What's It Going to Be

"What's it going to be?" That's what Richard Crossley asked me on the Cape May Point State Park Hawk Watch Platform this morning, where a good accipiter flight was underway as the winds began to shift, to out of the west

"Good, it's going to be good.  How's that?"

"It's not bloody good enough, is what it is."  Richard doesn't mince his words.

"How about 100,000 robins?"

"That's a bit better."

Although the hawk flight slowed down quite a bit in the afternoon today, consider that the calm before the bird storm. If someone were designing the perfect weather pattern for NJA's Cape May Autumn Weekend, this is what they would have done.  I mean this, what's happening right now, and what's going to happen the next two days. Frontal passage + northwest winds through Saturday morning. Hawks, sparrows, finches, pipits, late warblers, and yes, robins. Great songbirding Friday and Saturday, great raptor watching Friday for sure, probably Saturday, at least in the morning. Stay tuned.

[GOT THISTLE? I picked this 20 perch thistle feeder anticipating the big finch flight, but wasn't exactly expecting results this fast - the day after I hung it every perch was occupied by American Goldfinches and Pine Siskins. CMBO-CRE in Goshen has a great selection of feeders, including this one, as well as seed. Photo taken in Del Haven yesterday.]