Lark Sparrow at Stone Harbor Point, and Refurbished Calliope Pics

[Calliope Hummingbird photo from Tuesday, fixed up by Karl Lukens. Photo by Don Freiday. Click to enlarge.]

I ran into a gentleman last night at the South Cape May Meadows who showed me, on his digital camera, a picture of a Lark Sparrow he took earlier that day at Stone Harbor Point. The bird apparently was near the pond reached by walking south from the parking lot at the second avenue jetty along the trail inside the dunes.

Karl Lukens photoshopped the Calliope pictures I hastily snapped on Tuesday - thanks, Karl! Pat Sutton provided some additional, more refined instructions for seeing the bird (which I have heard no more about since yesterday (Wednesday) morning, when it was being seen about once an hour):

"Karen has given permission for birders to come see the bird. FROM THE SOUTH: proceed north on Route 47 to where Route 347 splits off. Turn left at this light onto Route 47. Karen & Brian's is the 4th house on the left, 1695 Route 47. Her driveway is lined with Red Cedars. Do not drive down the driveway, instead park safely along Route 47. Walk down the driveway A SHORT DISTANCE and step carefully through the vegetation on the left (where there is a bit of an opening, well before the arbor entrance, also on the left) to access the front yard garden, chairs, & benches Karen & Brian have set up (these chairs back onto Rt. 47 & face the house, salvia gardens, and feeder). The bird is being seen primarily feeding in the 2 salvia/sage gardens in front of the house (1 round garden of Tropical Sage [tiny red flowers] is just ahead of the benches and the 2nd garden bed of Tropical Sage & Salvia subrotunda, which is quite tall, is behind it & closer to the house). There are Ruby-throated Hummingbirds there as well. From this vantage point viewers can observe without keeping the bird from feeding."

[Another angle on the Calliope, photoshopped by Karl Lukens. Photo by Don Freiday.]