Pipits, Jaegers and Blue-headed Vireo

This morning's Meadows walk highlight for me was a White-breasted Nuthatch, rather unexpected in the dune scrub near the beach. The crowd pleasers, though, were reasonably close views of an adult light morph Parasitic Jaeger pursuing gulls in the relentless jaeger way, as well as six American Pipits which dropped onto the island east of the east path for scope views. A few of us saw Lincoln's Sparrow amidst the swarms of Savannahs, Swamps and Songs, and most people got good views of immature White-crowned Sparrow on the path that runs next to the road.

After the walk I wandered over to the Hawk Watch Platform, where a Blue-headed Vireo put on a good show in the shrubs out front. A flock of five Red-breasted Nuthatches flew out of the cedars and over the platform briefly before changing their mind and returning to the cedars. Five in a flock (and others left behind calling) gives a sense of what a flight year it is for r.b. nuts. Tree Swallows did a little tornado-ing over the pond, and a Rough-winged revealed itself with a brrrt.

There were a couple Blue-winged Teal on Bunker Pond - we had missed them in the Meadows. Blue-wingeds start to thin out in mid October, not surprising considering the majority of this species winters south of the U.S. border, and many of them find their way to South America.

Another bird in the thinning-out department is Chimney Swift, so the one foraging over the pond was worth noting. The last Chimney Swifts in Cape May normally disappear the first week in November, off to their wintering grounds in Brazil, Peru and Chile.

A quick e-bird entry for my 20 minutes at the platform revealed I'd seen 47 species, and that was spending more time talking with folks than birding. Both of this morning's lists follow.


Location: South Cape May Meadows
Observation date: 10/15/07
Notes: CMBO's Monday walk.
Number of species: 57
Canada Goose 25
Mute Swan 8
Gadwall 8
American Wigeon 20
American Black Duck 3
Mallard 25
Northern Shoveler 10
Northern Pintail 3
Green-winged Teal 15
Double-crested Cormorant 50
Great Blue Heron 1
Great Egret 1
Snowy Egret 1
Turkey Vulture 5
Osprey 5
Sharp-shinned Hawk 10
Cooper's Hawk 2
American Kestrel 1
Greater Yellowlegs 6
Sanderling 10
Laughing Gull 150
Ring-billed Gull 10
Herring Gull 25
Great Black-backed Gull 75
Forster's Tern 15
Royal Tern 10
Parasitic Jaeger 2 1 adult light morph, one dark ad or juv
Rock Pigeon 35
Mourning Dove 5
Northern Flicker 25
Blue Jay 10
American Crow 10
Tree Swallow 200
Red-breasted Nuthatch 5
White-breasted Nuthatch 1 in scrub on dune, really unusual
American Robin 150
Gray Catbird 5
Northern Mockingbird 1
European Starling 50
American Pipit 8 6 landed on island east of east path
Cedar Waxwing 10
Yellow-rumped Warbler 500
Palm Warbler 25
Savannah Sparrow 25
Song Sparrow 10
Lincoln's Sparrow 2 not seen by all
Swamp Sparrow 20
White-throated Sparrow 5
White-crowned Sparrow 2
Northern Cardinal 2
Red-winged Blackbird 20
Eastern Meadowlark 2
Boat-tailed Grackle 6
Brown-headed Cowbird 10
House Finch 5
American Goldfinch 5
House Sparrow 20


Location: Cape May Point SP
Observation date: 10/15/07
Number of species: 47
Canada Goose X
Mute Swan X
Gadwall X
American Wigeon X
American Black Duck X
Mallard X
Blue-winged Teal X
Northern Shoveler X
Green-winged Teal X
Double-crested Cormorant X
Great Egret X
Snowy Egret X
Turkey Vulture X
Osprey X
Bald Eagle X
Northern Harrier X
Sharp-shinned Hawk X
Cooper's Hawk X
American Kestrel X
Laughing Gull X
Ring-billed Gull X
Herring Gull X
Great Black-backed Gull X
Royal Tern X
Rock Pigeon X
Mourning Dove X
Chimney Swift 1
Northern Flicker X
Blue-headed Vireo 1
Blue Jay X
American Crow X
Tree Swallow X
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 1
Carolina Chickadee X
Red-breasted Nuthatch 10
Golden-crowned Kinglet X
Ruby-crowned Kinglet X
American Robin X
Gray Catbird X
Northern Mockingbird X
European Starling X
Cedar Waxwing X
Yellow-rumped Warbler X
Palm Warbler X
White-throated Sparrow X
House Finch X
House Sparrow X

CMBO Villas WMA walk- 10/14/07

This note and list was emailed to me from George Myers, re: the CMBO Villas WMA walk held yesterday 10/14.

