Vince Elia just called to let me know there is an American Avocet at Heislerville right now, found by Paula Clark. There was a male Curlew Sandpiper there earlier amidst the bazillion shorebirds which are flushing repeatedly.
Glenn Davis picked a Swallow-tailed Kite over his house in Green Creek, headed south, a little after noon today.
At least 2 Mississippi Kites have been seen in various places in Cape May today, along with a collection of 50+ buteos, mostly Broad-winged hawks, that has been moving around Cape Island. A singing Grasshopper Sparrow and Dickcissel were along Bayshore Road, on the left hand side in the last field on the left (west) before the development, as you head towards New England Road, along with about a dozen Bobolinks in the distance, according to Michael and Louise.
Full results for the WSB have been posted on the WSB page.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Monday, May 11, 2009
About those kites. . .plus full meadows report
So what happened was I yelled out "Swallow-tailed Kite!" ( a great way to get a birding group's attention), realized that the bird was showing wing molt that last week's Swallow-tailed in Cape May had not, and before we knew it we were looking at three Swallow-taileds in one field of view! Prior to the current spring there were 72 accepted records for this species in NJ; apparently none involved multiple birds.
Other highlights from this morning's meadows walk included a lovely Horned Lark that dropped onto the dunes while we were looking for the Black-necked Stilt, which we did not find. Three Little Blues, a Tri-colored and a Green Heron, plus the usual snowies and greats, were a nice mix. One of the Little Blues was a funkadelic molting second-year bird, mostly white with patchy blue. One of the two adult Bald Eagles we saw pursued an Osprey, but for once the Osprey got away with the fish. A Yellow-breasted Chat did a brief display for some of the group, and at least 3 Marsh Wrens are now singing along the east path. Three Bonaparte's lingered on the island, but there was sign of neither Roseate nor Arctic Terns, both of which were seen during the WSB on Saturday. The full list from today's walk is below.
Two subadult Mississippi Kites were seen together over the Beanery/Stevens Street yesterday, one browner than the other. With yesterday's strong northwest winds (which undoubtedly contributed to the presence of today's swallow-taileds), there were plenty of other raptors afloat - I saw 2 Cooper's, one Sharp-shinned, several Bald Eagles and Red-taileds, and a few Broad-wingeds in a half-hour scanning.
Location: South Cape May Meadows
Observation date: 5/11/09
Notes: CMBO Monday walk, spectacular!!!
Number of species: 71
Brant 3
Canada Goose 10
Mute Swan 20
Gadwall 5
Mallard 5
Common Loon 3
Northern Gannet 10
Double-crested Cormorant 50
Great Egret 5
Snowy Egret 5
Little Blue Heron 3
Tricolored Heron 1
Green Heron 1
Glossy Ibis 15
Turkey Vulture 5
Osprey 10
Swallow-tailed Kite 3 Together!! NJ high count
Bald Eagle 2
Black-bellied Plover 5
Semipalmated Plover 15
Piping Plover 8
Killdeer 2
American Oystercatcher 2
Spotted Sandpiper 3
Greater Yellowlegs 15
Willet 2
Lesser Yellowlegs 5
Sanderling 15
Semipalmated Sandpiper 4
Least Sandpiper 25
Dunlin 1
Short-billed Dowitcher 30
Bonaparte's Gull 3
Laughing Gull 90
Ring-billed Gull 4
Herring Gull 10
Great Black-backed Gull 5
Least Tern 50
Common Tern 15
Forster's Tern 225 clicked this species, so this is an actual count or close to it.
