CAPE MAY BIRDING HOTLINE - May 21, 2009

Hotline: Cape May Birding Hotline
To Report: (609) 884-2736, sightings@birdcapemay.org
Coverage: Cape May, Cumberland and Atlantic Counties, NJ
Compiler: Tom Reed, 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, May 21, 2009.

Highlights this week include reports of WHITE-FACED IBIS, CURLEW SANDPIPER, EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE, WHITE-WINGED SCOTER, SOOTY SHEARWATER, LEAST BITTERN, BLACK-NECKED STILT, RED KNOT, AMERICAN AVOCET, WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER, STILT SANDPIPER, LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, PARASITIC JAEGER, YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER, OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER, WILLOW FLYCATCHER, LEAST FLYCATCHER, WILSON'S WARBLER, CANADA WARBLER, VESPER SPARROW, GRASSHOPPER SPARROW, and DICKCISSEL.

-For more up-to-the-minute Cape May sightings information and a download-able birding map of Cape May, visit www.BirdCapeMay.org. Also follow us on Twitter at CMBObirds (www.twitter.com/cmbobirds - review list/rarities or spectacles only) -


2 CURLEW SANDPIPERS continued at Heislerville WMA through 5/20. The AMERICAN AVOCET was last reported on 5/16. Multiple WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS have been present there throughout the week.

Another male CURLEW SANDPIPER was found at Nummy Island on 5/20. No reports since.

A WHITE-FACED IBIS was discovered at Brig/Forsythe NWR on 5/15 and continued through at least 5/17, last reported along the beginning of the south dike. 2 BLACK-NECKED STILTS were noted in the southwest pool at Brig on 5/20, and a STILT SANDPIPER was seen the same day.

A EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE was noted flying past the South Cape May Meadows/CMMBR on 5/15. No reports since. Also at the Meadows this week were LEAST BITTERN, LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL and a fly-by WHITE-WINGED SCOTER on 5/15, as well as a WILLOW FLYCATCHER singing along the west path on 5/20.

A SOOTY SHEARWATER and 4-5 PARASITIC JAEGERS were noted from the Cape May-Lewes Ferry on 5/16.

A very late YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER was noted at Higbee Beach WMA on 5/16. Migrants noted at Higbee on 5/15 included WILSON'S WARBLER, CANADA WARBLER and a DICKCISSEL in the "tower" field. An OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER was seen near the Higbee spillover lot on 5/20, and a LEAST FLYCATCHER was also noted the same day.

Multiple GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS and a VESPER SPARROW were again noted on 5/16 from the fields at Buckshutem WMA in Cumberland County (located off Buckshutem Road, west of the Millville Airport).

Shorebird numbers increased along the Delaware Bay beaches this week. 800-1000 RED KNOTS have been seen during the incoming high tide at Reed's Beach during the past few days.


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 through the end of May, 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!