Island Beach, Avalon seabird count, and hawks yesterday

I'm guessing today's Cape May hawk count, with the passing of the front, was better than yesterday's, a safe bet given that Chris Brown tallied a whopping 6 raptors yesterday (Thursday). However, there was some quality among Thursday's birds - a lot of quality, actually: Bald Eagle, Northern Harrier, sharpie, goshawk, and red-shouldered. That's okay for any day list, no?

I was up at Island Beach leading a trip today with Pete Bacinski, Scott Barnes, Karla Risdon, Tom Gilmore, and a hardy crew of NJAS supporters. If you've never been to Island Beach, please go - it's a display of what the whole mid-Atlantic coast used to look like, and should today, a matrix of dune forest and thicket, plus salt marsh and beach. NJAS members had a significant hand in protecting this site for perpetuity.

I've decided that the morning flight we count each year in Cape May is in part derived from birds that get south of Island Beach in the early morning hours only to discover that there's almost zero habitat between there and Delaware Bay. So the birds reach Cape May Point, still looking for habitat, and can only turn northward along the bay shore, where thankfully they can find resting places in the varied parcels of the Cape May NWR.

Scoters were surprisingly sparse at Island Beach today, except it's not such a surprise given that the Avalon Sea Watch has topped 700,000 birds with a month yet to go. This could be the year the official watch, conducted September 22 to December 22, tops one million birds. But the "barrel" of birds to come certainly has drained down. Gannets, however, were omnipresently and abundantly present, a few loons spiced the surf, and a late Osprey passed. The full list for Island Beach today is below. Bird numbers were light, frankly, and that had everything to do with the 20-30 mph northwest winds from which my face still burns, and from which passerines hid, while migrating seabirds were pushed out to sea.

We watched a Merlin munching on its prey, happily perched on a bayside Osprey platform, probably the favorite bird of this windy day. We'll be back at Island Beach tomorrow, alert in particular for migrant owls, because if the wind lays down tonight Saw-whets and Long-eareds will move.

Location: Island Beach State Park
Observation date: 11/16/07
Notes: NJAS trip, 20-30 mph nw winds.
Number of species: 48
Brant 75
American Black Duck 150
Northern Pintail 2
Green-winged Teal 25
Black Scoter 5
Long-tailed Duck 15
Bufflehead 25
Hooded Merganser 1
Red-breasted Merganser 50
Red-throated Loon 10
Common Loon 1
Northern Gannet 500
Double-crested Cormorant 50
Great Egret 1
Osprey 1
Northern Harrier 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk 2
Cooper's Hawk 1
Red-tailed Hawk 2
Merlin 2
Sanderling 20
Dunlin 10
Laughing Gull 10
Bonaparte's Gull 5
Ring-billed Gull 50
Herring Gull 20
Great Black-backed Gull 75
Forster's Tern 10
Royal Tern 5
Mourning Dove 20
Northern Flicker 2
American Crow 20
Carolina Chickadee 1
Tufted Titmouse 1
Carolina Wren 1
Golden-crowned Kinglet 5
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1
Hermit Thrush 1
American Robin 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler 5
Song Sparrow 1
White-throated Sparrow 1
Dark-eyed Junco 5
Red-winged Blackbird 5
House Finch 5
Pine Siskin 1
American Goldfinch 75
House Sparrow 5

Birds around Goshen, news from the point, and Delaware Atlas

Pete Dunne and I had to run an errand this afternoon, and walking out the door of the Center for Research and Education in Goshen, Pete remarked, "There sure are a lot more birds around here than there used to be." He meant, when the center first opened, before the wildlife gardens became established and the habitat had a chance to otherwise grow up.

I actually haven't had time to go looking for birds, though I did go on an owl chase a couple days ago when some jays began mobbing something so vocally I could hear them through my office window. Hermit Thrushes and Red-breasted Nuthatches were also upset, but though I checked the cedars carefully, I came up owl-less. I noticed several Field Sparrows during the search, and heard Purple Finches and one Pine Siskin overhead.

Just up the road on this afternoon that speaks "November" with its spitting rain and strong winds (guess this could be the end of the leaves, finally), a flock of Wild Turkeys foraged in a yard, a more and more common sight every year.

