Given the south winds, we reluctantly abandoned Cape May today for our workshop in favor of Edwin B. Forsythe NWR, a.k.a. "Brig." The sheer number of birds at Brig right now is astonishing - 1,000's of Dunlin (probably the most abundant species there right now), Green-winged Teal, pintails, brant, Greater Yellowlegs, Black Ducks - the place is stuffed with birds.
In terms of the rarer stuff, the American White Pelican is still there, seen in the east pool in two different locations. Lingering shorebirds included 4 White-rumped Sandpipers, 2 Stilt Sandpipers, a single American Golden Plover, and 16 Marbled Godwits which first appeared as "the big brown things" in a huge flock of shorebirds put to flight by one of several peregrines, and which later were found roosting at the east side of the west pool, seen from the tower along the south dike. The other fancy shorebirds were seen from the north dike. The Stilt Sandpipers flew restlessly here and there, making it difficult for our group of over 20 workshop participants to get on, until finally one lighted next to the dike for the closest of close views.
Today's Brig list is below - 97 species, but the number pales beside the spectacle of thousands of shorebirds put to flight by hunting peregrines, or the marvelous wintry sounds of huge brant flocks, or the zooming flights of Hooded Mergansers, or the ornate male Wood Ducks, or the adult Bald Eagle sitting on the flats, or simply the marvelous bright blue sky this Halloween day. In the list below, if there's an "x" it's because I wasn't able to put a reasonably accurate figure to the number of birds actually present.
Location: E B Forsythe NWR
Observation date: 10/31/07
Notes: CMBO Cape May with Everything on It workshop
Number of species: 97
Snow Goose 300
Brant X
Canada Goose X
Mute Swan X
Wood Duck 10
Gadwall 20
American Wigeon 5
American Black Duck X
American Black Duck x Mallard (hybrid) X
Mallard X
Northern Shoveler 10
Northern Pintail X
Green-winged Teal X
Greater Scaup X
Lesser Scaup X
Hooded Merganser 25
Ruddy Duck 10
Common Loon 2
American White Pelican 1
Double-crested Cormorant X
Great Blue Heron 10
Great Egret 75
Snowy Egret 10
Black-crowned Night-Heron 5
Turkey Vulture X
Bald Eagle 1
Northern Harrier 10
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1
Red-tailed Hawk 5
Merlin 1
Peregrine Falcon 5
Clapper Rail 1
American Coot 10
Black-bellied Plover X
American Golden-Plover 1
Semipalmated Plover 3
Spotted Sandpiper 2
Greater Yellowlegs X
Lesser Yellowlegs 1
Marbled Godwit 16
Red Knot 1
Western Sandpiper 50
Least Sandpiper 20
White-rumped Sandpiper 4
Pectoral Sandpiper 4
Dunlin X
Stilt Sandpiper 2
Short-billed Dowitcher 2
Long-billed Dowitcher 5
Laughing Gull X
Ring-billed Gull X
Herring Gull X
Great Black-backed Gull X
Forster's Tern X
Rock Pigeon X
Mourning Dove X
Red-bellied Woodpecker X
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker X
Downy Woodpecker X
Hairy Woodpecker X
Northern Flicker X
Blue Jay X
American Crow X
Fish Crow X
Tree Swallow X
Carolina Chickadee X
Tufted Titmouse X
Red-breasted Nuthatch 10
White-breasted Nuthatch 1
Brown Creeper 1
Carolina Wren 5
Golden-crowned Kinglet X
Eastern Bluebird 2
Hermit Thrush 5
American Robin X
Gray Catbird X
Northern Mockingbird X
European Starling X
American Pipit 1
Cedar Waxwing 4
Yellow-rumped Warbler X
Eastern Towhee 1
Savannah Sparrow X
Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow 2
Song Sparrow X
Swamp Sparrow X
White-throated Sparrow X
Northern Cardinal X
Red-winged Blackbird X
Eastern Meadowlark X
Common Grackle X
Boat-tailed Grackle X
Purple Finch 10
House Finch 25
Pine Siskin 1
American Goldfinch 20
House Sparrow X
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Of Anhingas, Orioles and Eiders
"Don't turn your back on Cape May in a west wind" is a good adage, as I learned Monday when I left the hawkwatch to post Monday's blog. Sure enough, 5 minutes later an Anhinga soared over the platform.
Yesterday's (Tuesday's) birding at Cape May featured . . .well, nice weather, anyway. It was clear a few new birds had come in at Higbee, including a significant number of Hermit Thrushes, with at least 10 detected in a two hour walk around the fields there. Juncoes similarly were more evident, lending a sense that winter is coming. However, a lingering Baltimore Oriole, plus Blackpoll and Pine Warblers, bent the season back towards fall.
Off St. Peters, a female Common Eider, probably the same one that's been reported around the point for a couple weeks, provided close study opportunities, close enough that we could examine the bill structure and determine, based on the shape of the frontal apex (the swath of feathers extending to the base of the upper mandible) and the rounded shape of the portion of the bill extending rearward to the eye, that this eider is from the Atlantic population. Page 93 in "big" Sibley depicts the bill shapes for the various Common Eider populations.
From St. Peters, we watched raptors come to the tip of the point and figure out what they were going to do next. One Northern Harrier, very typically for this species, circled to gain altitude and then without further hesitation headed south out over the bay. The accipiters, one could pretty well tell, got to the bay and thought "oh, crap", turned around and headed north. One sharpie and one Cooper's Hawk did fly well out over the water, only to think better of it and turn around.
Many Tree Swallows fed low over the water, which may seem weird considering that it's salt water we're talking about and thus no insects are hatching from it. However, on west or northwest winds, some insects are blown out over the water and perhaps are easy pickings for the swallows as the insects struggle back to shore. In summer, Purple Martins from the state park colony often forage far offshore, and I presume this is the reason.
I did not hear of any new rarities through noon Tuesday. Today we're off to Brigantine, we being the CMBO Cape May with Everything On It workshop. Hopefully the White Pelican will still be around, along with plenty of ducks and lingering shorebirds.
Yesterday's (Tuesday's) birding at Cape May featured . . .well, nice weather, anyway. It was clear a few new birds had come in at Higbee, including a significant number of Hermit Thrushes, with at least 10 detected in a two hour walk around the fields there. Juncoes similarly were more evident, lending a sense that winter is coming. However, a lingering Baltimore Oriole, plus Blackpoll and Pine Warblers, bent the season back towards fall.
Off St. Peters, a female Common Eider, probably the same one that's been reported around the point for a couple weeks, provided close study opportunities, close enough that we could examine the bill structure and determine, based on the shape of the frontal apex (the swath of feathers extending to the base of the upper mandible) and the rounded shape of the portion of the bill extending rearward to the eye, that this eider is from the Atlantic population. Page 93 in "big" Sibley depicts the bill shapes for the various Common Eider populations.
From St. Peters, we watched raptors come to the tip of the point and figure out what they were going to do next. One Northern Harrier, very typically for this species, circled to gain altitude and then without further hesitation headed south out over the bay. The accipiters, one could pretty well tell, got to the bay and thought "oh, crap", turned around and headed north. One sharpie and one Cooper's Hawk did fly well out over the water, only to think better of it and turn around.
Many Tree Swallows fed low over the water, which may seem weird considering that it's salt water we're talking about and thus no insects are hatching from it. However, on west or northwest winds, some insects are blown out over the water and perhaps are easy pickings for the swallows as the insects struggle back to shore. In summer, Purple Martins from the state park colony often forage far offshore, and I presume this is the reason.
I did not hear of any new rarities through noon Tuesday. Today we're off to Brigantine, we being the CMBO Cape May with Everything On It workshop. Hopefully the White Pelican will still be around, along with plenty of ducks and lingering shorebirds.
Monday, October 29, 2007
Sandhill Crane, Golden Eagle, Rough-legged Hawk. . .
I'm almost ashamed to say it, but I was mildly underwhelmed by the flight that greeted the dawn here in Cape May, given the recent cold front and attending wnw winds and cool temps. It was still an AWESOME morning of birding. I hear that Morning Flight counted about 15,000 birds - robins, yellow-rumps, blackbirds and flickers predominating, the usual suspects.
The raptor flight is very diverse (though sky high) and my goodness there's some quality stuff flying around. A Sandhill Crane, for starters, seen by various people in various places at various times, including by CMBO's "Cape May with Everything On It" workshop, from the Beanery as the bird flew over Cape May Point to our south.
Not only do rare birds stand little chance of passing through Cape May without being seen, they're almost surely going to be seen multiple times. We ran into Stu and Wendy Malmid at the Beanery - they'd seen the crane from Hidden Valley. I ran into Michael O'Brien and Louise Zemaitis and friends - they'd seen it too.
The Beanery held a Baltimore Oriole, and a few Rusty Blackbirds flew over, but otherwise it was the usual good suspects.
Golden Eagle and Rough-legged Hawk wowed the crowd at the hawk watch platform at about 11:45 a.m., simultaneously. Not a falcon was to be seen, but plenty of sharpies, coops, red-taileds, red-shouldereds, harriers, and a few broad-wingeds were in the air, most way way up. I'm glad I'm not the hawk counter today! A Yellow-billed Cuckoo flew over the state park parking lot - perhaps another one dared it to do it, because it takes one brave cuckoo to expose itself that long under all those raptors. Jessie called out a Short-eared Owl flying out towards the meadows, and a few people got on it before it dropped. Something to look for tonight, as are Saw-whets - Michael reported one in his yard at 5:30 this morning, and Pete Dunne had three in the dark up in Cumberland County this morning, too.
Among the ducks were 7 flyby Wood Ducks and a quartet of Gadwall, three drakes and a single hen that really probably wished they'd leave her alone. The Gadwall flew round and round the state park, for at least 5 minutes, the drakes following the hen and calling to her with their low, nasal "quenk" persistently. Ducks start to pair around now, and seal the deal in winter before leaving for the nesting grounds.
Lists for the Beanery and the hawkwatch platform are below.
Location: The Beanery
Observation date: 10/29/07
Notes: CMBO's Cape May with Everything on It workshop.
Number of species: 53
Snow Goose 15
Canada Goose 4
American Black Duck 3
Mallard 10
Common Loon 5
Double-crested Cormorant 25
Black Vulture 5
Turkey Vulture 10
Osprey 2
Bald Eagle 2
Northern Harrier 5
Sharp-shinned Hawk 10
Cooper's Hawk 5
Red-shouldered Hawk 5
Broad-winged Hawk 5
Red-tailed Hawk 10
Sandhill Crane 1 flying over Cape May Point
Herring Gull 5
Mourning Dove 5
Red-bellied Woodpecker 3
Downy Woodpecker 2
Northern Flicker 5
Eastern Phoebe 2
Blue Jay 10
American Crow 25
Fish Crow 2
Tree Swallow 50
Brown Creeper 1
Carolina Wren 5
Winter Wren 1
Golden-crowned Kinglet 15
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 10
Eastern Bluebird 10
American Robin 500
Gray Catbird 1
Brown Thrasher 5
European Starling 10
American Pipit 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler 50
Chipping Sparrow 5
Song Sparrow 10
Swamp Sparrow 10
White-throated Sparrow 10
Northern Cardinal 5
Red-winged Blackbird 500
Eastern Meadowlark 10
Rusty Blackbird 5
Common Grackle 10
Baltimore Oriole 1
Purple Finch 15
Pine Siskin 5
American Goldfinch 10
House Sparrow 5
Location: Cape May Point SP
Observation date: 10/29/07
Notes: CMBO's Cape May with Everything on It workshop.
Number of species: 53
Snow Goose 15
Canada Goose 25
Wood Duck 7
Gadwall 5
American Wigeon 10
American Black Duck 5
Mallard 20
Green-winged Teal 10
Ruddy Duck 10
Common Loon 20
Double-crested Cormorant 100
Great Blue Heron 1
Snowy Egret 1
Black Vulture X
Turkey Vulture X
Osprey X
Northern Harrier X
Sharp-shinned Hawk X
Cooper's Hawk X
Red-shouldered Hawk X
Broad-winged Hawk X
Red-tailed Hawk X
Rough-legged Hawk X
Golden Eagle X
American Coot 2
Killdeer 1
Herring Gull 10
Royal Tern 5
Rock Pigeon 50
Mourning Dove 10
Yellow-billed Cuckoo 1
Northern Flicker 1
Blue Jay 5
Tree Swallow 500
Red-breasted Nuthatch 1
Carolina Wren 5
Golden-crowned Kinglet 5
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 2
American Robin 10
Northern Mockingbird 1
European Starling 10
American Pipit 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler 20
Palm Warbler 2
Song Sparrow 5
White-crowned Sparrow 5
Northern Cardinal 5
Red-winged Blackbird 50
Eastern Meadowlark 2
Purple Finch 5
House Finch 10
American Goldfinch 5
House Sparrow 50
The raptor flight is very diverse (though sky high) and my goodness there's some quality stuff flying around. A Sandhill Crane, for starters, seen by various people in various places at various times, including by CMBO's "Cape May with Everything On It" workshop, from the Beanery as the bird flew over Cape May Point to our south.
Not only do rare birds stand little chance of passing through Cape May without being seen, they're almost surely going to be seen multiple times. We ran into Stu and Wendy Malmid at the Beanery - they'd seen the crane from Hidden Valley. I ran into Michael O'Brien and Louise Zemaitis and friends - they'd seen it too.
The Beanery held a Baltimore Oriole, and a few Rusty Blackbirds flew over, but otherwise it was the usual good suspects.
Golden Eagle and Rough-legged Hawk wowed the crowd at the hawk watch platform at about 11:45 a.m., simultaneously. Not a falcon was to be seen, but plenty of sharpies, coops, red-taileds, red-shouldereds, harriers, and a few broad-wingeds were in the air, most way way up. I'm glad I'm not the hawk counter today! A Yellow-billed Cuckoo flew over the state park parking lot - perhaps another one dared it to do it, because it takes one brave cuckoo to expose itself that long under all those raptors. Jessie called out a Short-eared Owl flying out towards the meadows, and a few people got on it before it dropped. Something to look for tonight, as are Saw-whets - Michael reported one in his yard at 5:30 this morning, and Pete Dunne had three in the dark up in Cumberland County this morning, too.
Among the ducks were 7 flyby Wood Ducks and a quartet of Gadwall, three drakes and a single hen that really probably wished they'd leave her alone. The Gadwall flew round and round the state park, for at least 5 minutes, the drakes following the hen and calling to her with their low, nasal "quenk" persistently. Ducks start to pair around now, and seal the deal in winter before leaving for the nesting grounds.
Lists for the Beanery and the hawkwatch platform are below.
Location: The Beanery
Observation date: 10/29/07
Notes: CMBO's Cape May with Everything on It workshop.
Number of species: 53
Snow Goose 15
Canada Goose 4
American Black Duck 3
Mallard 10
Common Loon 5
Double-crested Cormorant 25
Black Vulture 5
Turkey Vulture 10
Osprey 2
Bald Eagle 2
Northern Harrier 5
Sharp-shinned Hawk 10
Cooper's Hawk 5
Red-shouldered Hawk 5
Broad-winged Hawk 5
Red-tailed Hawk 10
Sandhill Crane 1 flying over Cape May Point
Herring Gull 5
Mourning Dove 5
Red-bellied Woodpecker 3
Downy Woodpecker 2
Northern Flicker 5
Eastern Phoebe 2
Blue Jay 10
American Crow 25
Fish Crow 2
Tree Swallow 50
Brown Creeper 1
Carolina Wren 5
Winter Wren 1
Golden-crowned Kinglet 15
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 10
Eastern Bluebird 10
American Robin 500
Gray Catbird 1
Brown Thrasher 5
European Starling 10
American Pipit 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler 50
Chipping Sparrow 5
Song Sparrow 10
Swamp Sparrow 10
White-throated Sparrow 10
Northern Cardinal 5
Red-winged Blackbird 500
Eastern Meadowlark 10
Rusty Blackbird 5
Common Grackle 10
Baltimore Oriole 1
Purple Finch 15
Pine Siskin 5
American Goldfinch 10
House Sparrow 5
Location: Cape May Point SP
Observation date: 10/29/07
Notes: CMBO's Cape May with Everything on It workshop.
Number of species: 53
Snow Goose 15
Canada Goose 25
Wood Duck 7
Gadwall 5
American Wigeon 10
American Black Duck 5
Mallard 20
Green-winged Teal 10
Ruddy Duck 10
Common Loon 20
Double-crested Cormorant 100
Great Blue Heron 1
Snowy Egret 1
Black Vulture X
Turkey Vulture X
Osprey X
Northern Harrier X
Sharp-shinned Hawk X
Cooper's Hawk X
Red-shouldered Hawk X
Broad-winged Hawk X
Red-tailed Hawk X
Rough-legged Hawk X
Golden Eagle X
American Coot 2
Killdeer 1
Herring Gull 10
Royal Tern 5
Rock Pigeon 50
Mourning Dove 10
Yellow-billed Cuckoo 1
Northern Flicker 1
Blue Jay 5
Tree Swallow 500
Red-breasted Nuthatch 1
Carolina Wren 5
Golden-crowned Kinglet 5
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 2
American Robin 10
Northern Mockingbird 1
European Starling 10
American Pipit 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler 20
Palm Warbler 2
Song Sparrow 5
White-crowned Sparrow 5
Northern Cardinal 5
Red-winged Blackbird 50
Eastern Meadowlark 2
Purple Finch 5
House Finch 10
American Goldfinch 5
House Sparrow 50
Sunday, October 28, 2007
When something's not wrong, it's right
[This Merlin, a male, arrived with a freshly killed Yellow-rumped Warbler on a telephone pole next to the CMBO Northwood Center in Cape May Point at 5:00 p.m. today (Sunday), delighting some of the staff and volunteers who were busy unloading the vans back from THE Bird Show at the Cape May Convention Center. Click to enlarge, and see below for more photos of this bird and its prey. All photos digiscoped by Don Freiday.]Apologies to Bob Dylan [in You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go] on the title tonight, but things were certainly not wrong in Cape May, as a number of people predicted, including Paul Lehman and David LaPuma.