"An interesting morning at Villas WMA. A good number of Palm and Yellow-rumped Warblers, and Chipping Sparrows in the overgrown fields."

Some other highlights:
1 Yellow-billed Cuckoo
10+ Red-breasted Nuthatches
3+ Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers
5 Eastern Phoebes
4 Black-throated Green Warblers
1 Dark-eyed Junco
7 Eastern Meadowlarks
1 Dickcissel
5 Purple Finches
2 American Kestrels
1 Merlin
2 Osprey
1 1st year Bald Eagle
3 Cooper's Hawks
2 Sharp-shinned Hawks

Cape May Point....loads of birds moving.....

Many of them as you may expect were Yellow-rumped warblers. In looking up at the sky at many points you could help but to be looking at birds; sometimes by the hundreds. We had a few good finds on our walk around the Point this morning, Pine siskin was one of the best, in my opinion. Heck, I was just glad to know that I remember what they sound like. While we were sorting through seemingly endless flocks of yellow-rumps, near the corner of Coral Ave and Harvard Ave., a flock of six Pine siskins obligingly sat for but a few minuets in a tree for us to enjoy.

Other nice sightings were eleven,... that's right 11, Parasitic Jaegers chasing terns and gulls over the Delaware Bay. A few Northern gannets were spotted at a good distance and a flock of 6 Common loons flew past as well.

I tried to string a Clay-colored sparrow at one point in a flock of many white-throateds, but in the end the rump color gave the birds true identity away.

Aside from the passerine migrants, co-dominance of the sky was shared with raptors and monarchs. Evidently, there was a very large push of monarch butterflies through Cape May yesterday. That flight was evidenced by the number of butterflies in the sky this morning. I anticipate that there should be some good roosts in the Cape May area this evening given the cooler temps. and numbers of the little beauties around.

I have not heard but I'd guess that the hawk watch has been great today. When walking back to the Northwood Center this morning we had a couple of good kettles of accipiters over head. No goshawks but many sharpies and and a number of Cooper's hawks as well. The bad part is that with the lighter winds and blue skies the hawks can get high, and fast!

Be on the look out for good migration over the next few days. The winds are supposed to stay W to NW for the next couple of days and be light and variable over night. So, what does this mean? If you can get out (i.e. that work stuff doesn't ruin good birding days) get out! Even if you do have to work, get up early and take a short walk around your "local patch." You never know what you might find.

Below are two lists. I know I haven't posted a personal list for a few days, it's that time of year. Time is at a premium. So, I won't bore you with the four or so lists I have..... Actually, I'll bore you with three lists. The first will be from today's walk around Cape May Point. The second list will be from yesterday's CMBO Birding Optics walk. The last list will be from Wednesday's CMBO Twilight Watch walk. By the way, if you are interested in heading out on the Twilight Watch or Birding Optics walk, time is of the essence. There are only of couple of opportunities left. Check out the Naturalist Calendar to find out the times of the walks and all other programs which CMBO runs at this time of year. Lastly, don't forget the upcoming Autumn Weekend and THE Bird Show. I think that is still time to register. Call the CMBO Center for Research and Education to register.