Rock Pigeon 2
Mourning Dove 5
Chimney Swift 20
Red-eyed Vireo 1
Blue Jay 2
American Crow 5
Fish Crow 10
Horned Lark 1
Purple Martin 20
Tree Swallow 5
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 2
Barn Swallow 25
Carolina Wren 1
Marsh Wren 3
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1
Gray Catbird 2
Northern Mockingbird 2
European Starling 1
Yellow Warbler 2
Common Yellowthroat 3
Yellow-breasted Chat 1
Song Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal 3
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 1
Red-winged Blackbird 20
Common Grackle 10
Boat-tailed Grackle 5
Brown-headed Cowbird 10
House Finch 2
American Goldfinch 5
House Sparrow 10
Other highlights from this morning's meadows walk included a lovely Horned Lark that dropped onto the dunes while we were looking for the Black-necked Stilt, which we did not find. Three Little Blues, a Tri-colored and a Green Heron, plus the usual snowies and greats, were a nice mix. One of the Little Blues was a funkadelic molting second-year bird, mostly white with patchy blue. One of the two adult Bald Eagles we saw pursued an Osprey, but for once the Osprey got away with the fish. A Yellow-breasted Chat did a brief display for some of the group, and at least 3 Marsh Wrens are now singing along the east path. Three Bonaparte's lingered on the island, but there was sign of neither Roseate nor Arctic Terns, both of which were seen during the WSB on Saturday. The full list from today's walk is below.
Two subadult Mississippi Kites were seen together over the Beanery/Stevens Street yesterday, one browner than the other. With yesterday's strong northwest winds (which undoubtedly contributed to the presence of today's swallow-taileds), there were plenty of other raptors afloat - I saw 2 Cooper's, one Sharp-shinned, several Bald Eagles and Red-taileds, and a few Broad-wingeds in a half-hour scanning.
Location: South Cape May Meadows
Observation date: 5/11/09
Notes: CMBO Monday walk, spectacular!!!
Number of species: 71
Brant 3
Canada Goose 10
Mute Swan 20
Gadwall 5
Mallard 5
Common Loon 3
Northern Gannet 10
Double-crested Cormorant 50
Great Egret 5
Snowy Egret 5
Little Blue Heron 3
Tricolored Heron 1
Green Heron 1
Glossy Ibis 15
Turkey Vulture 5
Osprey 10
Swallow-tailed Kite 3 Together!! NJ high count
Bald Eagle 2
Black-bellied Plover 5
Semipalmated Plover 15
Piping Plover 8
Killdeer 2
American Oystercatcher 2
Spotted Sandpiper 3
Greater Yellowlegs 15
Willet 2
Lesser Yellowlegs 5
Sanderling 15
Semipalmated Sandpiper 4
Least Sandpiper 25
Dunlin 1
Short-billed Dowitcher 30
Bonaparte's Gull 3
Laughing Gull 90
Ring-billed Gull 4
Herring Gull 10
Great Black-backed Gull 5
Least Tern 50
Common Tern 15
Forster's Tern 225 clicked this species, so this is an actual count or close to it.
Rock Pigeon 2
Mourning Dove 5
Chimney Swift 20
Red-eyed Vireo 1
Blue Jay 2
American Crow 5
Fish Crow 10
Horned Lark 1
Purple Martin 20
Tree Swallow 5
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 2
Barn Swallow 25
Carolina Wren 1
Marsh Wren 3
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1
Gray Catbird 2
Northern Mockingbird 2
European Starling 1
Yellow Warbler 2
Common Yellowthroat 3
Yellow-breasted Chat 1
Song Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal 3
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 1
Red-winged Blackbird 20
Common Grackle 10
Boat-tailed Grackle 5
Brown-headed Cowbird 10
House Finch 2
American Goldfinch 5
House Sparrow 10
THREE Swallow-tailed Kites, South Cape May!
CMBO's Monday morning walk at the South Cape May Meadows is currently being wow'd by not one, not two, but THREE Swallow-tailed Kites! I'm not entirely sure if there has ever been a New Jersey record of multiple Swallow-taileds, and I highly doubt that there's ever been a record of three!
More details, as they emerge, throughout the day.
On another note, a second Curlew Sandpiper was found at Heiserville yesterday morning. One bird is a brick-red male, the other likely a female. The best time to see the birds is during high tide, which is during the early afternoon today.
More details, as they emerge, throughout the day.