It was indeed an awesome day. Interestingly, I personally heard little in the way of night flight calls after listening at 10:00 p.m. in Cape May City and again at 5:30 a.m. along the Bayshore, 6:00 a.m. in Cape May City, and through 6:30 a.m. in Cape May Point. At 6:30 a.m. near the Lighthouse, however, I began hearing Yellow-rumpeds, Chipping Sparrows, robins, and others come in off the ocean. I hypothesized that the birds that left the northeastern region last night were pushed offshore, and would be returning to land at dawn.
[Merlin enjoying it's meal. Photo by Don Freiday, click to enlarge.]
This was born out in David LaPuma's post to the jerseybirds listserve at 12:10 a.m. this morning, and at Higbee Beach throughout the morning hours. Nothing much was happening at 7:30 a.m. at Higbee's when we met for the NJAS Autumn Weekend walk, but by 7:45 a.m. birds were everywhere - first flocks of Red-winged Blackbirds, then robins, yellow-rumpeds, flickers, sharp-shinneds. . . the sky was full for the next two hours or more. Most birds were flying into the wind, i.e. headed northwest.
["Nature red in tooth and claw" - Alfred Lord Tennyson.]Easy, close views of perched Yellow-rumpeds, Palms, Blackpolls, kinglets (both), Chipping Sparrows, Swamp Sparrows, Song Sparrows, Field Sparrows, phoebes, Black-throated Blue Warblers, Red-eyed Vireo, and even Clay-colored Sparrow (for at least 60 field trippers) were had by many participants during the two morning walks held at Higbee. Sharp-shinned's were constant, and apparently the "blue goose" in a flock of passing Snows turned out on closer inspection to be a Cackling Goose, according to Jeff Gordon. You couldn't swing a binocular without hitting a bird. The full list for Higbee's is below, but I'm leaving it to Sam Galick, CMBO Morning Flight counter, to put numbers to the flight on View from the Field - check it out on this web site.
[To my surprise, when I picked up the hastily removed eyecup from my scope, I found some of the warbler's feathers stuck to the lubricant on the eyepiece - they must have drifted down to it and adhered there . . .]
At the hawk watch today, sharpies were constant, Cooper's not far behind, several eagles passed, Red-shouldereds soared over, and American Wigeon called on the pond, but my favorite was the American Woodcock which flew past at around 2:00 p.m., headed out over the Bunker headed south, but saw what it was getting into and swung back north and dropped into the meadows.
[CMBO staff and volunteers enjoying the feeding Merlin. Left to right, Paul Guris, Carole Hughes, Amy Gaberlein, and Sheila Lego.]Location: Higbee Beach
Observation date: 10/28/07
Notes: CMBO Autumn Weekend Sunday Morning walks. Highlight was 1 field, 2 chippies, 1 Clay-colored, and Indigo Bunting. . .in same field of view.
Number of species: 76
Snow Goose X
Canada Goose X
Double-crested Cormorant X
Great Blue Heron X
Turkey Vulture X
Osprey X
Bald Eagle X
Sharp-shinned Hawk X
Cooper's Hawk X
Red-shouldered Hawk X
American Kestrel X
Merlin X
Killdeer X
Lesser Yellowlegs X
American Woodcock X
Laughing Gull X
Ring-billed Gull X
Herring Gull X
Great Black-backed Gull X
Rock Pigeon X
Mourning Dove X
Downy Woodpecker X
Northern Flicker X
Eastern Phoebe X
Blue-headed Vireo X
Red-eyed Vireo X
Blue Jay X
American Crow X
Tree Swallow X
Carolina Chickadee X
Tufted Titmouse X
Red-breasted Nuthatch X
Brown Creeper X
Carolina Wren X
House Wren X
Winter Wren X
Golden-crowned Kinglet X
Ruby-crowned Kinglet X
Hermit Thrush X
American Robin X
Gray Catbird X
Northern Mockingbird X
Brown Thrasher X
European Starling X
Cedar Waxwing X
Northern Parula X
Black-throated Blue Warbler X
Yellow-rumped Warbler X
Pine Warbler X
Palm Warbler X
Blackpoll Warbler X
Black-and-white Warbler X
American Redstart X
Common Yellowthroat X
Eastern Towhee X
Chipping Sparrow X
Clay-colored Sparrow X
Field Sparrow X
Savannah Sparrow X
Song Sparrow X
Swamp Sparrow X
White-throated Sparrow X
White-crowned Sparrow X
Dark-eyed Junco X
Northern Cardinal X
Indigo Bunting X
Red-winged Blackbird X
Eastern Meadowlark X
Rusty Blackbird X
Common Grackle X
Brown-headed Cowbird X
Purple Finch X
House Finch X
Pine Siskin X
American Goldfinch X
House Sparrow X
Observation date: 10/28/07
Notes: CMBO Autumn Weekend Sunday Morning walks. Highlight was 1 field, 2 chippies, 1 Clay-colored, and Indigo Bunting. . .in same field of view.
Number of species: 76
Snow Goose X
Canada Goose X
Double-crested Cormorant X
Great Blue Heron X
Turkey Vulture X
Osprey X
Bald Eagle X
Sharp-shinned Hawk X
Cooper's Hawk X
Red-shouldered Hawk X
American Kestrel X
Merlin X
Killdeer X
Lesser Yellowlegs X
American Woodcock X
Laughing Gull X
Ring-billed Gull X
Herring Gull X
Great Black-backed Gull X
Rock Pigeon X
Mourning Dove X
Downy Woodpecker X
Northern Flicker X
Eastern Phoebe X
Blue-headed Vireo X
Red-eyed Vireo X
Blue Jay X
American Crow X
Tree Swallow X
Carolina Chickadee X
Tufted Titmouse X
Red-breasted Nuthatch X
Brown Creeper X
Carolina Wren X
House Wren X
Winter Wren X
Golden-crowned Kinglet X
Ruby-crowned Kinglet X
Hermit Thrush X
American Robin X
Gray Catbird X
Northern Mockingbird X
Brown Thrasher X
European Starling X
Cedar Waxwing X
Northern Parula X
Black-throated Blue Warbler X
Yellow-rumped Warbler X
Pine Warbler X
Palm Warbler X
Blackpoll Warbler X
Black-and-white Warbler X
American Redstart X
Common Yellowthroat X
Eastern Towhee X
Chipping Sparrow X
Clay-colored Sparrow X
Field Sparrow X
Savannah Sparrow X
Song Sparrow X
Swamp Sparrow X
White-throated Sparrow X
White-crowned Sparrow X
Dark-eyed Junco X
Northern Cardinal X
Indigo Bunting X
Red-winged Blackbird X
Eastern Meadowlark X
Rusty Blackbird X
Common Grackle X
Brown-headed Cowbird X
Purple Finch X
House Finch X
Pine Siskin X
American Goldfinch X
House Sparrow X
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Another Great Rainy Day, a new Seawatch Record, and boy it's looking good
The turbulent weather today broke up enough that walks associated with the Autumn Weekend/Bird Show turned up some great stuff. A King Eider and several Common Eiders were reported from various seawatch points, the King being off convention hall. The scoter flight continues, with all three species represented (see below for the report from Avalon yesterday). White-rumped Sandpiper was present in Bunker Pond, with up to 10 Pectoral Sandpipers. An elusive Eurasian Collared Dove was briefly sighted in Cape May Point, from the hawk watch, but not relocated. Apparently this bird has been around for a bit.
The usual raptors, especially those that tolerate nasty weather, were around. Our Meadows walks this morning observed Peregrines hunting and roosting on the beach, as well as several Merlins, harriers and Cooper's Hawks.
It's pretty sparrowy around Cape May right now. The path running east from the Meadows parking lot today hosted 1 Clay-colored, several White-crowneds, at least one Vesper, as well as Blue Grosbeak.
Friday's seawatch total is preliminary at 158,000+ birds, 99% scoters, shattering the old single day count record of 101,000! This morning (Saturday) I noticed three green blobs on the weather radar, moving south east of the rainy system that was moving north - scoters migrating offshore and east of the rain?
It seems pretty clear tomorrow will be a special day of birding anywhere, but certainly in Cape May. The cold front has passed - I listened briefly and negatively for flight calls along the bay just now, but suspect birds are moving, perhaps en masse. The next three days could be the best of the the fall migration season.
The usual raptors, especially those that tolerate nasty weather, were around. Our Meadows walks this morning observed Peregrines hunting and roosting on the beach, as well as several Merlins, harriers and Cooper's Hawks.
It's pretty sparrowy around Cape May right now. The path running east from the Meadows parking lot today hosted 1 Clay-colored, several White-crowneds, at least one Vesper, as well as Blue Grosbeak.
Friday's seawatch total is preliminary at 158,000+ birds, 99% scoters, shattering the old single day count record of 101,000! This morning (Saturday) I noticed three green blobs on the weather radar, moving south east of the rainy system that was moving north - scoters migrating offshore and east of the rain?
It seems pretty clear tomorrow will be a special day of birding anywhere, but certainly in Cape May. The cold front has passed - I listened briefly and negatively for flight calls along the bay just now, but suspect birds are moving, perhaps en masse. The next three days could be the best of the the fall migration season.
Record Scoter Flight, and read the Birding Forecast!
Friday's hawkwatch was being conducted from under the pavilion overlooking the ocean/bay at Cape May Point State Park, and when I wandered up there Jessie Barrie asked if I had experienced any of the amazing seabird flight that was underway. I hadn't, other than the loons and cormorants over the Beanery in the morning, and was startled to learn it was building up to a record single-day scoter count.
You have to stand on the benches or picnic tables in the pavilion to see offshore, a bit annoying, but on jumping up for a look, in no time a group of scoters came by. . .except group doesn't quite do justice to 1,600 in about one minute's looking. Anna Harris remarked that there were a ton of scoters - at an average weight of a little over 2 pounds for the dark-winged scoters, it actually was more like a ton and a half!
We'll have the results from Friday's flight up on View from the Field soon, but at last word the total count at Avalon was 120,000 or more. Almost all of that was scoters. Interestingly, Avalon had almost no cormorants, I hear, but cormorants in droves were seen migrating just inland by many observers, perhaps pushed there by the northeast winds.
We'll be birding in the rain today (Saturday) but I suggest that everyone read David LaPuma's birding forecast. David uses the word "epic" in conjunction with Sunday's potential, and looking at the way the approaching cold front is shown passing on the NOAA site Saturday night (fast and hard), I agree - the only thing that would slow a big flight would be if the winds are too high Saturday night.
Looking at the weather radar loop just now (the hour between 5:00 and 6:00 a.m.), I noticed three small blobs well east of the rain that reappearred on the screen three times, each time a bit further south. Huge flocks of migrating scoters still moving along our coast, shifted farther offshore to avoid the rain?
Different folks have different reactions to the Seawatch and seawatching in general. Often the birds are distant and hard to identify, which is frustrating and turns some people off. But the drama is huge - over ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND birds migrating over a storm-driven sea, birds that have left their nesting grounds in northern Quebec and Labrador and are headed for wintering areas off the North American coast.
You have to stand on the benches or picnic tables in the pavilion to see offshore, a bit annoying, but on jumping up for a look, in no time a group of scoters came by. . .except group doesn't quite do justice to 1,600 in about one minute's looking. Anna Harris remarked that there were a ton of scoters - at an average weight of a little over 2 pounds for the dark-winged scoters, it actually was more like a ton and a half!
We'll have the results from Friday's flight up on View from the Field soon, but at last word the total count at Avalon was 120,000 or more. Almost all of that was scoters. Interestingly, Avalon had almost no cormorants, I hear, but cormorants in droves were seen migrating just inland by many observers, perhaps pushed there by the northeast winds.
We'll be birding in the rain today (Saturday) but I suggest that everyone read David LaPuma's birding forecast. David uses the word "epic" in conjunction with Sunday's potential, and looking at the way the approaching cold front is shown passing on the NOAA site Saturday night (fast and hard), I agree - the only thing that would slow a big flight would be if the winds are too high Saturday night.
Looking at the weather radar loop just now (the hour between 5:00 and 6:00 a.m.), I noticed three small blobs well east of the rain that reappearred on the screen three times, each time a bit further south. Huge flocks of migrating scoters still moving along our coast, shifted farther offshore to avoid the rain?
Different folks have different reactions to the Seawatch and seawatching in general. Often the birds are distant and hard to identify, which is frustrating and turns some people off. But the drama is huge - over ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND birds migrating over a storm-driven sea, birds that have left their nesting grounds in northern Quebec and Labrador and are headed for wintering areas off the North American coast.
Friday, October 26, 2007
Great Rainy Day
When I pulled up at the Northwood Center at noon, I was greeted with a snow flurry of Great Egrets and Snowy Egrets, along with a few Black-crowned Night-Herons and Great Blue Herons that were roosting out of the wind on the lee side of Lily Lake. (click to enlarge the photo at left - the sky may look blueish in the picture but in fact it was raining at the time).
The rain held off until about 9:30 this morning, allowing us to get in an excellent 7:30 a.m. walk at the Beanery to kick off the Autumn Weekend/Bird Show. Savannah Sparrows were everywhere, 200 or more, Wilson's Snipe and Eastern Meadowlarks were in double digits, and 60 Common Loons and several Snow Geese flocks flew over. Northern Flickers, some of which were obviously exhausted from having migrated all night, were abundant in the vineyard, apparently attracted to ants (which perhaps are there because of the grapes?) Other birds of interest include a heard Winter Wren and flyover Rusty Blackbirds. Despite misty weather, raptors were flying around hunting - we saw Merlins, kestrels, Red-tailed Hawks, Cooper's Hawks and both vultures. I hear there was a well-seen Orange-crowned Warbler at Higbee. The full Beanery list is below.
It's raining on and off at present, looking like that will be the pattern through Saturday afternoon at least, but Sunday is shaping up to be a very interesting day!
Location: The Beanery
Observation date: 10/26/07
Notes: CMBO Autumn Weekend, Friday Beanery walk
Number of species: 57
Snow Goose 75
Brant 2
Canada Goose 25
American Black Duck 3
Mallard 20
Green-winged Teal 2
Common Loon 60 flyovers
Double-crested Cormorant 200
Great Blue Heron 2
Black Vulture 10
Turkey Vulture 10
Osprey 5
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1
Cooper's Hawk 2
American Kestrel 5
Merlin 2
Killdeer 10
Wilson's Snipe 20
Herring Gull 25
Rock Pigeon 10
Mourning Dove 20
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 25
Blue Jay 10
American Crow 40
Tree Swallow 500
Carolina Chickadee 5
Tufted Titmouse 5
White-breasted Nuthatch 1
Brown Creeper 1
Carolina Wren 5
Winter Wren 1
Golden-crowned Kinglet 1
American Robin 500
Gray Catbird 1
Northern Mockingbird 1
European Starling 60
American Pipit 2
Yellow-rumped Warbler 500
Palm Warbler 10
Common Yellowthroat 5
Chipping Sparrow 20
Field Sparrow 5
Vesper Sparrow 2
Savannah Sparrow 100
Song Sparrow 5
Swamp Sparrow 2
White-throated Sparrow 10
Northern Cardinal 10
Red-winged Blackbird 200
Eastern Meadowlark 25
Rusty Blackbird 5
Common Grackle 1
Brown-headed Cowbird 50
Baltimore Oriole 1
American Goldfinch 5
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Spectacular Weather
Well, if you were looking for raptors today. . . not so much. Our Raptor Workshop did find kestrel - 1 - and Merlin - 1 - although Michael O'Brien did tell me this evening that those species plus Peregrines were hunting Tree Swallows at the dune crossovers in Cape May Point this morning. It rained very hard in Cape May last night, and this morning the wind howled from the NE at 15-25 mph with higher gusts. We birded the Cape May Meadows for the workshop, finding a few sparrows, including White-crowned, despite the wind, as well as many dabbling ducks - pintails, wigeon, and over 100 Green-winged Teal included, and then punted and headed for the Avalon Sea Watch, where Ken Behrens, counter there, was pumped on the scoter flight, which might well have wound up being the best this year so far. "Dark-winged" scoters passed the sea watch at high speeds, accelerated by the 20+mph tailwind. Gannets were steady far offshore, and a flock of Lesser Scaup containing an outlier Ring-necked Duck passed heading the "wrong" way - north.
Jake's Landing this evening produced nothing unusual, just the omnipresent harriers and redtails there, plus a cooperative meadowlark. The wind, the cloud cover, and the wildness reminded me just how special a place Jake's is, any season, any weather.
Michael said he was hopeful for tomorrow, conditions seem somewhat ripe for a sparrow fallout. The morning will tell. This is the big weekend here at CMBO - THE Bird Show and Autumn Weekend - and we will keep you posted on the bird highlights, and human highlights too.
Jake's Landing this evening produced nothing unusual, just the omnipresent harriers and redtails there, plus a cooperative meadowlark. The wind, the cloud cover, and the wildness reminded me just how special a place Jake's is, any season, any weather.
