Brown Pelican in Reed's Beach

[Brown Pelican (center) in the mouth of Bidwell Creek this evening. Photo by Tom Reed.]

My cell phone sounded off shortly before dusk this evening, thanks to Brian Moscatello and Janet Sedicino. They were at the north end of Reed's Beach, where a Brown Pelican had flown in from Delaware Bay and then proceeded to land atop one of the pilings in the mouth of Bidwell Creek. I clicked a few medicore pictures in the waning light, but just being able to see the bird, our first of the year and at relatively close range, was satisfying enough. I understand that another Brown Pelican was seen from Stone Harbor Point on Saturday... 'tis the season.

Also in the same area were several Least Terns, a dozen Black Skimmers and perhaps most interestingly, a pair of American Oystercatchers. Oystercatchers have attempted to breed near Reed's Beach at least once in the past, and another attempt would be very notable here on the Delaware Bayshore, where the species is essentially unknown as a breeding bird.

[Black Skimmer flying past Reed's Beach at dusk. Photo by Tom Reed.]

Pine Barrens Butterfly Adventure

[Above: Bog Copper; Below: Two-spotted Skipper. Both of these species are habitat specialists, and can only be found for a brief period of time each year in/near Pine Barrens bogs. Photographed in the New Jersey Conservation Foundation's Franklin Parker Preserve, by Tom Reed.]

[Pine Snake- another Pine Barrens specialty. This species reaches the northern limit of its range here, and is listed as a Threatened Species in New Jersey. The individual pictured was about five feet long. Photos by Tom Reed.]

June is a great time to look for butterflies, dragonflies and other critters that sometimes get overlooked by birders during the "heavier" migration periods. This morning I ventured out with the newly-formed South Jersey Butterfly Club to explore the Franklin Parker Preserve in Chatsworth, deep in the heart of the Pine Barrens. The Preserve is spectacular, featuring typical Pine Barrens habitats, as well as old cranberry bogs and other wetlands that are of great use to many species, be it birds, butterflies or a plethora of others.

Our target butterfly species this morning were Dotted Skipper, Two-spotted Skipper and Bog Copper. We were able to find all three, and also found other Pine Barrens specialties such as Pine Barrens Bluet (a damselfly), Elfin Skimmer (a dragonfly) and a variety of plants.

As for birds... typical Pinelands breeders such as Pine Warbler, Prairie Warbler, Cedar Waxwing and Eastern Towhee were easy to find. While in the bog, a Green Heron and six Wood Ducks flew over, and there was an Orchard Oriole singing at the bog's edge.

To learn more about the Franklin Parker Preserve, visit the NJ Conservation Foundation's site.

Mississippi Kites; Beanery Notes

5 Mississippi Kites were found today by Harvey Tomlinson in the vicinity of the Mt. Zion Cemetery, along Shunpike Road in West Cape May. He reports that two of the birds were perched for a while.

Karl Lukens' report from the Beanery/Rea Farm this morning also included a Mississippi Kite, in addition to the following: "...Again before we got to the gate we had the Indigo Bunting and a female Blue Grosbeak. Later we had a good view of both the male and female grosbeaks. Also nice looks at a Green Heron and Black-crowned Night-Heron. ..."

- Karl (Chuck, Roger, Kathy, David)

Location: The Beanery
Observation date: 6/13/09
Notes: CMBO Trip-K,CS,R&KH,DL,+8.Cldy,70,NE9.
Number of species: 44

Canada Goose 22
Mallard 6
Great Egret 2
Snowy Egret 1
Green Heron 2
Black-crowned Night-Heron 2
Black Vulture 2
Turkey Vulture 5
Osprey 3
Mississippi Kite 1 adult
Killdeer 2
Laughing Gull 15
Herring Gull 4
Forster's Tern 1
Rock Pigeon 1
Mourning Dove 5
Yellow-billed Cuckoo 2
Chimney Swift 8
Downy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 1
Great Crested Flycatcher 2
Eastern Kingbird 1
Red-eyed Vireo 1
Blue Jay 1
American Crow 10
Purple Martin 5
Barn Swallow 5
Carolina Chickadee 1
Carolina Wren 5
American Robin 15
Gray Catbird 1
Northern Mockingbird 1
European Starling 30
Prothonotary Warbler 1 heard
Common Yellowthroat 3
Northern Cardinal 8
Blue Grosbeak 3
Indigo Bunting 4
Red-winged Blackbird 20
Common Grackle 25
Brown-headed Cowbird 5
House Finch 3
American Goldfinch 3
House Sparrow 5

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

Summer Birding in The Meadows

Mid-June has arrived in Cape May, more or less signifying the unofficial end of spring migration in these parts. However, in just a couple short weeks, the first weak cold front of the "fall" will undoubtedly sweep through, and in its wake the first southbound yellowlegs, dowitchers and Bobolinks will arrive on the Cape.

In the meantime, now is a superb time to check out Belleplain State Forest to monitor breeding bird activity. The salt marshes of the Delaware Bayshore and Atlantic Coast are brimming with bird life, and the pleasant hike out to the end of Stone Harbor Point is really a must during the months of June and July, particularly if beach-nesting birds have returned to the Point again this year.

Karl Lukens reports the following from Friday evening's Meadows walk:

"CMBO Evening Walk at the Meadows. Got most of the usual suspects and a bonus as the Least Bittern flew across the center pond and disappeared in the cattails."

