No more sightings of the Northern Wheatear & CMBO Sunset Birding at the Meadows walk- 9/19/08

(Photos courtesy of Michael O'Brien)

Thanks to Michael O'Brien for providing a few more photos of yesterdays Northern Wheatear. Michael made an interesting observation about the birds overall plumage coloration under different lighting conditions. Michael pointed out that the bird looked buffy under the sunlight (top photo) but overall grayer when the sun was obscured by clouds (bottom photos.)

There have been no further sightings of this bird, this morning. But, it could be anywhere in the area or it truly has "flown the coup" (pun intended.) If you are headed down to Cape May to bird over the next day or so make sure you keep this bird in mind. It could very easily be hanging in the dunes. In fact, I'd have loved to have had more time before work this morning to check the dunes between the state park and the Meadows. Hopefully it will be refound. If so we'll get the word out as quickly as possible.

Speaking of finds, I wanted to thank the Hudson Mohawk group and Gerry Colborn, not only for this find but for getting the word out so quickly!

Below is the list and Karl Lukens' report from last evening's CMBO walk at the Meadows.

"CMBO Evening "Meadow" walk at the TNC. Shore birds were scarce but ducks
increasing in numbers although still in eclipse plumage. Found only one
Lesser Black-backed Gull. Nice views of Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, and Palm
Warblers snagging insects."


Location: South Cape May Meadows
Observation date: 9/19/08
Notes: CMBO Walk-K,J,C&MJ,DL,+8.PtlySun,67,NE12.
Number of species: 46

Canada Goose 20
Mute Swan 12
Gadwall 4
American Wigeon 10
Mallard 25
Blue-winged Teal 6
Northern Shoveler 4
Green-winged Teal 1
Hooded Merganser 1
Great Blue Heron 2
Great Egret 5
Snowy Egret 5
Turkey Vulture 1
Osprey 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1
Cooper's Hawk 1
Merlin 6
Semipalmated Plover 2
Killdeer 1
Lesser Yellowlegs 1
Sanderling 15
Least Sandpiper 2
Laughing Gull 15
Ring-billed Gull 5
Herring Gull 15
Lesser Black-backed Gull 1
Great Black-backed Gull 40
Forster's Tern 10
Royal Tern 5
Black Skimmer 15
Rock Pigeon 1
Mourning Dove 5
American Crow 5
Tree Swallow 1
Carolina Wren 3
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 2
Gray Catbird 1
Northern Mockingbird 1
European Starling 15
Yellow Warbler 2
Palm Warbler (Western) 3
American Redstart 3
Northern Cardinal 2
Red-winged Blackbird 5
House Finch 2
House Sparrow 2

This report was generated automatically by eBird v2