There was both great weather and great birding at the State Park this evening. Highlights included two Sandwich Terns that were picked by Bob Fogg as they flew over us near the 2nd Plover Pond around 6:30pm and continued east over the Meadows. Soon after, I picked up on a distant Cory's Shearwater heading out of the bay. A Wilson's Storm-Petrel appeared around the same time, feeding in the "rips" in the company of a large mixed flock of terns and Laughing Gulls. Other birds noted offshore included a couple of Brown Pelicans and a Northern Gannet.
Closer to sundown, a Black Tern appeared just offshore and eventually landed on the beach with a flock of Common Terns. This bird was an immature, not at all like the adult bird from yesterday. Also on the beach was an increased number of Lesser Black-backed Gulls- at least eight, and quite likely more. There had been, at most, three or four LesserBacks in the area for the past month, so it will be interesting to see if more continue to appear.
In the migrant department, two Semipalmated Plovers made a brief visit, and a Semipalmated Sandpiper stayed for a while longer in the Plover Ponds. I briefly glimpsed a possible White-rumped Sandpiper as it zipped by. Piping Plovers were easy to see and hear this evening.
The beach between the State Park and the Meadows is crawling with Least Terns, and interestingly, a number of Common Terns have taken up residence here, along with a small group of Black Skimmers. While it is a bit late in the breeding season, the Commons were actively engaging in courtship behavior, and a couple of pairs were even copulating. Will they try to nest there? Stay tuned.
Location: Cape May Point SP
Observation date: 6/30/09
Number of species: 61
Canada Goose 25
Mute Swan 9
Wood Duck 1
Gadwall 2
American Black Duck x Mallard (hybrid) 1
Mallard 12
Cory's Shearwater 1
Wilson's Storm-Petrel 1
Northern Gannet 1
Brown Pelican 2
Double-crested Cormorant 1
Great Egret 1
Snowy Egret 1
Black-crowned Night-Heron 1
Glossy Ibis 4
Turkey Vulture 1
Osprey 3
Semipalmated Plover 2
Piping Plover 6
Killdeer 2
American Oystercatcher 8
Semipalmated Sandpiper 1
Laughing Gull 300
Ring-billed Gull 4
Herring Gull 50
Lesser Black-backed Gull 8
Great Black-backed Gull 80
Least Tern 130
Black Tern 1
Common Tern 90
Forster's Tern 80
Royal Tern 8
Sandwich Tern 2
Black Skimmer 20
Rock Pigeon 4
Mourning Dove 6
Chimney Swift 5
Willow Flycatcher 1
Eastern Kingbird 2
Fish Crow 3
Purple Martin 40
Tree Swallow 4
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 4
Barn Swallow 8
Carolina Wren 1
American Robin 3
Gray Catbird 1
Northern Mockingbird 1
European Starling 6
Cedar Waxwing 1
Yellow Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 1
Song Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal 2
Indigo Bunting 1
Red-winged Blackbird 10
Common Grackle 6
Brown-headed Cowbird 2
Orchard Oriole 1
House Finch 2
House Sparrow 6
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
White Ibis near Wildwood; Black Tern at State Park; Back Bay Images
[This Black Tern appeared amid throngs of Forster's and Common Terns at Bunker Pond at Cape May Point State Park Monday evening. Photo by Don Freiday, click to enlarge. The terns have been roosting and bathing at Bunker Pond as well as the Plover Ponds.]Captain Dave Githens of the Osprey sent the following report from a back bay boat cruise: "Today (Monday) we sighted an adult white ibis near the Sunset Lake heronry. It was flying away from the rookery toward the west. I can not say that it was in the heron nesting area but it looked like it came from there. "
The Sunset Lake heronry is on a dredge spoil mound covered with shrubs and small trees on the northwest side of Sunset Lake. Sunset Lake is viewed from New Jersey Avenue in Wildwood. Unfortunately the heronry is quite distant for land viewing but this bird (perhaps the same one as was in Cape May over the weekend) could easily appear elsewhere, such as Ocean Drive, Shellbay Landing or Stone Harbor/Nummy Island. The Osprey does regular back-bay trips that cover this area, for more info call David Githens at 609.898.3500.
[Coincidentally, this is the heronry mentioned above. The birds, however, are Herring Gulls, apparently nesting on a tangle at the top of the tree. Photo taken from a kayak on Sunday by Don Freiday, click to enlarge.]
[Osprey nest on a duck hunters' shack, Taylor's Sound near Wildwood. Photo by Don Freiday, click to enlarge.]
Monday, June 29, 2009
Black Rail, 3 YB Cuckoos @ Meadows; News of the Back Bays
Let's put this slightly differently: the Black Rail at the meadows saw a whole bunch of people looking for it again this morning, including a few giving each other high-fives...
CMBO's Monday Meadows walk did not "officially" see the rail, although we certainly heard it well enough from five feet away. I noticed it sometimes trebles its kee's: keekeekeekerr, and somtimes shortens it to just keekerr. Participants who lingered at the spot, which is at the north end of the west path, did see the bird.
Three Yellow-billed Cuckoos showed themselves nicely along the west path, and the Least Bittern, almost an afterthought with all these rare birds around, was glimpsed. Tern numbers were up and included a Gull-billed. We had a Black-bellied Plover and I hear Semipalmated Plover, Least Sandpiper, and Lesser Yellowlegs were also detected this morning. An adult male Blue Grosbeak sang from the wires west of the parking lot, and a chat and White-eyed Vireo were singing from the scrub-shrub west of the west path. The full list from this morning is below, and with today's northwest winds I wonder what else will show up. One bird we oddly did NOT detect was Chimney Swift, can't really explain that one.
Yesterday morning I paddled the back bays behind Wildwood in my kayak, primarily near Taylor's Sound. I saw a newly fledged juvenile Yellow-crowned Night-Heron out on its own. Forster's Terns were nesting, or re-nesting after the flood, on piles of wrack up on the marsh, some Laughing Gulls there have chicks that survived the flooding, and in the heron rookery west of Sunset Lake I noticed two Herring Gulls that I believe have found a way to avoid having their nest flooded: they appear to be nesting on top of a tangle of vines and vegetation up in a tree. Bizarre to see them sitting there.
Location: South Cape May Meadows
Observation date: 6/29/09
Notes: CMBO Monday Meadows Walk. Clicked Common & Forster's; Dave Lord clicked Lagu, Janet Crawford clicked RWBB
Number of species: 58
Canada Goose 50
Mute Swan 30
Gadwall 5
Mallard 50
Least Bittern 1
Great Egret 5
Snowy Egret 5
Black-crowned Night-Heron 2
Glossy Ibis 5
Black Vulture 1
Turkey Vulture 5
Osprey 10
Black Rail 1
Black-bellied Plover 1
Piping Plover 5
Killdeer 1
American Oystercatcher 6
Laughing Gull 147
Herring Gull 30
Lesser Black-backed Gull 1
Great Black-backed Gull 50
Least Tern 100
Gull-billed Tern 2
Common Tern 40
Forster's Tern 138
Royal Tern 1
Black Skimmer 1
Rock Pigeon 5
Mourning Dove 10
Yellow-billed Cuckoo 3
Willow Flycatcher 1
Great Crested Flycatcher 1
White-eyed Vireo 1
Fish Crow 25
Purple Martin 50
Tree Swallow 5
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 2
Barn Swallow 25
Carolina Wren 5
House Wren 1
Marsh Wren 4
American Robin 25
Gray Catbird 1
Northern Mockingbird 2
European Starling 5
Cedar Waxwing 5
Common Yellowthroat 6
Yellow-breasted Chat 1
Field Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal 8
Blue Grosbeak 1
Indigo Bunting 1
Red-winged Blackbird 42
Common Grackle 60
Brown-headed Cowbird 2
House Finch 5
American Goldfinch 5
House Sparrow 20
CMBO's Monday Meadows walk did not "officially" see the rail, although we certainly heard it well enough from five feet away. I noticed it sometimes trebles its kee's: keekeekeekerr, and somtimes shortens it to just keekerr. Participants who lingered at the spot, which is at the north end of the west path, did see the bird.
Three Yellow-billed Cuckoos showed themselves nicely along the west path, and the Least Bittern, almost an afterthought with all these rare birds around, was glimpsed. Tern numbers were up and included a Gull-billed. We had a Black-bellied Plover and I hear Semipalmated Plover, Least Sandpiper, and Lesser Yellowlegs were also detected this morning. An adult male Blue Grosbeak sang from the wires west of the parking lot, and a chat and White-eyed Vireo were singing from the scrub-shrub west of the west path. The full list from this morning is below, and with today's northwest winds I wonder what else will show up. One bird we oddly did NOT detect was Chimney Swift, can't really explain that one.
Yesterday morning I paddled the back bays behind Wildwood in my kayak, primarily near Taylor's Sound. I saw a newly fledged juvenile Yellow-crowned Night-Heron out on its own. Forster's Terns were nesting, or re-nesting after the flood, on piles of wrack up on the marsh, some Laughing Gulls there have chicks that survived the flooding, and in the heron rookery west of Sunset Lake I noticed two Herring Gulls that I believe have found a way to avoid having their nest flooded: they appear to be nesting on top of a tangle of vines and vegetation up in a tree. Bizarre to see them sitting there.
Location: South Cape May Meadows
Observation date: 6/29/09
Notes: CMBO Monday Meadows Walk. Clicked Common & Forster's; Dave Lord clicked Lagu, Janet Crawford clicked RWBB
Number of species: 58
Canada Goose 50
Mute Swan 30
Gadwall 5
Mallard 50
Least Bittern 1
Great Egret 5
Snowy Egret 5
Black-crowned Night-Heron 2
Glossy Ibis 5
Black Vulture 1
Turkey Vulture 5
Osprey 10
Black Rail 1
Black-bellied Plover 1
Piping Plover 5
Killdeer 1
American Oystercatcher 6
Laughing Gull 147
Herring Gull 30
Lesser Black-backed Gull 1
Great Black-backed Gull 50
Least Tern 100
Gull-billed Tern 2
Common Tern 40
Forster's Tern 138
Royal Tern 1
Black Skimmer 1
Rock Pigeon 5
Mourning Dove 10
Yellow-billed Cuckoo 3
Willow Flycatcher 1
Great Crested Flycatcher 1
White-eyed Vireo 1
Fish Crow 25
Purple Martin 50
Tree Swallow 5
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 2
Barn Swallow 25
Carolina Wren 5
House Wren 1
Marsh Wren 4
American Robin 25
Gray Catbird 1
Northern Mockingbird 2
European Starling 5
Cedar Waxwing 5
Common Yellowthroat 6
Yellow-breasted Chat 1
Field Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal 8
Blue Grosbeak 1
Indigo Bunting 1
Red-winged Blackbird 42
Common Grackle 60
Brown-headed Cowbird 2
House Finch 5
American Goldfinch 5
House Sparrow 20
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Some Good Photos of Some Good Birds
[Sandwich Tern flying over Cape May Point State Park last evening. Photo by Bob Fogg (www.keekeekerr.com).]
[Another photo of the continuing Black Rail at the Meadows, courtesy of Karl Lukens.]
[Black-headed Gull (center, second bird back) at the 2nd Plover Pond in Cape May Point State Park last evening. Photo by Bob Fogg (www.keekeekerr.com).]
[Adult White Ibis along the west path of the Meadows this morning. Photo by Karl Lukens.]
Superb June Birding in Cape May: Repeat Anhinga, White Ibis, Black-headed Gull, Sandwich Tern, Black Rail, King Rail
Who says the birding is slow in June?! You couldn't ask for better birding than there's been around Cape May during the past week, and that trend continued into yesterday evening and this morning-
The Anhinga of yesterday was re-found high over the South Cape May Meadows during the 9:00 hour, and was last seen drifting off toward the north. An adult White Ibis was subsequently found along the west path of the South Cape May Meadows shortly before 11am, and was seen by many observers. A King Rail was heard along the west path, and the Black Rail was again heard (and seen by a lucky few) this morning.
Last evening, the second plover pond at the State Park was hopping, with highlights including a Black-headed Gull, a Sandwich Tern and an unusually dark Common Tern.
The Anhinga of yesterday was re-found high over the South Cape May Meadows during the 9:00 hour, and was last seen drifting off toward the north. An adult White Ibis was subsequently found along the west path of the South Cape May Meadows shortly before 11am, and was seen by many observers. A King Rail was heard along the west path, and the Black Rail was again heard (and seen by a lucky few) this morning.
Last evening, the second plover pond at the State Park was hopping, with highlights including a Black-headed Gull, a Sandwich Tern and an unusually dark Common Tern.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Anhinga Over Beanery; Black Rail Continues
[Believe it: Black Rail crossing the west path at the South Cape May Meadows this morning. Photo by Bob Fogg.]