On another note, a second Curlew Sandpiper was found at Heiserville yesterday morning. One bird is a brick-red male, the other likely a female. The best time to see the birds is during high tide, which is during the early afternoon today.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Curlew Sandpiper, Heislerville WMA
A Curlew Sandpiper was found by Harvey Tomlinson at Heislerville WMA this morning. H-ville has been packed with shorebirds lately, so a trip there is definitely worth it, even if you can't dig up the Curlew.
I'm sure Don or Bob will have more WSB highlights to report later...a couple highlights of the NJAS Trail Birds' day included a low Mississippi Kite over the fields at the north end of Bayshore Road, a Marbled Godwit on Thorofare Island (viewed from Two Mile Landing), and the continuing Black-necked Stilt at the South Cape May Meadows.
We also came across 3 Red-headed Woodpeckers on Cape Island during the morning hours, and were tipped off to a continuing Long-tailed Duck at St. Peter's. Also in the lingering duck department were 2 Buffleheads at Shell Bay Landing, and a female Black Scoter at Heislerville during high tide.
I'm sure Don or Bob will have more WSB highlights to report later...a couple highlights of the NJAS Trail Birds' day included a low Mississippi Kite over the fields at the north end of Bayshore Road, a Marbled Godwit on Thorofare Island (viewed from Two Mile Landing), and the continuing Black-necked Stilt at the South Cape May Meadows.
We also came across 3 Red-headed Woodpeckers on Cape Island during the morning hours, and were tipped off to a continuing Long-tailed Duck at St. Peter's. Also in the lingering duck department were 2 Buffleheads at Shell Bay Landing, and a female Black Scoter at Heislerville during high tide.
WSB Winners; Possible Little Egret at Brigantine
World Series of Birding 2009 results are here:
2009 Award Winners.pdf
A possible Little Egret was reported on Saturday, May 9 at Edwin B. Forsythe NWR, Briganitne Division, along the south dike about 50-150 yards east of the road to the Gull Tower. Further details will be posted and Twittered at CMBObirds when they are known.
2009 Award Winners.pdf
A possible Little Egret was reported on Saturday, May 9 at Edwin B. Forsythe NWR, Briganitne Division, along the south dike about 50-150 yards east of the road to the Gull Tower. Further details will be posted and Twittered at CMBObirds when they are known.
Friday, May 8, 2009
Swallow-tailed Kite, Black-necked Stilt Continue
The Swallow-tailed Kite was again soaring over the Beanery and nearby environs at 12:30pm. A nice hawk flight (by spring standards) had developed as well, with as many as 8 Red-tailed Hawks visible at one time, as well as 3 Broad-winged Hawks, a few Cooper's and a single Sharp-shinned Hawk, and a Merlin. The Black-necked Stilt was reported from the Meadows "plover pond" this morning.
A little time spent at Beaver Swamp WMA this afternoon produced multiple Prothonotary and Yellow-throated Warblers, as well as two juvenile Bald Eagles.
A little time spent at Beaver Swamp WMA this afternoon produced multiple Prothonotary and Yellow-throated Warblers, as well as two juvenile Bald Eagles.
Higbee Awesome; Other Birds around Cape May
Not surprisingly given the south winds last night, MANY migrants came into Cape May today. I'm just going to let the Higbee eBird list at the very bottom of this post speak for itself, bolding the highlights.
Other birds in the Cape May area included a calling Northern Bobwhite audible from New England Road west of the Hidden Valley parking area, and Dickcissels at the Beanery and Higbee, apparently flyovers. Three Cattle Egrets were roosted behind the willow/oxbow pond at the Beanery. Both Tri-colored Heron and American Coot were at the Cape May Meadows this morning. For south-of-the-canal teams, a Yellow-throated Warbler was reported singing from the Beanery this morning.
Location: Higbee Beach
Observation date: 5/8/09
Notes: CMBO walk, 25 participants treated to one of the best days at Higbee I've had.
