CAPE MAY BIRDING HOTLINE - July 24, 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, July 24, 2008. Highlights this week include sightings of WHITE IBIS, WHITE-FACED IBIS, COMMON EIDER, HOODED MERGANSER, CORY'S SHEARWATER, NORTHERN GANNET, AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN, WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER, STILT SANDPIPER, LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER, LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, GLAUCOUS GULL, BLACK TERN, SANDWICH TERN, PARASITIC JAEGER, RED-HEADED WOODPECKER, BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER, AMERICAN REDSTART, PROTHONOTARY WARBLER, DICKCISSEL, and RED CROSSBILL.


A WHITE-FACED IBIS was observed flying south over the South Cape May Meadows/CMMBR on 7/21. Other reports from the Meadows this week included CORY'S SHEARWATER, NORTHERN GANNET, SANDWICH TERN and PARASITIC JAEGER on 7/17, 15 STILT SANDPIPERS on 7/21, and BLACK TERN on 7/23. The HOODED MERGANSER continues to linger here, most often seen roosting on the center island.

A WHITE IBIS was last reported from Brig/Forsythe NWR on 7/22. The continuing AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN and GLAUCOUS GULL were last noted here on 7/20. WHITE-FACED IBIS, LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER and BLACK TERN were reported here on 7/17.

A RED CROSSBILL was discovered in Linwood, Atlantic County on 7/23.

An immature male COMMON EIDER was seen in the back-bay slightly north from the "free bridge" at Nummy Island, on 7/20.

A DICKCISSEL was recorded flying over Higbee Beach WMA on 7/19. Other early migrants found there this week included BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER, AMERICAN REDSTART and PROTHONOTARY WARBLER.

2 RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS were found in a traditional location this week, at the end of 12th Street in Del Haven.

Numerous LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS continue to be found along the beachfront between the South Cape May Meadows/CMMBR and Cape May Point State Park on a daily basis. A WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER was found in the second plover pond at the State Park on 7/21.


ANNOUNCEMENTS:
CMBO's Northwood Center will be closed TUESDAY, JULY 29 through THURSDAY, JULY 31 for inventory. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

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!