CAPE MAY BIRDING HOTLINE - THURSDAY, APRIL 9 2009

Hotline: Cape May Birding Hotline
To Report: call (609) 884-2736, or emailsightings 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 Thursday, April 9, 2009. Highlights this week include sightings of BROWN PELICAN, 'IPSWICH' SAVANNAH SPARROW, SHORT-EARED-OWL, RED-HEADED WOODPECKER, and reports of returning YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON, CATTLE EGRET,SPOTTED SANDPIPER,SOLITARY SANDPIPER,LEAST SANDPIPER, WHIP-POOR-WILL,CHIMNEY SWIFT,RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD, PURPLE MARTIN, CLIFF SWALLOW, BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER, and HOODED WARBLER, and an announcement about the closure of Cape May Bird Observatory's Center for Research and Education in Goshen.

An apparent first of season juvenile BROWN PELICAN was seen off Stone Harbor Point on Saturday, April 4, 2009. Also there the same day was an 'IPSWICH' SAVANNAH SPARROW.

2 SHORT-EARED OWLS continue at Jake's Landing through Wednesday, April 8 2009.

2 RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS continue at Villas WMA through Sunday, April 5, 2009, along with 3 YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKERS, GOLDEN CROWNED KINGLETS and BROWN CREEPER.

Following are some apparent first-of-season reports from southern New Jersey this week:

YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON - April 5, 2009 at Avalon.

CATTLE EGRET - April 6, 2009 at the Beanery/Rea Farm.

SPOTTED SANDPIPER - reported April 8, 2009 at Beaver Swamp WMA.

SOLITARY SANDPIPER - April 5, 2009 at the Beanery/Rea Farm.

LEAST SANDPIPER - April 4, 2009 at the South Cape May Meadows.

WHIP-POOR-WILL - April 8, 2009 at Jake's Landing Road.

RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD - April 4, 2009 at Leesburg, Cumberland County.

PURPLE MARTIN - March 31, 2009 at Villas WMA, with scouts now throughout Cape May County, including several at nest colony in Goshen on Monday, April 6, 2009.

CLIFF SWALLOW - April 4, 2009 at the South Cape May Meadows.

BLACK AND WHITE WARBLER - April 6, 2009 in Cape May Court House.

HOODED WARBLER - April 8, 2009 at Belleplain State Forest at the campground intersection.

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 in spring, 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!