CAPE MAY BIRDING HOTLINE - THURSDAY, APRIL 16 2009

Hotline: Cape May Birding Hotline
To Report: call (609) 884-2736, or email sightings 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 16, 2009. Highlights this week include sightings of SWALLOW-TAILED KITE, PILEATED WOODPECKER, BLACK-HEADED GULL, ICELAND GULL, BROAD-WINGED HAWK, LITTLE BLUE HERON, GREEN HERON, and PROTHONATARY WARBLER.

A SWALLOW-TAILED KITE was seen on Monday, April 13, 2009 at The Nature Conservancy's Cape Island Creek Preserve. At least 11 species of raptors, not including the vultures, were south of the Cape May Canal this day.

A PILEATED WOODPECKER was seen flying south near the junction of Bayshore Road and Stevens Street in Cape May on Friday, April 10, 2009.

Two BLACK-HEADED GULLS were seen at East Point Light, Cumberland County on Wednesday, April 15 2009.

A first cycle ICELAND GULL was seen at Stone Harbor Point on Saturday, April 11, 2009.

A BROAD-WINGED HAWK was seen at the South Cape May Meadows on Monday, April 13, 2009, an apparent first-of-season for Cape May County. An adult LITTLE BLUE HERON was also seen there on the same day. A GREEN HERON was recorded over a yard in Cape May on Saturday, April 11, another apparent arrival for Cape May County.

A returning PROTHONATARY WARBLER was seen in Dividing Creek in Cumberland County on Thursday, April 9, 2009.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

******Due to a staffing shortfall, Cape May Bird Observatorys 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!