Warbler Migration; Cape May Pt. and Meadows News

[Sandwich Tern on the beach near St. Mary's in Cape May Pt. this morning.
Photo by Roger Horn, click to enlarge.]

The migration trickle in Cape May is starting to become more like a stream, particularly after small flights during the past two nights that brought in some passerines to the area. An early Yellow-rumped Warbler was found at the State Park yesterday, and Yellow Warblers have become easier to find throughout the peninsula during the past two days. Early this morning I heard and saw several Yellow Warblers over downtown Stone Harbor, and a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher appeared in my front yard in Reed's Beach last evening. Over a dozen species of warblers have been recorded on Cape Island in the past 48 hours, including Blackburnian, Worm-eating, Hooded and Ovenbird.

Conditions were quite conducive for migration during the past two days, with winds having a westerly or northerly component for the most part. Winds will shift back to the south and bring with them some warm conditions for the start of the new week, which will possibly put a cap on the migration parade for a few days.

Here's two reports from CMBO walks at the Meadows and the State Park-

"CMBO Evening Walk at the 'Meadows'. A beautiful night for a walk at the meadows and any birds were a bonus! Scattered waders and shorebirds made it interesting. Highlights were a couple of juvenile Wood Ducks, a Pied-billed Grebe, a very brief glimpse of a Least Bittern, a Gadwall family, numerous Spotted Sandpipers and Black Skimmers, and scope views of a Cedar Waxwing."

- Karl, (Patty, Kathy, Roger, Judy)

"CMBO Walk Birding Cape May Point. The state park provides a very varied habitat so that by the end of the walk you find you've seen 67 birds and didn't realize it. Numerous Yellow Warblers were seen as well as several female Orchard Orioles, several Ruby-throated Hummingbirds in the Trumpet Vines, and the odd woodpecker or wader in the marshes. We did encounter several Redstarts and a Black-and-white Warbler in the woods. After the walk several of us observed a young Sandwich Tern at the Whilden Ave. beach."

- Karl (Kathy, Roger, Tom)


Location: Cape May Point SP
Observation date: 8/8/09
Notes: CMBO Trip-K,K&RH,T,+6.PtlySun,72,W5.
Number of species: 67

Canada Goose 20
Mute Swan 8
Mallard 10
Double-crested Cormorant 3
Great Blue Heron 3
Great Egret 3
Snowy Egret 1
Green Heron 3
Glossy Ibis 1
Turkey Vulture 1
Piping Plover 2
Killdeer 4
American Oystercatcher 2
Spotted Sandpiper 1
Solitary Sandpiper 2 fly over
Lesser Yellowlegs 2
Ruddy Turnstone 1
Sanderling 10
Least Sandpiper 10
Short-billed Dowitcher 12 fly over
Laughing Gull 100
Ring-billed Gull 2
Herring Gull 15
Great Black-backed Gull 30
Least Tern 25
Common Tern 50
Forster's Tern 50
Royal Tern 25
Sandwich Tern 1 /p after walk - juv. at beach Whilden
Black Skimmer 25
Rock Pigeon 3
Mourning Dove 5
Chimney Swift 8
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 2
Belted Kingfisher 1
Downy Woodpecker 1 heard
Northern Flicker 2
Eastern Kingbird 3
Blue Jay 1 heard
American Crow 1 heard
Fish Crow 5
Purple Martin 50
Tree Swallow 12
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 2
Barn Swallow 10
Carolina Chickadee 2
Carolina Wren 4
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 3
American Robin 5
Gray Catbird 8
Northern Mockingbird 4
European Starling 10
Cedar Waxwing 15
Yellow Warbler 10
Black-and-white Warbler 1
American Redstart 2
Common Yellowthroat 4
Song Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal 5
Indigo Bunting 4
Red-winged Blackbird 25
Common Grackle 8
Brown-headed Cowbird 5
Orchard Oriole 3
House Finch 1
American Goldfinch 3
House Sparrow 8

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

CAPE MAY BIRDING HOTLINE - August 6, 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, August 6th, 2009.

Highlights this week include sightings of ROSEATE SPOONBILL, GREATER SHEARWATER, WILSON'S STORM-PETREL, LEAST BITTERN, CATTLE EGRET, AMERICAN AVOCET, MARBLED GODWIT, STILT SANDPIPER, LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER, BONAPARTE'S GULL, LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, BLACK TERN, SANDWICH TERN, BLUE-WINGED WARBLER, WORM-EATING WARBLER, OVENBIRD, NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH, and LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH.

-- For more up-to-the-minute Cape May sightings information and a downloadable 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). ---

The ROSEATE SPOONBILL continues at Brig/Forsythe NWR as of 8/6. The bird has been seen from multiple points along the wildlife drive, with many sightings coming from the area of the Danzenbaker (East) Pool.

An AMERICAN AVOCET was seen flying past Cape May Pt. State Park on 8/3. MARBLED GODWIT and LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER were noted flying past the Coral Ave. dune crossover on 7/31. STILT SANDPIPER was noted from Pond Creek and the South Cape May Meadows/CMMBR this week.

A GREATER SHEARWATER was noted offshore of Cape May Pt. State Park on 8/4. WILSON'S STORM-PETREL has been seen sporadically throughout the week from various locations around Cape May Point.

