CAPE MAY BIRDING HOTLINE - July 3, 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 3, 2008. Highlights this week include sightings of SURF SCOTER, HOODED MERGANSER, RUDDY DUCK, NORTHERN BOBWHITE, BROWN PELICAN, CATTLE EGRET, LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, GLAUCOUS GULL, CASPIAN TERN, BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO, RED-HEADED WOODPECKER, WILLOW FLYCATCHER, and WARBLING VIREO.

The continuing HOODED MERGANSER made regular appearances at the South Cape May Meadows/CMMBR through 7/2. A SURF SCOTER was noted from this location on 6/30.

A RUDDY DUCK continued to be seen on Lighthouse Pond, at Cape May Point State Park, through 7/3.

An unseasonal WARBLING VIREO was noted at the Woodcock Trail tract of Cape May NWR on 7/2.

The continuing GLAUCOUS GULL was reported along the north dike at Brig/Forsythe NWR this week. Other reports from Brig included NORTHERN BOBWHITE and CASPIAN TERN.

As many as a dozen LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS continued to be found along the beachfront between Cape May Point State Park and the South Cape May Meadows/CMMBR this week.

A RED-HEADED WOODPECKER was seen again in Belleplain State Forest on 7/3.

A CATTLE EGRET was seen along Shunpike Road, near the town of Cape May Court House, on 7/2.

A BROWN PELICAN was seen at Reed's Beach on 7/1.

BLACK-BILLED CUCKOOS were noted at the Beanery/Rea Farm and along Reed's Beach Road on 7/2.

WILLOW FLYCATCHERS were recorded at the South Cape May Meadows/CMMBR, Stone Harbor Point, and the Two Mile Beach unit of Cape May NWR this week.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Both CMBO Centers will be CLOSED on FRIDAY, JULY 4 for Independence Day.

CMBO's Northwood Center will be closed TUESDAY, JULY 29 through THURSDAY, JULY 31 for inventory. The Northwood Center will also be closed during the following dates this month: Mon. July 14, Wed. July 23 and Thurs. July 24. 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!