CAPE MAY BIRDING HOTLINE - FRIDAY, MARCH 20 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: Don Freiday, Cape May Bird Observatory
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 Friday, March 20, 2009. Highlights this week include sightings of SNOWY OWL, ICELAND GULL, EURASIAN WIGEON, RED-HEADED WOODPECKER, and seasonal notes of interest on AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER, SCOTERS, NORTHERN GANNETS AND PINE WARBLERS.

A SNOWY OWL continues at Stone Harbor Point, through Sunday, March 15, 2009, all the way at the tip of the point that day. Also at Stone Harbor Point were 7 WESTERN SANDPIPERS and numerous AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER pairs.

An ICELAND GULL was seen in flight over the Cape May Migratory Bird Refuge, a.k.a. the South Cape May Meadows, on Friday, March 20, 2009.

The female EURASIAN WIGEON was seen at the Villas WMA on Sunday, March 15, 2009. Also at Villas WMA were 1 RED-HEADED WOODPECKER and RUSTY BLACKBIRDS.

NORTHERN GANNETS, all three SCOTERS, and RED-THROATED LOONS are common and visible around Cape May Point, most especially at the Concrete Ship. PINE WARBLERS have arrived at several locations, including Jake’s Landing Road.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

******CMBO Bookstore MARCH 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. NOTE: CRE Days of operation have changed, The Center for Research and Education on Rt. 47 in Goshen is open Tuesday through SATURDAY, 9:30am to 4:30pm; closed SUNDAYs and Mondays thru the month of March ******

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!

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).

Good luck and good birding!