Number of species: 73
Mallard 2
Double-crested Cormorant 40
Great Cormorant 1
Great Egret 2
Snowy Egret 5
Osprey 1
Laughing Gull 25
Herring Gull 10
Forster's Tern 5
Mourning Dove 5
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 3
Red-bellied Woodpecker 5
Downy Woodpecker 2
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 3
Willow Flycatcher 1
Great Crested Flycatcher 3
Eastern Kingbird 10
White-eyed Vireo 5
Blue-headed Vireo 2
Red-eyed Vireo 10
Blue Jay 5
American Crow 2
Fish Crow 5
Tree Swallow 5
Barn Swallow 5
Carolina Chickadee 5
Tufted Titmouse 10
Carolina Wren 8
House Wren 1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 5
Veery 1
Wood Thrush 1
Gray Catbird 10
Brown Thrasher 3
European Starling 3
Nashville Warbler 3
Northern Parula 20
Yellow Warbler 5
Chestnut-sided Warbler 1
Magnolia Warbler 3
Cape May Warbler 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler 50
Black-throated Green Warbler 4
Prairie Warbler 4
Palm Warbler 2
Bay-breasted Warbler 1
Cerulean Warbler 1
Black-and-white Warbler 5
American Redstart 1
Worm-eating Warbler 1
Ovenbird 1
Common Yellowthroat 3
Hooded Warbler 1
Canada Warbler 1
Yellow-breasted Chat 5
Summer Tanager 1
Scarlet Tanager 1
Eastern Towhee 2
Field Sparrow 5
White-throated Sparrow 5
Northern Cardinal 8
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 5
Blue Grosbeak 1
Indigo Bunting 10
Red-winged Blackbird 5
Common Grackle 10
Brown-headed Cowbird 10
Orchard Oriole 1
Baltimore Oriole 10
House Finch 1
American Goldfinch 5
Other birds in the Cape May area included a calling Northern Bobwhite audible from New England Road west of the Hidden Valley parking area, and Dickcissels at the Beanery and Higbee, apparently flyovers. Three Cattle Egrets were roosted behind the willow/oxbow pond at the Beanery. Both Tri-colored Heron and American Coot were at the Cape May Meadows this morning. For south-of-the-canal teams, a Yellow-throated Warbler was reported singing from the Beanery this morning.
Location: Higbee Beach
Observation date: 5/8/09
Notes: CMBO walk, 25 participants treated to one of the best days at Higbee I've had.
Number of species: 73
Mallard 2
Double-crested Cormorant 40
Great Cormorant 1
Great Egret 2
Snowy Egret 5
Osprey 1
Laughing Gull 25
Herring Gull 10
Forster's Tern 5
Mourning Dove 5
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 3
Red-bellied Woodpecker 5
Downy Woodpecker 2
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 3
Willow Flycatcher 1
Great Crested Flycatcher 3
Eastern Kingbird 10
White-eyed Vireo 5
Blue-headed Vireo 2
Red-eyed Vireo 10
Blue Jay 5
American Crow 2
Fish Crow 5
Tree Swallow 5
Barn Swallow 5
Carolina Chickadee 5
Tufted Titmouse 10
Carolina Wren 8
House Wren 1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 5
Veery 1
Wood Thrush 1
Gray Catbird 10
Brown Thrasher 3
European Starling 3
Nashville Warbler 3
Northern Parula 20
Yellow Warbler 5
Chestnut-sided Warbler 1
Magnolia Warbler 3
Cape May Warbler 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler 50
Black-throated Green Warbler 4
Prairie Warbler 4
Palm Warbler 2
Bay-breasted Warbler 1
Cerulean Warbler 1
Black-and-white Warbler 5
American Redstart 1
Worm-eating Warbler 1
Ovenbird 1
Common Yellowthroat 3
Hooded Warbler 1
Canada Warbler 1
Yellow-breasted Chat 5
Summer Tanager 1
Scarlet Tanager 1
Eastern Towhee 2
Field Sparrow 5
White-throated Sparrow 5
Northern Cardinal 8
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 5
Blue Grosbeak 1
Indigo Bunting 10
Red-winged Blackbird 5
Common Grackle 10
Brown-headed Cowbird 10
Orchard Oriole 1
Baltimore Oriole 10
House Finch 1
American Goldfinch 5