CAPE MAY BIRDING HOTLINE - FRIDAY, APRIL 24 2009

Hotline: Cape May Birding Hotline
To Report: call (609) 884-2736, or email sightigns AT birdcapemay.org.
Coverage: Cape May, Cumberland and southern Atlantic Counties , NJ
Compilers: David Lord and 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, April 24, 2009. Highlights this week include sightings of SWALLOW-TAILED KITE, YELLOW RAIL, SHORT-EARED OWL, CATTLE EGRET, and southern NJ first of spring arrivals of OVENBIRD, YELLOW WARBLER, NORTHERN PARULA, BLUE-HEADED VIREO, EASTERN KINGBIRD, PROTHONOTARY WARBLER, RED-EYED VIREO, BALTIMORE ORIOLE, ORCHARD ORIOLE, HOUSE WREN, WHITE-EYED VIREO, BLACK AND WHITE WARBLER, BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER, WHIMBREL, BROAD-WINGED HAWK, AMERICAN REDSTART, COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, INDIGO BUNTING, ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK, WORM-EATING WARBLER, NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH, and BLACK SKIMMER.

A SWALLOW-TAILED KITE was seen Thursday, April 23 over the Beanery and Friday, April 24 over Cape May Point State Park.

2 YELLOW RAILS have been heard at Turkey Point, Cumberland County this week, most recently around 1:30 a.m. on Friday, April 24, 2009 just past the "dog leg."

A lingering SHORT-EARED OWL was seen at Jake's Landing Road on Saturday, April 18, 2009.

CATTLE EGRET sightings include up to 4 in the vicinity of Bayshore Road and Stevens Street near the Beanery on Cape Island on Thursday, April 23 2009. A large egret roost has been forming at the Beanery every evening in recent days. The two SNOW GEESE are still present along Stevens Street through Friday, April 24 2009.

OVENBIRD arrived at Belleplain Sate Forest on Friday April 17, 2009. Other sightings from Belleplain include YELLOW WARBLER, NORTHERN PARULA, BLUE-HEADED VIREO, PROTHONOTARY WARBLER, and EASTERN KINGBIRD on Saturday, April 18, 2009, and BROAD-WINGED HAWK and AMERICAN REDSTART on Tuesday, April 21, 2009.

BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER and WHITE-EYED VIREO arrived at Higbee Beach on Friday, April 17, 2009.

A RED-EYED VIREO was seen at the Cape May Point State on Saturday, April 18, 2009, part of a good flight there. Other State Park birds ON Saturday included BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER, HOUSE WREN, INDIGO BUNTING and BALTIMORE ORIOLE.

ORCHARD ORIOLE arrived in Goshen and Cape May on Tuesday, April 21 2009.

Eight WHIMBREL were seen on Nummy Island on Saturday, April 18, 2009.

A ROSE BREASTED GROSBEAK was seen at a feeder along Sea Grove Ave. in Cape May Point on Wednesday, April 22, 2009.

An INDIGO BUNTING and a WORM-EATING WARBLER were found in Belleplain Sate Forest on Wednesday, April, 22, 2009.

A NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH was seen at the Coral Ave. Dune Crossing in Cape May Point on Wednesday, April 22, 2009.

A BLACK SKIMMER was seen at Jakes Landing Road on Saturday April 18, 2009.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

******Due to a staffing shortfall, Cape May Bird Observatory's Center for Research and Education on Route 47 north of Goshen will be closed to the public effective April 11, 2009. The grounds and gardens will remain open to the public. CMBO's Northwood Center on East Lake Drive in Cape May Point is open daily, 9:30am to 4:30pm.******

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!