CAPE MAY BIRDING HOTLINE - THURSDAY, MARCH 18 2010

Hotline: Cape May Birding Hotline
To Report: call (609) 884-2736, or email sightingsATbirdcapemay.org
Coverage: Cape May, Cumberland and Atlantic Counties , NJ
Compiler: Don Freiday, Cape May Bird Observatory

This is the Cape May Birding Hotline, a service of New Jersey Audubon's Cape May Bird Observatory. This week's message was prepared on Thursday, March 18, 2010. Highlights this week include sightings of BLACK-HEADED GULL, EARED GREBE, EURASIAN WIGEON, HARLEQUIN, and RAZORBILL plus apparent arrivals of PINE WARBLER, EASTERN PHOEBE, TREE SWALLOW, CATTLE EGRET, LITTLE BLUE HERON, AND PURPLE MARTIN; an announcement about a second weekend for the CMBO Optics Sale March 27-28, 2010; and an announcement about CMBO membership.

-For up-to-the-minute Cape May sightings information, photos and downloadable birding maps and checklist of Cape May, visit www.birdcapemay.org . Follow review list sightings and spectacles on www.twitter.com/CMBObirds -

The BLACK-HEADED GULLS continue. The first cycle reported last week has not been reported again, but 2 adults have been seen along the Delaware Bay Shore through Thursday, March 18 2010. One adult has very little dark on the head, and the other adult is developing a hood. Look for these birds from Cape May Point north along the bay at places like Sunset Beach, the Cape May-Lewes Ferry Terminal, the mouth of Cox Hall Creek, and the end of Miami Ave. in the Villas, which has been one of the best spots this week.

An EARED GREBE was discovered in Hereford Inlet south of Nummy Island on Monday, March 15 and continues through this morning, Thursday March 18, 2010.

The two drake EURASIAN WIGEONS continue on Lighthouse Pond as of Tuesday, March 16, 2010. 6 TUNDRA SWANS continue on Bunker Pond through Tuesday, March 16 2010. 2 HARLEQUINS continue at the 8th Street jetty in Avalon through Wednesday, March 17, 2010. A RAZORBILL was seen from the Cape May-Lewes Ferry Sunday, March 14 2010.

Apparent spring arrivals this week include CATTLE EGRET, March 16 on Seashore Road just north of the Cape May Canal; PURPLE MARTIN March 16 along Bayshore Road on Cape Island; TREE SWALLOWS March 16 in Belleplain State Forest; EASTERN PHOEBES in Belleplain and on Cape Island March 17; PINE WARBLER in Belleplain March 17; and LITTLE BLUE HERON at the Beanery March 17.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

CMBO’s Optics Sale will be held a second weekend, Saturday and Sunday, March 27 and 28 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the CMBO Center for Research and Education in Goshen. A large selection of closeout, demo, factory-refurbished, new and used optics will be priced to move. Binoculars and spotting scopes from all major brands will be available. There are no advance or phone orders: first come, first served. You must be a member of NJAS or CMBO to take advantage of these great deals, so join today if you’re not already a member.

If you appreciate this hotline service, and care about the birds of Cape May, please consider becoming a member of NJA’s Cape May Bird Observatory. Join by May 15, 2010 to receive this year’s special edition of CMBO’S annual journal, the Peregrine Observer, featuring: accounts and photos of the 2009 Ivory Gull from some of Cape May’s finest birders and photographers; 2009 Cape May Hawk Count, Morning Flight, and Avalon Seawatch results; Cape May bird notes from 2009; Pete Dunne’s story about his return as Cape May Hawk Counter; and more!

******CMBO Bookstore SPRING HOURS are as follows: Northwood Center on East Lake Drive in Cape May Point is open daily, 9:30am to 4:30pm. The Center for Research and Education on Rt. 47 in Goshen is open Tuesday through Saturday, 9:30am to 4:30pm; closed Sundays and Mondays (but open Sunday March 28 for the Optics Sale) . ******

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!