- Karl (Chuck, Mary Jane, Kathy, Roger)


Location: South Cape May Meadows
Observation date: 6/12/09
Notes: CMBO Trip-K,C&MJ,R&KH,+6.Clr,72,SW3.
Number of species: 38

Canada Goose 25
Mute Swan 12
Mallard 8
Least Bittern 1 fly by
Great Egret 8
Snowy Egret 3
Glossy Ibis 2
Turkey Vulture 1
Osprey 2
Semipalmated Plover 1
Piping Plover 3
Killdeer 2
American Oystercatcher 2
Laughing Gull 35
Herring Gull 20
Great Black-backed Gull 20
Least Tern 30
Common Tern 2
Forster's Tern 10
Black Skimmer 7
Rock Pigeon 2
Mourning Dove 5
Chimney Swift 2
American Crow 1
Fish Crow 1
Purple Martin 3
Barn Swallow 5
Carolina Wren 1
Marsh Wren 2
American Robin 2
European Starling 10
Common Yellowthroat 4
Song Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal 5
Red-winged Blackbird 10
Common Grackle 20
American Goldfinch 5
House Sparrow 5

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

CAPE MAY BIRDING HOTLINE - June 11, 2009

Hotline: Cape May Birding Hotline
To Report: (609) 884-2736, sightings@birdcapemay.org
Coverage: Cape May, Cumberland and Atlantic Counties, NJ
Compiler: Tom Reed, Cape May Bird Observatory
URL: http://www.njaudubon.org ; http://www.birdcapemay.org

This is the Cape May Birding Hotline, a service of New Jersey Audubon Society's Cape May Bird Observatory. This week's message was prepared on Thursday, June 11th, 2009.

Highlights this week include reports of BUFFLEHEAD, NORTHERN BOBWHITE, BLACK-NECKED STILT, WHIMBREL, WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER, WILLOW FLYCATCHER, WORM-EATING WARBLER, KENTUCKY WARBLER, SUMMER TANAGER, and DARK-EYED JUNCO.

- For more up-to-the-minute Cape May sightings information and a download-able birding map of Cape May, visit www.BirdCapeMay.org. Also follow us on Twitter at CMBObirds (www.twitter.com/cmbobirds - review list/rarities or spectacles only) -


A BLACK-NECKED STILT was seen along the south dike at Brig/Forsythe NWR through at least 6/8. A late WHIMBREL was noted there on 6/8, as were 18 WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS.

2 BLACK-NECKED STILTS were seen flying over Cape May Pt. State Park on 5/6. An extremely late DARK-EYED JUNCO was noted the same day.

A BUFFLEHEAD lingered in the impoundments along Maple Ave at Turkey Point, in Dividing Creek, through 6/7.

WILLOW FLYCATCHERS were recorded at Cape May Pt. State Park, The Meadows/CMMBR, Turkey Point, Nummy Island and Stone Harbor Point this week.

A NORTHERN BOBWHITE was heard and seen at Cape May Pt. State Park on 6/10.

Breeding birds detected near Dividing Creek, Cumberland County this week included KENTUCKY and WORM-EATING WARBLERS, as well as SUMMER TANAGER.


ANNOUNCEMENTS:
***Beginning June 1st, CMBO's Northwood Center will be open Wednesday - Monday (closed Tuesdays), 9:30am - 4:30pm. These hours will be in place through the end of August.***

**CMBO will be closed for Independence Day on Saturday, July 4th.**

*Due to a staffing shortfall, Cape May Bird Observatory's Center for Research and Education on Route 47 north of Goshen is closed to the public effective April 11, 2009. The grounds and gardens will remain open to the public. CMBO's Northwood Center on East Lake Drive in Cape May Point is open Wednesday - Monday, 9:30am - 4:30pm.*

CMBO is offering a special to new and upgraded membership renewals. Join CMBO for the first time or upgrade from Individual or Family to The Hundred and receive Charley Harper's Migration Mainline- Cape May lithograph poster, valued at $50. Call either CMBO center to ask an associate about joining today!

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!

Images from Cape May Point State Park Today

Karl Lukens sent the following photos from the Wednesday CMBO walk at Cape May Point State Park, which starts at 7:30 a.m. every Wednesday.

[Immature male Orchard Oriole, photo by Karl Lukens.]

[Yellow-breasted Chat, photo by Karl Lukens.]

[Northern Bobwhite, photo by Karl Lukens.]

Northern Bobwhite at State Park & Black Skimmer News

Karl Lukens just reported a calling Northern Bobwhite on a fence post at Cape May Point State Park near the first dune crossover.

Todd Pover, beach nesting bird biologist with the state, sent me the following somewhat heartening note about the Black Skimmer colony in Hereford Inlet. It seems some skimmers are giving it a go on Stone Harbor Point:

"Just as a brief update, now that Champagne Island is largely unsuitable for nesting due to recent storms (too low and small), Black Skimmers have finally starting to amass on the southern tip of Stone Harbor Point (just a stone's throw away from the island). They had been flying over for about a week or so, but just earlier this week about 200 settled in and we now have our first nests. I expect that number to continue to grow. The Point is also flood prone, but the habitat is not bad - better than Champagne for the last 2 years - so we'll see how it goes. Also, on the plus side, no apparent mammalian predators on the Point so far this spring. We've had our first successful oystercatcher nests at the Point in some years and the plover nests that didn't get flooded are hatching (and chicks hanging in there). A small number of common terns are also nesting with the skimmers, and a handful of royal terns are lingering. If the royals plan to nest they best do so soon - timing wise they should be close to hatching by now.

"With regard to the royal terns, I have heard from folks in MD, where our "Champagne" terns likely originally came from - I figured they might have gone back there this year. Apparently, their numbers are way down too because of unsuitable habitat. Royals will travel far to nest so they could be further south, but could you get word out around NJAS, especially anybody who goes out on the boat in the back bay to keep their eyes out for royal terns that might be nesting. - Todd"