[Anhinga soaring over the Beanery/Rea Farm at 10:00am today. Note the pale upperwing coverts and long tail; two traits that are helpful in separating this species from similar cormorants. May and June are typically the best months to be on lookout for this southern species that occasionally wanders north. Photo by Bob Fogg.]Karl Lukens, one of the finders of the Anhinga, reports the following from last night's Meadows walk and this morning's Beanery walk:
"CMBO Evening Walk at the Cape May Migratory Bird Refuge, i.e., "The Meadows". Brief look by Chuck at a Least Bittern, a good look at a fledgling Oystercatcher, and after the walk, the Black Rail was calling."
- Karl, (Chuck, Mary Jane, Kathy, Roger)
"CMBO Evening Walk at the Cape May Migratory Bird Refuge, i.e., "The Meadows". Brief look by Chuck at a Least Bittern, a good look at a fledgling Oystercatcher, and after the walk, the Black Rail was calling."
- Karl, (Chuck, Mary Jane, Kathy, Roger)
Location: South Cape May Meadows
Observation date: 6/26/09
Notes: CMBO Trip-K,C&MJ,R&KH,+23.Cldy,74,SW9.
Number of species: 43
Canada Goose 25
Mute Swan 6
Mallard 12
Least Bittern 1 seen by Chuck
Great Egret 4
Black-crowned Night-Heron 2
Glossy Ibis 1
Turkey Vulture 1
Osprey 3
Black Rail 1 after walk-heard well 50 yds out on east side main(west) path from lot
Piping Plover 2
Killdeer 4
American Oystercatcher 4 1 fledgling
Laughing Gull 20
Herring Gull 15 possible Nelson's
Great Black-backed Gull 1 45
Least Tern 25
Common Tern 3
Forster's Tern 20
Black Skimmer 4
Rock Pigeon 2
Mourning Dove 3
Chimney Swift 3
Downy Woodpecker 1 psrking lot before walk
Blue Jay 1
American Crow 1
Fish Crow 5
Purple Martin 5
Tree Swallow 1
Barn Swallow 5
Carolina Wren 2 heard
House Wren 1 heard
Marsh Wren 4 heard
American Robin 1
Northern Mockingbird 2
European Starling 8
Common Yellowthroat 4 heard
Song Sparrow 1 heard
Northern Cardinal 2
Red-winged Blackbird 10
Common Grackle 10
Brown-headed Cowbird 1
House Sparrow 8
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)
---------------
"...Again the parking lot was great for birding with good scope views of Blue Grosbeak and Indigo Bunting before we started! The last of the "Blues Brothers", the Eastern Bluebird, was added to the list at the vineyard in the back field. Also heard Yellow-billed Cuckoo, saw several Great-crested Flycatchers, and a couple of Hairy Woodpeckers. Finally the "piece-de-resistance" was the Anhinga that soared over the parking lot as we finished the walk. A lifer and a state bird for many."
- Karl (Kathy, Roger)
Location: The Beanery
Observation date: 6/27/09
Notes: CMBO Trip-K,R&KH,+8.Cldy,75,NW8.
Number of species: 47
Canada Goose 5
Wood Duck 2
Mallard 6
Anhinga 1 male, bob fogg photo-soaring over parking lot. New State Bird for me
Great Egret 3
Snowy Egret 10
Green Heron 2
Glossy Ibis 1
Black Vulture 3
Turkey Vulture 4
Osprey 3
Cooper's Hawk 1
Red-tailed Hawk 1
Killdeer 2
Laughing Gull 10
Herring Gull 1
Rock Pigeon 2
Mourning Dove 6
Yellow-billed Cuckoo 2 heard
Chimney Swift 1
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1 heard
Downy Woodpecker 2
Hairy Woodpecker 2
Great Crested Flycatcher 5
Blue Jay 2
American Crow 8
Fish Crow 2 heard
Purple Martin 2
Barn Swallow 5
Carolina Chickadee 3
Carolina Wren 4 heard
Eastern Bluebird 2
American Robin 12
Gray Catbird 1
Northern Mockingbird 2
European Starling 15
Cedar Waxwing 1
Common Yellowthroat 4
Northern Cardinal 6
Blue Grosbeak 1
Indigo Bunting 4
Red-winged Blackbird 15
Brown-headed Cowbird 5
House Finch 3
American Goldfinch 3
House Sparrow 5
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)
Thursday, June 25, 2009
CAPE MAY BIRDING HOTLINE - June 25, 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, June 25th, 2009.
Highlights this week include reports of BRANT, LESSER SCAUP, COMMON EIDER, BLACK SCOTER, CORY'S SHEARWATER, GREATER SHEARWATER, WILSON'S STORM-PETREL, NORTHERN GANNET, BROWN PELICAN, LEAST BITTERN, BLACK RAIL, KING RAIL, COMMON MOORHEN, LESSER YELLOWLEGS, WHIMBREL, LEAST SANDPIPER, GULL-BILLED TERN, ROSEATE TERN, PARASITIC JAEGER, BONAPARTE'S GULL, LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, WILLOW FLYCATCHER and YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT. Also, an announcement regarding the re-opening of CMBO's Center for Research and Education in Goshen.
- 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) -
A BLACK RAIL was discovered in the South Cape May Meadows/CMMBR on 6/23, and continued through 6/25. The bird has been calling at regular intervals toward the beginning of the west path. Black Rail is an endangered species in New Jersey: please do not leave the path in search of the bird, and do not play tapes or iPod recordings.
Other birds in the Meadows this week included a KING RAIL along the west path on 6/23, COMMON MOORHEN and LEAST BITTERN along the east path throughout the week, ROSEATE TERN and GULL-BILLED TERN on the east path's "gull island" on 6/21, and at least 2 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS throughout the week. 2 PARASITIC JAEGERS and a NORTHERN GANNET were seen offshore of the Meadows on 6/24. The first migrant shorebirds of the season included 2 LEAST SANDPIPERS and a LESSER YELLOWLEGS on 6/21, along with an early WHIMBREL on 6/22.
Seawatching from St. Peter's in Cape May Point on 6/20 produced 12 WILSON'S STORM-PETRELS, a ROSEATE TERN, a BLACK SCOTER and a NORTHERN GANNET. A BRANT was noted from Cape May Point on 6/22, and a BONAPARTE'S GULL was seen at Davie's Lake on 6/25.
15 GREATER SHEARWATERS and several CORY'S SHEARWATERS were noted from St. Mary's in Cape May Point on 6/18.
A back-bay boat trip on 6/20 yielded a COMMON EIDER in Richardson's Sound, as well as a LESSER SCAUP near the toll bridge at Nummy Island.
17 BROWN PELICANS were tallied from Cape May Point State Park on 6/25. WILLOW FLYCATCHER and YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT were noted there on 6/24.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
**CMBO’s Center for Research and Education in Goshen will re-open Tuesday, June 30, 2009. CRE hours will be Tuesday-Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CMBO's Northwood Center on East Lake Drive in Cape May Point is open Wednesday - Monday, 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.**
*Both CMBO centers will be closed for the July 4th holiday. CMBO’s Northwood Center will be closed for inventory July 28 and 29. CMBO-CRE will be closed for inventory August 27 and 28.*
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!
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, June 25th, 2009.
Highlights this week include reports of BRANT, LESSER SCAUP, COMMON EIDER, BLACK SCOTER, CORY'S SHEARWATER, GREATER SHEARWATER, WILSON'S STORM-PETREL, NORTHERN GANNET, BROWN PELICAN, LEAST BITTERN, BLACK RAIL, KING RAIL, COMMON MOORHEN, LESSER YELLOWLEGS, WHIMBREL, LEAST SANDPIPER, GULL-BILLED TERN, ROSEATE TERN, PARASITIC JAEGER, BONAPARTE'S GULL, LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, WILLOW FLYCATCHER and YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT. Also, an announcement regarding the re-opening of CMBO's Center for Research and Education in Goshen.
- 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) -
A BLACK RAIL was discovered in the South Cape May Meadows/CMMBR on 6/23, and continued through 6/25. The bird has been calling at regular intervals toward the beginning of the west path. Black Rail is an endangered species in New Jersey: please do not leave the path in search of the bird, and do not play tapes or iPod recordings.
Other birds in the Meadows this week included a KING RAIL along the west path on 6/23, COMMON MOORHEN and LEAST BITTERN along the east path throughout the week, ROSEATE TERN and GULL-BILLED TERN on the east path's "gull island" on 6/21, and at least 2 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS throughout the week. 2 PARASITIC JAEGERS and a NORTHERN GANNET were seen offshore of the Meadows on 6/24. The first migrant shorebirds of the season included 2 LEAST SANDPIPERS and a LESSER YELLOWLEGS on 6/21, along with an early WHIMBREL on 6/22.
Seawatching from St. Peter's in Cape May Point on 6/20 produced 12 WILSON'S STORM-PETRELS, a ROSEATE TERN, a BLACK SCOTER and a NORTHERN GANNET. A BRANT was noted from Cape May Point on 6/22, and a BONAPARTE'S GULL was seen at Davie's Lake on 6/25.
15 GREATER SHEARWATERS and several CORY'S SHEARWATERS were noted from St. Mary's in Cape May Point on 6/18.
A back-bay boat trip on 6/20 yielded a COMMON EIDER in Richardson's Sound, as well as a LESSER SCAUP near the toll bridge at Nummy Island.
17 BROWN PELICANS were tallied from Cape May Point State Park on 6/25. WILLOW FLYCATCHER and YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT were noted there on 6/24.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
**CMBO’s Center for Research and Education in Goshen will re-open Tuesday, June 30, 2009. CRE hours will be Tuesday-Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CMBO's Northwood Center on East Lake Drive in Cape May Point is open Wednesday - Monday, 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.**
*Both CMBO centers will be closed for the July 4th holiday. CMBO’s Northwood Center will be closed for inventory July 28 and 29. CMBO-CRE will be closed for inventory August 27 and 28.*
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!
Speaking of Rail Envy. . .
[Bob Fogg photographed this King Rail crossing the path at the Cape May Meadows a.k.a. TNC's Cape May Migratory Bird Refuge on June 23. Click to enlarge. These recent rail appearances are almost certainly related to recent extreme high tide events.]
Black Rail SEEN!!!!!! & 17 Brown Pelicans
So Michael O'Brien and his CMBO workshop group walked up to us as we were finishing the Bird Walk for All People, and said "Guess what we saw [his emphasis] at the meadows."
I knew right away, but it still seems impossible. They had the Black Rail calling on the west side of the west path (it had been on the east side). Michael told me he thought, hmmm, how'd it get over there. . . .he told everyone there was an almost 0% chance of seeing it. . . and it walked across the path 30 feet in front of them. Some people have all the luck. Important: DO NOT do anything to harass the Black Rail. Stay on the path, listen, hope, and enjoy.
We got a dose of luck on our walk as it ended, when a flock of 17 Brown Pelicans sailed over the parking lot at the Cape May Point State Park, which is more by about a dozen than I have seen together at once since I moved to Cape May in 2007. The full list from our walk is below (note to the participants: some species were heard only), with more interesting observations bolded:
Location: Cape May Point SP
Observation date: 6/25/09
Notes: CMBO Bird Walk for All People.
Number of species: 55
Canada Goose 20
Mute Swan 15
Mallard 40
Brown Pelican 17
Great Egret 1
Snowy Egret 1
Green Heron 1
Black-crowned Night-Heron 1
Glossy Ibis 2
Black Vulture 1
Turkey Vulture 15
Osprey 5
Piping Plover 2
Killdeer 1
American Oystercatcher 1
Laughing Gull 50
Herring Gull 10
Great Black-backed Gull 5
Least Tern 20
Common Tern 2
Forster's Tern 40
Black Skimmer 1
Rock Pigeon 10
Mourning Dove 10
Yellow-billed Cuckoo 1
Chimney Swift 10
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 1
Willow Flycatcher 2
Eastern Kingbird 5
American Crow 5
Fish Crow 10
Purple Martin 30
Tree Swallow 5
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 2
Barn Swallow 15
Carolina Chickadee 8
Carolina Wren 10
American Robin 20
Northern Mockingbird 5
European Starling 5
Cedar Waxwing 15
Common Yellowthroat 5
Yellow-breasted Chat 3
Northern Cardinal 8
Blue Grosbeak 1
Indigo Bunting 3
Red-winged Blackbird 25
Common Grackle 40
Brown-headed Cowbird 5
Orchard Oriole 1
House Finch 5
American Goldfinch 10
House Sparrow 15
I knew right away, but it still seems impossible. They had the Black Rail calling on the west side of the west path (it had been on the east side). Michael told me he thought, hmmm, how'd it get over there. . . .he told everyone there was an almost 0% chance of seeing it. . . and it walked across the path 30 feet in front of them. Some people have all the luck. Important: DO NOT do anything to harass the Black Rail. Stay on the path, listen, hope, and enjoy.