Michael said he was hopeful for tomorrow, conditions seem somewhat ripe for a sparrow fallout. The morning will tell. This is the big weekend here at CMBO - THE Bird Show and Autumn Weekend - and we will keep you posted on the bird highlights, and human highlights too.
Red Crossbill update and CMBO Cape May Point walk
This was emailed to me from Damon Noe. "The red crossbill is still hanging around.
Many sightings today."
Also a note from Karl Lukens about yesterdays CMBO Cape May Point walk.
"We encountered some rain on this morning's walk at Cape May Point State Park, but also encountered a nice variety of ducks, numerous Yellow-rumped Warblers as well as Palms. Shore birds have been scarce, but we did find 4 Pectoral Sandpipers and 1 Semi-palmated Plover in the second "Plover Pond"."
61 species, not bad for a rainy-ish day in Cape May!
Many sightings today."
Also a note from Karl Lukens about yesterdays CMBO Cape May Point walk.
"We encountered some rain on this morning's walk at Cape May Point State Park, but also encountered a nice variety of ducks, numerous Yellow-rumped Warblers as well as Palms. Shore birds have been scarce, but we did find 4 Pectoral Sandpipers and 1 Semi-palmated Plover in the second "Plover Pond"."
61 species, not bad for a rainy-ish day in Cape May!
SPECIES SEEN ~ CMBO TRIP
Double-crested Cormorant 5
Great Blue Heron 5
Great Egret 5
Snowy Egret 2
Mute Swan 6
Canada Goose 25
American Wigeon 20
Gadwall 10
Green-winged Teal 25
Mallard 20
Northern Pintail 4
Blue-winged Teal 10
Northern Shoveler 5
Turkey Vulture 5
Osprey 3
Northern Harrier 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk 5
Cooper's Hawk 1
Semipalmated Plover 1
Greater Yellowlegs 2
Lesser Yellowlegs 4
Sanderling 10
Pectoral Sandpiper 4
Ring-billed Gull 10
Great Black-backed Gull 40
American Herring Gull 20
Laughing Gull 15
Forster's Tern 2
Royal Tern 10
Black Skimmer 1
Rock Pigeon 10
Mourning Dove 5
Belted Kingfisher 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 4
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1
Carolina
Gray Catbird 1
Northern Mockingbird 2
Brown Thrasher 2
American Robin 800
Carolina
Tufted Titmouse 2
Red-breasted Nuthatch 2
Blue Jay 5
American Crow 30
European Starling 10
American Goldfinch 10
Yellow-rumped Warbler 100
Palm Warbler 8
Swamp Sparrow 5
White-throated Sparrow 4
Northern Cardinal 5
Red-winged Blackbird 20
Eastern Meadowlark 3
Common Grackle 1
Brown-headed Cowbird 15
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Orange-crowned & Lincoln's @ Cape May Point, front finally oozes past
Cape May Point went from 100% cloud cover and light south winds to 5-10 mph northwest winds at about 9:30 this morning. The clouds remain, it seems this front is really slow moving, and as of noon not much of a hawk flight developed.
The State Park was pretty birdy, generally. The highlight for the CMBO raptor workshop I was leading was (for those who got to see it well) an Orange-crowned Warbler along the path running beside bunker pond. 7 Purple Sandpipers flew past the bunker, heading south. A Lincoln's Sparrow was a long the red trail and a pipit was a flyby on the dunes. Yellow-rumps, of course, were everywhere, and a few Palms were around. Of raptors we did have fine looks at several accipiters, both small falcons, harriers, and Osprey. This morning's full list is below.
Location: Cape May Point SP
Observation date: 10/24/07
Notes: CMBO Raptors at the Migration Mainline workshop, day 1, morning. Stalled cold front eventually passed, 100% cloud cover.
Number of species: 64
Canada Goose 25
Mute Swan 5
Gadwall 10
American Wigeon 15
Mallard 10
Northern Shoveler 5
Green-winged Teal 25
Ruddy Duck 1
Double-crested Cormorant 20
Great Blue Heron 10
Great Egret 5
Turkey Vulture 10
Osprey 10
Northern Harrier 3
Sharp-shinned Hawk 10
Cooper's Hawk 5
American Kestrel 3
Merlin 3
Greater Yellowlegs 1
Sanderling 5
Western Sandpiper 1
Purple Sandpiper 7
Laughing Gull 20
Ring-billed Gull 5
Herring Gull 10
Great Black-backed Gull 10
Forster's Tern 20
Royal Tern 10
Black Skimmer 1
Rock Pigeon 25
Mourning Dove 5
Belted Kingfisher 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 5
Blue Jay 10
American Crow 5
Fish Crow 20
Tree Swallow 20
Carolina Chickadee 5
Carolina Wren 5
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1
Eastern Bluebird 5
American Robin 500
Gray Catbird 5
Northern Mockingbird 5
Brown Thrasher 10
European Starling 10
American Pipit 1
Orange-crowned Warbler 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler 500
Palm Warbler 10
Eastern Towhee 5
Song Sparrow 5
Lincoln's Sparrow 1
Swamp Sparrow 25
White-throated Sparrow 10
Northern Cardinal 5
Indigo Bunting 1
Red-winged Blackbird 10
Eastern Meadowlark 5
Brown-headed Cowbird 5
House Finch 10
American Goldfinch 5
House Sparrow 30
The State Park was pretty birdy, generally. The highlight for the CMBO raptor workshop I was leading was (for those who got to see it well) an Orange-crowned Warbler along the path running beside bunker pond. 7 Purple Sandpipers flew past the bunker, heading south. A Lincoln's Sparrow was a long the red trail and a pipit was a flyby on the dunes. Yellow-rumps, of course, were everywhere, and a few Palms were around. Of raptors we did have fine looks at several accipiters, both small falcons, harriers, and Osprey. This morning's full list is below.
Location: Cape May Point SP
Observation date: 10/24/07
Notes: CMBO Raptors at the Migration Mainline workshop, day 1, morning. Stalled cold front eventually passed, 100% cloud cover.
Number of species: 64
Canada Goose 25
Mute Swan 5
Gadwall 10
American Wigeon 15
Mallard 10
Northern Shoveler 5
Green-winged Teal 25
Ruddy Duck 1
Double-crested Cormorant 20
Great Blue Heron 10
Great Egret 5
Turkey Vulture 10
Osprey 10
Northern Harrier 3
Sharp-shinned Hawk 10
Cooper's Hawk 5
American Kestrel 3
Merlin 3
Greater Yellowlegs 1
Sanderling 5
Western Sandpiper 1
Purple Sandpiper 7
Laughing Gull 20
Ring-billed Gull 5
Herring Gull 10
Great Black-backed Gull 10
Forster's Tern 20
Royal Tern 10
Black Skimmer 1
Rock Pigeon 25
Mourning Dove 5
Belted Kingfisher 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 5
Blue Jay 10
American Crow 5
Fish Crow 20
Tree Swallow 20
Carolina Chickadee 5
Carolina Wren 5
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1
Eastern Bluebird 5
American Robin 500
Gray Catbird 5
Northern Mockingbird 5
Brown Thrasher 10
European Starling 10
American Pipit 1
Orange-crowned Warbler 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler 500
Palm Warbler 10
Eastern Towhee 5
Song Sparrow 5
Lincoln's Sparrow 1
Swamp Sparrow 25
White-throated Sparrow 10
Northern Cardinal 5
Indigo Bunting 1
Red-winged Blackbird 10
Eastern Meadowlark 5
Brown-headed Cowbird 5
House Finch 10
American Goldfinch 5
House Sparrow 30
Red Crossbill Reapears in Cumberland County
A Red Crossbill made a brief appearance at The Nature Conservancy's Delaware Bayshore Office feeders a week or so ago and has recently returned. I have received permission to post this info for anyone wishing to try for this great South Jersey bird.
The Nature Conservancy is located in Eldora, Cumberland County. Not too far away from where the Calliope hummingbird had been earlier in the month. You simply continue north on Rt. 47. A description of sightings and TNC's address is below provided by Damon Noe. Also a photo of the bird at the top of a Norway spruce. Very nice photo!
".....The Nature Conservancy (NJ Delaware Bayshores) here at our office in Eldora.
The address is 2350 Route 47 Delmont, NJ 08314.
The bird has been seen on and off for about 5 days now. I have seen it feeding on my tall cylindrical bird feeder near my office window which is located in the rear building. It's not always there though, so it's pot luck if someone wants to check it out. I was told there were a bunch of people with scopes today looking at the feeder. I don't know if they saw it or not. I did see it as I was leaving at 4:30 P.M. today. I followed it after it took off once today and got a really cool pic of it at the end of a Norway spruce bough. The quality is poor due to me shrinking it down considerably but you get the idea."
The Nature Conservancy is located in Eldora, Cumberland County. Not too far away from where the Calliope hummingbird had been earlier in the month. You simply continue north on Rt. 47. A description of sightings and TNC's address is below provided by Damon Noe. Also a photo of the bird at the top of a Norway spruce. Very nice photo!
".....The Nature Conservancy (NJ Delaware Bayshores) here at our office in Eldora.
The address is 2350 Route 47 Delmont, NJ 08314.
The bird has been seen on and off for about 5 days now. I have seen it feeding on my tall cylindrical bird feeder near my office window which is located in the rear building. It's not always there though, so it's pot luck if someone wants to check it out. I was told there were a bunch of people with scopes today looking at the feeder. I don't know if they saw it or not. I did see it as I was leaving at 4:30 P.M. today. I followed it after it took off once today and got a really cool pic of it at the end of a Norway spruce bough. The quality is poor due to me shrinking it down considerably but you get the idea."
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
CMBO Higbee Beach walk 10/23/07
Karl Lukens reports; "This morning's walk at Higbee Beach produced the usual suspects for a warm October day with southerly winds. Numerous Yellow-rumped Warblers, Red-belly, Downy, and many Flickers, and Blue Jays. Towhees, Thrashers, and Catbirds were also present. Numbers of sparrows are low, maybe the next cold front will bring them in."
SPECIES SEEN ~ CMBO TRIP
Osprey 3
Sharp-shinned Hawk 5
Red-tailed Hawk 1
Great Black-backed Gull 5
American Herring Gull 2
Laughing Gull 5
Royal Tern 2
Rock Pigeon 5
Mourning Dove 10
Red-bellied Woodpecker 2
Downy Woodpecker 3
Northern Flicker 25
Eastern Phoebe 2
Golden-crowned Kinglet 1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1
Gray Catbird 5
Northern Mockingbird 1
Brown Thrasher 4
American Robin 30
Red-breasted Nuthatch 1
Blue Jay 15
American Crow 40
European Starling 1
American Goldfinch 2
Yellow-rumped Warbler 50
Palm Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 2
Eastern Towhee 5
Song Sparrow 1
Swamp Sparrow 2
White-throated Sparrow 5
Dark-eyed Junco 1
Northern Cardinal 5
Red-winged Blackbird 5
Eastern Meadowlark 2
Monday, October 22, 2007
Report from the Meadows
This morning's CMBO Cape May Migratory Bird Refuge walk was rather sparrowy, with good numbers of Savannah, Swamp, Song and Chipping, as well as White-crowned and White-throated. A few gannets and some American Pipits were found from the beach. We missed Sanderling somehow, perhaps they were just around the corner on the beaches of Cape May City.
I had a tantalizing look at what was probably an Orange-crowned Warbler along the west path, but it will have to remain just that - tantalizing.
Winds were light and south, yet there was a strong flight of robins, meadowlarks, yellow-rumps, and House Finches. Yes, that's right, House Finches clearly engaged in morning flight, in largish flocks.
Today's full list is below:
Location: South Cape May Meadows
Observation date: 10/22/07
Notes: CMBO Monday morning meadows walk.
Number of species: 57
Canada Goose 300
Mute Swan 4
Gadwall 10
American Wigeon 10
American Black Duck 5
Mallard 10
Blue-winged Teal 2
Northern Shoveler 10
Northern Pintail 10
Green-winged Teal 5
Black Scoter 15
Northern Gannet 7
Double-crested Cormorant 200
Great Blue Heron 1
Great Egret 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk 3
Cooper's Hawk 2
American Kestrel 1
Merlin 5
Peregrine Falcon 1
Killdeer 2
Greater Yellowlegs 1
Laughing Gull 5
Ring-billed Gull 20
Herring Gull 50
Great Black-backed Gull 50
Royal Tern 15
Rock Pigeon 10
Mourning Dove 20
Northern Flicker 10
Blue Jay 1
American Crow 20
Carolina Chickadee 2
Red-breasted Nuthatch 1
Carolina Wren 2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1
American Robin 500
Gray Catbird 1
Northern Mockingbird 1
European Starling 25
Yellow-rumped Warbler 500
Palm Warbler 15
Common Yellowthroat 2
Chipping Sparrow 10
Savannah Sparrow 25
Song Sparrow 10
Swamp Sparrow 10
White-throated Sparrow 5
White-crowned Sparrow 1
Dark-eyed Junco 1
Red-winged Blackbird 75
Eastern Meadowlark 25
Boat-tailed Grackle 10
Brown-headed Cowbird 25
House Finch 100
American Goldfinch 5
House Sparrow 5
I had a tantalizing look at what was probably an Orange-crowned Warbler along the west path, but it will have to remain just that - tantalizing.
Winds were light and south, yet there was a strong flight of robins, meadowlarks, yellow-rumps, and House Finches. Yes, that's right, House Finches clearly engaged in morning flight, in largish flocks.
Today's full list is below:
Location: South Cape May Meadows
Observation date: 10/22/07
Notes: CMBO Monday morning meadows walk.
Number of species: 57
Canada Goose 300
Mute Swan 4
Gadwall 10
American Wigeon 10
American Black Duck 5
Mallard 10
Blue-winged Teal 2
Northern Shoveler 10
Northern Pintail 10
Green-winged Teal 5
Black Scoter 15
Northern Gannet 7
Double-crested Cormorant 200
Great Blue Heron 1
Great Egret 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk 3
Cooper's Hawk 2
American Kestrel 1
Merlin 5
Peregrine Falcon 1
Killdeer 2
Greater Yellowlegs 1
Laughing Gull 5
Ring-billed Gull 20
Herring Gull 50
Great Black-backed Gull 50
Royal Tern 15
Rock Pigeon 10
Mourning Dove 20
Northern Flicker 10
Blue Jay 1
American Crow 20
Carolina Chickadee 2
Red-breasted Nuthatch 1
Carolina Wren 2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1
American Robin 500
Gray Catbird 1
Northern Mockingbird 1
European Starling 25
Yellow-rumped Warbler 500
Palm Warbler 15
Common Yellowthroat 2
Chipping Sparrow 10
Savannah Sparrow 25
Song Sparrow 10
Swamp Sparrow 10
White-throated Sparrow 5
White-crowned Sparrow 1
Dark-eyed Junco 1
Red-winged Blackbird 75
Eastern Meadowlark 25
Boat-tailed Grackle 10
Brown-headed Cowbird 25
House Finch 100
American Goldfinch 5
House Sparrow 5
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Swainson's Hawk and 15,000 Bird Morning Flight
The season's first Swainson's Hawk, a light morph, was a real crowd pleaser at the Hawk Watch platform today, as it came in with a group of Turkey Vultures and "hung out" for quite a while around noon today. With winds now light and with a southerly component, perhaps it will be found again?
A Vesper Sparrow flew past and alighted on the edge of Bunker Pond, but we couldn't relocate it. Plenty of the expected raptors were in view, including several Red-shouldered Hawks, which, with Broad-wingeds and Red-taileds (and the Swainson's) made for a nice buteo comparison.
I overheard Anna Harris, one of our hawk watch interpreters, say to a visitor (about a Bald Eagle that Glen Davis had called out) as she described where it was, "Well, I haven't really looked at it yet, but. . . "
I remarked that you do that at your peril, and Anna, who's always on top of things, said "Yes, I've found that out first hand. But not usually with Glen." My not really looking at it booboo (which I call the rubber stamping phenomenon) came with a Peregrine someone pointed out to me, which I then announced to the crowd, that transmogrified into a Merlin right before my eyes.
Add this to your rules for living: identify it yourself, and always use at least three field marks.
The Morning Flight was impressive, and as impressive was the fact that Chipping Sparrows rivaled Yellow-rumpeds for top honors in the numbers department. At one point the view from the Morning Flight platform was a shimmering sea of backlit Chipping Sparrows flying directly at us - I told everyone to look, but keep your hands in front of your face. Sam Galick, Morning Flight counter, almost caught a Chipping Sparrow with his hand as it flew by.
With the common species were the usual smattering of extras - Orange-crowned Warbler being the best of the lot I saw from the dike at Higbee, as it pitched into a Holly and perched briefly. Nashville, Black-throated Blue, Black-throated Green, and Blackburnian Warblers were also fly-bys, as were several Blue-headed Vireos. Palm Warblers, Swamp Sparrows, and others were present in the fields at Higbee's, but didn't seem to comprise much of the morning flight. Multiple Pine Siskins and Purple Finches flew over, as did several White-breasted Nuthatches, unusual for this species. Red-breasted Nuthatches continue to be everywhere. My full list for Higbee's is below.
A brief afternoon stop at the Avalon Sea Watch yielded a single White-winged Scoter flying north with Surfs, as well as gannets, Common Loons, and Caspian and Royal Terns.