Location: Cape May Point
Observation date: 10/14/07
Number of species: 71

Canada Goose 42
Mute Swan 24
American Wigeon 79
Mallard 21
Northern Shoveler 4
Ruddy Duck 2
Common Loon 9
Pied-billed Grebe 8
Northern Gannet 5
Double-crested Cormorant 95
Great Egret 1
Osprey 6
Bald Eagle 1
Northern Harrier 13
Sharp-shinned Hawk 50
Cooper's Hawk 18
American Kestrel 4
American Coot 2
Greater Yellowlegs 2
Lesser Yellowlegs 4
Sanderling 6
Semipalmated Sandpiper 5
Laughing Gull X
Ring-billed Gull 6
Herring Gull X
Great Black-backed Gull X
Caspian Tern 2
Common Tern X
Royal Tern 10
Parasitic Jaeger 12
Rock Pigeon 37
Mourning Dove 22
Belted Kingfisher 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 26
Eastern Phoebe 1
Blue Jay 40
American Crow 10
Fish Crow 4
Tree Swallow 65
Barn Swallow 1
Carolina Chickadee 25
Red-breasted Nuthatch 18
White-breasted Nuthatch 1
Carolina Wren 10
Golden-crowned Kinglet 10
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 8
American Robin 85
Northern Mockingbird 6
European Starling 122
Yellow-rumped Warbler 478
Black-throated Green Warbler 1
Palm Warbler 8
Blackpoll Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 2
Eastern Towhee 4
Chipping Sparrow 1
Song Sparrow 4
Swamp Sparrow 5
White-throated Sparrow 15
Dark-eyed Junco 1
Northern Cardinal 6
Bobolink 3
Red-winged Blackbird 280
Eastern Meadowlark 15
Common Grackle 10
Boat-tailed Grackle 1
House Finch 45
Pine Siskin 7
American Goldfinch 6
House Sparrow 45

Location: Cape May Point SP
Observation date: 10/13/07
Notes: CMBO Birding Optics walk
Number of species: 73

Brant 4
Canada Goose 55
Mute Swan 6
Wood Duck 3
Gadwall 8
American Wigeon 4
Mallard 22
Northern Shoveler 5
Northern Pintail 1
Green-winged Teal 68
scoter sp. 35
Common Loon 9
Double-crested Cormorant 26
Great Blue Heron 3
Great Egret 6
Snowy Egret 10
Turkey Vulture 3
Osprey 4
Bald Eagle 2
Northern Harrier 14
Sharp-shinned Hawk 65
Cooper's Hawk 8
Broad-winged Hawk 1
American Kestrel 1
Merlin 1
Killdeer 8
Greater Yellowlegs 1
Laughing Gull 150
Ring-billed Gull 2
Herring Gull 56
Great Black-backed Gull 35
Common Tern 6
Forster's Tern 2
Royal Tern 12
Parasitic Jaeger 3
Rock Pigeon 35
Mourning Dove 25
Belted Kingfisher 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1
Downy Woodpecker 2
Northern Flicker 50
Eastern Phoebe 1
Red-eyed Vireo 1
Blue Jay 1
American Crow 5
Fish Crow 12
Tree Swallow 1000
Red-breasted Nuthatch 4
Carolina Wren 6
Golden-crowned Kinglet 15
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 4
American Robin 115
Gray Catbird 6
Northern Mockingbird 2
Brown Thrasher 1
European Starling 35
American Pipit 12
Cedar Waxwing 6
Yellow-rumped Warbler 500
Palm Warbler 30
Savannah Sparrow 35
Song Sparrow 3
Swamp Sparrow 15
White-crowned Sparrow 2
Northern Cardinal 2
Indigo Bunting 4
Red-winged Blackbird 600
Eastern Meadowlark 33
Common Grackle 25
House Finch 8
American Goldfinch 8
House Sparrow 35

Location: South Cape May Meadows
Observation date: 10/10/07
Notes: CMBO Twilight Watch walk
Number of species: 32

Canada Goose 30
Mute Swan 5
Gadwall 15
American Wigeon 35
American Black Duck 2
Mallard 15
Blue-winged Teal 10
Northern Shoveler 8
Northern Pintail 4
Green-winged Teal 35
Surf Scoter 3
scoter sp. 30
Double-crested Cormorant 15
Great Blue Heron 25
Great Egret 1
Snowy Egret 2
Black-crowned Night-Heron 35
Merlin 12
Peregrine Falcon 2
Laughing Gull 250
Ring-billed Gull 15
Herring Gull 45
Great Black-backed Gull 79
Common Tern X
Royal Tern X
Black Skimmer 250
Parasitic Jaeger 1
Northern Mockingbird 2
Yellow-rumped Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 3
Swamp Sparrow 6
Red-winged Blackbird 8