Last night I was up Delaware way, to speak at the Delaware Ornithological Society's meeting at the Ashland Nature Center, where this year an inaugural and very successful hawk watch has been conducted. A very fun and focused group of people. I learned that Delaware will begin its second Breeding Bird Atlas next year - when details become available I will post them here. I know I hope to take a block or too, atlassing is some of the most fun birding you can do. It adds a dimension - behavior watching to determine nesting status, and takes you to places that are often never birded otherwise, so discoveries are frequent.

This weekend it will finally be back to birding for me with Island Beach on both Friday and Saturday and CMBO's field trip, "Birding Cumberland," which Karen Johnson will co-lead with me on Sunday. Migrant waterfowl, raptors and passerines will be on the menu for that trip, which runs from 9 to 4. There are still a couple spaces available, call CMBO at 609.861.0700 to learn more or sign up.

Karl & Judy Lukens sent this report from Cape May Point from Wednesday's CMBO walk: "Nice show of sea birds at the start of this morning's walk; 77-100 close Gannets, Royal, and Forster's Terns, as well as flocks of off shore scoters and cormorants. Five snow buntings with a flock of Am. Pipits on the beach. A good variety of ducks in Bunker & Lighthouse Ponds, and Lily Lake. The Eurasian Wigeon is still hanging out with the American Wigeons on Lily Lake." Karl et. al.'s full list is below.

SPECIES SEEN ~ CMBO TRIP
11/14/2007 ~ in Cape May Point ~ New Jersey Checklist ~ 59 seen

Red-throated Loon 5
Common Loon 1
Pied-billed Grebe 3
Northern Gannet 75
Double-crested Cormorant 50
Great Blue Heron 3
Great Egret 1
Mute Swan 10
Canada Goose 10
Eurasian Wigeon 1
American Wigeon 50
Gadwall 10
Green-winged Teal 100
Mallard 20
Northern Shoveler 10
Black Scoter 20
Hooded Merganser 1
Ruddy Duck 15
Turkey Vulture 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk 3
Cooper's Hawk 1
Sanderling 30
Ring-billed Gull 5
Great Black-backed Gull 100
American Herring Gull 20
Laughing Gull 2
Forster's Tern 15
Royal Tern 10
Rock Pigeon 30
Mourning Dove 10
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 1
Tree Swallow 10
American Pipit 25
Golden-crowned Kinglet 5
Carolina Wren 2
Winter Wren 1
Gray Catbird 1
Northern Mockingbird 3
Eastern Bluebird 1
American Robin 30
Carolina Chickadee 5
Red-breasted Nuthatch 5
Blue Jay 5
American Crow x
European Starling 50
House Sparrow 20
House Finch 10
American Goldfinch 15
Yellow-rumped Warbler 10
Field Sparrow 1
Song Sparrow 4
Swamp Sparrow 1
White-throated Sparrow 5
Dark-eyed Junco 2
Snow Bunting 5
Northern Cardinal 5
Red-winged Blackbird 5

Saw-whet Flight, Reports from Two Mile Landing and the Beanery

I just learned that since October 15 this year, banders have captured about 175 Saw-whet Owls in Cape May at a station only run part-time, and in a different location than the place used in previous years. I always find it amazing that this many owls can pass through the point essentially unnoticed otherwise. Check the archives of Birding Fieldcraft http://www.birdcapemay.org/tigrina/tips_11107.shtml
for an article on finding migrant owls.

Results from this morning's Two Mile Beach walk are below, courtesy of Chuck and Mary Jane Slugg. Single lingering Snowy Egrets and Little Blue Herons were found by the Sluggs et. al. Both are scarce in winter in south coastal NJ, the Little Blue actually rare, though it is regularly found on the Cape May Christmas Bird Count.

Also below are results from Saturday's Beanery walk. Karl Lukens notes, "Cold, windy, threatening showers, with 3 hardy participants, but a nice walk after all. We even had a pinch of sun at the end. Loads of robins going in all directions, Bluebirds overhead and sitting in trees and farm machinery. A Kestrel at the start and a 1st year Bald Eagle near the end of the walk also made for nice viewing."