Location: Higbee Beach
Observation date: 10/21/07
Number of species: 77
Mallard X
Northern Shoveler X
Green-winged Teal X
Double-crested Cormorant X
Great Blue Heron X
Turkey Vulture X
Osprey X
Sharp-shinned Hawk X
Cooper's Hawk X
Merlin X
Black-bellied Plover X
Lesser Yellowlegs 15
Semipalmated Sandpiper 1
Least Sandpiper 5
Pectoral Sandpiper 5
Dunlin 2
Stilt Sandpiper 1
Short-billed Dowitcher 1
Laughing Gull X
Herring Gull X
Great Black-backed Gull X
Caspian Tern X
Royal Tern X
Rock Pigeon X
Mourning Dove X
Northern Flicker X
Eastern Phoebe X
Blue-headed Vireo X
Blue Jay X
American Crow X
Carolina Chickadee X
Tufted Titmouse X
Red-breasted Nuthatch X
White-breasted Nuthatch X
Brown Creeper X
Carolina Wren X
House Wren X
Golden-crowned Kinglet X
Ruby-crowned Kinglet X
American Robin X
Gray Catbird X
Northern Mockingbird X
Brown Thrasher X
European Starling X
Cedar Waxwing X
Orange-crowned Warbler X
Nashville Warbler X
Black-throated Blue Warbler X
Yellow-rumped Warbler X
Black-throated Green Warbler X
Blackburnian Warbler X
Palm Warbler X
Blackpoll Warbler X
Black-and-white Warbler X
American Redstart X
Common Yellowthroat X
Chipping Sparrow X
Field Sparrow X
Savannah Sparrow X
Grasshopper Sparrow X
Song Sparrow X
Swamp Sparrow X
White-throated Sparrow X
Dark-eyed Junco X
Northern Cardinal X
Dickcissel X
Bobolink X
Red-winged Blackbird X
Eastern Meadowlark X
Rusty Blackbird X
Brown-headed Cowbird X
Baltimore Oriole X
Purple Finch X
House Finch X
Pine Siskin X
American Goldfinch X
House Sparrow X
A Vesper Sparrow flew past and alighted on the edge of Bunker Pond, but we couldn't relocate it. Plenty of the expected raptors were in view, including several Red-shouldered Hawks, which, with Broad-wingeds and Red-taileds (and the Swainson's) made for a nice buteo comparison.
I overheard Anna Harris, one of our hawk watch interpreters, say to a visitor (about a Bald Eagle that Glen Davis had called out) as she described where it was, "Well, I haven't really looked at it yet, but. . . "
I remarked that you do that at your peril, and Anna, who's always on top of things, said "Yes, I've found that out first hand. But not usually with Glen." My not really looking at it booboo (which I call the rubber stamping phenomenon) came with a Peregrine someone pointed out to me, which I then announced to the crowd, that transmogrified into a Merlin right before my eyes.
Add this to your rules for living: identify it yourself, and always use at least three field marks.
The Morning Flight was impressive, and as impressive was the fact that Chipping Sparrows rivaled Yellow-rumpeds for top honors in the numbers department. At one point the view from the Morning Flight platform was a shimmering sea of backlit Chipping Sparrows flying directly at us - I told everyone to look, but keep your hands in front of your face. Sam Galick, Morning Flight counter, almost caught a Chipping Sparrow with his hand as it flew by.
With the common species were the usual smattering of extras - Orange-crowned Warbler being the best of the lot I saw from the dike at Higbee, as it pitched into a Holly and perched briefly. Nashville, Black-throated Blue, Black-throated Green, and Blackburnian Warblers were also fly-bys, as were several Blue-headed Vireos. Palm Warblers, Swamp Sparrows, and others were present in the fields at Higbee's, but didn't seem to comprise much of the morning flight. Multiple Pine Siskins and Purple Finches flew over, as did several White-breasted Nuthatches, unusual for this species. Red-breasted Nuthatches continue to be everywhere. My full list for Higbee's is below.
A brief afternoon stop at the Avalon Sea Watch yielded a single White-winged Scoter flying north with Surfs, as well as gannets, Common Loons, and Caspian and Royal Terns.
Location: Higbee Beach
Observation date: 10/21/07
Number of species: 77
Mallard X
Northern Shoveler X
Green-winged Teal X
Double-crested Cormorant X
Great Blue Heron X
Turkey Vulture X
Osprey X
Sharp-shinned Hawk X
Cooper's Hawk X
Merlin X
Black-bellied Plover X
Lesser Yellowlegs 15
Semipalmated Sandpiper 1
Least Sandpiper 5
Pectoral Sandpiper 5
Dunlin 2
Stilt Sandpiper 1
Short-billed Dowitcher 1
Laughing Gull X
Herring Gull X
Great Black-backed Gull X
Caspian Tern X
Royal Tern X
Rock Pigeon X
Mourning Dove X
Northern Flicker X
Eastern Phoebe X
Blue-headed Vireo X
Blue Jay X
American Crow X
Carolina Chickadee X
Tufted Titmouse X
Red-breasted Nuthatch X
White-breasted Nuthatch X
Brown Creeper X
Carolina Wren X
House Wren X
Golden-crowned Kinglet X
Ruby-crowned Kinglet X
American Robin X
Gray Catbird X
Northern Mockingbird X
Brown Thrasher X
European Starling X
Cedar Waxwing X
Orange-crowned Warbler X
Nashville Warbler X
Black-throated Blue Warbler X
Yellow-rumped Warbler X
Black-throated Green Warbler X
Blackburnian Warbler X
Palm Warbler X
Blackpoll Warbler X
Black-and-white Warbler X
American Redstart X
Common Yellowthroat X
Chipping Sparrow X
Field Sparrow X
Savannah Sparrow X
Grasshopper Sparrow X
Song Sparrow X
Swamp Sparrow X
White-throated Sparrow X
Dark-eyed Junco X
Northern Cardinal X
Dickcissel X
Bobolink X
Red-winged Blackbird X
Eastern Meadowlark X
Rusty Blackbird X
Brown-headed Cowbird X
Baltimore Oriole X
Purple Finch X
House Finch X
Pine Siskin X
American Goldfinch X
House Sparrow X
Saturday, October 20, 2007
CMBO Sunset Birding at the Meadows and Beanery walks
Haven't had much time outside of typical work here at the Northwood Center. Karl and Judy Lukens just sent the notes and lists below for the CMBO Sunset at the Meadows walk on Friday 10/19. Also, the CMBO Fall Migrants at the Rea Farm (Beanery) walk which was held this morning.
A couple of good birds were had on the Beanery walk this morning, Western kingbird and 2 Cape May warblers. Good finds!
A couple of good birds were had on the Beanery walk this morning, Western kingbird and 2 Cape May warblers. Good finds!
"1-The walk at the Meadows on Friday evening was executed in a heavy fog where even ducks and gulls were difficult to ID.A nice variety of ducks made it interesting."
"2-The Beanery walk on Saturday morning was not high in the number of species but had some "good" quality birds such as a clear view of a Yellow-billed Cuckoo, 2 Cape May Warblers, a Black-throated blue, and a scope view of a Western Kingbird. The latter flew off towards Hidden Valley, so look for a yellowish "wire bird". Sharpies and Yellow-rumps were numerous."
SPECIES SEEN ~ CMBO TRIP
Great Blue Heron 1
Great Egret 2
Snowy Egret 1
Mute Swan 5
Canada Goose 50
American Wigeon 5
Gadwall 2
Green-winged Teal 15
Mallard 25
American Black Duck 1
Northern Shoveler 2
Sharp-shinned Hawk 2
Cooper's Hawk 1
Sanderling 15
Ring-billed Gull 2
Great Black-backed Gull 3
American Herring Gull 5
Laughing Gull 1
Forster's Tern 10
Mourning Dove 5
European Starling 5
House Sparrow 10
Northern Cardinal 2
Red-winged Blackbird 5
SPECIES SEEN ~ CMBO TRIP
Great Egret 2
Snowy Egret 8
Canada Goose 30
Wood Duck 3
Black Vulture 4
Turkey Vulture 8
Osprey 3
Sharp-shinned Hawk 10
Killdeer 1
Great Black-backed Gull 3
American Herring Gull 1
Rock Pigeon 5
Mourning Dove 10
Belted Kingfisher 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 10
Eastern Phoebe 1
Western Kingbird 1
Tree Swallow 10
Golden-crowned Kinglet 1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 3
Gray Catbird 3
Northern Mockingbird 1
American Robin 100
Red-breasted Nuthatch 1
Blue Jay 5
American Crow 25
Fish Crow 1
European Starling 50
House Sparrow 10
House Finch 5
Black-throated Blue Warbler 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler 50
Palm Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 3
Swamp Sparrow 5
White-throated Sparrow 2
Northern Cardinal 2
Red-winged Blackbird 15
Eastern Meadowlark 10
Common Grackle 2
Friday, October 19, 2007
Go birding this weekend, and of whales and seabirds
Let's cut to the chase with the weather forecast from the National Weather Service: A COLD FRONT IS MAKING ITS WAY ACROSS WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA THIS AFTERNOON. THE FRONT WILL CONTINUE TO TRACK TO THE EAST AND PASS OFF THE MID-ATLANTIC COAST LATE TONIGHT. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BEGIN TO BUILD BACK ACROSS THE REGION TOMORROW AND THEN PERSIST ACROSS THE REGION THROUGH LATE MONDAY OR TUESDAY.
It sounds like the front will pass too late in the night to precipitate a nocturnal flight of landbirds, other than a few birds like thrushes that sometimes take off when the front passes and actually migrate past it, but Saturday, especially in the afternoon, should bring a strong raptor migration, and Sunday will be smoking! It's a pretty sure bet there will be a major nocturnal migration Saturday night, and commensurate strong morning flight of passerines on Sunday, followed by many, many raptors. That's for here in Cape May, but it will be good everywhere, and there will be lows in the 50's Saturday night, probably the 40's north of here, so it will finally feel like fall.
In other news. . . Hilary Cresko, our Sea Watch interpretive naturalist, reports her week's highlight was a Humpback Whale on Thursday. The hawk flight has been light, thanks to the weather, but a Cooper's Hawk (perhaps the same bird, perhaps more than one) has been diligently and dutifully trying to reduce the House Sparrow population in front of the platform.
The sea watch had several days of over 10,000 birds this week. Scanning Ken Behren's and Chris Brown's reports I find things like 14 Parasitic Jaegers on the 18th, Great Cormorants every day since the 13th, and a noticeable exodus of Laughing Gulls. Yellow-rumpeds are cracking the 1,000 mark pretty much every day at Morning Flight, morning flight counter Sam Galick reports. These and the laughers signal the beginning of the end. . . but it's a long way from over. We hold The Bird Show at the end of October for a reason!
My most interesting observation of late occurred at 8:00 p.m., in full dark, two nights ago when several flocks of Green-winged Teal flew past the jetty I was fishing from near Avalon. Michael O'Brien had a life nocturnal flight call (remember, this is the guy who produced the flight call cd with Bill Evans) with an osprey this week, which passed over in the pre-dawn hours. More birds migrate in the dark than we appreciate. Where, for example, do the hordes of Sharp-shinned Hawks that appear in Cape May (after a front) before sunrise come from? They must come from birds that began migrating at night, musn't they?
It sounds like the front will pass too late in the night to precipitate a nocturnal flight of landbirds, other than a few birds like thrushes that sometimes take off when the front passes and actually migrate past it, but Saturday, especially in the afternoon, should bring a strong raptor migration, and Sunday will be smoking! It's a pretty sure bet there will be a major nocturnal migration Saturday night, and commensurate strong morning flight of passerines on Sunday, followed by many, many raptors. That's for here in Cape May, but it will be good everywhere, and there will be lows in the 50's Saturday night, probably the 40's north of here, so it will finally feel like fall.
In other news. . . Hilary Cresko, our Sea Watch interpretive naturalist, reports her week's highlight was a Humpback Whale on Thursday. The hawk flight has been light, thanks to the weather, but a Cooper's Hawk (perhaps the same bird, perhaps more than one) has been diligently and dutifully trying to reduce the House Sparrow population in front of the platform.
The sea watch had several days of over 10,000 birds this week. Scanning Ken Behren's and Chris Brown's reports I find things like 14 Parasitic Jaegers on the 18th, Great Cormorants every day since the 13th, and a noticeable exodus of Laughing Gulls. Yellow-rumpeds are cracking the 1,000 mark pretty much every day at Morning Flight, morning flight counter Sam Galick reports. These and the laughers signal the beginning of the end. . . but it's a long way from over. We hold The Bird Show at the end of October for a reason!
My most interesting observation of late occurred at 8:00 p.m., in full dark, two nights ago when several flocks of Green-winged Teal flew past the jetty I was fishing from near Avalon. Michael O'Brien had a life nocturnal flight call (remember, this is the guy who produced the flight call cd with Bill Evans) with an osprey this week, which passed over in the pre-dawn hours. More birds migrate in the dark than we appreciate. Where, for example, do the hordes of Sharp-shinned Hawks that appear in Cape May (after a front) before sunrise come from? They must come from birds that began migrating at night, musn't they?
61st Cape May Autumn Weekend/THE Bird Show
YOU ARE INVITED!Come join us for our 61st Annual
Cape May Autumn Weekend/THE Bird Show
October 26-28, 2007
Migration Mainline—Cape May, NJ
October 26-28, 2007
Migration Mainline—Cape May, NJ
For details and regsitration information go to:http://www.birdcapemay.org/autumn.shtml
or call Deb Shaw (609) 861-0700 ext. 10.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Wigeon Washing Food, Red Crossbill, Salt Sparrows, and Hidden Valley Report
A remarkably balmy morning walk at Cape May Point State Park yielded a few raptors, a late Yellow Warbler (why not stay when it's going to be 80 degrees), and the usual selection of dabbling ducks, males getting prettier by the day. One male American Wigeon feeding on the shore of Bunker Pond repeatedly exibited some interesting behavior: It would pull a tuft of grass from the shore, turn and step to the water and rinse the grass off before eating it. He was getting some dirt when he pulled the grass up by the roots, and was clearly and purposefully washing his food!
You can pretty much always find a Peregrine and a Merlin in Cape May in October, and both species did appear for us on an otherwise fairly quiet morning.
The walk at Hidden Valley fared well, with a nice selection of typical short-distance migrants, including both kinglets, thrashers, 45 Eastern Meadowlarks and a pipit. Full lists for both walks are below.
Someone from Ohio asked where to find Seaside Sparrows. One of the best spots for salt sparrows generally is Two Mile Landing, off Ocean Drive (the rode leading to Wildwood). Another good spot is Jake's Landing.
Among the gems in the Northwood Center's sighting log was a one-day Red Crossbill in Cumberland County on Tuesday. Since siskins and Purple Finches are also being detected, crossbill is something to keep an ear out for.
This morning's Cape May Point State Park and Hidden Valley lists are below.
Location: Cape May Point SP
Observation date: 10/18/07
Notes: CMBO Thursday "Bird Walk for All People."
Number of species: 40
Canada Goose 50
Mute Swan 6
Gadwall 8
American Wigeon 10
Mallard 25
Blue-winged Teal 1
Northern Shoveler 15
Green-winged Teal 35
Double-crested Cormorant 50
Great Blue Heron 1
Great Egret 3
Snowy Egret 1
Turkey Vulture 5
Osprey 5
Northern Harrier 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk 10
Cooper's Hawk 3
Merlin 1
Peregrine Falcon 1
Least Sandpiper 6
Laughing Gull 20
Herring Gull 10
Great Black-backed Gull 10
Royal Tern 2
Rock Pigeon 50
Blue Jay 5
American Crow 2
Tree Swallow 10
Carolina Wren 1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1
European Starling 5
Yellow Warbler 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler 20
Palm Warbler 5
Savannah Sparrow 1
Swamp Sparrow 5
White-throated Sparrow 5
Red-winged Blackbird 5
House Finch 5
House Sparrow 25
Location: Cape May - Hidden Valley Ranch
Observation date: 10/18/07
Number of species: 45
Canada Goose 200
Turkey Vulture 2
Osprey 1
Northern Harrier 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk 5
Cooper's Hawk 2
Red-tailed Hawk 1
Merlin 1
Lesser Yellowlegs 16
Stilt Sandpiper 1
Herring Gull 2
Rock Pigeon 1
Mourning Dove 25
Belted Kingfisher 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 8
Downy Woodpecker 3
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 20
Eastern Phoebe 1
Blue Jay 30
American Crow 50
Red-breasted Nuthatch 3
Carolina Wren 25
Golden-crowned Kinglet 5
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 10
American Robin 150
Gray Catbird 20
Northern Mockingbird 10
Brown Thrasher 20
European Starling 25
American Pipit 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler 100
Palm Warbler 20
Blackpoll Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 10
Eastern Towhee 5
Field Sparrow 6
Song Sparrow 6
Swamp Sparrow 20
White-throated Sparrow 2
Northern Cardinal 5
Indigo Bunting 1
Red-winged Blackbird 20
Eastern Meadowlark 45
Purple Finch 3
You can pretty much always find a Peregrine and a Merlin in Cape May in October, and both species did appear for us on an otherwise fairly quiet morning.
The walk at Hidden Valley fared well, with a nice selection of typical short-distance migrants, including both kinglets, thrashers, 45 Eastern Meadowlarks and a pipit. Full lists for both walks are below.
Someone from Ohio asked where to find Seaside Sparrows. One of the best spots for salt sparrows generally is Two Mile Landing, off Ocean Drive (the rode leading to Wildwood). Another good spot is Jake's Landing.
Among the gems in the Northwood Center's sighting log was a one-day Red Crossbill in Cumberland County on Tuesday. Since siskins and Purple Finches are also being detected, crossbill is something to keep an ear out for.
This morning's Cape May Point State Park and Hidden Valley lists are below.