This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)

Jaeger and Great Cormorant at the Sea Watch

Birds were not exactly pouring by the Avalon Seawatch this afternoon, but enough was happening to pique any birder's interest. Ken Behrens picked out a distant adult light morph Parasitic Jaeger pursuing gulls, way out beyond the number 6 buoy, and cormorants passed in their typically disorganized fashion. Both Black and Surf Scoters appeared in small groups, and Ken (the official counter), Gail Dwyer, Hilary Cresko (CMBO's Seawatch interpreter) and I talked about these species in sillouette. Blacks have thin necks, so their head stands out from the neck, as well as steep foreheads. Surfs have thick necks and sloping foreheads. Ken noted that some people say there is a difference in the wingbeat, but I agree with his assessment - there really isn't. At least not much.

An adult Great Cormorant came past dwarfing the Double-crested Cormorant it was with - Greats weigh almost twice as much as Double-crested, though they are only a few inches longer.

Other species seen from the seawatch this afternoon included Royal, Forster's and Caspian Terns, Common Loons, Northern Gannets, Green-winged Teal, and Peregrine Falcon.

This morning my first Dark-eyed Juncoes of the fall graced the thicket east of the Nature Center of Cape May, and with them was an immature White-crowned Sparrow, White-throated Sparrows, and many Golden-crowned Kinglets.

CMBO Beanery walk 10/13/07

This message was just emailed to me from Karl and Judy Lukens, re: the CMBO Beanery walk this morning.


"Good numbers of Yellow-rumps, Palms, and Savannah Sparrows! on a chilly (39 degrees at the start) morning."

SPECIES SEEN ~ CMBO TRIP

10/13/2007 ~ in Beanery ~ New Jersey Checklist ~ 50 seen

Double-crested Cormorant 20
Great Blue Heron 1
Great Egret 4
Snowy Egret 3
Canada Goose 50
Turkey Vulture 5
Osprey 1
Northern Harrier 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk 3
Cooper's Hawk 1
Broad-winged Hawk 2
American Kestrel 1
American Herring Gull 1
Rock Pigeon 5
Mourning Dove 10
Red-bellied Woodpecker 2
Downy Woodpecker 2
Northern Flicker 10
Eastern Phoebe 1
Tree Swallow 5
Golden-crowned Kinglet 3
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1
Carolina Wren 5
Gray Catbird 2
Northern Mockingbird 1
American Robin 15
Carolina Chickadee 5
Tufted Titmouse 1
Red-breasted Nuthatch 1
Blue Jay 10
American Crow 20
European Starling 30
House Sparrow 5
Northern Parula 2
Yellow-rumped Warbler 50
Black-throated Green Warbler 3
Palm Warbler 30
Blackpoll Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 2
Savannah Sparrow 75
Song Sparrow 3
Swamp Sparrow 5
White-throated Sparrow 5
Northern Cardinal 5
Blue Grosbeak 1
Indigo Bunting 4
Red-winged Blackbird 10
Eastern Meadowlark 10
Common Grackle 5
Brown-headed Cowbird 5

Anhinga, Branta, Calliope (not) - unusual ABC's

An Anhinga soared over the Cape May Hawk Watch Platform on Thursday, spotted by "swing" counter Chris Brown. . .the male Calliope Hummingbird has not been seen since last Saturday, October 6. . . 4 species of geese came over the Hawkwatch this evening. . . and tonight there is going to be a hek of a landbird flight, followed by another hek of a flight, this one hawks, during the day tomorrow. There's the news in brief.

About the geese: a really fun little mixed group of Canadas and Snows came over the Hawkwatch late this afternoon, about 40 birds in all - "Geese celebrating diversity," I joked. When they reached Cape May Point, the flock split along color lines, with the Snows continuing southward towards Delaware and the Canadas turning westward seemingly looking for a place to set down.

Later, two sets of "Canadas" came along roughly the same track as the snows had, but in separate groups. I was eyeing the smaller group, five birds, with some degree of interest when Jessie Barry said, "Those are small geese." I agreed, "They are small geese," and with very short necks and long wings, too, I was thinking. Five Cackling Geese, probably a family group of the Richardson's race, flying characteristically apart from the Canadas migrating nearby. Chris Brown snapped some pictures, hopefully I'll be able to post them here soon.

