CAPE MAY BIRDING HOTLINE - THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12 2009

Hotline: Cape May Birding Hotline
To Report: call (609) 884-2736, or email sightings at birdcapemay.org
Coverage: Cape May, Cumberland and Atlantic Counties , NJ
Compiler: David Lord, Cape May Bird Observatory with additions by Don Freiday
URL: http://www.njaudubon.org ; http://www.birdcapemay.org

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, February 12, 2009. Highlights this week include sightings of BLACK-HEADED GULL, EURASIAN WIGEON, WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL, CANVASBACK, REDHEAD, RED-HEADED WOODPECKER, TUNDRA SWAN, GOLDEN EAGLE, ROUGH LEGGED HAWK, HARLEQUIN, COMMON EIDER, PURPLE SANDPIPER, "WESTERN" WILLET, AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER and an announcement about CMBO's Optics Sale March 14 and 15.

An adult BLACK-HEADED GULL has been frequenting Cape May Point, mostly at the Concrete Ship at the end of Sunset but ranging well north towards the ferry terminal. It was last reported today, Thursday, February 12, 2009.

The hen EURASIAN WIGEON was still at the Villas WMA as of Monday February 9, 2009. Also continuing there as of Monday were a male REDHEAD, one RED-HEADED WOODPECKER, and one WHITE WINGED CROSSBILL. A CANVASBACK was there as of Sunday, February 8, 2009.

4 TUNDRA SWANS were seen at the Maple Ave. impoundments near Dividing Creek on Sunday, February 8, 2009. The large flock of 25+ was seen at Tuckahoe WMA on Monday, February, 9, 2009.

A GOLDEN EAGLE was seen at Tuckahoe WMA on Monday, February 9, 2009.

The dark morph ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was seen again at Jakes Landing Road on Sunday, February 8, 2009, and light and dark morphs continue at Tuckahoe WMA as of Monday February 9, 2009.

The duck collection continues at the 8th street Jetty in Avalon, including a drake HARLEQUIN, 12 COMMON EIDER, and a WHITE-WINGED SCOTER, all through at least Sunday, February 8, 2009. PURPLE SANDPIPERS are also on the jetty there.

Great Channel, north of the free bridge to Nummy Island south of Stone Harbor, held 3 "WESTERN" WILLETS and 16 AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHERS on Monday, February 9.

We received no reports of the RUFOUS-TYPE HUMMINGBIRD or the Stone Harbor Point SNOWY OWL this week, though they may still be present. Please continue to report these birds if seen.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

CMBO'S FOURTEENTH ANNUAL OPTICS SALE will be Saturday and Sunday, March 14 and 15 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the CMBO Center for Research and Education in Goshen. The sale offers a large selection of closeout, demo, factory-refurbished, new, and used optics priced to move. Binoculars and spotting scopes from all major brands will be available. There are no advance or phone orders: first come, first served. Shoppers must belong to NJAS or CMBO to take advantage of these great deals, so join today if you're not already a member.

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 WINTER HOURS 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 discounts in the stores).

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