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Saturday, May 17, 2008

Spring Weekend Day 2: Higbee and the Atlantic Coast

I don't think I'll get much of an argument from anybody if I say that today sure is a heck of a lot nicer than yesterday. I hope everyone, regardless of where they are, was able to get out today, for it's been one of the most pleasant days of the entire season.

I found myself at Higbee Beach WMA this morning for the back-end of the AM session, and once again toured Stone Harbor Point and Nummy Island this afternoon. My co-conspirators at Higbee included Mark Garland and Dave Lord; at Nummy they were Jim Armstrong and Virginia Rettig.

Highlights from Higbee included multiple Blue Grosbeaks, Orchard Orioles, a complete sweep of the swallows, and a close fly-by Bald Eagle. As I walked back to my car at the overflow lot, a Barred Owl quickly flew across the street in broad daylight. Stone Harbor and Nummy produced many of the same birds as yesterday, a well as a nice Tricolored Heron just north of the free bridge at Nummy.

As far as the weather is concerned...the winds were largely out of the north and northwest last night, which suppressed any significant passerine flight (and is part of the reason why you probably didn't find many warblers at Higbee this morning). However, the winds look to be shifting to the southwest tonight, and at a decent clip, which should encourage at least a modest flight of birds overnight. There is also a chance for some showers overnight, which if they materialize, could put down a few birds by daybreak tomorrow. If you're going to remain in town for the last day of the weekend, set your alarm clock and be sure to get out to Higbee Beach or the Beanery during at least one of the morning walks. And if you really want the low-down on the birding forecast, just click
HERE.

Lists from Higbee and Nummy/Stone Harbor:


Location: Higbee Beach
Observation date: 5/17/08
Notes: part of NJAS spring weekend
Number of species: 61
Mallard 2

Double-crested Cormorant 18
Great Egret 1
Turkey Vulture 2
Osprey 3
Bald Eagle 1
Killdeer 2
Laughing Gull 40
Herring Gull 9
Great Black-backed Gull 2
Forster's Tern 2
Mourning Dove 4
Barred Owl 1
Chimney Swift 6
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 2
Downy Woodpecker 2
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 1
Great Crested Flycatcher 4
Eastern Kingbird 4
White-eyed Vireo 2
Red-eyed Vireo 1
Blue Jay 2
American Crow 1
Fish Crow 4
Purple Martin 20
Tree Swallow 12
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 2
Bank Swallow 1
Cliff Swallow 1
Barn Swallow 30
Carolina Chickadee 4
Tufted Titmouse 2
Carolina Wren 10
House Wren 2
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1
Wood Thrush 2
American Robin 8
Gray Catbird 6
Northern Mockingbird 2
Brown Thrasher 1
European Starling 4
Cedar Waxwing 1
Northern Parula 1
American Redstart 1
Prothonotary Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 2
Yellow-breasted Chat 1
Scarlet Tanager 2
Field Sparrow 4
Northern Cardinal 12
Blue Grosbeak 4
Indigo Bunting 4
Red-winged Blackbird 14
Common Grackle 6
Brown-headed Cowbird 8
Orchard Oriole 3
Baltimore Oriole 1
House Finch 2
American Goldfinch 4
House Sparrow 2

Location: Stone Harbor Point

Observation date: 5/17/08
Notes: part of NJAS spring weekend
Number of species: 38
Brant (Atlantic) 4

Double-crested Cormorant 9
Great Egret 1
Snowy Egret 2
Osprey 2
Black-bellied Plover 1
Semipalmated Plover 6
Piping Plover 2
American Oystercatcher 2
Willet (Eastern) 2
Ruddy Turnstone 4
Sanderling 12
Semipalmated Sandpiper 8
Least Sandpiper 3
Dunlin 20
Short-billed Dowitcher 12
Laughing Gull 55
Herring Gull 15
Great Black-backed Gull 6
Least Tern 12
Common Tern 2
Forster's Tern 8
Royal Tern 1
Mourning Dove 2
Chimney Swift 1
Fish Crow 2
Purple Martin 3
Bank Swallow 2
Barn Swallow 25
American Robin 1
Northern Mockingbird 1
Common Yellowthroat 1
Song Sparrow 2
Northern Cardinal 2
Red-winged Blackbird 8
Boat-tailed Grackle 2
House Finch 2
House Sparrow 4

Location: Nummy Island
Observation date: 5/17/08
Notes: part of NJAS spring weekend
Number of species: 39
Brant (Atlantic) 25

American Black Duck 2
Mallard 2
Red-breasted Merganser 3
Double-crested Cormorant 10
Great Egret 3
Snowy Egret 4
Little Blue Heron 2
Tricolored Heron 1
Glossy Ibis 35
Osprey 4
Clapper Rail 12
Black-bellied Plover 15
Semipalmated Plover 9
American Oystercatcher 8
Greater Yellowlegs 1
Willet (Eastern) 4
Lesser Yellowlegs 1
Whimbrel 2
Ruddy Turnstone 12
Red Knot 45
Semipalmated Sandpiper 25
Least Sandpiper 9
Dunlin 40
Short-billed Dowitcher 45
Laughing Gull 225
Herring Gull 65
Great Black-backed Gull 50
Least Tern 14
Common Tern 25
Forster's Tern 20
Royal Tern 30
Fish Crow 2
Barn Swallow 9
European Starling 1
Seaside Sparrow 1
Song Sparrow 2
Red-winged Blackbird 20
Boat-tailed Grackle 25

This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)

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