Location: Two Mile Beach
Observation date: 11/13/07
Number of species: 42
Brant 20
Canada Goose 15
American Black Duck 50
Black Scoter 75
Long-tailed Duck 2
Red-throated Loon 8
Common Loon 3
Northern Gannet 150
Double-crested Cormorant 60
Great Blue Heron 1
Great Egret 25
Snowy Egret 1
Little Blue Heron 1
Northern Harrier 1
Black-bellied Plover 1
Killdeer 3
Greater Yellowlegs 10
Willet 3
Ruddy Turnstone 10
Sanderling 15
Dunlin 8
Ring-billed Gull 3
Herring Gull 15
Great Black-backed Gull 50
Mourning Dove 5
Belted Kingfisher 1
Northern Flicker 1
American Crow 10
Carolina Wren 2
American Robin 25
Gray Catbird 5
Northern Mockingbird 1
European Starling 50
American Pipit 8
Yellow-rumped Warbler 50
Savannah Sparrow 1
Song Sparrow 5
Northern Cardinal 1
Boat-tailed Grackle 1
House Finch 7
American Goldfinch 5
House Sparrow 10

SPECIES SEEN ~ CMBO TRIP
11/10/2007 ~ in Beanery ~ New Jersey Checklist ~ 42 seen

Double-crested Cormorant 2
Great Blue Heron 2
Canada Goose 5
Mallard 8
Bald Eagle 1 - 1st yr.
Northern Harrier 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk 3
Red-tailed Hawk 1
American Kestrel 1
American Herring Gull 1
Rock Pigeon 10
Mourning Dove 40
Northern Flicker 3
American Pipit 3
Carolina Wren 5
Winter Wren 2
Gray Catbird 1
Northern Mockingbird 1
Eastern Bluebird 70
American Robin 500
Carolina Chickadee 3
Tufted Titmouse 1
Blue Jay 3
American Crow 50
European Starling 10
House Sparrow 5
Purple Finch 2
House Finch 5
American Goldfinch 25
Yellow-rumped Warbler 10
Eastern Towhee 1
Savannah Sparrow 1
Song Sparrow 5
Swamp Sparrow 5
White-throated Sparrow 3
Dark-eyed Junco 2
Northern Cardinal 2
Red-winged Blackbird 25
Eastern Meadowlark 40
Rusty Blackbird 2
Common Grackle 25
Brown-headed Cowbird 25

The Turn of the Season at the Meadows

[Eurasian Wigeon, 3rd bird from right, on Lily Lake this morning. Photo by Don Freiday, click to enlarge.]

You know fall is slipping away when . . . Red-throated Loons accumulate under Northern Gannets (many and close) off Cape May. Or when the only shorebirds you see are Sanderlings and 10 Greater Yellowlegs searching for a place to land. Or a Horned Grebe floats just off the beach, 4 Cave Swallows mix with Tree Swallows, and you let your glasses linger on the one late Osprey, wondering if it will be the last. And, sealing the deal, a Bonaparte's Gull which daintily floated into the pond near the tower at the meadows, a.k.a. the Cape May Migratory Bird Refuge.

This chilly, cloudy morning was the last CMBO walk of fall at the meadows. Although certainly much good birding, seawatching, and probably more rarities, await before the start of CBC (Christmas Bird Count) season, the birds we saw seemed to remind all present that fall migration is winding down.

And the birds we didn't see. For the first time, we walked down the west path nearly all the way without flushing a sparrow, a contrast to recent weeks when many, especially Swamps and Songs, caused to take a step and stop, take a step and stop, as one or 10 flushed from the weeds near the path. Nary a Palm Warbler was detected. No Blue-winged Teal could be found, reminding everyone that "neotropical migrant" does not just apply to songbirds, as many Blue-winged Teal winter in South America, south of, say, Blue-winged Warblers.

Morning flight today consisted of robins and yellow-rumps, spiced by a few Purple Finches, more goldfinches, and at least 100 American Pipits, 25 of of which landed on the island in the east pool of the meadows. They've done this for us before, so if you're in need of a pipit, check the island as well as the beach. George Myers reports he had 150 pipits at the Beanery today.

A diverse mix of ducks has formed on Lily Lake, including the show-starring drake Eurasian Wigeon. The Eurasian Wigeon does just as good a job as the 50+ American Wigeon at stealing food brought up from the bottom by the coots and Ring-necked Ducks, by the way. At least four Pied-billed Grebes, two dozen Ruddy Ducks, Gadwalls, and shoveler are on Lily Lake, too. Best viewing is from West Lake Drive just south of Holly; you can only park on the side of the road opposite the lake, so drive around the lake counter-clockwise. A Yellow-bellied Sapsucker flew over while I was looking at the wigeon - I imagine a walk about town could be a could way to find this and other short-distance migrants.