We got a dose of luck on our walk as it ended, when a flock of 17 Brown Pelicans sailed over the parking lot at the Cape May Point State Park, which is more by about a dozen than I have seen together at once since I moved to Cape May in 2007. The full list from our walk is below (note to the participants: some species were heard only), with more interesting observations bolded:
Location: Cape May Point SP
Observation date: 6/25/09
Notes: CMBO Bird Walk for All People.
Number of species: 55
Canada Goose 20
Mute Swan 15
Mallard 40
Brown Pelican 17
Great Egret 1
Snowy Egret 1
Green Heron 1
Black-crowned Night-Heron 1
Glossy Ibis 2
Black Vulture 1
Turkey Vulture 15
Osprey 5
Piping Plover 2
Killdeer 1
American Oystercatcher 1
Laughing Gull 50
Herring Gull 10
Great Black-backed Gull 5
Least Tern 20
Common Tern 2
Forster's Tern 40
Black Skimmer 1
Rock Pigeon 10
Mourning Dove 10
Yellow-billed Cuckoo 1
Chimney Swift 10
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 1
Willow Flycatcher 2
Eastern Kingbird 5
American Crow 5
Fish Crow 10
Purple Martin 30
Tree Swallow 5
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 2
Barn Swallow 15
Carolina Chickadee 8
Carolina Wren 10
American Robin 20
Northern Mockingbird 5
European Starling 5
Cedar Waxwing 15
Common Yellowthroat 5
Yellow-breasted Chat 3
Northern Cardinal 8
Blue Grosbeak 1
Indigo Bunting 3
Red-winged Blackbird 25
Common Grackle 40
Brown-headed Cowbird 5
Orchard Oriole 1
House Finch 5
American Goldfinch 10
House Sparrow 15
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Meadows: Black Rail, Least Bittern, Parasitic Jaeger, Gannet
The Black Rail was calling obviously and frequently from the South Cape May Meadows, a.k.a. the TNC Cape May Migratory Bird Refuge, today and tonight, heard most recently by Tom Reed at about 8:00 p.m. SPECIAL NOTE: Black Rail is an NJ Endangered Species protected by state law, and in no circumstances can be harassed by any means.
Other Meadows birds tonight included two Yellow-billed Cuckoos, at least one of the Least Bitterns, two Parasitic Jaegers and a Northern Gannet offshore, one near-adult-plumage Lesser Black-backed Gull in the the gull flock that likes to sit on the beach, and more than the normal handful of Black Skimmers. The skimmers, the Black Rail, and Bob's recent King Rail (which he photographed as it crossed the west path) are certainly related to the recent extreme high tides in the coastal marshes of south Jersey, as birds get pushed to find drier ground.
Other Meadows birds tonight included two Yellow-billed Cuckoos, at least one of the Least Bitterns, two Parasitic Jaegers and a Northern Gannet offshore, one near-adult-plumage Lesser Black-backed Gull in the the gull flock that likes to sit on the beach, and more than the normal handful of Black Skimmers. The skimmers, the Black Rail, and Bob's recent King Rail (which he photographed as it crossed the west path) are certainly related to the recent extreme high tides in the coastal marshes of south Jersey, as birds get pushed to find drier ground.
Great Summer Birding In The State Park
"CMBO Cape May Point Walk. Nice assortment of birds in the State Park this morning including the target birds which were 3 Yellow-breasted Chats (2 scoped), 2 Blue Grosbeaks in scope, and 5 Indigo Buntings several in the scope. Finally a singing and quite visible Willow Flycatcher."
- Karl, (Chuck, Steve)
Location: Cape May Point SP
Observation date: 6/24/09
Notes: CMBO Trip-K,CS,SW,+7.Ptly Cldy,68,N5.
Number of species: 48
Canada Goose 25
Mute Swan 5
Mallard 30
Great Egret 2
Glossy Ibis 10
Turkey Vulture 3
Osprey 5
Piping Plover 1
Killdeer 1
American Oystercatcher 3
Willet 3
Laughing Gull 25
Herring Gull 5
Great Black-backed Gull 10
Least Tern 50
Forster's Tern 60
Rock Pigeon 2
Mourning Dove 5
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Willow Flycatcher 1
Great Crested Flycatcher 1
Eastern Kingbird 1
Blue Jay 2
American Crow 1
Fish Crow 10
Purple Martin 50
Barn Swallow 5
Carolina Chickadee 10
Carolina Wren 5
American Robin 35
Gray Catbird 2
Northern Mockingbird 1
European Starling 10
Cedar Waxwing 10
Yellow Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 6
Yellow-breasted Chat 3
Northern Cardinal 6
Blue Grosbeak 2
Indigo Bunting 5
Red-winged Blackbird 12
Common Grackle 20
Brown-headed Cowbird 5
Orchard Oriole 3
House Finch 4
American Goldfinch 1
House Sparrow 5
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)
- Karl, (Chuck, Steve)
Location: Cape May Point SP
Observation date: 6/24/09
Notes: CMBO Trip-K,CS,SW,+7.Ptly Cldy,68,N5.
Number of species: 48
Canada Goose 25
Mute Swan 5
Mallard 30
Great Egret 2
Glossy Ibis 10
Turkey Vulture 3
Osprey 5
Piping Plover 1
Killdeer 1
American Oystercatcher 3
Willet 3
Laughing Gull 25
Herring Gull 5
Great Black-backed Gull 10
Least Tern 50
Forster's Tern 60
Rock Pigeon 2
Mourning Dove 5
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Willow Flycatcher 1
Great Crested Flycatcher 1
Eastern Kingbird 1
Blue Jay 2
American Crow 1
Fish Crow 10
Purple Martin 50
Barn Swallow 5
Carolina Chickadee 10
Carolina Wren 5
American Robin 35
Gray Catbird 2
Northern Mockingbird 1
European Starling 10
Cedar Waxwing 10
Yellow Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 6
Yellow-breasted Chat 3
Northern Cardinal 6
Blue Grosbeak 2
Indigo Bunting 5
Red-winged Blackbird 12
Common Grackle 20
Brown-headed Cowbird 5
Orchard Oriole 3
House Finch 4
American Goldfinch 1
House Sparrow 5
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)
FSSS
First Southbound Shorebird (of) Summer, that is. Michael O'Brien let me know that he and Vince Elia had two Least Sandpipers and a Lesser Yellowlegs at the Meadows on June 21. Michael notes, "There had apparently been a Least around recently that was probably a lingerer from the spring, but Vince said that bird had some sort of growth on its head. These Leasts were different, and the yellowlegs was new - so I would call those the first southbound migrants. The wind was out of the north that day."
So there you have it, Tom Reed's Whimbrel is beaten by a day and the coveted FSSS award goes to Vince and Michael.
So there you have it, Tom Reed's Whimbrel is beaten by a day and the coveted FSSS award goes to Vince and Michael.
Nummy Island & Environs: Herons, Terns, Pelicans + thoughts on Whimbrel
[Laughing Gull pair with two chicks, near Nummy Island on Tuesday night, June 23. Photo by Don Freiday, click to enlarge.]I kayaked the vicinity of the free bridge to Nummy Island yesterday evening, checking the Laughing Gull colony after recent flooding, and the heron rookery on the shrub island west of Stone Harbor, which is visible if you look north from the free bridge and also from a couple of the back streets that run out to Great Channel from Stone Harbor.
Many of the gulls have been flooded out, but the ones on the higher creek banks are doing fine. I saw one nest with 4 downy young, most had 2 (the published average clutch is 3), and many adults still sat on nests, either covering eggs or downy young. The din from the colony is extraordinary.
The heron rookery mentioned above seems to have all the expected species except perhaps Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, although even circling the island with a kayak I could only see two nests, both of Great Egret. Up to 10 Snowy Egrets sat in trees, and at least 3 Little Blue Herons and 1 Tri-colored Heron were in the area, although these I did not see actually in the trees, only flying past nearby. Nest construction is still underway, with ibis and Great Egrets bringing in nesting material. There was the usual evening changing of the guard, with day herons flying in and night-herons flying out (I counted about 15 Black-crowned). It was reminiscent of the good old days with the rookery between 2nd and 3rd Avenue in Stone Harbor, though the numbers of birds are much lower.
[Glossy Ibis carrying nesting material to rookery near Stone Harbor Tuesday night, June 23. Photo by Don Freiday, click to enlarge.]I encountered about 5 Royal Terns, and three Brown Pelicans came sailing in off the ocean, quite high, and continued north, an interesting observation given Tom Reed's report of 3 pelicans in Cape May earlier in the day.
Tom's Whimbrel Monday (June 22) gets my vote as a southbound migrant, even though the earliest record in Sibley's The Birds of Cape May is June 28. If true, it is the first bona fide southbound bird of the summer I've heard about.
Conditions in the eastern arctic are apparently abysmal, with a very late spring and extensive snow cover well into June from James Bay northward, which is going to mean a very poor nesting year for shorebirds and Arctic geese. This may also send some of these species south even earlier than normal. After a relatively good spring on the bayshore, horseshoe crab egg-wise, this is a darn shame, it seems unlikely birds like Red Knots and Sanderlings will nest successfully this year.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
King Rail in The Meadows
In addition to the Black Rail, I received word that a large rail was briefly seen crossing the west path this evening, which was determined to be a King Rail. Quite a day for rails in the Meadows.
Black Rail in The Meadows
Steve Rodan discovered a calling Black Rail at the beginning of the west path in the South Cape May Meadows around 5:00pm this afternoon. The bird continued to vocalize sporadically for the next two hours.
Its appearance here is likely a result of the recent flooding in the Mid-Atlantic (rain and tidal) that has quite likely pushed numerous birds out of their normal breeding territories. Likewise, all the recent rains have made the normally dry upland habitat at the Meadows much wetter than usual, and in turn have temporarily provided somewhat suitable habitat for species such as Black Rail.
If you go for this bird, please do not stray from the path or otherwise disturb the bird, and bear in mind that it is illegal to play tape recordings of Black Rail in New Jersey.
Other birds in the Meadows this evening included 3 Brown Pelicans offshore, and at least two Least Bitterns along the east path.
Its appearance here is likely a result of the recent flooding in the Mid-Atlantic (rain and tidal) that has quite likely pushed numerous birds out of their normal breeding territories. Likewise, all the recent rains have made the normally dry upland habitat at the Meadows much wetter than usual, and in turn have temporarily provided somewhat suitable habitat for species such as Black Rail.
If you go for this bird, please do not stray from the path or otherwise disturb the bird, and bear in mind that it is illegal to play tape recordings of Black Rail in New Jersey.
Other birds in the Meadows this evening included 3 Brown Pelicans offshore, and at least two Least Bitterns along the east path.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Sit-and-Wait Birding at The Meadows
I spent the evening at the Meadows, without too much of a purpose other than to just hang out for a while and see what would come by. "Sit-and-wait" birding is probably something that birders as a whole should do more of...it seems that so often we rush through birding spots, making sure we have enough time to "hit" all the spots we "need" to on a given day. You'd be surprised just how many interesting observations you can make just by birding more slowly. The Meadows are a great place to employ this strategy, as birds move into and out of it with some regularity, and it provides a number of different habitats to work.
However, before I could get in a whole lot of birding this evening, a dark bundle of clouds quickly approached from the north, and sent me running for the car for the better part of 30 minutes...not exactly the kind of weather that jives well with sitting around in one place, particularly when that place is at the top of a dune crossover.
But, surprise thunderstorms aside, there were a few interesting observations to be had in the Meadows this evening, beginning with a Whimbrel that flew over shortly after the storm passed. This species isn't one that commonly "summers over" in the area, and it still seems a touch early for southbound migrants, so who knows what its intentions were...regardless, it was definitely a surprise to see one on June 22nd. A basic-plumaged Black-bellied Plover passed by a few minutes later and proceeded to lounge on the beach.
The beach was also host to a large flock of large gulls, numbering about 200 in all, and dominated by Great Black-backs. What was perhaps the same 3rd-summer Lesser Black-backed Gull was also in amongst the flock. At least 13 American Oystercatchers were on the beach- an awfully high count for this time of year, and a sure indicator of birds that have failed in their nesting attempts.
Back behind the dunes, at least 2 Least Bitterns were audible from the back end of the east path, with a third bird seen closer to the beginning of the path. A stealthy Common Moorhen called briefly along the east path but went unseen, and the gull island was dominated by Forster's Terns and not a whole lot of anything else for the duration of the evening.
