Cape May Birding Hotline January 18, 2008

CAPE MAY BIRDING HOTLINE January 18, 2008

The Cape May Birding Hotline is a service of New Jersey Audubon Society's Cape May Bird Observatory. This week's message was prepared on Friday January 18, 2008. Highlights this week include sightings of BARNACLE GOOSE, KING EIDER, COMMON EIDER, REDHEAD, CANVASBACK, HARLEQUIN, ORANGE CROWNED WARBLER, SNOW BUNTING, GOLDEN EAGLE, BALD EAGLE, SHORT-EARED OWL, ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK.

A BARNACLE GOOSE continues in Cape May, with the most recent report being January 14 along Seashore Road in farm fields south of the "No Frills Farm." Other favored hangouts for this bird include the fields along Batts Lane, Lily Lake, and the South Cape May Meadows.

8 COMMON EIDERS and 1 KING EIDER were near Poverty Beach January 15, and a single Common was reported south of the St. Peter's jetty January 17.

A male REDHEAD and female CANVASBACK continue, the latest sightings on Lily Lake January 17.

40 HARLEQUINS and 40 PURPLE SANDPIPERS continue at Barnegat Light January 16 with the usual assortment of ducks.

An ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER was on Reed's Beach Road opposite the "ibis pond" on January 16.

6 SHORT-EARED OWLS and 4 ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS were at Mott's Creek, north of Forsythe a.k.a. Brigantine NWR January 12.

20 SNOW BUNTINGS were at Stone Harbor Point near the pond along the path leading south from the parking area at 2nd Ave. on January 16.

187 BALD EAGLES (105 adults, 66 subadults, 16 unknown age) is the preliminary total from last weekend's survey of southern NJ Bald Eagle habitat. One GOLDEN EAGLE was also found, in the Lower Mullica River area.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

CMBO'S Cape May School of Birding “Gulls Simplified” Workshop scheduled for February 17 still has a few spaces available; check http://www.birdcapemay.org/ under programs for info on this and other programs and events.

CMBO is offering a special to new and upgraded membership renewals. Join CMBO for the first time or upgrade from Individual or Family to The Hundred and receive Charley Harper's Migration Mainline- Cape May lithograph poster, valued at $50. Call either CMBO center to ask an associate about joining today!

******CMBO Bookstore hours are as follows; Northwood Center on East Lake Drive in Cape May Point, starting December 1, will be closed on Tuesdays. The center will be open Wednesday-Monday for the winter. Hours are 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Center for Research and Education on Rt. 47 in Goshen is open Tuesday- Sunday 9:30- 4:30.******

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

Good Luck and Good Birding!