Adult (left) and juvenile (right) Hudsonian Godwits, two of the eight that passed the Point today. To generalize, adults usually migrate earlier in the season (July/ August), while juveniles come through later (often September/ October). It was interesting to have a mixed age flock fly by today. The adult has a whiter belly (basic plumage) with traces of reddish belly feathers (presumably retained alternate plumage), while the juvenile has a creamy belly (the upperwing showed crisp, neatly fringed juvenile coverts as well). I would guess that the adult bird is a female based on its very long bill - the juvenile is likely a male with a shorter bill, but I'm not sure when the juveniles' bills reach full length, so such a claim might be presumptuous. Curlews, for example, often have shorter bills into at least the beginning of their first winter.
This Pine Warbler was boldly occupying a non-pine this evening in Cape May Point.
A Black-throated Blue Warbler delighted many visitors today as it fed at waist-height in a buggy Siberian Elm.
... and Cape May Warblers stole the show again, with up to 7 in one tree on East Lake Drive during the late morning hours.[all photos copyright Tom Johnson]
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