Location: Cape May Point SP
Observation date: 10/18/07
Notes: CMBO Thursday "Bird Walk for All People."
Number of species: 40
Canada Goose 50
Mute Swan 6
Gadwall 8
American Wigeon 10
Mallard 25
Blue-winged Teal 1
Northern Shoveler 15
Green-winged Teal 35
Double-crested Cormorant 50
Great Blue Heron 1
Great Egret 3
Snowy Egret 1
Turkey Vulture 5
Osprey 5
Northern Harrier 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk 10
Cooper's Hawk 3
Merlin 1
Peregrine Falcon 1
Least Sandpiper 6
Laughing Gull 20
Herring Gull 10
Great Black-backed Gull 10
Royal Tern 2
Rock Pigeon 50
Blue Jay 5
American Crow 2
Tree Swallow 10
Carolina Wren 1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1
European Starling 5
Yellow Warbler 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler 20
Palm Warbler 5
Savannah Sparrow 1
Swamp Sparrow 5
White-throated Sparrow 5
Red-winged Blackbird 5
House Finch 5
House Sparrow 25
Location: Cape May - Hidden Valley Ranch
Observation date: 10/18/07
Number of species: 45
Canada Goose 200
Turkey Vulture 2
Osprey 1
Northern Harrier 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk 5
Cooper's Hawk 2
Red-tailed Hawk 1
Merlin 1
Lesser Yellowlegs 16
Stilt Sandpiper 1
Herring Gull 2
Rock Pigeon 1
Mourning Dove 25
Belted Kingfisher 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 8
Downy Woodpecker 3
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 20
Eastern Phoebe 1
Blue Jay 30
American Crow 50
Red-breasted Nuthatch 3
Carolina Wren 25
Golden-crowned Kinglet 5
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 10
American Robin 150
Gray Catbird 20
Northern Mockingbird 10
Brown Thrasher 20
European Starling 25
American Pipit 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler 100
Palm Warbler 20
Blackpoll Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 10
Eastern Towhee 5
Field Sparrow 6
Song Sparrow 6
Swamp Sparrow 20
White-throated Sparrow 2
Northern Cardinal 5
Indigo Bunting 1
Red-winged Blackbird 20
Eastern Meadowlark 45
Purple Finch 3
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Report from Cape May Point State Park
Karl Lukens reports the following from CMBO's Cape May Point State Park Walk today:
"Good birding and comfortable weather on this morning's Cape May Point walk at the State Park. Warblers were predominantly Yellow-rumps with a few Palms and Common Yellowthroats. Good variety of dabbling ducks, but the divers are yet to come. "
The walk detected Wood Ducks and American Pipits, among other birds of interest. The full list is below.
SPECIES SEEN ~ CMBO TRIP
10/17/2007 ~ in Cape May Point ~ New Jersey Checklist ~ 59 seen
Double-crested Cormorant 50
Great Blue Heron 3
Great Egret 5
Snowy Egret 2
Mute Swan 6
Canada Goose 20
Wood Duck 2
American Wigeon 10
Gadwall 4
Green-winged Teal 10
Mallard 20
American Black Duck 1
Northern Pintail 2
Blue-winged Teal 2
Northern Shoveler 10
Turkey Vulture 5
Osprey 4
Sharp-shinned Hawk 5
Cooper's Hawk 2
Greater Yellowlegs 1
Sanderling 10
Least Sandpiper 3
Ring-billed Gull 1
Great Black-backed Gull 50
American Herring Gull 20
Laughing Gull 50
Forster's Tern 5
Royal Tern 5
Rock Pigeon 15
Mourning Dove 10
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Downy Woodpecker 2
Northern Flicker 8
Tree Swallow 10
American Pipit 4
Golden-crowned Kinglet 1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1
Carolina Wren 2
Gray Catbird 3
Northern Mockingbird 2
Brown Thrasher 1
American Robin 25
Carolina Chickadee 2
Red-breasted Nuthatch 1
American Crow 5
European Starling 50
House Sparrow 15
Red-eyed Vireo 1
House Finch 2
Yellow-rumped Warbler 30
Palm Warbler 2
Common Yellowthroat 2
Savannah Sparrow 3
Song Sparrow 1
Swamp Sparrow 15
White-throated Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal 2
Red-winged Blackbird 20
"Good birding and comfortable weather on this morning's Cape May Point walk at the State Park. Warblers were predominantly Yellow-rumps with a few Palms and Common Yellowthroats. Good variety of dabbling ducks, but the divers are yet to come. "
The walk detected Wood Ducks and American Pipits, among other birds of interest. The full list is below.
SPECIES SEEN ~ CMBO TRIP
10/17/2007 ~ in Cape May Point ~ New Jersey Checklist ~ 59 seen
Double-crested Cormorant 50
Great Blue Heron 3
Great Egret 5
Snowy Egret 2
Mute Swan 6
Canada Goose 20
Wood Duck 2
American Wigeon 10
Gadwall 4
Green-winged Teal 10
Mallard 20
American Black Duck 1
Northern Pintail 2
Blue-winged Teal 2
Northern Shoveler 10
Turkey Vulture 5
Osprey 4
Sharp-shinned Hawk 5
Cooper's Hawk 2
Greater Yellowlegs 1
Sanderling 10
Least Sandpiper 3
Ring-billed Gull 1
Great Black-backed Gull 50
American Herring Gull 20
Laughing Gull 50
Forster's Tern 5
Royal Tern 5
Rock Pigeon 15
Mourning Dove 10
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Downy Woodpecker 2
Northern Flicker 8
Tree Swallow 10
American Pipit 4
Golden-crowned Kinglet 1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1
Carolina Wren 2
Gray Catbird 3
Northern Mockingbird 2
Brown Thrasher 1
American Robin 25
Carolina Chickadee 2
Red-breasted Nuthatch 1
American Crow 5
European Starling 50
House Sparrow 15
Red-eyed Vireo 1
House Finch 2
Yellow-rumped Warbler 30
Palm Warbler 2
Common Yellowthroat 2
Savannah Sparrow 3
Song Sparrow 1
Swamp Sparrow 15
White-throated Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal 2
Red-winged Blackbird 20
Monday, October 15, 2007
Quest for the day....
Well my quest for the morning was to find a Lincoln's sparrow, so I headed to Higbee. Pond Creek Preserve would have been a good choice as well. Or, as I see from Don's post, TNC's Cape May Migratory Bird Refuge. As good fortune would have it I did find just one. I had headed to the back of Higbee, near the pond, and was just about to head back to the parking lot as my time was running short. Then I happened to notice a small amount of movement in the grass near the base of some shrubs. Up popped a little Linclon's sparrow giving just enough to make sure that was the true identity of this bird. While finding a lincoln's is nice, it would have been much nicer to find a Le Conte's sparrow. Maybe that will be tomorrow's quest. I have pretty much all day to search.
The birding was pretty good this morning, loads of birds still flying around over head the whole time I was walking. Highlights for the day for me were....of course the lincoln's, more Pine siskins, and a Black and white warbler that came within a foot and a half of my face. I happened to see this bird near the base of a cedar and stood to watch it work the branches over for insects. Soon it started to work its way upward and nearer to me. All the while I was cursing myself for not liking to feel like a pack mule and deciding to not carry a camera. Anyway, this bird worked closer and closer inching toward me. Soon it was eye to eye with me but never seemed to care that I was near by. Truly one of those wonderful moments which do not happen often enough.
So, the list form the morning is below. The birding should continue to be decent over the next few days, even toward the end of the week is my guess. It is supposed to warm up and possibly be rainy near the weekend. Either way, get out and enjoy. Bird migration continues well past the neo-tropical migrants.
Location: Higbee Beach
Observation date: 10/15/07
Number of species: 52
Canada Goose 3
Northern Shoveler 1
Common Loon 5
Osprey 3
Bald Eagle 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk 8
Lesser Yellowlegs 1
Herring Gull 1
Mourning Dove 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker 5
Downy Woodpecker 3
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 35
Eastern Phoebe 1
Blue-headed Vireo 1
Blue Jay 8
American Crow 10
Carolina Chickadee 9
Tufted Titmouse 1
Red-breasted Nuthatch 14
Carolina Wren 16
Golden-crowned Kinglet 22
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 27
Hermit Thrush 1
American Robin 350
Gray Catbird 12
Northern Mockingbird 2
Brown Thrasher 18
European Starling 5
Cedar Waxwing 11
Black-throated Blue Warbler 6
Yellow-rumped Warbler 680
Palm Warbler 3
Black-and-white Warbler 1
American Redstart 1
Common Yellowthroat 7
Scarlet Tanager 1
Eastern Towhee 10
Field Sparrow 1
Song Sparrow 10
Lincoln's Sparrow 1
Swamp Sparrow 6
White-throated Sparrow 60
Dark-eyed Junco 3
Northern Cardinal 4
Indigo Bunting 1
Bobolink 1
Red-winged Blackbird 215
Eastern Meadowlark 1
House Finch 22
Pine Siskin 3
American Goldfinch 3
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)
The birding was pretty good this morning, loads of birds still flying around over head the whole time I was walking. Highlights for the day for me were....of course the lincoln's, more Pine siskins, and a Black and white warbler that came within a foot and a half of my face. I happened to see this bird near the base of a cedar and stood to watch it work the branches over for insects. Soon it started to work its way upward and nearer to me. All the while I was cursing myself for not liking to feel like a pack mule and deciding to not carry a camera. Anyway, this bird worked closer and closer inching toward me. Soon it was eye to eye with me but never seemed to care that I was near by. Truly one of those wonderful moments which do not happen often enough.
So, the list form the morning is below. The birding should continue to be decent over the next few days, even toward the end of the week is my guess. It is supposed to warm up and possibly be rainy near the weekend. Either way, get out and enjoy. Bird migration continues well past the neo-tropical migrants.
Location: Higbee Beach
Observation date: 10/15/07
Number of species: 52
Canada Goose 3
Northern Shoveler 1
Common Loon 5
Osprey 3
Bald Eagle 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk 8
Lesser Yellowlegs 1
Herring Gull 1
Mourning Dove 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker 5
Downy Woodpecker 3
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 35
Eastern Phoebe 1
Blue-headed Vireo 1
Blue Jay 8
American Crow 10
Carolina Chickadee 9
Tufted Titmouse 1
Red-breasted Nuthatch 14
Carolina Wren 16
Golden-crowned Kinglet 22
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 27
Hermit Thrush 1
American Robin 350
Gray Catbird 12
Northern Mockingbird 2
Brown Thrasher 18
European Starling 5
Cedar Waxwing 11
Black-throated Blue Warbler 6
Yellow-rumped Warbler 680
Palm Warbler 3
Black-and-white Warbler 1
American Redstart 1
Common Yellowthroat 7
Scarlet Tanager 1
Eastern Towhee 10
Field Sparrow 1
Song Sparrow 10
Lincoln's Sparrow 1
Swamp Sparrow 6
White-throated Sparrow 60
Dark-eyed Junco 3
Northern Cardinal 4
Indigo Bunting 1
Bobolink 1
Red-winged Blackbird 215
Eastern Meadowlark 1
House Finch 22
Pine Siskin 3
American Goldfinch 3
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)
Pipits, Jaegers and Blue-headed Vireo
This morning's Meadows walk highlight for me was a White-breasted Nuthatch, rather unexpected in the dune scrub near the beach. The crowd pleasers, though, were reasonably close views of an adult light morph Parasitic Jaeger pursuing gulls in the relentless jaeger way, as well as six American Pipits which dropped onto the island east of the east path for scope views. A few of us saw Lincoln's Sparrow amidst the swarms of Savannahs, Swamps and Songs, and most people got good views of immature White-crowned Sparrow on the path that runs next to the road.
After the walk I wandered over to the Hawk Watch Platform, where a Blue-headed Vireo put on a good show in the shrubs out front. A flock of five Red-breasted Nuthatches flew out of the cedars and over the platform briefly before changing their mind and returning to the cedars. Five in a flock (and others left behind calling) gives a sense of what a flight year it is for r.b. nuts. Tree Swallows did a little tornado-ing over the pond, and a Rough-winged revealed itself with a brrrt.
There were a couple Blue-winged Teal on Bunker Pond - we had missed them in the Meadows. Blue-wingeds start to thin out in mid October, not surprising considering the majority of this species winters south of the U.S. border, and many of them find their way to South America.
Another bird in the thinning-out department is Chimney Swift, so the one foraging over the pond was worth noting. The last Chimney Swifts in Cape May normally disappear the first week in November, off to their wintering grounds in Brazil, Peru and Chile.
A quick e-bird entry for my 20 minutes at the platform revealed I'd seen 47 species, and that was spending more time talking with folks than birding. Both of this morning's lists follow.
Location: South Cape May Meadows
Observation date: 10/15/07
Notes: CMBO's Monday walk.
Number of species: 57
Canada Goose 25
Mute Swan 8
Gadwall 8
American Wigeon 20
American Black Duck 3
Mallard 25
Northern Shoveler 10
Northern Pintail 3
Green-winged Teal 15
Double-crested Cormorant 50
Great Blue Heron 1
Great Egret 1
Snowy Egret 1
Turkey Vulture 5
Osprey 5
Sharp-shinned Hawk 10
Cooper's Hawk 2
American Kestrel 1
Greater Yellowlegs 6
Sanderling 10
Laughing Gull 150
Ring-billed Gull 10
Herring Gull 25
Great Black-backed Gull 75
Forster's Tern 15
Royal Tern 10
Parasitic Jaeger 2 1 adult light morph, one dark ad or juv
Rock Pigeon 35
Mourning Dove 5
Northern Flicker 25
Blue Jay 10
American Crow 10
Tree Swallow 200
Red-breasted Nuthatch 5
White-breasted Nuthatch 1 in scrub on dune, really unusual
American Robin 150
Gray Catbird 5
Northern Mockingbird 1
European Starling 50
American Pipit 8 6 landed on island east of east path
Cedar Waxwing 10
Yellow-rumped Warbler 500
Palm Warbler 25
Savannah Sparrow 25
Song Sparrow 10
Lincoln's Sparrow 2 not seen by all
Swamp Sparrow 20
White-throated Sparrow 5
White-crowned Sparrow 2
Northern Cardinal 2
Red-winged Blackbird 20
Eastern Meadowlark 2
Boat-tailed Grackle 6
Brown-headed Cowbird 10
House Finch 5
American Goldfinch 5
House Sparrow 20
Location: Cape May Point SP
Observation date: 10/15/07
Number of species: 47
Canada Goose X
Mute Swan X
Gadwall X
American Wigeon X
American Black Duck X
Mallard X
Blue-winged Teal X
Northern Shoveler X
Green-winged Teal X
Double-crested Cormorant X
Great Egret X
Snowy Egret X
Turkey Vulture X
Osprey X
Bald Eagle X
Northern Harrier X
Sharp-shinned Hawk X
Cooper's Hawk X
American Kestrel X
Laughing Gull X
Ring-billed Gull X
Herring Gull X
Great Black-backed Gull X
Royal Tern X
Rock Pigeon X
Mourning Dove X
Chimney Swift 1
Northern Flicker X
Blue-headed Vireo 1
Blue Jay X
American Crow X
Tree Swallow X
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 1
Carolina Chickadee X
Red-breasted Nuthatch 10
Golden-crowned Kinglet X
Ruby-crowned Kinglet X
American Robin X
Gray Catbird X
Northern Mockingbird X
European Starling X
Cedar Waxwing X
Yellow-rumped Warbler X
Palm Warbler X
White-throated Sparrow X
House Finch X
House Sparrow X
After the walk I wandered over to the Hawk Watch Platform, where a Blue-headed Vireo put on a good show in the shrubs out front. A flock of five Red-breasted Nuthatches flew out of the cedars and over the platform briefly before changing their mind and returning to the cedars. Five in a flock (and others left behind calling) gives a sense of what a flight year it is for r.b. nuts. Tree Swallows did a little tornado-ing over the pond, and a Rough-winged revealed itself with a brrrt.
There were a couple Blue-winged Teal on Bunker Pond - we had missed them in the Meadows. Blue-wingeds start to thin out in mid October, not surprising considering the majority of this species winters south of the U.S. border, and many of them find their way to South America.
Another bird in the thinning-out department is Chimney Swift, so the one foraging over the pond was worth noting. The last Chimney Swifts in Cape May normally disappear the first week in November, off to their wintering grounds in Brazil, Peru and Chile.
A quick e-bird entry for my 20 minutes at the platform revealed I'd seen 47 species, and that was spending more time talking with folks than birding. Both of this morning's lists follow.
Location: South Cape May Meadows
Observation date: 10/15/07
Notes: CMBO's Monday walk.