Location: South Cape May Meadows
Observation date: 6/22/09
Number of species: 54
Canada Goose 20
Mute Swan 10
Gadwall 1
American Black Duck x Mallard (hybrid) 1
Mallard 9
Double-crested Cormorant 1
Least Bittern 3
Great Egret 3
Snowy Egret 2
Green Heron 1
Black-crowned Night-Heron 4
Glossy Ibis 6
Osprey 4
Common Moorhen 1
Black-bellied Plover 1
Piping Plover 3
Killdeer 4
American Oystercatcher 13
Willet (Eastern) 2
Whimbrel 1
Laughing Gull 40
Herring Gull 50
Lesser Black-backed Gull 1
Great Black-backed Gull 100
Least Tern 40
Common Tern 18
Forster's Tern 50
Black Skimmer 5
Rock Pigeon 1
Mourning Dove 5
Chimney Swift 12
Fish Crow 3
Purple Martin 15
Tree Swallow 6
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 3
Barn Swallow 6
Carolina Wren 2
Marsh Wren 2
American Robin 5
Gray Catbird 2
Northern Mockingbird 2
European Starling 10
Cedar Waxwing 6
Yellow Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 2
Song Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal 2
Red-winged Blackbird 8
Common Grackle 4
Brown-headed Cowbird 2
Orchard Oriole 1
House Finch 2
American Goldfinch 3
House Sparrow 8
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)
However, before I could get in a whole lot of birding this evening, a dark bundle of clouds quickly approached from the north, and sent me running for the car for the better part of 30 minutes...not exactly the kind of weather that jives well with sitting around in one place, particularly when that place is at the top of a dune crossover.
But, surprise thunderstorms aside, there were a few interesting observations to be had in the Meadows this evening, beginning with a Whimbrel that flew over shortly after the storm passed. This species isn't one that commonly "summers over" in the area, and it still seems a touch early for southbound migrants, so who knows what its intentions were...regardless, it was definitely a surprise to see one on June 22nd. A basic-plumaged Black-bellied Plover passed by a few minutes later and proceeded to lounge on the beach.
The beach was also host to a large flock of large gulls, numbering about 200 in all, and dominated by Great Black-backs. What was perhaps the same 3rd-summer Lesser Black-backed Gull was also in amongst the flock. At least 13 American Oystercatchers were on the beach- an awfully high count for this time of year, and a sure indicator of birds that have failed in their nesting attempts.
Back behind the dunes, at least 2 Least Bitterns were audible from the back end of the east path, with a third bird seen closer to the beginning of the path. A stealthy Common Moorhen called briefly along the east path but went unseen, and the gull island was dominated by Forster's Terns and not a whole lot of anything else for the duration of the evening.
Location: South Cape May Meadows
Observation date: 6/22/09
Number of species: 54
Canada Goose 20
Mute Swan 10
Gadwall 1
American Black Duck x Mallard (hybrid) 1
Mallard 9
Double-crested Cormorant 1
Least Bittern 3
Great Egret 3
Snowy Egret 2
Green Heron 1
Black-crowned Night-Heron 4
Glossy Ibis 6
Osprey 4
Common Moorhen 1
Black-bellied Plover 1
Piping Plover 3
Killdeer 4
American Oystercatcher 13
Willet (Eastern) 2
Whimbrel 1
Laughing Gull 40
Herring Gull 50
Lesser Black-backed Gull 1
Great Black-backed Gull 100
Least Tern 40
Common Tern 18
Forster's Tern 50
Black Skimmer 5
Rock Pigeon 1
Mourning Dove 5
Chimney Swift 12
Fish Crow 3
Purple Martin 15
Tree Swallow 6
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 3
Barn Swallow 6
Carolina Wren 2
Marsh Wren 2
American Robin 5
Gray Catbird 2
Northern Mockingbird 2
European Starling 10
Cedar Waxwing 6
Yellow Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 2
Song Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal 2
Red-winged Blackbird 8
Common Grackle 4
Brown-headed Cowbird 2
Orchard Oriole 1
House Finch 2
American Goldfinch 3
House Sparrow 8
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)
Boat Trip Photo Salon
Birding has been spectacular on recent CMBO boat trips. We've added a weekly trip from Somer's Point to our slate, which will run every Tuesday evening June 30-September, sailing at 6 p.m. What might be seen? Take a look:
[Tri-colored and Little Blue Herons side-by-side on Bird Island, behind Ocean City, on the Somer's Point trip. Photo by Tony Geiger, click to enlarge.]
[American Oystercatcher with chick, Pork Island on the trip from Somer's Point. Photo by Tony Geiger, click to enlarge.]
[Boats are a great way to sharpen your tern i.d. skills. Note the dark outer webs on the outer tail feathers of this Common Tern. The outer tail is white on Forster's. Photo by Tony Geiger, click to enlarge.]
[Different day, different boat: the high-tide-flooded tern and skimmer colony in Grassy Sound last Saturday, from the Osprey. Photo by Michael O'Brien, click to enlarge.]
[One of the 96 Clapper Rails we saw on Saturday. Scroll down to June 20 for the tale of that trip. Photo by Michael O'Brien, click to enlarge.]
[This Common Eider could very well be the same one that summered in the Hereford Inlet area last year. June Common Eiders are not normal. Photo by Michael O'Brien on Saturday, Richardson's Sound. Click to enlarge.]
[Tri-colored and Little Blue Herons side-by-side on Bird Island, behind Ocean City, on the Somer's Point trip. Photo by Tony Geiger, click to enlarge.]
[American Oystercatcher with chick, Pork Island on the trip from Somer's Point. Photo by Tony Geiger, click to enlarge.]
[Boats are a great way to sharpen your tern i.d. skills. Note the dark outer webs on the outer tail feathers of this Common Tern. The outer tail is white on Forster's. Photo by Tony Geiger, click to enlarge.]
[Different day, different boat: the high-tide-flooded tern and skimmer colony in Grassy Sound last Saturday, from the Osprey. Photo by Michael O'Brien, click to enlarge.]
[One of the 96 Clapper Rails we saw on Saturday. Scroll down to June 20 for the tale of that trip. Photo by Michael O'Brien, click to enlarge.]
[This Common Eider could very well be the same one that summered in the Hereford Inlet area last year. June Common Eiders are not normal. Photo by Michael O'Brien on Saturday, Richardson's Sound. Click to enlarge.]
Meadows: Moorhen, Least Bittern, Gull-billed Tern
Since Least Bittern is becoming a given (we haven't missed it on the Meadows walk in some time), I guess Common Moorhen won bird-of-the-walk honors when it appeared at the east side of the east pool, behind the tern island, on this morning's South Cape May Meadows/TNC Cape May Migratory Bird Refuge walk. Come to think of it, the Gull-billed Tern flyby was pretty nice, too.
Six American Oystercatchers conversed on the beach, two more than the most I've seen at the meadows this year. Very interestingly, the Willets that have been hanging around the meadows flew up together to mob a passing Turkey Vulture. Why would they do that, I asked, if they are not nesting or thinking about it? Willets have nested at the Meadows in the past, but Eastern Willets are tied to Spartina (salt marsh cord grass) and there is no Spartina at the meadows now. It's probably too late to initiate nesting, but it is something to watch.
Two Black-bellied Plover and three Ruddy Turnstones flew west over the beach, presumably birds summering locally, but it is "any day now" for the first certifiable southbound shorebird migrant.
I notice some birds by their absence, notably Green Heron, which seemed to be nesting but perhaps they have moved over to the Beanery. Few Least Terns were on the beach off the meadows proper, but there were plenty down towards the state park. It's hard to know if that is just where they were today or whether that is where the bulk of the colony is nesting.
The full list from today is below.
Location: South Cape May Meadows
Observation date: 6/22/09
Number of species: 58
Canada Goose 20
Mute Swan 29 clicked by Dave Lord
Gadwall 5
Mallard 10
Double-crested Cormorant 1
Least Bittern 1 flew around meadows wound up in east pool near road
Great Egret 5
Snowy Egret 5
Black-crowned Night-Heron 1
Glossy Ibis 5
Black Vulture 2
Turkey Vulture 5
Osprey 7
Common Moorhen 1 behind tern island east pool
Black-bellied Plover 2 flyby
Piping Plover 3
Killdeer 1
American Oystercatcher 6
Willet (Eastern) 2 flew up at a passing TV to drive off, evidently nesting?
Ruddy Turnstone 3 flyby
Laughing Gull 171 clicked by df
Ring-billed Gull 3
Herring Gull 30
Lesser Black-backed Gull 1 3rd cycle
Great Black-backed Gull 30
Least Tern 70 hardly any in in meadows portion of colony, more towards state park
Gull-billed Tern 1
Common Tern 2
Forster's Tern 43
Royal Tern 1
Black Skimmer 2
Rock Pigeon 5
Mourning Dove 8
Chimney Swift 15
Willow Flycatcher 1 heard twice
Blue Jay 2
Fish Crow 15
Purple Martin 20
Tree Swallow 2
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 2
Barn Swallow 10
Carolina Wren 5
House Wren 1
Marsh Wren 2
American Robin 5
Northern Mockingbird 2
European Starling 5
Cedar Waxwing 5
Yellow Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 2
Northern Cardinal 2
Blue Grosbeak 1
Red-winged Blackbird 33 clicked by C Slugg
Common Grackle 60
Boat-tailed Grackle 1
House Finch 2
American Goldfinch 10
House Sparrow 25
Six American Oystercatchers conversed on the beach, two more than the most I've seen at the meadows this year. Very interestingly, the Willets that have been hanging around the meadows flew up together to mob a passing Turkey Vulture. Why would they do that, I asked, if they are not nesting or thinking about it? Willets have nested at the Meadows in the past, but Eastern Willets are tied to Spartina (salt marsh cord grass) and there is no Spartina at the meadows now. It's probably too late to initiate nesting, but it is something to watch.
Two Black-bellied Plover and three Ruddy Turnstones flew west over the beach, presumably birds summering locally, but it is "any day now" for the first certifiable southbound shorebird migrant.
I notice some birds by their absence, notably Green Heron, which seemed to be nesting but perhaps they have moved over to the Beanery. Few Least Terns were on the beach off the meadows proper, but there were plenty down towards the state park. It's hard to know if that is just where they were today or whether that is where the bulk of the colony is nesting.
The full list from today is below.
Location: South Cape May Meadows
Observation date: 6/22/09
Number of species: 58
Canada Goose 20
Mute Swan 29 clicked by Dave Lord
Gadwall 5
Mallard 10
Double-crested Cormorant 1
Least Bittern 1 flew around meadows wound up in east pool near road
Great Egret 5
Snowy Egret 5
Black-crowned Night-Heron 1
Glossy Ibis 5
Black Vulture 2
Turkey Vulture 5
Osprey 7
Common Moorhen 1 behind tern island east pool
Black-bellied Plover 2 flyby
Piping Plover 3
Killdeer 1
American Oystercatcher 6
Willet (Eastern) 2 flew up at a passing TV to drive off, evidently nesting?
Ruddy Turnstone 3 flyby
Laughing Gull 171 clicked by df
Ring-billed Gull 3
Herring Gull 30
Lesser Black-backed Gull 1 3rd cycle
Great Black-backed Gull 30
Least Tern 70 hardly any in in meadows portion of colony, more towards state park
Gull-billed Tern 1
Common Tern 2
Forster's Tern 43
Royal Tern 1
Black Skimmer 2
Rock Pigeon 5
Mourning Dove 8
Chimney Swift 15
Willow Flycatcher 1 heard twice
Blue Jay 2
Fish Crow 15
Purple Martin 20
Tree Swallow 2
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 2
Barn Swallow 10
Carolina Wren 5
House Wren 1
Marsh Wren 2
American Robin 5
Northern Mockingbird 2
European Starling 5
Cedar Waxwing 5
Yellow Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 2
Northern Cardinal 2
Blue Grosbeak 1
Red-winged Blackbird 33 clicked by C Slugg
Common Grackle 60
Boat-tailed Grackle 1
House Finch 2
American Goldfinch 10
House Sparrow 25
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Roseate, Gull-billed Terns in The Meadows
[Roseate Tern (far left) and 2 Gull-billed Terns (front/center), at the "gull island" along the east path of the South Cape May Meadows this morning. Note the chunkier appearance of the Gull-billeds, along with their short, thick bills and dark legs. The other birds in the picture are Forster's Terns (background) and Common Tern (single bird on far right). Photo by Michael O'Brien.]
