Wednesday Walk Rained Out...

Well it's been a good three months since we had any appreciable rain at Cape May Point so we shouldn't complain, but I reckon it could about stop now! Karl Lukens tells me that his rain guage measured three inches of rain overnight and it's still not let up much. The weather was bad enough that we sort of cancelled the Wednesday morning walk as Karl, Warren Cairo and I stood under the east shelter with no takers. However, three brave souls turned up, so we gave Bunker Pond a good going over from the shelter and found a nice range of birds. Two Belted Kingfishers hunted actively, a juvenile Black Tern breezed in and out and a restless mass of Least and Semipalmated Sandpipers was present - both species now turning up in juvenile plumage too. With a slight break in the weather, we braved a walk to the first Plover Pond and back - and got soaked for our efforts! However, a total of 17 Stilt Sandpipers was a nice count and there seemed to be a surprising number of warblers on the move in such rough conditions, though Prairie and Yellow Warblers were the only two species I positively identified in the tricky conditions. Bobolinks called frequently - but unseen - overhead and a single juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron flew by. So, we didn't count it as an official walk, but we did at least get to see some birds.

At the Northwood Center this morning, at least 10 Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are fighting over the feeders - well up on the one or two we've had to date; also, an American Redstart and two Black-and-white Warblers are feeding right outside my window...