Number of species: 57
Canada Goose 25
Mute Swan 8
Gadwall 8
American Wigeon 20
American Black Duck 3
Mallard 25
Northern Shoveler 10
Northern Pintail 3
Green-winged Teal 15
Double-crested Cormorant 50
Great Blue Heron 1
Great Egret 1
Snowy Egret 1
Turkey Vulture 5
Osprey 5
Sharp-shinned Hawk 10
Cooper's Hawk 2
American Kestrel 1
Greater Yellowlegs 6
Sanderling 10
Laughing Gull 150
Ring-billed Gull 10
Herring Gull 25
Great Black-backed Gull 75
Forster's Tern 15
Royal Tern 10
Parasitic Jaeger 2 1 adult light morph, one dark ad or juv
Rock Pigeon 35
Mourning Dove 5
Northern Flicker 25
Blue Jay 10
American Crow 10
Tree Swallow 200
Red-breasted Nuthatch 5
White-breasted Nuthatch 1 in scrub on dune, really unusual
American Robin 150
Gray Catbird 5
Northern Mockingbird 1
European Starling 50
American Pipit 8 6 landed on island east of east path
Cedar Waxwing 10
Yellow-rumped Warbler 500
Palm Warbler 25
Savannah Sparrow 25
Song Sparrow 10
Lincoln's Sparrow 2 not seen by all
Swamp Sparrow 20
White-throated Sparrow 5
White-crowned Sparrow 2
Northern Cardinal 2
Red-winged Blackbird 20
Eastern Meadowlark 2
Boat-tailed Grackle 6
Brown-headed Cowbird 10
House Finch 5
American Goldfinch 5
House Sparrow 20
Location: Cape May Point SP
Observation date: 10/15/07
Number of species: 47
Canada Goose X
Mute Swan X
Gadwall X
American Wigeon X
American Black Duck X
Mallard X
Blue-winged Teal X
Northern Shoveler X
Green-winged Teal X
Double-crested Cormorant X
Great Egret X
Snowy Egret X
Turkey Vulture X
Osprey X
Bald Eagle X
Northern Harrier X
Sharp-shinned Hawk X
Cooper's Hawk X
American Kestrel X
Laughing Gull X
Ring-billed Gull X
Herring Gull X
Great Black-backed Gull X
Royal Tern X
Rock Pigeon X
Mourning Dove X
Chimney Swift 1
Northern Flicker X
Blue-headed Vireo 1
Blue Jay X
American Crow X
Tree Swallow X
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 1
Carolina Chickadee X
Red-breasted Nuthatch 10
Golden-crowned Kinglet X
Ruby-crowned Kinglet X
American Robin X
Gray Catbird X
Northern Mockingbird X
European Starling X
Cedar Waxwing X
Yellow-rumped Warbler X
Palm Warbler X
White-throated Sparrow X
House Finch X
House Sparrow X
CMBO Villas WMA walk- 10/14/07
This note and list was emailed to me from George Myers, re: the CMBO Villas WMA walk held yesterday 10/14.
"An interesting morning at Villas WMA. A good number of Palm and Yellow-rumped Warblers, and Chipping Sparrows in the overgrown fields."
Some other highlights:
1 Yellow-billed Cuckoo
10+ Red-breasted Nuthatches
3+ Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers
5 Eastern Phoebes
4 Black-throated Green Warblers
1 Dark-eyed Junco
7 Eastern Meadowlarks
1 Dickcissel
5 Purple Finches
2 American Kestrels
1 Merlin
2 Osprey
1 1st year Bald Eagle
3 Cooper's Hawks
2 Sharp-shinned Hawks
"An interesting morning at Villas WMA. A good number of Palm and Yellow-rumped Warblers, and Chipping Sparrows in the overgrown fields."
Some other highlights:
1 Yellow-billed Cuckoo
10+ Red-breasted Nuthatches
3+ Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers
5 Eastern Phoebes
4 Black-throated Green Warblers
1 Dark-eyed Junco
7 Eastern Meadowlarks
1 Dickcissel
5 Purple Finches
2 American Kestrels
1 Merlin
2 Osprey
1 1st year Bald Eagle
3 Cooper's Hawks
2 Sharp-shinned Hawks
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Cape May Point....loads of birds moving.....
Many of them as you may expect were Yellow-rumped warblers. In looking up at the sky at many points you could help but to be looking at birds; sometimes by the hundreds. We had a few good finds on our walk around the Point this morning, Pine siskin was one of the best, in my opinion. Heck, I was just glad to know that I remember what they sound like. While we were sorting through seemingly endless flocks of yellow-rumps, near the corner of Coral Ave and Harvard Ave., a flock of six Pine siskins obligingly sat for but a few minuets in a tree for us to enjoy.
Other nice sightings were eleven,... that's right 11, Parasitic Jaegers chasing terns and gulls over the Delaware Bay. A few Northern gannets were spotted at a good distance and a flock of 6 Common loons flew past as well.
I tried to string a Clay-colored sparrow at one point in a flock of many white-throateds, but in the end the rump color gave the birds true identity away.
Aside from the passerine migrants, co-dominance of the sky was shared with raptors and monarchs. Evidently, there was a very large push of monarch butterflies through Cape May yesterday. That flight was evidenced by the number of butterflies in the sky this morning. I anticipate that there should be some good roosts in the Cape May area this evening given the cooler temps. and numbers of the little beauties around.
I have not heard but I'd guess that the hawk watch has been great today. When walking back to the Northwood Center this morning we had a couple of good kettles of accipiters over head. No goshawks but many sharpies and and a number of Cooper's hawks as well. The bad part is that with the lighter winds and blue skies the hawks can get high, and fast!
Be on the look out for good migration over the next few days. The winds are supposed to stay W to NW for the next couple of days and be light and variable over night. So, what does this mean? If you can get out (i.e. that work stuff doesn't ruin good birding days) get out! Even if you do have to work, get up early and take a short walk around your "local patch." You never know what you might find.
Below are two lists. I know I haven't posted a personal list for a few days, it's that time of year. Time is at a premium. So, I won't bore you with the four or so lists I have..... Actually, I'll bore you with three lists. The first will be from today's walk around Cape May Point. The second list will be from yesterday's CMBO Birding Optics walk. The last list will be from Wednesday's CMBO Twilight Watch walk. By the way, if you are interested in heading out on the Twilight Watch or Birding Optics walk, time is of the essence. There are only of couple of opportunities left. Check out the Naturalist Calendar to find out the times of the walks and all other programs which CMBO runs at this time of year. Lastly, don't forget the upcoming Autumn Weekend and THE Bird Show. I think that is still time to register. Call the CMBO Center for Research and Education to register.
Location: Cape May Point
Observation date: 10/14/07
Number of species: 71
Canada Goose 42
Mute Swan 24
American Wigeon 79
Mallard 21
Northern Shoveler 4
Ruddy Duck 2
Common Loon 9
Pied-billed Grebe 8
Northern Gannet 5
Double-crested Cormorant 95
Great Egret 1
Osprey 6
Bald Eagle 1
Northern Harrier 13
Sharp-shinned Hawk 50
Cooper's Hawk 18
American Kestrel 4
American Coot 2
Greater Yellowlegs 2
Lesser Yellowlegs 4
Sanderling 6
Semipalmated Sandpiper 5
Laughing Gull X
Ring-billed Gull 6
Herring Gull X
Great Black-backed Gull X
Caspian Tern 2
Common Tern X
Royal Tern 10
Parasitic Jaeger 12
Rock Pigeon 37
Mourning Dove 22
Belted Kingfisher 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 26
Eastern Phoebe 1
Blue Jay 40
American Crow 10
Fish Crow 4
Tree Swallow 65
Barn Swallow 1
Carolina Chickadee 25
Red-breasted Nuthatch 18
White-breasted Nuthatch 1
Carolina Wren 10
Golden-crowned Kinglet 10
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 8
American Robin 85
Northern Mockingbird 6
European Starling 122
Yellow-rumped Warbler 478
Black-throated Green Warbler 1
Palm Warbler 8
Blackpoll Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 2
Eastern Towhee 4
Chipping Sparrow 1
Song Sparrow 4
Swamp Sparrow 5
White-throated Sparrow 15
Dark-eyed Junco 1
Northern Cardinal 6
Bobolink 3
Red-winged Blackbird 280
Eastern Meadowlark 15
Common Grackle 10
Boat-tailed Grackle 1
House Finch 45
Pine Siskin 7
American Goldfinch 6
House Sparrow 45
Location: Cape May Point SP
Observation date: 10/13/07
Notes: CMBO Birding Optics walk
Number of species: 73
Brant 4
Canada Goose 55
Mute Swan 6
Wood Duck 3
Gadwall 8
American Wigeon 4
Mallard 22
Northern Shoveler 5
Northern Pintail 1
Green-winged Teal 68
scoter sp. 35
Common Loon 9
Double-crested Cormorant 26
Great Blue Heron 3
Great Egret 6
Snowy Egret 10
Turkey Vulture 3
Osprey 4
Bald Eagle 2
Northern Harrier 14
Sharp-shinned Hawk 65
Cooper's Hawk 8
Broad-winged Hawk 1
American Kestrel 1
Merlin 1
Killdeer 8
Greater Yellowlegs 1
Laughing Gull 150
Ring-billed Gull 2
Herring Gull 56
Great Black-backed Gull 35
Common Tern 6
Forster's Tern 2
Royal Tern 12
Parasitic Jaeger 3
Rock Pigeon 35
Mourning Dove 25
Belted Kingfisher 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1
Downy Woodpecker 2
Northern Flicker 50
Eastern Phoebe 1
Red-eyed Vireo 1
Blue Jay 1
American Crow 5
Fish Crow 12
Tree Swallow 1000
Red-breasted Nuthatch 4
Carolina Wren 6
Golden-crowned Kinglet 15
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 4
American Robin 115
Gray Catbird 6
Northern Mockingbird 2
Brown Thrasher 1
European Starling 35
American Pipit 12
Cedar Waxwing 6
Yellow-rumped Warbler 500
Palm Warbler 30
Savannah Sparrow 35
Song Sparrow 3
Swamp Sparrow 15
White-crowned Sparrow 2
Northern Cardinal 2
Indigo Bunting 4
Red-winged Blackbird 600
Eastern Meadowlark 33
Common Grackle 25
House Finch 8
American Goldfinch 8
House Sparrow 35
Location: South Cape May Meadows
Observation date: 10/10/07
Notes: CMBO Twilight Watch walk
Number of species: 32
Canada Goose 30
Mute Swan 5
Gadwall 15
American Wigeon 35
American Black Duck 2
Mallard 15
Blue-winged Teal 10
Northern Shoveler 8
Northern Pintail 4
Green-winged Teal 35
Surf Scoter 3
scoter sp. 30
Double-crested Cormorant 15
Great Blue Heron 25
Great Egret 1
Snowy Egret 2
Black-crowned Night-Heron 35
Merlin 12
Peregrine Falcon 2
Laughing Gull 250
Ring-billed Gull 15
Herring Gull 45
Great Black-backed Gull 79
Common Tern X
Royal Tern X
Black Skimmer 250
Parasitic Jaeger 1
Northern Mockingbird 2
Yellow-rumped Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 3
Swamp Sparrow 6
Red-winged Blackbird 8
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)
Other nice sightings were eleven,... that's right 11, Parasitic Jaegers chasing terns and gulls over the Delaware Bay. A few Northern gannets were spotted at a good distance and a flock of 6 Common loons flew past as well.
I tried to string a Clay-colored sparrow at one point in a flock of many white-throateds, but in the end the rump color gave the birds true identity away.
Aside from the passerine migrants, co-dominance of the sky was shared with raptors and monarchs. Evidently, there was a very large push of monarch butterflies through Cape May yesterday. That flight was evidenced by the number of butterflies in the sky this morning. I anticipate that there should be some good roosts in the Cape May area this evening given the cooler temps. and numbers of the little beauties around.
I have not heard but I'd guess that the hawk watch has been great today. When walking back to the Northwood Center this morning we had a couple of good kettles of accipiters over head. No goshawks but many sharpies and and a number of Cooper's hawks as well. The bad part is that with the lighter winds and blue skies the hawks can get high, and fast!
Be on the look out for good migration over the next few days. The winds are supposed to stay W to NW for the next couple of days and be light and variable over night. So, what does this mean? If you can get out (i.e. that work stuff doesn't ruin good birding days) get out! Even if you do have to work, get up early and take a short walk around your "local patch." You never know what you might find.
Below are two lists. I know I haven't posted a personal list for a few days, it's that time of year. Time is at a premium. So, I won't bore you with the four or so lists I have..... Actually, I'll bore you with three lists. The first will be from today's walk around Cape May Point. The second list will be from yesterday's CMBO Birding Optics walk. The last list will be from Wednesday's CMBO Twilight Watch walk. By the way, if you are interested in heading out on the Twilight Watch or Birding Optics walk, time is of the essence. There are only of couple of opportunities left. Check out the Naturalist Calendar to find out the times of the walks and all other programs which CMBO runs at this time of year. Lastly, don't forget the upcoming Autumn Weekend and THE Bird Show. I think that is still time to register. Call the CMBO Center for Research and Education to register.
Location: Cape May Point
Observation date: 10/14/07
Number of species: 71
Canada Goose 42
Mute Swan 24
American Wigeon 79
Mallard 21
Northern Shoveler 4
Ruddy Duck 2
Common Loon 9
Pied-billed Grebe 8
Northern Gannet 5
Double-crested Cormorant 95
Great Egret 1
Osprey 6
Bald Eagle 1
Northern Harrier 13
Sharp-shinned Hawk 50
Cooper's Hawk 18
American Kestrel 4
American Coot 2
Greater Yellowlegs 2
Lesser Yellowlegs 4
Sanderling 6
Semipalmated Sandpiper 5
Laughing Gull X
Ring-billed Gull 6
Herring Gull X
Great Black-backed Gull X
Caspian Tern 2
Common Tern X
Royal Tern 10
Parasitic Jaeger 12
Rock Pigeon 37
Mourning Dove 22
Belted Kingfisher 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 26
Eastern Phoebe 1
Blue Jay 40
American Crow 10
Fish Crow 4
Tree Swallow 65
Barn Swallow 1
Carolina Chickadee 25
Red-breasted Nuthatch 18
White-breasted Nuthatch 1
Carolina Wren 10
Golden-crowned Kinglet 10
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 8
American Robin 85
Northern Mockingbird 6
European Starling 122
Yellow-rumped Warbler 478
Black-throated Green Warbler 1
Palm Warbler 8
Blackpoll Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 2
Eastern Towhee 4
Chipping Sparrow 1
Song Sparrow 4
Swamp Sparrow 5
White-throated Sparrow 15
Dark-eyed Junco 1
Northern Cardinal 6
Bobolink 3
Red-winged Blackbird 280
Eastern Meadowlark 15
Common Grackle 10
Boat-tailed Grackle 1
House Finch 45
Pine Siskin 7
American Goldfinch 6
House Sparrow 45
Location: Cape May Point SP
Observation date: 10/13/07
Notes: CMBO Birding Optics walk
Number of species: 73
Brant 4
Canada Goose 55
Mute Swan 6
Wood Duck 3
Gadwall 8
American Wigeon 4
Mallard 22
Northern Shoveler 5
Northern Pintail 1
Green-winged Teal 68
scoter sp. 35
Common Loon 9
Double-crested Cormorant 26
Great Blue Heron 3
Great Egret 6
Snowy Egret 10
Turkey Vulture 3
Osprey 4
Bald Eagle 2
Northern Harrier 14
Sharp-shinned Hawk 65
Cooper's Hawk 8
Broad-winged Hawk 1
American Kestrel 1
Merlin 1
Killdeer 8
Greater Yellowlegs 1
Laughing Gull 150
Ring-billed Gull 2
Herring Gull 56
Great Black-backed Gull 35
Common Tern 6
Forster's Tern 2
Royal Tern 12
Parasitic Jaeger 3
Rock Pigeon 35
Mourning Dove 25
Belted Kingfisher 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1
Downy Woodpecker 2
Northern Flicker 50
Eastern Phoebe 1
Red-eyed Vireo 1
Blue Jay 1
American Crow 5
Fish Crow 12
Tree Swallow 1000
Red-breasted Nuthatch 4
Carolina Wren 6
Golden-crowned Kinglet 15
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 4
American Robin 115
Gray Catbird 6
Northern Mockingbird 2
Brown Thrasher 1
European Starling 35
American Pipit 12
Cedar Waxwing 6
Yellow-rumped Warbler 500
Palm Warbler 30
Savannah Sparrow 35
Song Sparrow 3
Swamp Sparrow 15
White-crowned Sparrow 2
Northern Cardinal 2
Indigo Bunting 4
Red-winged Blackbird 600
Eastern Meadowlark 33
Common Grackle 25
House Finch 8
American Goldfinch 8
House Sparrow 35
Location: South Cape May Meadows
Observation date: 10/10/07
Notes: CMBO Twilight Watch walk
Number of species: 32
Canada Goose 30
Mute Swan 5
Gadwall 15
American Wigeon 35
American Black Duck 2
Mallard 15
Blue-winged Teal 10
Northern Shoveler 8
Northern Pintail 4
Green-winged Teal 35
Surf Scoter 3
scoter sp. 30
Double-crested Cormorant 15
Great Blue Heron 25
Great Egret 1
Snowy Egret 2
Black-crowned Night-Heron 35
Merlin 12
Peregrine Falcon 2
Laughing Gull 250
Ring-billed Gull 15
Herring Gull 45
Great Black-backed Gull 79
Common Tern X
Royal Tern X
Black Skimmer 250
Parasitic Jaeger 1
Northern Mockingbird 2
Yellow-rumped Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 3
Swamp Sparrow 6
Red-winged Blackbird 8
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Jaeger and Great Cormorant at the Sea Watch
Birds were not exactly pouring by the Avalon Seawatch this afternoon, but enough was happening to pique any birder's interest. Ken Behrens picked out a distant adult light morph Parasitic Jaeger pursuing gulls, way out beyond the number 6 buoy, and cormorants passed in their typically disorganized fashion. Both Black and Surf Scoters appeared in small groups, and Ken (the official counter), Gail Dwyer, Hilary Cresko (CMBO's Seawatch interpreter) and I talked about these species in sillouette. Blacks have thin necks, so their head stands out from the neck, as well as steep foreheads. Surfs have thick necks and sloping foreheads. Ken noted that some people say there is a difference in the wingbeat, but I agree with his assessment - there really isn't. At least not much.