[Another look at the Roseate Tern (2nd from left). Notice how much paler the bird appears than the nearby Forster's Terns (immediate left/right) and Common Tern (far right). What other differences can you find? Photo by Michael O'Brien.]
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Cape May Back Bay by Boat: High Tide Flood, Common Eider, Lesser Scaup, Cattle Egret, and Did You Say 96 Clapper Rails by Sight?!
What a fantastic night! Despite a brief interlude with a thunderstorm, tonight's Breeding Bird "Survey" trip aboard the Osprey was a smashing success, for the birders, anyhow. The birds had it tougher - the persistent east winds of late conspired with the moon to create an amazingly high tide, the highest I've ever seen. Beachcombers in the next few days will be finding lots of eggs and egg shells - of Common and Forster's Terns, Laughing Gulls, Willets, gulls, and others. We saw a few Laughing Gulls and Common Terns floating by on their nests on top of piles of wrack.
About those rails. . .At tide's peak, I started clicking Clapper Rails we saw (not heard), and in what felt like no time looked down and saw the number 77 on the clicker! There was almost no habitat but water out behind Wildwood Crest and Two Mile Beach, so the rails had no place to hide. And no place to hide their young, either - we saw one brood of 6 black downy chicks, and one of 7 which nearly was reduced to 6 by a Laughing Gull capitalizing on the circumstances.
The more interesting species and or counts are bolded in the lists below. A boat or kayak in the back bay is the key to the kingdom.
Location: Cape May County Back Bay
Observation date: 6/20/09
Notes: 4-6:30 p.m., 11.5 mile run from Cape May to Hereford Inlet on the Osprey
Number of species: 45
Canada Goose 6
Gadwall 1
American Black Duck 2
Mallard 8
Lesser Scaup 1 - under the toll bridge from North Wildwood to Nummy Island
Common Eider 1 Male sitting up on marsh. Same bird as 1st winter in Great Channel last year?
Double-crested Cormorant 60
Great Blue Heron 3
Great Egret 59 clicked by Chuck Slugg
Snowy Egret 41 Clicked by Dave Lord
Tricolored Heron 5
Black-crowned Night-Heron 10
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron 2 tracked by Barb Hiebsch
Glossy Ibis 41 tracked by Barb Hiebsch
Osprey 47 tracked by MJ Slugg
Peregrine Falcon 1
Clapper Rail 10 Tracked by Annie
Black-bellied Plover 62
American Oystercatcher 35 Tracked by Roger Horn
Willet (Eastern) 29 clicked by Janet Crawford
Ruddy Turnstone 7
Red Knot 2 flyover with 4 Black-bellied Plover, photo'd by Michael O'Brien
Short-billed Dowitcher 3
Laughing Gull 5550 clicked by Michael O'Brien, a few chicks seen
Herring Gull 200 some downy chicks seen
Great Black-backed Gull 50
Least Tern 7 tracked by DF
Common Tern 287 clicked by Louise Zemaitis; some downy chicks seen
Forster's Tern 119 clicked by Louise Zemaitis, some downy chicks seen.
Royal Tern 2
Black Skimmer 400 clicked by Karen Johnson; most on Stone Harbor point
Rock Pigeon 30
Mourning Dove 10
Belted Kingfisher 1 at Cape May Canal near bridge at end of parkway
American Crow 1 heavy wing molt
Fish Crow 30
Barn Swallow 72 clicked by Michael O'Brien
Marsh Wren 1
American Robin 2
Northern Mockingbird 1
Common Yellowthroat 1
Seaside Sparrow 12
Red-winged Blackbird 130
Boat-tailed Grackle 71 clicked by DF
House Sparrow 3
Location: Cape May County Back Bay - return trip
Observation date: 6/20/09
Number of species: 4
Little Blue Heron 1 Flyby near Sunset Lake Rookery. This species was missed on two hour boat 11.5 mile run from Cape May to Hereford just prior to this observation.
Cattle Egret 2 Seen perched together in Sunset Lake Rookery, then flying out headed south
Gull-billed Tern 2 pair passed together near Jarvis sound
Tree Swallow 2
Location: Jarvis Sound & Reuben's Thorofare
Observation date: 6/20/09
Number of species: 1
Clapper Rail 96 Incredibly high flood tide, adults were counted from boat with clicker (all observations visual). Observed one brood of 6 black downy chicks, one brood with 7 (one nearly predated by Laughing Gull), plus several other chicks where whole brood was not countable.
About those rails. . .At tide's peak, I started clicking Clapper Rails we saw (not heard), and in what felt like no time looked down and saw the number 77 on the clicker! There was almost no habitat but water out behind Wildwood Crest and Two Mile Beach, so the rails had no place to hide. And no place to hide their young, either - we saw one brood of 6 black downy chicks, and one of 7 which nearly was reduced to 6 by a Laughing Gull capitalizing on the circumstances.
The more interesting species and or counts are bolded in the lists below. A boat or kayak in the back bay is the key to the kingdom.
Location: Cape May County Back Bay
Observation date: 6/20/09
Notes: 4-6:30 p.m., 11.5 mile run from Cape May to Hereford Inlet on the Osprey
Number of species: 45
Canada Goose 6
Gadwall 1
American Black Duck 2
Mallard 8
Lesser Scaup 1 - under the toll bridge from North Wildwood to Nummy Island
Common Eider 1 Male sitting up on marsh. Same bird as 1st winter in Great Channel last year?
Double-crested Cormorant 60
Great Blue Heron 3
Great Egret 59 clicked by Chuck Slugg
Snowy Egret 41 Clicked by Dave Lord
Tricolored Heron 5
Black-crowned Night-Heron 10
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron 2 tracked by Barb Hiebsch
Glossy Ibis 41 tracked by Barb Hiebsch
Osprey 47 tracked by MJ Slugg
Peregrine Falcon 1
Clapper Rail 10 Tracked by Annie
Black-bellied Plover 62
American Oystercatcher 35 Tracked by Roger Horn
Willet (Eastern) 29 clicked by Janet Crawford
Ruddy Turnstone 7
Red Knot 2 flyover with 4 Black-bellied Plover, photo'd by Michael O'Brien
Short-billed Dowitcher 3
Laughing Gull 5550 clicked by Michael O'Brien, a few chicks seen
Herring Gull 200 some downy chicks seen
Great Black-backed Gull 50
Least Tern 7 tracked by DF
Common Tern 287 clicked by Louise Zemaitis; some downy chicks seen
Forster's Tern 119 clicked by Louise Zemaitis, some downy chicks seen.
Royal Tern 2
Black Skimmer 400 clicked by Karen Johnson; most on Stone Harbor point
Rock Pigeon 30
Mourning Dove 10
Belted Kingfisher 1 at Cape May Canal near bridge at end of parkway
American Crow 1 heavy wing molt
Fish Crow 30
Barn Swallow 72 clicked by Michael O'Brien
Marsh Wren 1
American Robin 2
Northern Mockingbird 1
Common Yellowthroat 1
Seaside Sparrow 12
Red-winged Blackbird 130
Boat-tailed Grackle 71 clicked by DF
House Sparrow 3
Location: Cape May County Back Bay - return trip
Observation date: 6/20/09
Number of species: 4
Little Blue Heron 1 Flyby near Sunset Lake Rookery. This species was missed on two hour boat 11.5 mile run from Cape May to Hereford just prior to this observation.
Cattle Egret 2 Seen perched together in Sunset Lake Rookery, then flying out headed south
Gull-billed Tern 2 pair passed together near Jarvis sound
Tree Swallow 2
Location: Jarvis Sound & Reuben's Thorofare
Observation date: 6/20/09
Number of species: 1
Clapper Rail 96 Incredibly high flood tide, adults were counted from boat with clicker (all observations visual). Observed one brood of 6 black downy chicks, one brood with 7 (one nearly predated by Laughing Gull), plus several other chicks where whole brood was not countable.
Beanery: Great-horned Owl, Yellow-billed Cuckoos, More
[Fledgling Great Horned Owl at the Beanery this morning. Photo by Roger Horn, click to enlarge.]This just in from the CMBO Beanery (a.k.a. the Rea Farm) walk: "Birding was great at the Beanery this morning, despite threatening skies. The group enjoyed a perched juvenile Great Horned Owl, a family of Yellow-billed Cuckoos, White-eyed Vireo, Peregrine Falcon, and Blue Grosbeak. Northern Parula, Prothonotary and Yellow Warblers were heard while a Common Yellowthroat preened in good view. - Leaders K & R Horn, D. Lord, MJ & C Slugg, Carrie"
Roseate Tern, Wilson's Storm-Petrels and Gannet at St. Peter's
I spent 2 hours this morning seawatching at the point, mostly off St. Peter's, and watching a thunderstorm come across the bay. The tide was high and falling.
Like I later jokingly told Bob Fogg when I ran into him, I think this shearwater thing is a myth. Bob commented that the evening has been better for the large tubenoses. The small ones, i.e. Wilson's Storm-petrels, were fairly easy to find, and I counted 12. I never saw more than 2 at one time, but every storm-petrel was flying left, into the southeast wind, so I am assuming I didn't double count.
The best bird was a gorgeous adult Roseate Tern, which really stood out from the Forster's and Commons with its rapid, Least-Tern-like wingbeat and extremely long tail (the all-black bill and pink flush didn't hurt, either.) A single immature Northern Gannet flew into the bay but far offshore and the continuing female Black Scoter with the bad left wing floated past on the falling tide. Two Black Skimmers, two Royal Terns and three American Oystercatchers also made appearances.
Three White-tailed Deer standing on the beach next to the Bunker pretty much ignored passing beachcombers. Deer on the beach happen, but whenever they do it's still a surprise.
Like I later jokingly told Bob Fogg when I ran into him, I think this shearwater thing is a myth. Bob commented that the evening has been better for the large tubenoses. The small ones, i.e. Wilson's Storm-petrels, were fairly easy to find, and I counted 12. I never saw more than 2 at one time, but every storm-petrel was flying left, into the southeast wind, so I am assuming I didn't double count.
The best bird was a gorgeous adult Roseate Tern, which really stood out from the Forster's and Commons with its rapid, Least-Tern-like wingbeat and extremely long tail (the all-black bill and pink flush didn't hurt, either.) A single immature Northern Gannet flew into the bay but far offshore and the continuing female Black Scoter with the bad left wing floated past on the falling tide. Two Black Skimmers, two Royal Terns and three American Oystercatchers also made appearances.
Three White-tailed Deer standing on the beach next to the Bunker pretty much ignored passing beachcombers. Deer on the beach happen, but whenever they do it's still a surprise.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Rain-Free Meadows Walk
Chuck and Mary Jane Slugg report the following from this evening's walk around the South Cape May Meadows, which featured a fair mix of birds, and perhaps most importantly, no rain! We had a short break from the wet weather on the Cape today, but it appears as though showers and thunderstorms are on tap again for the weekend. It will be interesting to see just how long this active weather pattern persists, and what effect it might have on various breeding species.
On another note, shearwaters were again present Thursday evening from Cape May Point, with approximately 15 Greaters and a few Cory's seen from St. Mary's, as per Bob Fogg.
Location: Cape May Migratory Bird Sanctuary (South Cape May Meadows)
Observation date: 6/19/09
Notes: The regular Friday Evening at The Meadows was a pleasant break from all the rain.
Number of species: 38
Canada Goose 30
Mute Swan 45
Gadwall 1
American Black Duck 1
Mallard 25
Great Egret 10
Green Heron 2
Black-crowned Night-Heron 3
Osprey 5
Piping Plover 4
Killdeer 3
American Oystercatcher 6
Least Sandpiper 2
Laughing Gull 35
Herring Gull 20
Great Black-backed Gull 40
Least Tern 40
Common Tern 20
Forster's Tern 2
Black Skimmer 20
Rock Pigeon 2
Mourning Dove 3
Chimney Swift 6
American Crow 1
Fish Crow 12
Purple Martin 6
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 5
Carolina Wren 4
Marsh Wren 10
Northern Mockingbird 4
European Starling 5
Common Yellowthroat 6
Song Sparrow 2
Northern Cardinal 2
Red-winged Blackbird 30
Common Grackle 10
American Goldfinch 3
House Sparrow 4
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)
On another note, shearwaters were again present Thursday evening from Cape May Point, with approximately 15 Greaters and a few Cory's seen from St. Mary's, as per Bob Fogg.
Location: Cape May Migratory Bird Sanctuary (South Cape May Meadows)
Observation date: 6/19/09
Notes: The regular Friday Evening at The Meadows was a pleasant break from all the rain.
