON'S HAWK* was briefly viewed from the Rea Farm/Beanery and Cape May Point on the afternoon of 10/17, and was last reported flying north. There have been no further reports.

An AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN was found at Brig/Forsythe NWR on 10/14 and 10/15. 

A WESTERN KINGBIRD was photographed flying past Hidden Valley on 10/15, and another "yellow-bellied" kingbird was seen flying past Stevens Street in West Cape May on 10/18.

CLAY-COLORED SPARROWS were seen at the Cape May Hawk Watch (10/13) and the Beanery (10/15) this week.  A LARK SPARROW flew past the Cape May Hawk Watch during an impressive songbird movement on 10/17, while a DICKCISSEL flew over the same location on 10/14.

A RED CROSSBILL flew past the Cape May Hawk Watch on 10/12. Remarkable numbers of RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES and PINE SISKINS continued throughout the reporting area this week. 

Two RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS were found at Cox Hall Creek/Villas WMA on 10/14. 

An AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER flew over Cape May Point during the evening of 10/16. 

Multiple PARASITIC JAEGERS in "the rips" off Cape May Point continued to entertain birders this week.

Finally, Cape May Point's resident EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES continued to show regularly in the area of Lincoln, Whildin and Harvard Avenues.


* - denotes a Review List species in New Jersey, as designated by the New Jersey Bird Records Committee (NJBRC). Observers are strongly encouraged to submit documentation of such species to the Committee. Details should be sent to: report@njbrc.net
 

The Cape May Birding Hotline is a service of the New Jersey Audubon Society's Cape May Bird Observatory and details sightings from Cape May, Cumberland and Atlantic Counties. Updates are made weekly. Please report sightings of rare or unusual birds to CMBO at 609-884-2736. Sponsorship for this hotline comes from the support of CMBO members and business members, and should you not be a member, we cordially invite you to join. Individual membership is $39 per year; $49 for families. You can call either center to become a member or visit. Become a member in person and you'll receive a FREE gift (in addition to member discounts in the stores).

Good Luck and Good Birding!