The fourth goose species of the afternoon, and the third Branta, came in the form of Atlantic Brant flying eastward past the bunker, over the ocean.

In other news. . . I heard that Ken Behrens at the Avalon Seawatch spotted two Yellow-billed Cuckoos and a Connecticut Warbler flying in off the ocean this morning. Dick Walton reports that "A cold front passage on 10/13 brought a fresh push of monarchs through Cape May. Migrants should continue throughout the weekend." And ducks seemed to have increased today in Cape May. In fact, everything did - consider the following list from a half-hour's observation, 4:45-5:15 at the Hawkwatch platform:


Location: Cape May Point SP
Observation date: 10/12/07
Number of species: 48
Snow Goose 10
Brant 25
Cackling Goose 5
Canada Goose 50
Mute Swan 1
Wood Duck 3
Gadwall 5
American Wigeon 10
American Black Duck 2
Mallard 25
Blue-winged Teal 5
Northern Shoveler 15
Northern Pintail 2
Green-winged Teal 25
Double-crested Cormorant 20
Great Blue Heron 10
Great Egret 3
Snowy Egret 10
Little Blue Heron 2
Black Vulture 10
Turkey Vulture 20
Osprey 10
Bald Eagle 1
Northern Harrier 5
Sharp-shinned Hawk 10
Cooper's Hawk 5
Red-tailed Hawk 1
American Kestrel 5
Merlin 15
Killdeer 1
Greater Yellowlegs 5
Lesser Yellowlegs 20
Pectoral Sandpiper 2
Stilt Sandpiper 1
Laughing Gull 50
Herring Gull 5
Great Black-backed Gull 10
Mourning Dove 5
Carolina Wren 1
European Starling 20
Cedar Waxwing 5
Yellow-rumped Warbler 10
Palm Warbler 5
White-crowned Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal 1
Red-winged Blackbird 25
House Finch 5
House Sparrow 50

Common Eider, Marbled Godwits, Brant, and Birds put to Flight

Common or King? King or Common? I didn't really have time to look closely first thing this morning, while leading a group of beginning birders, but I went back later and found the [now] 100% Common Eider we observed near the Bunker at Cape May Point during CMBO's "Bird Walk for All People." This walk is great for all birders but especially beginners, and wasn't the place to scrutinize a somewhat distant eider for forehead slope and exact shape and structure of the bill. Better to get close-ups of egrets and watch fly-by Peregrines, both of which were readily available at the state park. As was a nice mix of ducks, including a female Northern Pintail and a few wigeon in breeding plumage. Cormorants flew steadily past, and a few groups of scoters went by offshore. Common Loons also migrated over land and sea, and several lingered on the ocean off the state park.

Later in the day all attempts to enumerate the shorebirds at Stone Harbor were put to flight, literally, as an adult Bald Eagle came over the free bridge at low tide and sent 11 Marbled Godwits and higher numbers of oystercatchers, "Western" Willets, Western Sandpipers, Black-bellied Plovers, Dunlin, yellowlegs, and who knows what else to wing. All made worthwhile, however, by the two Caspian Terns which mobbed the eagle (an adult) right over the bridge, right over our heads, and northward, out of sight. An accumulation of about 70 Brant in the inlet made it seem somehow wintry, an effect enhanced by cloudy skies, cold wind, and falling temperatures. Tide is really important at this site - at high tide, little will be found from the free bridge, so you're better off checking Nummy Island.

Yesterday I got my first bird's eye view of the Cape May Rips, the area of rough water off Cape May Point so attractive to birds, birders, fish, and fishermen. While on a boat fishing out there with Mike Fritz and other friends, we saw at least 3 different Parasitic Jaegers, including an adult light morph which leisurely paralleled our boat as we cruised at 30 knots. It was easy to see why birds are attracted to the rips - bluefish were thick, pushing baitfish to the surface.

With all this food in the water, and winds bringing cool water and migrating birds, thoughts now should turn to the Avalon Seawatch. Results from the seawatch, and the Cape May Hawkwatch and Morning Flight, can be found on this web site under View from the Field - check it out.