Number of species: 38
Canada Goose 30
Mute Swan 45
Gadwall 1
American Black Duck 1
Mallard 25
Great Egret 10
Green Heron 2
Black-crowned Night-Heron 3
Osprey 5
Piping Plover 4
Killdeer 3
American Oystercatcher 6
Least Sandpiper 2
Laughing Gull 35
Herring Gull 20
Great Black-backed Gull 40
Least Tern 40
Common Tern 20
Forster's Tern 2
Black Skimmer 20
Rock Pigeon 2
Mourning Dove 3
Chimney Swift 6
American Crow 1
Fish Crow 12
Purple Martin 6
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 5
Carolina Wren 4
Marsh Wren 10
Northern Mockingbird 4
European Starling 5
Common Yellowthroat 6
Song Sparrow 2
Northern Cardinal 2
Red-winged Blackbird 30
Common Grackle 10
American Goldfinch 3
House Sparrow 4
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)
Thursday, June 18, 2009
CAPE MAY BIRDING HOTLINE - June 18, 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, June 18th, 2009.
Highlights this week include reports of WHITE-FACED IBIS, AMERICAN WIGEON, COMMON LOON, CORY'S SHEARWATER, GREATER SHEARWATER, WILSON'S STORM-PETREL, NORTHERN GANNET, BROWN PELICAN, LEAST BITTERN, LITTLE BLUE HERON, TRICOLORED HERON, MISSISSIPPI KITE, LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, and PROTHONOTARY WARBLER.
- 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) -
A probable WHITE-FACED IBIS was observed between the ponds on Bayberry Road and the first stretch of Stone Harbor Boulevard, in Cape May Court House, on 6/14.
A GREATER SHEARWATER was observed from the South Cape May Meadows/CMMBR on 6/16. Several CORY'S SHEARWATERS were seen from various locations in Cape May on 6/16. Another was noted the same day from the 8th Street Jetty in Avalon, along with 54 NORTHERN GANNETS.
5 MISSISSIPPI KITES were observed from the cemetery on Shunpike Road, in West Cape May, on 6/13. MISSISSIPPI KITES were also noted from the Beanery/Rea Farm and the South Cape May Meadows/CMMBR during the past week.
4 WILSON'S STORM-PETRELS and a LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was observed at Sunset Beach on 6/18.
4 BROWN PELICANS were seen from Cape May Point State Park on 6/17. Another was at Reed's Beach on 6/14.
An AMERICAN WIGEON was seen from St. Mary's in Cape May Point on 6/16.
A COMMON LOON was noted from the back bays near Somers Point on 6/16.
As many as 3 LEAST BITTERNS have been heard and seen in the South Cape May Meadows/CMMBR throughout the week.
A PROTHONOTARY WARBLER and a LITTLE BLUE HERON were noted at Villas WMA on 6/14. TRICOLORED HERONS were noted from Stone Harbor Blvd and Avalon Blvd this week.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
***CMBO's Northwood Center is open Wednesday - Monday, 9:30am - 4:30pm. These hours will be in place through the end of August.***
**CMBO will be closed for Independence Day on Saturday, July 4th.**
*Due to a staffing shortfall, Cape May Bird Observatory's Center for Research and Education on Route 47 north of Goshen is 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 Wednesday - Monday, 9:30am - 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!
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, June 18th, 2009.
Highlights this week include reports of WHITE-FACED IBIS, AMERICAN WIGEON, COMMON LOON, CORY'S SHEARWATER, GREATER SHEARWATER, WILSON'S STORM-PETREL, NORTHERN GANNET, BROWN PELICAN, LEAST BITTERN, LITTLE BLUE HERON, TRICOLORED HERON, MISSISSIPPI KITE, LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, and PROTHONOTARY WARBLER.
- 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) -
A probable WHITE-FACED IBIS was observed between the ponds on Bayberry Road and the first stretch of Stone Harbor Boulevard, in Cape May Court House, on 6/14.
A GREATER SHEARWATER was observed from the South Cape May Meadows/CMMBR on 6/16. Several CORY'S SHEARWATERS were seen from various locations in Cape May on 6/16. Another was noted the same day from the 8th Street Jetty in Avalon, along with 54 NORTHERN GANNETS.
5 MISSISSIPPI KITES were observed from the cemetery on Shunpike Road, in West Cape May, on 6/13. MISSISSIPPI KITES were also noted from the Beanery/Rea Farm and the South Cape May Meadows/CMMBR during the past week.
4 WILSON'S STORM-PETRELS and a LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was observed at Sunset Beach on 6/18.
4 BROWN PELICANS were seen from Cape May Point State Park on 6/17. Another was at Reed's Beach on 6/14.
An AMERICAN WIGEON was seen from St. Mary's in Cape May Point on 6/16.
A COMMON LOON was noted from the back bays near Somers Point on 6/16.
As many as 3 LEAST BITTERNS have been heard and seen in the South Cape May Meadows/CMMBR throughout the week.
A PROTHONOTARY WARBLER and a LITTLE BLUE HERON were noted at Villas WMA on 6/14. TRICOLORED HERONS were noted from Stone Harbor Blvd and Avalon Blvd this week.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
***CMBO's Northwood Center is open Wednesday - Monday, 9:30am - 4:30pm. These hours will be in place through the end of August.***
**CMBO will be closed for Independence Day on Saturday, July 4th.**
*Due to a staffing shortfall, Cape May Bird Observatory's Center for Research and Education on Route 47 north of Goshen is 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 Wednesday - Monday, 9:30am - 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!
Storm-petrels in a Southeaster
We punted this morning and took the Bird Walk for All People to Sunset Beach and its covered pavilion. The wind was southeast 15-25 mph, the rain heavy at times, and the birding not so bad at all. Four Wilson's Storm-petrels appeared, about 10-15 minutes apart so I am presuming they are different birds (I hear a boat trip yesterday yielded 17 or so). One storm-petrel actually flew on the land side of the concrete ship for great views.
A single immature Northern Gannet appeared in the fog far offshore, and a wise Peregrine waited out the rain perched on a cross member tucked under the water tower along Sunset Boulevard. A first cycle Lesser Black-backed Gull stood on the beach next to Great Black-backeds for a nice comparison, and a lone Ring-billed Gull in full adult plumage but missing most of the primaries on its left wing obviously will be spending the summer near here. A Snowy Egret flew in, apparently having just crossed the bay despite the rain, and three Black Skimmers skimmed past.
A single immature Northern Gannet appeared in the fog far offshore, and a wise Peregrine waited out the rain perched on a cross member tucked under the water tower along Sunset Boulevard. A first cycle Lesser Black-backed Gull stood on the beach next to Great Black-backeds for a nice comparison, and a lone Ring-billed Gull in full adult plumage but missing most of the primaries on its left wing obviously will be spending the summer near here. A Snowy Egret flew in, apparently having just crossed the bay despite the rain, and three Black Skimmers skimmed past.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Cape May Point: Brown Pelicans and Yellow-billed Cuckoo
This morning's Cape May Point State Park walk yielded 4 Brown Pelicans far offshore, a Yellow-billed Cuckoo along the red trail between the bird blind and the first platform, and the usual good stuff like scoped immature male Orchard Oriole and Indigo Bunting. I thought I heard a Least Bittern, and may have, along the Red Trail, but was not certain. The full list, bittern-less, is below.
Location: Cape May Point SP
Observation date: 6/17/09
Number of species: 55
Canada Goose 75
Mute Swan 15
Mallard 35
Brown Pelican 4
Double-crested Cormorant 2
Great Egret 4
Snowy Egret 1
Tricolored Heron 1
Green Heron 1
Glossy Ibis 5
Black Vulture 2
Turkey Vulture 3
Osprey 5
Piping Plover 4
American Oystercatcher 2
Laughing Gull 152
Herring Gull 10
Great Black-backed Gull 25
Least Tern 110
Common Tern 5
Forster's Tern 19
Rock Pigeon 10
Mourning Dove 10
Yellow-billed Cuckoo 1
Chimney Swift 25
Downy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 1
Willow Flycatcher 2
Great Crested Flycatcher 3
Eastern Kingbird 2
Blue Jay 3
Fish Crow 10
Purple Martin 50
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 5
Barn Swallow 10
Carolina Wren 3
American Robin 20
Gray Catbird 5
Northern Mockingbird 2
European Starling 10
Cedar Waxwing 20
Common Yellowthroat 2
Yellow-breasted Chat 3
Song Sparrow 2
Northern Cardinal 8
Blue Grosbeak 1
Indigo Bunting 1
Red-winged Blackbird 15
Common Grackle 86
Brown-headed Cowbird 15
Orchard Oriole 1
Baltimore Oriole 1
House Finch 5
American Goldfinch 15
House Sparrow 20
Location: Cape May Point SP
Observation date: 6/17/09
Number of species: 55
Canada Goose 75
Mute Swan 15
Mallard 35
Brown Pelican 4
Double-crested Cormorant 2
Great Egret 4
Snowy Egret 1
Tricolored Heron 1
Green Heron 1
Glossy Ibis 5
Black Vulture 2
Turkey Vulture 3
Osprey 5
Piping Plover 4
American Oystercatcher 2
Laughing Gull 152
Herring Gull 10
Great Black-backed Gull 25
Least Tern 110
Common Tern 5
Forster's Tern 19
Rock Pigeon 10
Mourning Dove 10
Yellow-billed Cuckoo 1
Chimney Swift 25
Downy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 1
Willow Flycatcher 2
Great Crested Flycatcher 3
Eastern Kingbird 2
Blue Jay 3
Fish Crow 10
Purple Martin 50
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 5
Barn Swallow 10
Carolina Wren 3
American Robin 20
Gray Catbird 5
Northern Mockingbird 2
European Starling 10
Cedar Waxwing 20
Common Yellowthroat 2
Yellow-breasted Chat 3
Song Sparrow 2
Northern Cardinal 8
Blue Grosbeak 1
Indigo Bunting 1
Red-winged Blackbird 15
Common Grackle 86
Brown-headed Cowbird 15
Orchard Oriole 1
Baltimore Oriole 1
House Finch 5
American Goldfinch 15
House Sparrow 20
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Back Bay Skimmers, Terns, Herons and Loons: Don't Miss the Boat
We did a pilot run of what undoubtedly is going to be a popular weekly boat trip out of Somer's Point tonight - we being CMBO naturalists aboard the Duke O' Fluke. More info on this trip will be forthcoming - in the meantime it should be noted that we saw more Yellow-crowned Night-Herons tonight than I've seen all year, as well as the first Herring Gull chicks of the year, and the Black Skimmer colony on Malibu Beach near Longport. And a Common Loon, apparently summering, resting on a sand bar. And Seaside Sparrows, oystercatchers, a lingering Black-bellied Plover, Willets. . . In the meantime, there's still room on our first back bay breeding bird survey by boat (scroll down to June 20 if you follow this link) this Saturday, June 20, which will be awesome, with a similar group of birds in the back bay area from Cape May up to Herford Inlet and Stone Harbor Point.
Strong East Winds = Shearwaters in Cape May
The continuing, steady east winds today produced a number of shearwaters and gannets that were visible from shore this evening.
Around 5:00pm, I saw a relatively close Greater Shearwater flying east offshore of the South Cape May Meadows, as well as at least five other shearwaters farther offshore that were quite likely Cory's. Bob Fogg saw two Cory's Shearwaters from St. Mary's during the same timeframe, and then tallied several dozen shearwaters from the Cape May Convention Center, with the identifiable ones all being Cory's.
Later on, an hour spent at the 8th Street Jetty (at the north end of Avalon) produced another Cory's Shearwater and another unidentified shearwater, as well as an excellent June count of 54 Northern Gannets. I had seen at least 25 Gannets from the Meadows earlier.
Winds will continue out of the east overnight and into tomorrow, which bodes well for shearwater searching. I'd suggest trying St. Peter's, St. Mary's, the 2nd Avenue Jetty, the Convention Center or Poverty Beach tomorrow morning.
Around 5:00pm, I saw a relatively close Greater Shearwater flying east offshore of the South Cape May Meadows, as well as at least five other shearwaters farther offshore that were quite likely Cory's. Bob Fogg saw two Cory's Shearwaters from St. Mary's during the same timeframe, and then tallied several dozen shearwaters from the Cape May Convention Center, with the identifiable ones all being Cory's.
Later on, an hour spent at the 8th Street Jetty (at the north end of Avalon) produced another Cory's Shearwater and another unidentified shearwater, as well as an excellent June count of 54 Northern Gannets. I had seen at least 25 Gannets from the Meadows earlier.
Winds will continue out of the east overnight and into tomorrow, which bodes well for shearwater searching. I'd suggest trying St. Peter's, St. Mary's, the 2nd Avenue Jetty, the Convention Center or Poverty Beach tomorrow morning.
