Whistling-Ducks; Late-Season Warbler Push; State Park Notes

[White-rumped Sandpiper, seen at one of the State Park's 'plover ponds' during this morning's CMBO walk. For full details, see below.]

4 Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks were found on private property in Cape May Point yesterday. The pond where the birds were found is also visible from Cape May Pt. State Park, adjacent to the "dead-end trail" along the back side of the park. The birds have not yet been seen today. Keep in mind that there is quite a bit of suitable habitat in this area for Whistling-Ducks to hide. The other State Park ponds, as well as the South Cape May Meadows complex, are good places to look.

There was a decent late-season push of warblers around Cape May today. Mourning Warblers were noted near CMBO's Northwood Center, as well as near the "dead-end trail" at the State Park. A Blackburnian Warbler was also hanging out at the Northwood Center. It seemed that most of today's flight consisted of Blackpoll Warblers and American Redstarts- I was able to tally a dozen of each at the State Park, even at noontime. There was also a Black-throated Green there.

And speaking of the State Park, here's a summary of this morning's CMBO walk there:

"...The walk on the red and yellow trails in the state park was very productive this morning. There were numerous Blackpoll Warblers and Redstarts heard as well as seen, and a few Yellow Warblers, Common Yellowthroats, and a couple of elusive Chats. Scarlet Tanager and Indigo Bunting were nice finds. As far as shore birds in the plover ponds, we found Least, and Semi-palmated Sandpipers, Piping Plover, a couple of Oystercatchers, and a nice White-rumped Sandpiper showing its long wings and side streaking, that was a life bird for at least one participant."

- Karl, (Warren, Tom)

Location: Cape May Point SP
Observation date: 5/27/09 Notes: CMBO Trip-K,W,T,+14.Cldy,68,E6.
Number of species: 55

Canada Goose 5
Gadwall 1
Mallard 8
Northern Gannet 1
Double-crested Cormorant 1
Great Blue Heron 2
Great Egret 4
Snowy Egret 1
Turkey Vulture 4
Osprey 1
Piping Plover 2
Killdeer 1
American Oystercatcher 2
Semipalmated Sandpiper 4
Least Sandpiper 3
White-rumped Sandpiper 1 /p
Laughing Gull 10
Herring Gull 6
Great Black-backed Gull 5
Least Tern 25
Common Tern 2
Forster's Tern 10
Rock Pigeon 2
Mourning Dove 5
Chimney Swift 10
Northern Flicker 1
Eastern Kingbird 3
Red-eyed Vireo 3
Blue Jay 1
American Crow 1
Fish Crow 3
Purple Martin 20
Barn Swallow 5
Carolina Chickadee 2
Carolina Wren 6
House Wren 1
American Robin 10
Gray Catbird 2
Northern Mockingbird 1
European Starling 10
Cedar Waxwing 6
Yellow Warbler 3
Blackpoll Warbler 18
American Redstart 10
Common Yellowthroat 6
Yellow-breasted Chat 2
Scarlet Tanager 1
Song Sparrow 2
Northern Cardinal 6
Indigo Bunting 2
Red-winged Blackbird 12
Common Grackle 15
Brown-headed Cowbird 5
American Goldfinch 1
House Sparrow 3

This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)