CAPE MAY BIRDING HOTLINE - August 13, 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, August 13th, 2009.

Highlights this week include sightings of ROSEATE SPOONBILL, NORTHERN PINTAIL, AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN, LEAST BITTERN, MERLIN, HUDSONIAN GODWIT, MARBLED GODWIT, LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER, WILSON'S PHALAROPE, BONAPARTE'S GULL, LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, "NELSON'S" GULL, SANDWICH TERN, LEAST FLYCATCHER, GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER, NASHVILLE WARBLER, CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER, LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH, and DICKCISSEL.

-- For more up-to-the-minute Cape May sightings information and a downloadable 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). --

The ROSEATE SPOONBILL continued to be seen at Brig/Forsythe NWR through 8/12, with a majority of sightings coming from the NW corner of the Danzenbaker Pool. WILSON'S PHALAROPE, MARBLED GODWIT and LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER were also noted at Brig this week.

An AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN was seen over the Cape May Coast Guard Base (inaccessible to the public) on 8/11, and was later photographed on a sandbar in Swain Channel, located behind Wildwood Crest. A HUDSONIAN GODWIT was also noted as a fly-over at the base on the same day.

A MERLIN was seen flying past Cape May Pt. State Park on 8/12, and a NORTHERN PINTAIL was on Bunker Pond on 8/13.

A BONAPARTE'S GULL continued this week in the area of Higbee Beach WMA. Multiple LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS continued this week on the beachfront between Cape May Pt. State Park and the Meadows. SANDWICH TERN was last reported from Cape May Pt. on 8/8, and the continuing "NELSON'S" (HerringxGlaucous) GULL was seen at Cape May Pt. State Park on 8/12.

A GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER was found at Cape May Pt. State Park on 8/12, and an early YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER was noted there on 8/7. NASHVILLE WARBLER and LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH were noted from the Higbee Dike on 8/12. A DICKCISSEL was heard flying over the Meadows on 8/10. Other passerine migrants found around Cape Island this week included LEAST FLYCATCHER, CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER and BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER.

LEAST BITTERN continued to be reported from the Meadows throughout the week.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

**CMBO's Center for Research & Education in Goshen will be closed for inventory on August 27th and 28th.**

*SUMMER HOURS: CMBO's Center for Research and Education on Route 47 in Goshen is open 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. These hours will remain in place through the end of August.*

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!