Monday, June 15, 2009
June Birding on the Bayshore
An evening walk down Reed's Beach Road did not yield the pelican of yesterday, but did provide a number of neat sights and sounds of the season.
Orchard Orioles are just about impossible to miss in the area right now- we came across four pairs during our mile-long walk, and found three nests. Marsh Wrens and Seaside Sparrows were both audible and visible, and a careful count of Laughing Gulls produced 1,067, with many still feeding on horseshoe crab eggs along the beach.
Closer to dusk, a Great Horned Owl flew out across the marsh, blackbirds and kingbirds hot on its tail feathers the whole way. At least one Chuck-will's-widow started calling from the forest edge, and a few Black-crowned Night-Herons squawked from overhead as they headed out for the evening.
Location: Reed's Beach
Observation date: 6/15/09
Number of species: 43
American Black Duck 2
Great Egret 1
Snowy Egret 2
Black-crowned Night-Heron 3
Glossy Ibis 18
Turkey Vulture 2
Osprey 1
Clapper Rail 18
American Oystercatcher 1
Willet (Eastern) 16
Laughing Gull 1067
Herring Gull 35
Great Black-backed Gull 9
Forster's Tern 4
Black Skimmer 2
Mourning Dove 15
Great Horned Owl 1
Chuck-will's-widow 1
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1
Eastern Kingbird 3
Fish Crow 4
Purple Martin 20
Tree Swallow 4
Barn Swallow 9
Carolina Chickadee 2
Carolina Wren 4
Marsh Wren 8
American Robin 6
Gray Catbird 4
Northern Mockingbird 4
Brown Thrasher 2
European Starling 12
Chipping Sparrow 2
Seaside Sparrow 8
Song Sparrow 4
Northern Cardinal 6
Red-winged Blackbird 20
Common Grackle 6
Boat-tailed Grackle 18
Orchard Oriole 8
House Finch 18
American Goldfinch 2
House Sparrow 25
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)
Orchard Orioles are just about impossible to miss in the area right now- we came across four pairs during our mile-long walk, and found three nests. Marsh Wrens and Seaside Sparrows were both audible and visible, and a careful count of Laughing Gulls produced 1,067, with many still feeding on horseshoe crab eggs along the beach.
Closer to dusk, a Great Horned Owl flew out across the marsh, blackbirds and kingbirds hot on its tail feathers the whole way. At least one Chuck-will's-widow started calling from the forest edge, and a few Black-crowned Night-Herons squawked from overhead as they headed out for the evening.
Location: Reed's Beach
Observation date: 6/15/09
Number of species: 43
American Black Duck 2
Great Egret 1
Snowy Egret 2
Black-crowned Night-Heron 3
Glossy Ibis 18
Turkey Vulture 2
Osprey 1
Clapper Rail 18
American Oystercatcher 1
Willet (Eastern) 16
Laughing Gull 1067
Herring Gull 35
Great Black-backed Gull 9
Forster's Tern 4
Black Skimmer 2
Mourning Dove 15
Great Horned Owl 1
Chuck-will's-widow 1
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1
Eastern Kingbird 3
Fish Crow 4
Purple Martin 20
Tree Swallow 4
Barn Swallow 9
Carolina Chickadee 2
Carolina Wren 4
Marsh Wren 8
American Robin 6
Gray Catbird 4
Northern Mockingbird 4
Brown Thrasher 2
European Starling 12
Chipping Sparrow 2
Seaside Sparrow 8
Song Sparrow 4
Northern Cardinal 6
Red-winged Blackbird 20
Common Grackle 6
Boat-tailed Grackle 18
Orchard Oriole 8
House Finch 18
American Goldfinch 2
House Sparrow 25
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)
Villas Yesterday - Protho, Brush Birds, and Little blue
Kathy and Roger Horn had some good stuff at Villas yesterday:
"On a Villas WMA walk this AM, Roger and I had 2 singing Prothonotary Warblers, 3 Blue Grosbeaks, 3 Orchard Orioles, a Bald Eagle, and a Little Blue Heron perched high on a snag. - Kathy and Roger"
"On a Villas WMA walk this AM, Roger and I had 2 singing Prothonotary Warblers, 3 Blue Grosbeaks, 3 Orchard Orioles, a Bald Eagle, and a Little Blue Heron perched high on a snag. - Kathy and Roger"
South Cape May Meadows: Least Bitterns, MIKI, and Blue Grosbeak
Detecting any one Least Bittern makes for a red letter day, so the three we had this morning at the TNC Cape May Migratory Bird Refuge were very fine indeed: one pokpokpok -ing in the west pool, one seen by some of the group in the middle pool, and one seen by all as it made a long flight in the east pool, winding up in the cattails close to Sunset Boulevard.
A second-year male Blue Grosbeak sang and sang near the west dune crossover, and from there we also watched one of the Piping Plovers perform a distraction display to lure Fish Crows away from its nest - which was in an exclosure, but that doesn't mean it's safe, since the new chicks leave the exclosure soon after hatching.
Multiple Black-crowned Night-Herons were roosting in the shrub island in the center pool, near the parking lot, and I keep looking at that shrub island and the others nearby and wonder if a heron rookery could ever form there. Apparently, there never has been one in the South Cape May Meadows.
The Mississippi Kite was a subadult, soaring at 9:30 over Cape May Point. The full list from this walk is below.
Location: South Cape May Meadows
Observation date: 6/15/09
Number of species: 58
Canada Goose 50
Mute Swan 25
Gadwall 3
Mallard 10
Double-crested Cormorant 10
Least Bittern 3 1 calling in west pool, one seen in center pool, 1 seen in east pool
Great Egret 5
Snowy Egret 2
Green Heron 3
Black-crowned Night-Heron 5 roosting in shrub island in center pool, prospective rookery someday?
Glossy Ibis 15
Black Vulture 5
Turkey Vulture 5
Osprey 8 1 sitting on nest platform
Mississippi Kite 1 subadult over Cape May Point
Red-tailed Hawk 1
Piping Plover 5 1 adult did distraction display to lure Fish Crows away from exclosure, crows did pursue
Killdeer 2
American Oystercatcher 2
Willet (Eastern) 1 standing in center pool
Laughing Gull 161 actual count by clicker
Ring-billed Gull 3 1 second year, 2 first year
Herring Gull 30
Great Black-backed Gull 30
Least Tern 75
Common Tern 2
Forster's Tern 38 actual count by clicker
Black Skimmer 3
Rock Pigeon 5
Mourning Dove 15
Chimney Swift 75
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Blue Jay 2
Fish Crow 20
Purple Martin 10
Tree Swallow 10
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 1
Barn Swallow 5
Carolina Wren 5
Marsh Wren 3
American Robin 10
Gray Catbird 5
Northern Mockingbird 2
European Starling 5
Yellow Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 5
Yellow-breasted Chat 1
Song Sparrow 3
Northern Cardinal 5
Blue Grosbeak 1 second calendar year male, singing persistently
Red-winged Blackbird 25
Common Grackle 50
Brown-headed Cowbird 10
Orchard Oriole 1 imm. male
House Finch 5
American Goldfinch 5
House Sparrow 20
A second-year male Blue Grosbeak sang and sang near the west dune crossover, and from there we also watched one of the Piping Plovers perform a distraction display to lure Fish Crows away from its nest - which was in an exclosure, but that doesn't mean it's safe, since the new chicks leave the exclosure soon after hatching.
Multiple Black-crowned Night-Herons were roosting in the shrub island in the center pool, near the parking lot, and I keep looking at that shrub island and the others nearby and wonder if a heron rookery could ever form there. Apparently, there never has been one in the South Cape May Meadows.
The Mississippi Kite was a subadult, soaring at 9:30 over Cape May Point. The full list from this walk is below.
Location: South Cape May Meadows
Observation date: 6/15/09
Number of species: 58
Canada Goose 50
Mute Swan 25
Gadwall 3
Mallard 10
Double-crested Cormorant 10
Least Bittern 3 1 calling in west pool, one seen in center pool, 1 seen in east pool
Great Egret 5
Snowy Egret 2
Green Heron 3
Black-crowned Night-Heron 5 roosting in shrub island in center pool, prospective rookery someday?
Glossy Ibis 15
Black Vulture 5
Turkey Vulture 5
Osprey 8 1 sitting on nest platform
Mississippi Kite 1 subadult over Cape May Point
Red-tailed Hawk 1
Piping Plover 5 1 adult did distraction display to lure Fish Crows away from exclosure, crows did pursue
Killdeer 2
American Oystercatcher 2
Willet (Eastern) 1 standing in center pool
Laughing Gull 161 actual count by clicker
Ring-billed Gull 3 1 second year, 2 first year
Herring Gull 30
Great Black-backed Gull 30
Least Tern 75
Common Tern 2
Forster's Tern 38 actual count by clicker
Black Skimmer 3
Rock Pigeon 5
Mourning Dove 15
Chimney Swift 75
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Blue Jay 2
Fish Crow 20
Purple Martin 10
Tree Swallow 10
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 1
Barn Swallow 5
Carolina Wren 5
Marsh Wren 3
American Robin 10
Gray Catbird 5
Northern Mockingbird 2
European Starling 5
Yellow Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 5
Yellow-breasted Chat 1
Song Sparrow 3
Northern Cardinal 5
Blue Grosbeak 1 second calendar year male, singing persistently
Red-winged Blackbird 25
Common Grackle 50
Brown-headed Cowbird 10
Orchard Oriole 1 imm. male
House Finch 5
American Goldfinch 5
House Sparrow 20
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Brown Pelican in Reed's Beach
[Brown Pelican (center) in the mouth of Bidwell Creek this evening. Photo by Tom Reed.]Also in the same area were several Least Terns, a dozen Black Skimmers and perhaps most interestingly, a pair of American Oystercatchers. Oystercatchers have attempted to breed near Reed's Beach at least once in the past, and another attempt would be very notable here on the Delaware Bayshore, where the species is essentially unknown as a breeding bird.
[Black Skimmer flying past Reed's Beach at dusk. Photo by Tom Reed.]
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Pine Barrens Butterfly Adventure
[Above: Bog Copper; Below: Two-spotted Skipper. Both of these species are habitat specialists, and can only be found for a brief period of time each year in/near Pine Barrens bogs. Photographed in the New Jersey Conservation Foundation's Franklin Parker Preserve, by Tom Reed.]
[Pine Snake- another Pine Barrens specialty. This species reaches the northern limit of its range here, and is listed as a Threatened Species in New Jersey. The individual pictured was about five feet long. Photos by Tom Reed.]
June is a great time to look for butterflies, dragonflies and other critters that sometimes get overlooked by birders during the "heavier" migration periods. This morning I ventured out with the newly-formed South Jersey Butterfly Club to explore the Franklin Parker Preserve in Chatsworth, deep in the heart of the Pine Barrens. The Preserve is spectacular, featuring typical Pine Barrens habitats, as well as old cranberry bogs and other wetlands that are of great use to many species, be it birds, butterflies or a plethora of others.
Our target butterfly species this morning were Dotted Skipper, Two-spotted Skipper and Bog Copper. We were able to find all three, and also found other Pine Barrens specialties such as Pine Barrens Bluet (a damselfly), Elfin Skimmer (a dragonfly) and a variety of plants.
As for birds... typical Pinelands breeders such as Pine Warbler, Prairie Warbler, Cedar Waxwing and Eastern Towhee were easy to find. While in the bog, a Green Heron and six Wood Ducks flew over, and there was an Orchard Oriole singing at the bog's edge.
To learn more about the Franklin Parker Preserve, visit the NJ Conservation Foundation's site.
Mississippi Kites; Beanery Notes
5 Mississippi Kites were found today by Harvey Tomlinson in the vicinity of the Mt. Zion Cemetery, along Shunpike Road in West Cape May. He reports that two of the birds were perched for a while.
Karl Lukens' report from the Beanery/Rea Farm this morning also included a Mississippi Kite, in addition to the following: "...Again before we got to the gate we had the Indigo Bunting and a female Blue Grosbeak. Later we had a good view of both the male and female grosbeaks. Also nice looks at a Green Heron and Black-crowned Night-Heron. ..."
- Karl (Chuck, Roger, Kathy, David)
Location: The Beanery
Observation date: 6/13/09
Notes: CMBO Trip-K,CS,R&KH,DL,+8.Cldy,70,NE9.