If you go looking for the Red-headed Woodpeckers at the Villas WMA, they are hanging out at the back left (SE) portion of the area. Follow the path to left and look for a red post when you near the south edge of the property; look in this vicinity.

CMBO Villas WMA walk- 11/11/07

Below is a list, sent to me by George Meyers, of species seen on the CMBO Villas WMA walk, yesterday, 11/11.

EDIT: Just noticed that George provided some photos of the imm. Red-headed woodpecker and the flock of rusty blackbirds observed on the Villas WMA walk. Enjoy!





"Highlights from the Villas WMA Walk this morning 11/11.

Good numbers of American Goldfinches and American Robins but the big highlight was at least 60 Rusty Blackbirds!

Also:
One of the immature Red-headed Woodpeckers taking acorns from a Willow Oak and storing them in a particular dead snag.
Several Red-breasted Nuthatches
5 Purple Finch
1 Pine Siskin
1 White-breasted Nuthatch
1 Brown Creeper
15 Ring-necked Ducks
1 Lesser Scaup
3 Ruddy Ducks
1 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
1 Merlin
3 Sharp-shinned Hawks (one that had what looked like a Tufted Titmouse in it's talons)"

Goshawk v. Cooper's Hawk!

This just in from Jessie Barrie, from yesterday at the hawk watch: "Cool flight today, but it only lasted from ~930-1130. Cave Swallows congregated along dunes at dusk. At least 6 individuals, also seen throughout day. Biting NE wind throughout the day.If you plan on coming out to the hawkwatch, its time to bring lots of layers. Flyby Cattle Egret, also a highlight. Gannet numbers were spectacular in the rips. Gannets were very close to shore in general, and a kettle of 40 formed next to the Bunker at one point. But, one of the most incredible sightings of the season was an adult Northern Goshawk chasing a Cooper's Hawk. They locked talons twice, and ultimately the two birds spun to the ground out of sight. I wouldn't be surprised it that was that Cooper's Hawk's last flight."

Truly unbelievable! Although I once saw a Great-horned Owl carrying a still-flopping Cooper's Hawk, and Pete Dunne told me about a gos taking a sharpie up on Racoon Ridge. Raptors do eat each other when they can.

I hear that the Avalon Seawatch had another strong gannet and scoter flight yesterday. Finally, following is a report from CMBO's afternoon walk at Cape May Point State Park, courtesy of Chuck and Mary Jane Slugg, also from yesterday:

Location: Cape May Point SP
Observation date: 11/10/07
Number of species: 53
Canada Goose 40
Mute Swan 8
Gadwall 10
American Wigeon 40
American Black Duck 2
Mallard 30
Northern Shoveler 15
Northern Pintail 30
Green-winged Teal 50
Black Scoter 40
Hooded Merganser 10
Ruddy Duck 10
Common Loon 5
Northern Gannet 50
Double-crested Cormorant 60
Great Blue Heron 8
Great Egret 3
Black Vulture 2
Turkey Vulture 10
Northern Harrier 10
Sharp-shinned Hawk 5
Cooper's Hawk 2
Red-tailed Hawk 1
American Coot 10
Herring Gull 15
Great Black-backed Gull 75
Royal Tern 5
Rock Pigeon 20
Mourning Dove 10
Belted Kingfisher 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker 2
Northern Flicker 5
Eastern Phoebe 1
Blue Jay 8
American Crow 10
Tree Swallow 200
Cave Swallow 2
Carolina Chickadee 5
Red-breasted Nuthatch 5
Carolina Wren 7
Golden-crowned Kinglet 1
American Robin 300
Northern Mockingbird 1
European Starling 75
Yellow-rumped Warbler 25
Eastern Towhee 1
Savannah Sparrow 4
Song Sparrow 2
Swamp Sparrow 6
Northern Cardinal 2
Red-winged Blackbird 20
House Finch 20
American Goldfinch 12

If you're looking for a Western Kingbird. . .

. . . there's one being seen right now (3:00 p.m.) by Karen Johnson et. al. Check out the NJ DeLorme Atlas page 68, M-5. Take Fortescue Road out of Newport, turn right on County Road 643, and look for the bird on the left in 1 to 1.5 miles. See below for a photo of this bird, taken earlier by George Myers.