Hotline: Cape May Birding Hotline
To Report: call: (609) 884-2736 or email: coturnicops AT gmail DOT com
Coverage: Cape May, Cumberland and Atlantic Counties, NJ
Compiler: Tom Reed
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, October 25, 2012. Included this week are sightings of TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE, PACIFIC LOON, CATTLE EGRET, NORTHERN GOSHAWK, BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE, EURASIAN
COLLARED-DOVE, WESTERN KINGBIRD, NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW, BARN SWALLOW, CAVE SWALLOW, WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH, LAPLAND LONGSPUR, VESPER SPARROW, LARK
SPARROW, GRASSHOPPER SPARROW, NELSON'S SPARROW, RED CROSSBILL, PINE SISKIN, and EVENING GROSBEAK.
A TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE* was discovered in West Cape May near Pond Creek Lane on 10/25, seen flying toward the western end of Stevens Street. The bird has not been relocated. This represents the 1st Cape May County record of the species.
A PACIFIC LOON* was seen flying south past the Avalon Seawatch on 10/25, while another possible PACIFIC LOON was photographed flying past the same location on 10/23. An immature BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE was notched from the Seawatch on 10/24.
Finches continued to impress this week. A flock of 15 EVENING GROSBEAKS entertained along East Katherine Avenue in Seaville on 10/25, and are hopefully the first of many to be seen this fall/winter. RED CROSSBILLS were noted flying over Cape May Point on 10/21, 10/22 and 10/24. Over 1,000 PINE SISKINS were tallied over the Point on 10/22.
An early CAVE SWALLOW was seen flying over Cape May Point on 10/22. Other notable swallows included 11 BARN SWALLOWS over the Point on 10/25, and 15+ NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOWS over the Point throughout much of the week.
It has been a decent season for WESTERN KINGBIRDS, and one was found in the 4th field at Higbee Beach WMA on 10/23. Yet another WESTERN KINGBIRD was seen flying past the dunes in Cape May Point on 10/22.
It's a good time for sparrows, with upwards of 9 VESPER SPARROWS at the Magnesite Plant on 10/22, and multiples at the Rea Farm/Beanery through much of the week. A LARK SPARROW was seen flying past the South Cape May Meadows on 10/23, while a GRASSHOPPER SPARROW was found at the Schellenger Tract of Cape May NWR on the same day. Two NELSON'S SPARROWS were found at Jake's Landing on 10/20.
A LAPLAND LONGSPUR was found on the 2nd Avenue Jetty in Cape May on 10/25. Another flew past the South Cape May Meadows on 10/23.
A notable flight of 22 WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCHES was logged at the Higbee Dike on 10/21.
A late flock of 5 CATTLE EGRETS took up residence on Bunker Pond (Cape May Pt State Park) on 10/21.
NORTHERN GOSHAWKS were recorded at the Cape May Hawk Watch on 10/22 and 10/23, and one was seen from the Higbee Dike on 10/23.
Finally, Cape May Point's resident EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES*
continued to show regularly in the area of Lincoln, Whildin and Harvard
Avenues.
* - denotes
a Review List species in New Jersey, as designated by the New Jersey
Bird Records Committee (NJBRC). Observers are strongly encouraged to
submit documentation of such species to the Committee. Details should be
sent to: report@njbrc.net
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!