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)

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)

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"...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)