CAPE MAY BIRDING HOTLINE - August 6, 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 6th, 2009.

Highlights this week include sightings of ROSEATE SPOONBILL, GREATER SHEARWATER, WILSON'S STORM-PETREL, LEAST BITTERN, CATTLE EGRET, AMERICAN AVOCET, MARBLED GODWIT, STILT SANDPIPER, LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER, BONAPARTE'S GULL, LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, BLACK TERN, SANDWICH TERN, BLUE-WINGED WARBLER, WORM-EATING WARBLER, OVENBIRD, NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH, and LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH.

-- 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 continues at Brig/Forsythe NWR as of 8/6. The bird has been seen from multiple points along the wildlife drive, with many sightings coming from the area of the Danzenbaker (East) Pool.

An AMERICAN AVOCET was seen flying past Cape May Pt. State Park on 8/3. MARBLED GODWIT and LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER were noted flying past the Coral Ave. dune crossover on 7/31. STILT SANDPIPER was noted from Pond Creek and the South Cape May Meadows/CMMBR this week.

A GREATER SHEARWATER was noted offshore of Cape May Pt. State Park on 8/4. WILSON'S STORM-PETREL has been seen sporadically throughout the week from various locations around Cape May Point.

Multiple SANDWICH TERNS were noted throughout the week between Cape May Point and the South Cape May Meadows/CMMBR. A BLACK TERN was sitting on the beach between Cape May Pt. State Park and the Meadows on 8/5.

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.

Migrant warblers found on Cape Island this week included BLUE-WINGED WARBLER, WORM-EATING WARBLER, OVENBIRD, NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH and LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH.

CATTLE EGRETS continued to be seen in West Cape May this week, and LEAST BITTERN was last reported in the Meadows on 8/5.

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!