An adult Great Cormorant came past dwarfing the Double-crested Cormorant it was with - Greats weigh almost twice as much as Double-crested, though they are only a few inches longer.
Other species seen from the seawatch this afternoon included Royal, Forster's and Caspian Terns, Common Loons, Northern Gannets, Green-winged Teal, and Peregrine Falcon.
This morning my first Dark-eyed Juncoes of the fall graced the thicket east of the Nature Center of Cape May, and with them was an immature White-crowned Sparrow, White-throated Sparrows, and many Golden-crowned Kinglets.
An adult Great Cormorant came past dwarfing the Double-crested Cormorant it was with - Greats weigh almost twice as much as Double-crested, though they are only a few inches longer.
Other species seen from the seawatch this afternoon included Royal, Forster's and Caspian Terns, Common Loons, Northern Gannets, Green-winged Teal, and Peregrine Falcon.
This morning my first Dark-eyed Juncoes of the fall graced the thicket east of the Nature Center of Cape May, and with them was an immature White-crowned Sparrow, White-throated Sparrows, and many Golden-crowned Kinglets.
CMBO Beanery walk 10/13/07
This message was just emailed to me from Karl and Judy Lukens, re: the CMBO Beanery walk this morning.
"Good numbers of Yellow-rumps, Palms, and Savannah Sparrows! on a chilly (39 degrees at the start) morning."
"Good numbers of Yellow-rumps, Palms, and Savannah Sparrows! on a chilly (39 degrees at the start) morning."
SPECIES SEEN ~ CMBO TRIP
Great Blue Heron 1
Great Egret 4
Snowy Egret 3
Canada Goose 50
Turkey Vulture 5
Osprey 1
Northern Harrier 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk 3
Cooper's Hawk 1
Broad-winged Hawk 2
American Kestrel 1
American Herring Gull 1
Rock Pigeon 5
Mourning Dove 10
Red-bellied Woodpecker 2
Downy Woodpecker 2
Northern Flicker 10
Eastern Phoebe 1
Tree Swallow 5
Golden-crowned Kinglet 3
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1
Gray Catbird 2
Northern Mockingbird 1
American Robin 15
Tufted Titmouse 1
Red-breasted Nuthatch 1
Blue Jay 10
American Crow 20
European Starling 30
House Sparrow 5
Yellow-rumped Warbler 50
Black-throated Green Warbler 3
Palm Warbler 30
Blackpoll Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 2
Song Sparrow 3
Swamp Sparrow 5
White-throated Sparrow 5
Northern Cardinal 5
Blue Grosbeak 1
Indigo Bunting 4
Red-winged Blackbird 10
Eastern Meadowlark 10
Common Grackle 5
Brown-headed Cowbird 5
Friday, October 12, 2007
Anhinga, Branta, Calliope (not) - unusual ABC's
An Anhinga soared over the Cape May Hawk Watch Platform on Thursday, spotted by "swing" counter Chris Brown. . .the male Calliope Hummingbird has not been seen since last Saturday, October 6. . . 4 species of geese came over the Hawkwatch this evening. . . and tonight there is going to be a hek of a landbird flight, followed by another hek of a flight, this one hawks, during the day tomorrow. There's the news in brief.
About the geese: a really fun little mixed group of Canadas and Snows came over the Hawkwatch late this afternoon, about 40 birds in all - "Geese celebrating diversity," I joked. When they reached Cape May Point, the flock split along color lines, with the Snows continuing southward towards Delaware and the Canadas turning westward seemingly looking for a place to set down.
Later, two sets of "Canadas" came along roughly the same track as the snows had, but in separate groups. I was eyeing the smaller group, five birds, with some degree of interest when Jessie Barry said, "Those are small geese." I agreed, "They are small geese," and with very short necks and long wings, too, I was thinking. Five Cackling Geese, probably a family group of the Richardson's race, flying characteristically apart from the Canadas migrating nearby. Chris Brown snapped some pictures, hopefully I'll be able to post them here soon.
The fourth goose species of the afternoon, and the third Branta, came in the form of Atlantic Brant flying eastward past the bunker, over the ocean.
In other news. . . I heard that Ken Behrens at the Avalon Seawatch spotted two Yellow-billed Cuckoos and a Connecticut Warbler flying in off the ocean this morning. Dick Walton reports that "A cold front passage on 10/13 brought a fresh push of monarchs through Cape May. Migrants should continue throughout the weekend." And ducks seemed to have increased today in Cape May. In fact, everything did - consider the following list from a half-hour's observation, 4:45-5:15 at the Hawkwatch platform:
Location: Cape May Point SP
Observation date: 10/12/07
Number of species: 48
Snow Goose 10
Brant 25
Cackling Goose 5
Canada Goose 50
Mute Swan 1
Wood Duck 3
Gadwall 5
American Wigeon 10
American Black Duck 2
Mallard 25
Blue-winged Teal 5
Northern Shoveler 15
Northern Pintail 2
Green-winged Teal 25
Double-crested Cormorant 20
Great Blue Heron 10
Great Egret 3
Snowy Egret 10
Little Blue Heron 2
Black Vulture 10
Turkey Vulture 20
Osprey 10
Bald Eagle 1
Northern Harrier 5
Sharp-shinned Hawk 10
Cooper's Hawk 5
Red-tailed Hawk 1
American Kestrel 5
Merlin 15
Killdeer 1
Greater Yellowlegs 5
Lesser Yellowlegs 20
Pectoral Sandpiper 2
Stilt Sandpiper 1
Laughing Gull 50
Herring Gull 5
Great Black-backed Gull 10
Mourning Dove 5
Carolina Wren 1
European Starling 20
Cedar Waxwing 5
Yellow-rumped Warbler 10
Palm Warbler 5
White-crowned Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal 1
Red-winged Blackbird 25
House Finch 5
House Sparrow 50
About the geese: a really fun little mixed group of Canadas and Snows came over the Hawkwatch late this afternoon, about 40 birds in all - "Geese celebrating diversity," I joked. When they reached Cape May Point, the flock split along color lines, with the Snows continuing southward towards Delaware and the Canadas turning westward seemingly looking for a place to set down.
Later, two sets of "Canadas" came along roughly the same track as the snows had, but in separate groups. I was eyeing the smaller group, five birds, with some degree of interest when Jessie Barry said, "Those are small geese." I agreed, "They are small geese," and with very short necks and long wings, too, I was thinking. Five Cackling Geese, probably a family group of the Richardson's race, flying characteristically apart from the Canadas migrating nearby. Chris Brown snapped some pictures, hopefully I'll be able to post them here soon.
The fourth goose species of the afternoon, and the third Branta, came in the form of Atlantic Brant flying eastward past the bunker, over the ocean.
In other news. . . I heard that Ken Behrens at the Avalon Seawatch spotted two Yellow-billed Cuckoos and a Connecticut Warbler flying in off the ocean this morning. Dick Walton reports that "A cold front passage on 10/13 brought a fresh push of monarchs through Cape May. Migrants should continue throughout the weekend." And ducks seemed to have increased today in Cape May. In fact, everything did - consider the following list from a half-hour's observation, 4:45-5:15 at the Hawkwatch platform:
Location: Cape May Point SP
Observation date: 10/12/07
Number of species: 48
Snow Goose 10
Brant 25
Cackling Goose 5
Canada Goose 50
Mute Swan 1
Wood Duck 3
Gadwall 5
American Wigeon 10
American Black Duck 2
Mallard 25
Blue-winged Teal 5
Northern Shoveler 15
Northern Pintail 2
Green-winged Teal 25
Double-crested Cormorant 20
Great Blue Heron 10
Great Egret 3
Snowy Egret 10
Little Blue Heron 2
Black Vulture 10
Turkey Vulture 20
Osprey 10
Bald Eagle 1
Northern Harrier 5
Sharp-shinned Hawk 10
Cooper's Hawk 5
Red-tailed Hawk 1
American Kestrel 5
Merlin 15
Killdeer 1
Greater Yellowlegs 5
Lesser Yellowlegs 20
Pectoral Sandpiper 2
Stilt Sandpiper 1
Laughing Gull 50
Herring Gull 5
Great Black-backed Gull 10
Mourning Dove 5
Carolina Wren 1
European Starling 20
Cedar Waxwing 5
Yellow-rumped Warbler 10
Palm Warbler 5
White-crowned Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal 1
Red-winged Blackbird 25
House Finch 5
House Sparrow 50
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Common Eider, Marbled Godwits, Brant, and Birds put to Flight
Common or King? King or Common? I didn't really have time to look closely first thing this morning, while leading a group of beginning birders, but I went back later and found the [now] 100% Common Eider we observed near the Bunker at Cape May Point during CMBO's "Bird Walk for All People." This walk is great for all birders but especially beginners, and wasn't the place to scrutinize a somewhat distant eider for forehead slope and exact shape and structure of the bill. Better to get close-ups of egrets and watch fly-by Peregrines, both of which were readily available at the state park. As was a nice mix of ducks, including a female Northern Pintail and a few wigeon in breeding plumage. Cormorants flew steadily past, and a few groups of scoters went by offshore. Common Loons also migrated over land and sea, and several lingered on the ocean off the state park.
Later in the day all attempts to enumerate the shorebirds at Stone Harbor were put to flight, literally, as an adult Bald Eagle came over the free bridge at low tide and sent 11 Marbled Godwits and higher numbers of oystercatchers, "Western" Willets, Western Sandpipers, Black-bellied Plovers, Dunlin, yellowlegs, and who knows what else to wing. All made worthwhile, however, by the two Caspian Terns which mobbed the eagle (an adult) right over the bridge, right over our heads, and northward, out of sight. An accumulation of about 70 Brant in the inlet made it seem somehow wintry, an effect enhanced by cloudy skies, cold wind, and falling temperatures. Tide is really important at this site - at high tide, little will be found from the free bridge, so you're better off checking Nummy Island.
Yesterday I got my first bird's eye view of the Cape May Rips, the area of rough water off Cape May Point so attractive to birds, birders, fish, and fishermen. While on a boat fishing out there with Mike Fritz and other friends, we saw at least 3 different Parasitic Jaegers, including an adult light morph which leisurely paralleled our boat as we cruised at 30 knots. It was easy to see why birds are attracted to the rips - bluefish were thick, pushing baitfish to the surface.
With all this food in the water, and winds bringing cool water and migrating birds, thoughts now should turn to the Avalon Seawatch. Results from the seawatch, and the Cape May Hawkwatch and Morning Flight, can be found on this web site under View from the Field - check it out.
Later in the day all attempts to enumerate the shorebirds at Stone Harbor were put to flight, literally, as an adult Bald Eagle came over the free bridge at low tide and sent 11 Marbled Godwits and higher numbers of oystercatchers, "Western" Willets, Western Sandpipers, Black-bellied Plovers, Dunlin, yellowlegs, and who knows what else to wing. All made worthwhile, however, by the two Caspian Terns which mobbed the eagle (an adult) right over the bridge, right over our heads, and northward, out of sight. An accumulation of about 70 Brant in the inlet made it seem somehow wintry, an effect enhanced by cloudy skies, cold wind, and falling temperatures. Tide is really important at this site - at high tide, little will be found from the free bridge, so you're better off checking Nummy Island.
Yesterday I got my first bird's eye view of the Cape May Rips, the area of rough water off Cape May Point so attractive to birds, birders, fish, and fishermen. While on a boat fishing out there with Mike Fritz and other friends, we saw at least 3 different Parasitic Jaegers, including an adult light morph which leisurely paralleled our boat as we cruised at 30 knots. It was easy to see why birds are attracted to the rips - bluefish were thick, pushing baitfish to the surface.
With all this food in the water, and winds bringing cool water and migrating birds, thoughts now should turn to the Avalon Seawatch. Results from the seawatch, and the Cape May Hawkwatch and Morning Flight, can be found on this web site under View from the Field - check it out.
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Peregrine Falcon makes a visit to CMBO's Northwood Center
Well as things go, yesterday was a nice day to be a bird watcher; despite the heat. I heard that there was a pretty nice hawk flight and that sea watch is starting to pick up as well. Keep the sea watch in mind as it should only get better as the days pass. Soon we will be witness to tens of thousands of scoter (both Black and Surf) in addition to Double-crested cormorants. Not to mention the other ducks/sea birds which migrate past the south Jersey coast.
My birding yesterday morning was quite nice. We walked Cape May Point with some friends again. And, like the birds, these friends do have to migrate back to there own "territories." We wish them well in there travels and look forward to their return in the spring. I have no bird list to share at this point due to the fact that it seems the eBird sever is down and will not let me log onto my account. Once I am able to get my data input to the system I'll edit the list at the bottom of this post for those who would like to see what was around Cape May Point on Monday morning.
Do not despair though, I have a great story to tell. It just so happens at the end of the day as I was wrapping up the store stuff, Sheila and Marleen were getting ready to head out the door. All of a sudden Sheila said that it seemed that some one had left some thing on my truck. Taking a closer look this is what we saw.....
My truck is on the left, can you tell what this bird is? Ok, I gave it away in my title, your right. A young (male?) Peregrine falcon was sitting on the back of my truck! Only in Cape May. For those wondering it is a "Tundra." Or as is stated by some on the hawk watch platform, "typical tundra." But that's not the whole story.
We tried to snap photos as best we could. I was using one of our demo spotting scopes to do a little impromptu digi-scoping but that was not working as I could tell that all the photos were coming out blurry. So we decided to open the door a bit to remove the "glass" factor. Quietly and very slowly we opened the door so as to not scare away the bird. Then, a car drove by.....
And the bird didn't seem to care. So, I figured that I'd try and step out on the front deck to get a few closer and hopefully better digi-scope pics. I did eventually come up with one decent digi-pic......
After a little while longer, Marleen and Shelia were needing to get to their car to get home but didn't want to push the peregrine. After another vehicle drove by, a large RV, it was apparent that this bird was simply fine where "he" was and had no real intentions of moving until ready. So we headed down, I went with them to see if I could get a few better pics. As it turned out, the bird let us approach very closely......
Soon enough, another car came down E. Lake Drive and the peregrine decided that it had enough and flew off. It didn't go too far though, as it flew across Lighthouse Ave. and landed on a Purple martin/House sparrow house. Interestingly after the bird flew I noticed that it left it's calling card in the form of a large scratch on my topper, left by the hallux presumably, when the bird launched into flight.
So, there you have it. The story of the day the peregrine came to visit CMBO's Northwood Center.
Keep in mind that a cold front it supposed to be moving through our area with a reinforcing front to be moving through over the weekend. High temps. are supposed to be in the mid to upper 60's over the weekend. What October is supposed to feel like! Make sure and keep checking in on the birding forecast to see what the weather is doing. Get out birding this weekend and see what's around. We (CMBO and the peregrines) hope to see you down here in Cape May!
My birding yesterday morning was quite nice. We walked Cape May Point with some friends again. And, like the birds, these friends do have to migrate back to there own "territories." We wish them well in there travels and look forward to their return in the spring. I have no bird list to share at this point due to the fact that it seems the eBird sever is down and will not let me log onto my account. Once I am able to get my data input to the system I'll edit the list at the bottom of this post for those who would like to see what was around Cape May Point on Monday morning.
Do not despair though, I have a great story to tell. It just so happens at the end of the day as I was wrapping up the store stuff, Sheila and Marleen were getting ready to head out the door. All of a sudden Sheila said that it seemed that some one had left some thing on my truck. Taking a closer look this is what we saw.....
My truck is on the left, can you tell what this bird is? Ok, I gave it away in my title, your right. A young (male?) Peregrine falcon was sitting on the back of my truck! Only in Cape May. For those wondering it is a "Tundra." Or as is stated by some on the hawk watch platform, "typical tundra." But that's not the whole story.We tried to snap photos as best we could. I was using one of our demo spotting scopes to do a little impromptu digi-scoping but that was not working as I could tell that all the photos were coming out blurry. So we decided to open the door a bit to remove the "glass" factor. Quietly and very slowly we opened the door so as to not scare away the bird. Then, a car drove by.....
And the bird didn't seem to care. So, I figured that I'd try and step out on the front deck to get a few closer and hopefully better digi-scope pics. I did eventually come up with one decent digi-pic......
After a little while longer, Marleen and Shelia were needing to get to their car to get home but didn't want to push the peregrine. After another vehicle drove by, a large RV, it was apparent that this bird was simply fine where "he" was and had no real intentions of moving until ready. So we headed down, I went with them to see if I could get a few better pics. As it turned out, the bird let us approach very closely......
Soon enough, another car came down E. Lake Drive and the peregrine decided that it had enough and flew off. It didn't go too far though, as it flew across Lighthouse Ave. and landed on a Purple martin/House sparrow house. Interestingly after the bird flew I noticed that it left it's calling card in the form of a large scratch on my topper, left by the hallux presumably, when the bird launched into flight.
So, there you have it. The story of the day the peregrine came to visit CMBO's Northwood Center.Keep in mind that a cold front it supposed to be moving through our area with a reinforcing front to be moving through over the weekend. High temps. are supposed to be in the mid to upper 60's over the weekend. What October is supposed to feel like! Make sure and keep checking in on the birding forecast to see what the weather is doing. Get out birding this weekend and see what's around. We (CMBO and the peregrines) hope to see you down here in Cape May!