Number of species: 44
Canada Goose 22
Mallard 6
Great Egret 2
Snowy Egret 1
Green Heron 2
Black-crowned Night-Heron 2
Black Vulture 2
Turkey Vulture 5
Osprey 3
Mississippi Kite 1 adult
Killdeer 2
Laughing Gull 15
Herring Gull 4
Forster's Tern 1
Rock Pigeon 1
Mourning Dove 5
Yellow-billed Cuckoo 2
Chimney Swift 8
Downy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 1
Great Crested Flycatcher 2
Eastern Kingbird 1
Red-eyed Vireo 1
Blue Jay 1
American Crow 10
Purple Martin 5
Barn Swallow 5
Carolina Chickadee 1
Carolina Wren 5
American Robin 15
Gray Catbird 1
Northern Mockingbird 1
European Starling 30
Prothonotary Warbler 1 heard
Common Yellowthroat 3
Northern Cardinal 8
Blue Grosbeak 3
Indigo Bunting 4
Red-winged Blackbird 20
Common Grackle 25
Brown-headed Cowbird 5
House Finch 3
American Goldfinch 3
House Sparrow 5
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)
Karl Lukens' report from the Beanery/Rea Farm this morning also included a Mississippi Kite, in addition to the following: "...Again before we got to the gate we had the Indigo Bunting and a female Blue Grosbeak. Later we had a good view of both the male and female grosbeaks. Also nice looks at a Green Heron and Black-crowned Night-Heron. ..."
- Karl (Chuck, Roger, Kathy, David)
Location: The Beanery
Observation date: 6/13/09
Notes: CMBO Trip-K,CS,R&KH,DL,+8.Cldy,70,NE9.
Number of species: 44
Canada Goose 22
Mallard 6
Great Egret 2
Snowy Egret 1
Green Heron 2
Black-crowned Night-Heron 2
Black Vulture 2
Turkey Vulture 5
Osprey 3
Mississippi Kite 1 adult
Killdeer 2
Laughing Gull 15
Herring Gull 4
Forster's Tern 1
Rock Pigeon 1
Mourning Dove 5
Yellow-billed Cuckoo 2
Chimney Swift 8
Downy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 1
Great Crested Flycatcher 2
Eastern Kingbird 1
Red-eyed Vireo 1
Blue Jay 1
American Crow 10
Purple Martin 5
Barn Swallow 5
Carolina Chickadee 1
Carolina Wren 5
American Robin 15
Gray Catbird 1
Northern Mockingbird 1
European Starling 30
Prothonotary Warbler 1 heard
Common Yellowthroat 3
Northern Cardinal 8
Blue Grosbeak 3
Indigo Bunting 4
Red-winged Blackbird 20
Common Grackle 25
Brown-headed Cowbird 5
House Finch 3
American Goldfinch 3
House Sparrow 5
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)
Summer Birding in The Meadows
Mid-June has arrived in Cape May, more or less signifying the unofficial end of spring migration in these parts. However, in just a couple short weeks, the first weak cold front of the "fall" will undoubtedly sweep through, and in its wake the first southbound yellowlegs, dowitchers and Bobolinks will arrive on the Cape.
In the meantime, now is a superb time to check out Belleplain State Forest to monitor breeding bird activity. The salt marshes of the Delaware Bayshore and Atlantic Coast are brimming with bird life, and the pleasant hike out to the end of Stone Harbor Point is really a must during the months of June and July, particularly if beach-nesting birds have returned to the Point again this year.
Karl Lukens reports the following from Friday evening's Meadows walk:
"CMBO Evening Walk at the Meadows. Got most of the usual suspects and a bonus as the Least Bittern flew across the center pond and disappeared in the cattails."
- Karl (Chuck, Mary Jane, Kathy, Roger)
Location: South Cape May Meadows
Observation date: 6/12/09
Notes: CMBO Trip-K,C&MJ,R&KH,+6.Clr,72,SW3.
Number of species: 38
Canada Goose 25
Mute Swan 12
Mallard 8
Least Bittern 1 fly by
Great Egret 8
Snowy Egret 3
Glossy Ibis 2
Turkey Vulture 1
Osprey 2
Semipalmated Plover 1
Piping Plover 3
Killdeer 2
American Oystercatcher 2
Laughing Gull 35
Herring Gull 20
Great Black-backed Gull 20
Least Tern 30
Common Tern 2
Forster's Tern 10
Black Skimmer 7
Rock Pigeon 2
Mourning Dove 5
Chimney Swift 2
American Crow 1
Fish Crow 1
Purple Martin 3
Barn Swallow 5
Carolina Wren 1
Marsh Wren 2
American Robin 2
European Starling 10
Common Yellowthroat 4
Song Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal 5
Red-winged Blackbird 10
Common Grackle 20
American Goldfinch 5
House Sparrow 5
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)
In the meantime, now is a superb time to check out Belleplain State Forest to monitor breeding bird activity. The salt marshes of the Delaware Bayshore and Atlantic Coast are brimming with bird life, and the pleasant hike out to the end of Stone Harbor Point is really a must during the months of June and July, particularly if beach-nesting birds have returned to the Point again this year.
Karl Lukens reports the following from Friday evening's Meadows walk:
"CMBO Evening Walk at the Meadows. Got most of the usual suspects and a bonus as the Least Bittern flew across the center pond and disappeared in the cattails."
- Karl (Chuck, Mary Jane, Kathy, Roger)
Location: South Cape May Meadows
Observation date: 6/12/09
Notes: CMBO Trip-K,C&MJ,R&KH,+6.Clr,72,SW3.
Number of species: 38
Canada Goose 25
Mute Swan 12
Mallard 8
Least Bittern 1 fly by
Great Egret 8
Snowy Egret 3
Glossy Ibis 2
Turkey Vulture 1
Osprey 2
Semipalmated Plover 1
Piping Plover 3
Killdeer 2
American Oystercatcher 2
Laughing Gull 35
Herring Gull 20
Great Black-backed Gull 20
Least Tern 30
Common Tern 2
Forster's Tern 10
Black Skimmer 7
Rock Pigeon 2
Mourning Dove 5
Chimney Swift 2
American Crow 1
Fish Crow 1
Purple Martin 3
Barn Swallow 5
Carolina Wren 1
Marsh Wren 2
American Robin 2
European Starling 10
Common Yellowthroat 4
Song Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal 5
Red-winged Blackbird 10
Common Grackle 20
American Goldfinch 5
House Sparrow 5
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)
Thursday, June 11, 2009
CAPE MAY BIRDING HOTLINE - June 11, 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, June 11th, 2009.
Highlights this week include reports of BUFFLEHEAD, NORTHERN BOBWHITE, BLACK-NECKED STILT, WHIMBREL, WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER, WILLOW FLYCATCHER, WORM-EATING WARBLER, KENTUCKY WARBLER, SUMMER TANAGER, and DARK-EYED JUNCO.
- 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) -
A BLACK-NECKED STILT was seen along the south dike at Brig/Forsythe NWR through at least 6/8. A late WHIMBREL was noted there on 6/8, as were 18 WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS.
2 BLACK-NECKED STILTS were seen flying over Cape May Pt. State Park on 5/6. An extremely late DARK-EYED JUNCO was noted the same day.
A BUFFLEHEAD lingered in the impoundments along Maple Ave at Turkey Point, in Dividing Creek, through 6/7.
WILLOW FLYCATCHERS were recorded at Cape May Pt. State Park, The Meadows/CMMBR, Turkey Point, Nummy Island and Stone Harbor Point this week.
A NORTHERN BOBWHITE was heard and seen at Cape May Pt. State Park on 6/10.
Breeding birds detected near Dividing Creek, Cumberland County this week included KENTUCKY and WORM-EATING WARBLERS, as well as SUMMER TANAGER.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
***Beginning June 1st, CMBO's Northwood Center will be open Wednesday - Monday (closed Tuesdays), 9:30am - 4:30pm. These hours will be in place through the end of August.***
**CMBO will be closed for Independence Day on Saturday, July 4th.**
*Due to a staffing shortfall, Cape May Bird Observatory's Center for Research and Education on Route 47 north of Goshen is 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 Wednesday - Monday, 9:30am - 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!
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, June 11th, 2009.
Highlights this week include reports of BUFFLEHEAD, NORTHERN BOBWHITE, BLACK-NECKED STILT, WHIMBREL, WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER, WILLOW FLYCATCHER, WORM-EATING WARBLER, KENTUCKY WARBLER, SUMMER TANAGER, and DARK-EYED JUNCO.
- 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) -
A BLACK-NECKED STILT was seen along the south dike at Brig/Forsythe NWR through at least 6/8. A late WHIMBREL was noted there on 6/8, as were 18 WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS.
2 BLACK-NECKED STILTS were seen flying over Cape May Pt. State Park on 5/6. An extremely late DARK-EYED JUNCO was noted the same day.
A BUFFLEHEAD lingered in the impoundments along Maple Ave at Turkey Point, in Dividing Creek, through 6/7.
WILLOW FLYCATCHERS were recorded at Cape May Pt. State Park, The Meadows/CMMBR, Turkey Point, Nummy Island and Stone Harbor Point this week.
A NORTHERN BOBWHITE was heard and seen at Cape May Pt. State Park on 6/10.
Breeding birds detected near Dividing Creek, Cumberland County this week included KENTUCKY and WORM-EATING WARBLERS, as well as SUMMER TANAGER.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
***Beginning June 1st, CMBO's Northwood Center will be open Wednesday - Monday (closed Tuesdays), 9:30am - 4:30pm. These hours will be in place through the end of August.***
**CMBO will be closed for Independence Day on Saturday, July 4th.**
*Due to a staffing shortfall, Cape May Bird Observatory's Center for Research and Education on Route 47 north of Goshen is 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 Wednesday - Monday, 9:30am - 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!
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Images from Cape May Point State Park Today
Karl Lukens sent the following photos from the Wednesday CMBO walk at Cape May Point State Park, which starts at 7:30 a.m. every Wednesday.
[Immature male Orchard Oriole, photo by Karl Lukens.]
[Yellow-breasted Chat, photo by Karl Lukens.]
[Northern Bobwhite, photo by Karl Lukens.]
Northern Bobwhite at State Park & Black Skimmer News
Karl Lukens just reported a calling Northern Bobwhite on a fence post at Cape May Point State Park near the first dune crossover.
Todd Pover, beach nesting bird biologist with the state, sent me the following somewhat heartening note about the Black Skimmer colony in Hereford Inlet. It seems some skimmers are giving it a go on Stone Harbor Point:
"Just as a brief update, now that Champagne Island is largely unsuitable for nesting due to recent storms (too low and small), Black Skimmers have finally starting to amass on the southern tip of Stone Harbor Point (just a stone's throw away from the island). They had been flying over for about a week or so, but just earlier this week about 200 settled in and we now have our first nests. I expect that number to continue to grow. The Point is also flood prone, but the habitat is not bad - better than Champagne for the last 2 years - so we'll see how it goes. Also, on the plus side, no apparent mammalian predators on the Point so far this spring. We've had our first successful oystercatcher nests at the Point in some years and the plover nests that didn't get flooded are hatching (and chicks hanging in there). A small number of common terns are also nesting with the skimmers, and a handful of royal terns are lingering. If the royals plan to nest they best do so soon - timing wise they should be close to hatching by now.
"With regard to the royal terns, I have heard from folks in MD, where our "Champagne" terns likely originally came from - I figured they might have gone back there this year. Apparently, their numbers are way down too because of unsuitable habitat. Royals will travel far to nest so they could be further south, but could you get word out around NJAS, especially anybody who goes out on the boat in the back bay to keep their eyes out for royal terns that might be nesting. - Todd"
Todd Pover, beach nesting bird biologist with the state, sent me the following somewhat heartening note about the Black Skimmer colony in Hereford Inlet. It seems some skimmers are giving it a go on Stone Harbor Point:
"Just as a brief update, now that Champagne Island is largely unsuitable for nesting due to recent storms (too low and small), Black Skimmers have finally starting to amass on the southern tip of Stone Harbor Point (just a stone's throw away from the island). They had been flying over for about a week or so, but just earlier this week about 200 settled in and we now have our first nests. I expect that number to continue to grow. The Point is also flood prone, but the habitat is not bad - better than Champagne for the last 2 years - so we'll see how it goes. Also, on the plus side, no apparent mammalian predators on the Point so far this spring. We've had our first successful oystercatcher nests at the Point in some years and the plover nests that didn't get flooded are hatching (and chicks hanging in there). A small number of common terns are also nesting with the skimmers, and a handful of royal terns are lingering. If the royals plan to nest they best do so soon - timing wise they should be close to hatching by now.
"With regard to the royal terns, I have heard from folks in MD, where our "Champagne" terns likely originally came from - I figured they might have gone back there this year. Apparently, their numbers are way down too because of unsuitable habitat. Royals will travel far to nest so they could be further south, but could you get word out around NJAS, especially anybody who goes out on the boat in the back bay to keep their eyes out for royal terns that might be nesting. - Todd"