Higbee: NO PARKING + nice mix of warblers

Important Announcement: At Higbee Beach WMA, cars have been parked outside the main parking area, in the area to the left as you approach the main area. THIS AREA IS NOT DESIGNATED FOR PARKING AND YOU COULD GET TICKETED. Parking at Higbee is in the main lot, in the small lot on the left along New England Road before you reach the main lot, or along the dirt lane that runs out past the Morning Flight platform to the Cape May canal - if parking at the latter spot, make sure your vehicle is well off the road.

CMBO Higbee walks meet in the main lot, therefore it's a good idea to arrive early so you have time to walk to the lot to meet the group.

There were fewer birds at Higbee this morning than I anticipated, but still plenty to look at. I heard a Grasshopper Sparrow at the north end of the first field, but we never saw it. We did get good looks at Scarlet Tanagers, Baltimore Orioles, and a number of warblers. A very tired-seeming Cape May Warbler posed for quite a while. Others included Black-throated Green, Black-and-white, Northern Parula, and Pine. A Blue-headed Vireo also posed well. Most of this was in the first field. Mike and Megan Crewe had a Yellow-breasted Chat along the edge of the first field as well.

Another Higbee highlight was an apparent family group of Indigo Buntings that included an immature male that was singing - obviously practicing for next spring. The full list is below.

I hear the Lark Sparrow at the state park was there until dark, and there was an excellent falcon flight yesterday afternoon.


Location: Higbee Beach
Observation date: 10/3/08
Number of species: 49
Osprey 5
Bald Eagle 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk 15
Cooper's Hawk 5
American Kestrel 5
Mourning Dove 5
Red-bellied Woodpecker 5
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 50
Eastern Wood-Pewee 1
Eastern Phoebe 5
Blue-headed Vireo 2
Red-eyed Vireo 5
Blue Jay 100
American Crow 10
Tree Swallow X
Carolina Chickadee 5
Tufted Titmouse 5
Red-breasted Nuthatch 2
Carolina Wren 15
American Robin 1
Gray Catbird 10
Brown Thrasher 20
European Starling 10
Cedar Waxwing 50
Nashville Warbler 1
Northern Parula 5
Magnolia Warbler 1
Cape May Warbler 1
Black-throated Blue Warbler 5
Yellow-rumped Warbler 1
Black-throated Green Warbler 2
Pine Warbler 1
Palm Warbler 5
Blackpoll Warbler 10
Black-and-white Warbler 5
American Redstart 5
Northern Waterthrush 1
Common Yellowthroat 1
Scarlet Tanager 2
Grasshopper Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal 10
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 1
Indigo Bunting 10
Bobolink 5
Red-winged Blackbird 10
Baltimore Oriole 5
House Finch 15