CAPE MAY BIRDING HOTLINE - June 5, 2008

This is the Cape May Birding Hotline, a service of New Jersey Audubon Society's Cape May Bird Observatory. This week's message was prepared on Thursday, June 5, 2008. Highlights this week include sightings of CURLEW SANDPIPER, SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER, LARK BUNTING, BLACK SCOTER, WILSON'S STORM-PETREL, BROWN PELICAN, MISSISSIPPI KITE, WESTERN SANDPIPER, PECTORAL SANDPIPER, LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER, WILSON'S PHALAROPE, RED-NECKED PHALAROPE, LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, GLAUCOUS GULL, BLACK TERN, ROSEATE TERN, SANDWICH TERN, RED-HEADED WOODPECKER, ACADIAN FLYCATCHER, WARBLING VIREO, KENTUCKY WARBLER, and SUMMER TANAGER.

A LARK BUNTING was briefly seen around the dunes between Cape May Pt. State Park and the South Cape May Meadows/CMMBR on 6/2. No reports since.

A SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER was found at Brig/Forsythe NWR on 6/2, and apparently the same bird was found again on 6/5, in the first field after leaving the north dike.

At least 1 CURLEW SANDPIPER continued at Heislerville WMA in Cumberland County through 6/1.

The South Cape May Meadows/CMMBR played host to BLACK, ROSEATE and SANDWICH TERNS on 5/30. Multiple LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS continued to be seen on the beach here throughout the week, and a WESTERN SANDPIPER was detected on 6/2. 1 WILSON'S STORM-PETREL and 3 very late PECTORAL SANDPIPERS were noted here on 6/5.

A MISSISSIPPI KITE was seen over Stevens Street in West Cape May on 6/2.

Brig/Forsythe NWR featured 2 WILSON'S PHALAROPES on 5/29, a RED-NECKED PHALAROPE on 5/30, and a LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER on 6/4. The lingering GLAUCOUS GULL continued to be seen along the north dike this week.

A RED-HEADED WOODPECKER was seen again in Belleplain S.F. on 5/29. KENTUCKY WARBLER and SUMMER TANAGER were also reported here throughout the week.

An ACADIAN FLYCATCHER was noted at Hidden Valley on 6/2, and a WARBLING VIREO was found at the Beanery/Rea Farm the same day.

2 BLACK SCOTERS were seen from Cape May Point on 6/4. A BROWN PELICAN was seen from Reed's Beach on 5/30.


ANNOUNCEMENTS:
CMBO's Northwood Center in Cape May Point has returned to SUMMER HOURS through the end of August. The Center will be open Wednesday through Monday, 9:30am to 4:30pm. The Center is now CLOSED on Tuesdays.

Both CMBO Centers will be CLOSED on Friday, July 4 for Independence Day.

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 SUMMER HOURS (June - August) are as follows: Northwood Center on East Lake Drive in Cape May Point is open Wednesday through Monday, 9:30am to 4:30pm; closed Tuesdays. The Center for Research and Education on Rt. 47 in Goshen is open Tuesday through Sunday, 9:30am to 4:30pm; closed Mondays.******

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!