Due to the lack of wind I decided to run the second round of the grassland bird surveys I've done for NJAS' Citizen Science team, on 6/10. While the temps were quite hot, about 80-85 degrees by 8:30 a.m. I'd say, this did not keep birds from going about their daily activities. I've been doing these surveys for the past few years and have yet to actually have any targeted grassland species but then again I have never really expected any. For me, this is just another way to force myself to get out a bit more and help contribute a little bit to the overall knowledge of what is happening avian wise here in New Jersey. After all, as most any researcher will tell you, negative data is still good data. Heck, I'm out birding as much as I can anyway, might as well contribute my observations to science which is also accomplished by submitting these sightings to eBird.
So, what did I find on this extremely hot southern New Jersey day, probably the best sighting of the day was not of a bird even. I started at the Beanery (to ensure no time of day bias the surveys are run in backward order from the first round) and happened upon a mother Opossum with not one, two or three young. Get this, five sizable (probably a good six to eight inches in body length, tail not included) young hanging on her back AND at least two more in her pouch!! I bet my mom is glad she didn't have to deal with my brother and I like this. She definitely seemed to be weighed down by the brood and having a hard time walking, ahh...the love of a mother.
Anyway, the Beanery did not hold much out of the ordinary. Two Prothonotary Warblers were singing away and a few Green Herons were calling and flying around. No Horned Lark was observed by me or any hoped for Mississippi Kites.
The Cape Island Preserve area, likewise held nothing unusual other than the expected breeding species. This particular area is well under birded in my opinion. Not that I can complain much as I do not visit the are as much as I probably should but with Higbee's Beach and Hidden Valley being birded 250-300 days out of the year by locals there don't seem to be enough reports from this TNC property. My guess is that it's a delayed gratification issue. If you are like me and don't have a huge amount of time most days to bird, most of the time you are looking for the places that will garner "guaranteed" good birding. I can't blame anyone of rwantig to make the most of the time they have but this area has just as good a chance for a rarity as anywhere on Cape Island. Since this area is under birded and lets face it, an area that you might not expect to find 60+ species on a morning walk, even on a good morning, I think most people just bypass it for the other popular sites in Cape May. Please just keep this site in mind, especially this coming fall during sparrow migration. Good birds have bee found in years past. I think it's a great place to try and find a Grasshopper Sparrow in migration. Heck, a summer or two ago Paul Lehman verified a breeding Dickcissel at this property!
But on Tuesday it was the Indigo Buntings, Blue Grosbeaks, Orchard Orioles, Yellow Warblers and others who vied for my attention while walking to my survey spots. The Northern Bobwhite continues to call each morning that I do visit the area so I hope to come across a covey one day in the near future. Laura and I did have a male and female, here, back when we were scouting for the WSB.
As usual the list for the day is below. As I was taking note of species just as I walked to and from (and during) the surveys, there could have been a few species that went unnoticed by me.
Location: The Beanery
Observation date: 6/10/08
Notes: 2300 steps = approx 1.5 miles
Number of species: 45
Canada Goose - Branta canadensis X
Mute Swan - Cygnus olor X
Mallard - Anas platyrhynchos X
Great Blue Heron - Ardea herodias 3
Turkey Vulture - Cathartes aura X
Killdeer - Charadrius vociferus X
Laughing Gull - Larus atricilla X
Herring Gull - Larus argentatus X
Great Black-backed Gull - Larus marinus X
Rock Pigeon - Columba livia X
Mourning Dove - Zenaida macroura X
Yellow-billed Cuckoo - Coccyzus americanus 1
Chimney Swift - Chaetura pelagica 6
Downy Woodpecker - Picoides pubescens X
Great Crested Flycatcher - Myiarchus crinitus 4
Eastern Kingbird - Tyrannus tyrannus X
Blue Jay - Cyanocitta cristata X
American Crow - Corvus brachyrhynchos X
Purple Martin - Progne subis X
Tree Swallow - Tachycineta bicolor X
Northern Rough-winged Swallow - Stelgidopteryx serripennis 1
Barn Swallow - Hirundo rustica X
Carolina Chickadee - Poecile carolinensis X
Tufted Titmouse - Baeolophus bicolor X
Carolina Wren - Thryothorus ludovicianus X
American Robin - Turdus migratorius X
Gray Catbird - Dumetella carolinensis X
Northern Mockingbird - Mimus polyglottos X
Brown Thrasher - Toxostoma rufum 1
European Starling - Sturnus vulgaris X
Cedar Waxwing - Bombycilla cedrorum 6
Yellow Warbler - Dendroica petechia X
Prothonotary Warbler - Protonotaria citrea 2
Common Yellowthroat - Geothlypis trichas X
Field Sparrow - Spizella pusilla X
Song Sparrow - Melospiza melodia 3
Northern Cardinal - Cardinalis cardinalis X
Blue Grosbeak - Passerina caerulea 2
Indigo Bunting - Passerina cyanea X
Red-winged Blackbird - Agelaius phoeniceus X
Common Grackle - Quiscalus quiscula X
Brown-headed Cowbird - Molothrus ater X
House Finch - Carpodacus mexicanus X
American Goldfinch - Carduelis tristis X
House Sparrow - Passer domesticus X
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2
Location: Cape Island Preserve
Observation date: 6/10/08
Notes: 2670 steps = approx. 1.5 miles
Number of species: 35
Northern Bobwhite - Colinus virginianus 1
Snowy Egret - Egretta thula 4
Turkey Vulture - Cathartes aura X
Willet (Eastern) - Tringa semipalmata semipalmata 1
Laughing Gull - Larus atricilla X
Herring Gull - Larus argentatus X
Great Black-backed Gull - Larus marinus X
Mourning Dove - Zenaida macroura X
Chimney Swift - Chaetura pelagica 8
Downy Woodpecker - Picoides pubescens 1
Eastern Kingbird - Tyrannus tyrannus X
Blue Jay - Cyanocitta cristata X
American Crow - Corvus brachyrhynchos X
Barn Swallow - Hirundo rustica X
Carolina Chickadee - Poecile carolinensis X
Tufted Titmouse - Baeolophus bicolor X
Carolina Wren - Thryothorus ludovicianus X
American Robin - Turdus migratorius X
Gray Catbird - Dumetella carolinensis 5
Northern Mockingbird - Mimus polyglottos X
European Starling - Sturnus vulgaris X
Cedar Waxwing - Bombycilla cedrorum 8
Yellow Warbler - Dendroica petechia 3
Common Yellowthroat - Geothlypis trichas X
Field Sparrow - Spizella pusilla 4
Song Sparrow - Melospiza melodia 3
Northern Cardinal - Cardinalis cardinalis X
Blue Grosbeak - Passerina caerulea 3
Indigo Bunting - Passerina cyanea X
Red-winged Blackbird - Agelaius phoeniceus X
Common Grackle - Quiscalus quiscula X
Brown-headed Cowbird - Molothrus ater X
House Finch - Carpodacus mexicanus X
American Goldfinch - Carduelis tristis X
House Sparrow - Passer domesticus X
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2
No comments:
Post a Comment