Cape May Birding Hotline 3-4-2011

Hotline: Cape May Birding Hotline
To Report: call (609) 884-2736, or email sightingsATbirdcapemay.org
Coverage: Cape May, Cumberland and Atlantic Counties , NJ
Compiler: David Lord, 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 Friday, March 4th, 2011. Highlights this week include sightings of GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE, GRASSHOPPER SPARROW, EURASIAN WIGEON, BLACK-HEADED GULL, RAZORBILL, LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL plus first of spring arrivals of PIPING PLOVER, LAUGHING GULL, CLIFF SWALLOW, CAVE SWALLOW, PURPLE MARTIN

A GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was discovered on Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011 in a pond on Bayberry Rd. (South of Stone Harbor Blvd, East of the Garden State Parkway). It was last reported on Thursday, March 3rd, 2011 about .25 miles south of Stone Harbor Blvd.

A GRASSHOPPER SPARROW continues at Mt. Vernon Ave. (“Cove Pool”) in Cape May, and was last seen on Thursday, March 3rd, 2011.

A female EURASIAN WIGEON was observed on Bunker Pond in Cape May Point State Park on Tuesday, March 1st, 2011.

Two BLACK-HEADED GULLS were observed at Miami Beach in the Villas on Thursday, February 24th, 2011.

A RAZORBILL was seen flying south at Sunset Beach in Cape May on Friday, February 25th, 2011.

A first cycle LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was observed on Lake Champlain in the Villas on Thursday, February 24th, 2011.


The following are First of Spring Arrivals for 2011: PIPING PLOVER, LAUGHING GULL 2/27; CLIFF SWALLOW, CAVE SWALLOW 3/1; PURPLE MARTIN 3/3.




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



ANNOUNCEMENTS:

******CMBO WINTER HOURS are as follows: Northwood Center on East Lake Drive in Cape May Point is every day except Tuesday, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 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. ******

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!