Monday Morning Meadows - Sparrows, Wrens, Jaegers and Raptors
Monday's walk at the Cape May Migratory Bird Refuge drew quite a crowd, of both people and birds. The Refuge, a.k.a. the South Cape May Meadows, gets better and better for sparrows as the ragweed seeds mature, and since Sunday night White-throated Sparrows and Savannah Sparrows were flying overhead in decent numbers, it follows that some of each of these species wound up in the Meadows. Savannah Sparrows have present for quite a while, but the scope-posing white-throat presented the first good view of this species I've had this fall, though I've been hearing them since late September. A Dickcissel also called overhead.
The Meadows are still very dry, so shorebirds were limited to Killdeer. We did track down at least two Marsh Wrens, though these were elusive and not seen by all. The offshore action compensated, with at least two adult light morph Parasitic Jaegers close enough they could be readily found with binoculars, especially when they picked out a gull to pursue and drove it high into the air, well above the horizon.
Raptors included several Peregrines, both flying and perched, plus the usual small ones - Merlin, Kestrel, Sharp-shinned and Cooper's Hawks. The group also observed a kettle of 30+ Broad-wingeds. This same kettle wandered over to the Point and apparently appeared and reappeared, plus or minus members, for much of the light-wind morning. 70 species overall, not bad for a two-hour outing on a summer-like autumn day. The full list follows.
Location: South Cape May Meadows
Observation date: 10/8/07
Notes: CMBO's Monday morning meadows walk
Number of species: 70
Canada Goose 25
Mute Swan 5
Wood Duck 3 flyovers, landed at state park
Gadwall 5
American Wigeon 10
American Black Duck 2 first in a long while in the meadows
Mallard 25
Northern Shoveler 20
Northern Pintail 1
Green-winged Teal 5
Black Scoter 20
Northern Gannet 2
Double-crested Cormorant 50
Great Blue Heron 5
Great Egret 2
Snowy Egret 7
Black Vulture 10
Turkey Vulture 25
Osprey 10
Northern Harrier 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk 5
Cooper's Hawk 2
Broad-winged Hawk 35
Red-tailed Hawk 1
American Kestrel 5
Merlin 5
Peregrine Falcon 3
Killdeer 5
Lesser Yellowlegs 5
Laughing Gull 50
Ring-billed Gull 10
Herring Gull 30
Great Black-backed Gull 75
Royal Tern 10
Black Skimmer 20
Parasitic Jaeger 2 2 adults light
Rock Pigeon 10
Mourning Dove 10
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1
Northern Flicker 20
Eastern Phoebe 1
Blue Jay 5
American Crow 10
Fish Crow 5
Tree Swallow 30
Red-breasted Nuthatch 1
Carolina Wren 5
Marsh Wren 2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1
American Robin 20
European Starling 40
Cedar Waxwing 5
Black-throated Blue Warbler 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler 50
Palm Warbler 10
Blackpoll Warbler 5
American Redstart 1
Common Yellowthroat 1
Savannah Sparrow 20
Song Sparrow 1
Swamp Sparrow 5
White-throated Sparrow 5
Northern Cardinal 1
Indigo Bunting 2
Dickcissel 1
Red-winged Blackbird 50
Eastern Meadowlark 2
House Finch 10
American Goldfinch 5
House Sparrow 20
The Meadows are still very dry, so shorebirds were limited to Killdeer. We did track down at least two Marsh Wrens, though these were elusive and not seen by all. The offshore action compensated, with at least two adult light morph Parasitic Jaegers close enough they could be readily found with binoculars, especially when they picked out a gull to pursue and drove it high into the air, well above the horizon.
Raptors included several Peregrines, both flying and perched, plus the usual small ones - Merlin, Kestrel, Sharp-shinned and Cooper's Hawks. The group also observed a kettle of 30+ Broad-wingeds. This same kettle wandered over to the Point and apparently appeared and reappeared, plus or minus members, for much of the light-wind morning. 70 species overall, not bad for a two-hour outing on a summer-like autumn day. The full list follows.
Location: South Cape May Meadows
Observation date: 10/8/07
Notes: CMBO's Monday morning meadows walk
Number of species: 70
Canada Goose 25
Mute Swan 5
Wood Duck 3 flyovers, landed at state park
Gadwall 5
American Wigeon 10
American Black Duck 2 first in a long while in the meadows
Mallard 25
Northern Shoveler 20
Northern Pintail 1
Green-winged Teal 5
Black Scoter 20
Northern Gannet 2
Double-crested Cormorant 50
Great Blue Heron 5
Great Egret 2
Snowy Egret 7
Black Vulture 10
Turkey Vulture 25
Osprey 10
Northern Harrier 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk 5
Cooper's Hawk 2
Broad-winged Hawk 35
Red-tailed Hawk 1
American Kestrel 5
Merlin 5
Peregrine Falcon 3
Killdeer 5
Lesser Yellowlegs 5
Laughing Gull 50
Ring-billed Gull 10
Herring Gull 30
Great Black-backed Gull 75
Royal Tern 10
Black Skimmer 20
Parasitic Jaeger 2 2 adults light
Rock Pigeon 10
Mourning Dove 10
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1
Northern Flicker 20
Eastern Phoebe 1
Blue Jay 5
American Crow 10
Fish Crow 5
Tree Swallow 30
Red-breasted Nuthatch 1
Carolina Wren 5
Marsh Wren 2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1
American Robin 20
European Starling 40
Cedar Waxwing 5
Black-throated Blue Warbler 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler 50
Palm Warbler 10
Blackpoll Warbler 5
American Redstart 1
Common Yellowthroat 1
Savannah Sparrow 20
Song Sparrow 1
Swamp Sparrow 5
White-throated Sparrow 5
Northern Cardinal 1
Indigo Bunting 2
Dickcissel 1
Red-winged Blackbird 50
Eastern Meadowlark 2
House Finch 10
American Goldfinch 5
House Sparrow 20
Snow Geese, Peregrines and Eagles: The Glades by Boat
You know it's going to be a good trip when the first Snow Geese of the fall (for me anyway) fly over, an adult Bald Eagle circles in the distance, and a Peregrine Falcon rockets overhead - all before you leave the parking area!
We tried something a little different yesterday afternoon, a tour of Glades Wildlife Refuge near Turkey Point in Cumberland County by motorboat-towed skiff. This was the brainchild of the folks at Beaver Dam Boat Rentals.
The Glades, owned by Natural Lands Trust, is a large complex of woods, salt marsh, ponds and channels, most of which is inaccessible except by boat. The rich habitat is marvelous for shorebirds, and as the tide went down, exposing mudflats, we encountered the expected October species: many Greater Yellowlegs, a few Lesser Yellowlegs, and varying numbers of Black-bellied Plovers, Semi-palmated Plovers, dowitchers (mostly Short-billed but there were a few Long-billeds), and Dunlin, another first of the fall for me.
We often feature the Glades/Turkey Point area on raptor expeditions, and with good reason. In two hours on the boat, we saw at least 4 different Bald Eagles, 3 different Peregrines, multiple Northern Harriers, Sharp-shinned Hawk, and Cooper's Hawk.
I asked participants if this was a "keeper," and they said definitely, so expect to see more "Tours of the Glades" run by CMBO in the future.
We tried something a little different yesterday afternoon, a tour of Glades Wildlife Refuge near Turkey Point in Cumberland County by motorboat-towed skiff. This was the brainchild of the folks at Beaver Dam Boat Rentals.
The Glades, owned by Natural Lands Trust, is a large complex of woods, salt marsh, ponds and channels, most of which is inaccessible except by boat. The rich habitat is marvelous for shorebirds, and as the tide went down, exposing mudflats, we encountered the expected October species: many Greater Yellowlegs, a few Lesser Yellowlegs, and varying numbers of Black-bellied Plovers, Semi-palmated Plovers, dowitchers (mostly Short-billed but there were a few Long-billeds), and Dunlin, another first of the fall for me.
We often feature the Glades/Turkey Point area on raptor expeditions, and with good reason. In two hours on the boat, we saw at least 4 different Bald Eagles, 3 different Peregrines, multiple Northern Harriers, Sharp-shinned Hawk, and Cooper's Hawk.
I asked participants if this was a "keeper," and they said definitely, so expect to see more "Tours of the Glades" run by CMBO in the future.
Monday, October 8, 2007
CMBO Villas WMA walk- 10/7/07
The message and list below was sent to me from George Myers, re: the CMBO Villas WMA walk. If you have never been to this location, it's a must bird (in my opinion). And, the CMBO walk is a great way to learn the lay of the land.
"The morning's birding was quite slow and few migrants were observed, although I would have liked to have been there later in the day after reading the reports from the afternoon!"
Highlights:
2 Sharp-shinned Hawks
1 Osprey
3 Cooper's Hawks
2 Merlin
1 American Kestrel
1 Red-tailed Hawk
2 Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers
6 Eastern Phoebes
10+ Palm Warblers
5+ Yellow-rumped Warblers
2 Blackpoll Warblers
1 Red-eyed Vireo
1 Northern Waterthrush
1 Bobolink
3 White-breasted Nuthatches
2 Indigo Buntings
2 Brown Thrashers
"The morning's birding was quite slow and few migrants were observed, although I would have liked to have been there later in the day after reading the reports from the afternoon!"
Highlights:
2 Sharp-shinned Hawks
1 Osprey
3 Cooper's Hawks
2 Merlin
1 American Kestrel
1 Red-tailed Hawk
2 Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers
6 Eastern Phoebes
10+ Palm Warblers
5+ Yellow-rumped Warblers
2 Blackpoll Warblers
1 Red-eyed Vireo
1 Northern Waterthrush
1 Bobolink
3 White-breasted Nuthatches
2 Indigo Buntings
2 Brown Thrashers
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Peregrines Flying on a Summerish Day, and Yesterday at the State Park
Mark Garland remarked that the north wind and strong flight we had at Cape May today is supposed to happen on sixty degree days. Well it wasn't sixty, it was 87 Fahrenheit and folks were looking for a shady spot from which they could still watch the show.
The stars were peregrines, many of which flew low enough that the crowd could clearly see the pale forehead and thin mustache on many of the juveniles, hallmarks of tundra birds. Jessie Barry told me the Peregrine total for the day was about 150, though she hadn't counted it up yet, including 50 in a single hour. During that hour, it almost seemed the p-birds were coming in flocks. All the other expected raptors were well represented, including a few Bald Eagles and Merlins aplenty.
In late afternoon a cloud wall approached and the wind abruptly shifted to east-northeast and strengthened significantly, apparently signally the arrival of the "back-door" high coming out of the northeast. The flight slowed significantly as soon as the weather changed, though happily it didn't stop and a little cool air at that point was welcome.
A juvenile White-crowned Sparrow fed with the House Sparrow flock in front of the platform, and though the Dickcissel was not seen, it was at least heard.
Chuck and Mary Jane Slugg sent me the list from Saturday's 3:00 p.m. Hawks, Trails and Beach walk. It gives a good sense of what species are around at the state park at this time of year, as well as evidence of a decent hawk flight yesterday, too. CMBO has one or more guided bird walks every day in fall - check one out!
Location: Cape May Point SP
Observation date: 10/6/07
Number of species: 46
Canada Goose 50
Mute Swan 15
Gadwall 6
American Wigeon 4
Mallard 20
Blue-winged Teal 15
Northern Shoveler 12
Northern Pintail 2
Green-winged Teal 6
Great Blue Heron 4
Great Egret 6
Snowy Egret 3
Turkey Vulture 20
Osprey 6
Northern Harrier 4
Sharp-shinned Hawk 5
Cooper's Hawk 5
American Kestrel 1
Merlin 6
Peregrine Falcon 10
Killdeer 1
Greater Yellowlegs 1
Laughing Gull 5
Ring-billed Gull 30
Herring Gull 50
Great Black-backed Gull 100
Forster's Tern 1
Royal Tern 2
Black Skimmer 1
Rock Pigeon 20
Mourning Dove 10
Downy Woodpecker 1
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Eastern Phoebe 1
Red-eyed Vireo 1
Blue Jay 6
American Crow 15
Fish Crow 2
Carolina Chickadee 2
Gray Catbird 3
Northern Mockingbird 1
European Starling 15
Palm Warbler 2
Savannah Sparrow 2
Northern Cardinal 5
Red-winged Blackbird 6
The stars were peregrines, many of which flew low enough that the crowd could clearly see the pale forehead and thin mustache on many of the juveniles, hallmarks of tundra birds. Jessie Barry told me the Peregrine total for the day was about 150, though she hadn't counted it up yet, including 50 in a single hour. During that hour, it almost seemed the p-birds were coming in flocks. All the other expected raptors were well represented, including a few Bald Eagles and Merlins aplenty.
In late afternoon a cloud wall approached and the wind abruptly shifted to east-northeast and strengthened significantly, apparently signally the arrival of the "back-door" high coming out of the northeast. The flight slowed significantly as soon as the weather changed, though happily it didn't stop and a little cool air at that point was welcome.
A juvenile White-crowned Sparrow fed with the House Sparrow flock in front of the platform, and though the Dickcissel was not seen, it was at least heard.
Chuck and Mary Jane Slugg sent me the list from Saturday's 3:00 p.m. Hawks, Trails and Beach walk. It gives a good sense of what species are around at the state park at this time of year, as well as evidence of a decent hawk flight yesterday, too. CMBO has one or more guided bird walks every day in fall - check one out!
Location: Cape May Point SP
Observation date: 10/6/07
Number of species: 46
Canada Goose 50
Mute Swan 15
Gadwall 6
American Wigeon 4
Mallard 20
Blue-winged Teal 15
Northern Shoveler 12
Northern Pintail 2
Green-winged Teal 6
Great Blue Heron 4
Great Egret 6
Snowy Egret 3
Turkey Vulture 20
Osprey 6
Northern Harrier 4
Sharp-shinned Hawk 5
Cooper's Hawk 5
American Kestrel 1
Merlin 6
Peregrine Falcon 10
Killdeer 1
Greater Yellowlegs 1
Laughing Gull 5
Ring-billed Gull 30
Herring Gull 50
Great Black-backed Gull 100
Forster's Tern 1
Royal Tern 2
Black Skimmer 1
Rock Pigeon 20
Mourning Dove 10
Downy Woodpecker 1
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Eastern Phoebe 1
Red-eyed Vireo 1
Blue Jay 6
American Crow 15
Fish Crow 2
Carolina Chickadee 2
Gray Catbird 3
Northern Mockingbird 1
European Starling 15
Palm Warbler 2
Savannah Sparrow 2
Northern Cardinal 5
Red-winged Blackbird 6
Warblers at Cape May Point, and All Quiet on the Western Shore
I just got word that CMBO's Advanced Birding by Ear workshop (part of the Cape May School of Birding), led by Michael O'Brien and Louise Zemaitis, enjoyed a nice nocturnal flight of mostly warblers over Cape May City, including several Cape Mays, Blackpolls, Northern Parulas, Black-throated Blue, yellow-rumps, Palms, Indigo Buntings, and also enjoyed a diurnal morning flight that included those species plus bobolinks and others. This on southwest winds, at least they were southwest where I was, on Delaware Bay 10 miles north of the point. Winds at the point are now out of the north and a good hawk flight is developing.
A leading theory for why Cape May is so good for fall migrants is that birds are pushed by prevailing winds to the coast, and follow the coast south to the point. But Cape May has two "coasts," the Atlantic Coast to the east, and Delaware Bay to the west. I've had great nocturnal flights along the bay the past several early mornings - on east and/or calm winds. [Remember, east means FROM the east]. This morning the wind had a westerly component, and things were pretty thin along the bay. From 5:30 to 6:30 a.m., I counted only 33 nocturnal notes of any kind, representing probably 25 or less birds. By contrast, the preceding three days I was hearing 100-350 notes per hour. The upshot may be that on east winds, some birds are funneled down the bay side. Interesting stuff!
A leading theory for why Cape May is so good for fall migrants is that birds are pushed by prevailing winds to the coast, and follow the coast south to the point. But Cape May has two "coasts," the Atlantic Coast to the east, and Delaware Bay to the west. I've had great nocturnal flights along the bay the past several early mornings - on east and/or calm winds. [Remember, east means FROM the east]. This morning the wind had a westerly component, and things were pretty thin along the bay. From 5:30 to 6:30 a.m., I counted only 33 nocturnal notes of any kind, representing probably 25 or less birds. By contrast, the preceding three days I was hearing 100-350 notes per hour. The upshot may be that on east winds, some birds are funneled down the bay side. Interesting stuff!
Saturday, October 6, 2007
CMBO Beanery walk-10/6/07 & Ruff pic
Karl and Judy Lukens sent me the list below for this morning's CMBO Beanery walk. Karl also shared this picture he took of the Ruff that visited Bunker pond. FYI- the Ruff was seen flying off with the group of Lesser yellowlegs and to my knowledge is no longer at the Cape May Point State Park. Thanks for the photo Karl!
"Slow going on a calm, foggy morning at the Beanery. A Kestrel, a Merlin, and a couple of E. Phoebes kept us interested. Still Flickers moving about, several Savannah Sparrows in the back field, and a female type Blue Grosbeak were also noteworthy."
SPECIES SEEN ~ CMBO TRIP
Mute Swan 1
Canada Goose 20
Wood Duck 2
Mallard 2
American Kestrel 1
Merlin 1
Killdeer 1
Laughing Gull 1
Rock Pigeon 5
Mourning Dove 10
Downy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 5
Eastern Phoebe 2
Gray Catbird 4
Northern Mockingbird 1
Brown Thrasher 1
Blue Jay 3
American Crow 10
European Starling 30
House Sparrow 10
Yellow-rumped Warbler 2
Palm Warbler 2
Northern Waterthrush
Common Yellowthroat 1
Northern Cardinal 5
Blue Grosbeak 1
Red-winged Blackbird 5