Multiple SANDWICH TERNS were noted throughout the week between Cape May Point and the South Cape May Meadows/CMMBR. A BLACK TERN was sitting on the beach between Cape May Pt. State Park and the Meadows on 8/5.

A BONAPARTE'S GULL continued this week in the area of Higbee Beach WMA. Multiple LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS continued this week on the beachfront between Cape May Pt. State Park and the Meadows.

Migrant warblers found on Cape Island this week included BLUE-WINGED WARBLER, WORM-EATING WARBLER, OVENBIRD, NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH and LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH.

CATTLE EGRETS continued to be seen in West Cape May this week, and LEAST BITTERN was last reported in the Meadows on 8/5.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

**CMBO's Center for Research & Education in Goshen will be closed for inventory on August 27th and 28th.**

*SUMMER HOURS: CMBO's Center for Research and Education on Route 47 in Goshen is open Tuesday-Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CMBO's Northwood Center on East Lake Drive in Cape May Point is open Wednesday - Monday, 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. These hours will remain in place through the end of August.*

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!

Somer's Point Cruise, State Park Walk

Here's a couple of notes regarding CMBO trips this week-

The first from Dave Lord, who was along on the new weekly cruise out of Somer's Point:

"The Tuesday evening cruise from Somers Point went swimmingly tonight. We started off with a Double-crested Cormorant who had apparently dipped his bill in whitewash or fecal material, it was completely white! Also in the anomaly department were the 8 Ruddy Turnstones that were sitting on a dock in front of a Longport house. A young Peregrine entertained us upon first taking off, and an Adult was found under a bridge. I understand this was the first time a Peregrine has been sighted for this trip, interestingly enough. This trip comes with highest recommendations!"

Location: Great Egg Harbor Bay
Observation date: 8/4/09
Number of species: 43

American Black Duck 14
Double-crested Cormorant 24
Great Blue Heron 9
Great Egret 54
Snowy Egret 32
Little Blue Heron 8
Tricolored Heron 5
Green Heron 3
Black-crowned Night-Heron 17
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron 5
Glossy Ibis 30
Osprey 17
Peregrine Falcon 2
Clapper Rail 15
Black-bellied Plover 4
Semipalmated Plover 35
American Oystercatcher 9
Spotted Sandpiper 1
Greater Yellowlegs 7
Willet (Western) 2
Lesser Yellowlegs 7
Ruddy Turnstone 14
Sanderling 110
Semipalmated Sandpiper 75
Least Sandpiper 12
Short-billed Dowitcher 20
Laughing Gull 300
Herring Gull 141
Great Black-backed Gull 80
Least Tern 14
Common Tern 145
Royal Tern 14
Black Skimmer 240
Rock Pigeon 15
Belted Kingfisher 1
American Crow 10
Fish Crow 26
Barn Swallow 13
Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow 5
Seaside Sparrow 8
Song Sparrow 4
Red-winged Blackbird 16
Boat-tailed Grackle 20

-----

The second report is from Karl Lukens, who helped lead this morning's walk around the State Park:

"CMBO Walk at Cape May Point. The breeding birds in the state park are getting quieter and harder to find. Shore birds are still to come in any numbers, however there are a few Least Sandpipers, Short-billed Dowitchers, Spotted Sandpipers, and both Yellowlegs. Piping Plovers are still being seen around the 2 Plover Ponds. Swallows are numerous but no "odd" ones were seen today. We did see one fly-by Brown Pelican."

- Karl (Steve, Patty, Tom)

Location: Cape May Point SP
Observation date: 8/5/09
Notes: CMBO Trip-K,SW,PR,T,+8.Clr,78,W8.
Number of species: 52

Canada Goose 20
Mute Swan 8
Mallard 15
Brown Pelican 1
Great Egret 2
Turkey Vulture 2
Osprey 3
American Kestrel 1 at Beanery after walk
Piping Plover 2
Killdeer 8
American Oystercatcher 2
Spotted Sandpiper 3
Greater Yellowlegs 1
Lesser Yellowlegs 6
Sanderling 15
Least Sandpiper 2
Short-billed Dowitcher 4
Laughing Gull 50
Ring-billed Gull 5
Herring Gull 10
Lesser Black-backed Gull 1
Great Black-backed Gull 10
Least Tern 75
Common Tern 20
Forster's Tern 5
Black Skimmer 8
Rock Pigeon 5
Mourning Dove 8
Chimney Swift 10
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 3
Eastern Kingbird 1
American Crow 2
Fish Crow 10
Purple Martin 50
Tree Swallow 35
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 2
Barn Swallow 10
Carolina Wren 6
American Robin 4
Gray Catbird 2
Northern Mockingbird 1
European Starling 15
Cedar Waxwing 8
Yellow Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 1
Northern Cardinal 4
Red-winged Blackbird 10
Common Grackle 3
Brown-headed Cowbird 10
Orchard Oriole 1 fly over
American Goldfinch 3
House Sparrow 5

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

Shorebirds On The Move; Black + Sandwich Terns

The winds shifted around to the west and northwest this afternoon, and perhaps had something to do with the number of shorebirds in the skies over Cape May Point this evening. Lesser Yellowlegs were the most numerous species, with about 75 briefly dropping into the Meadows at one point, along with a few scattered small groups flying through. Mini-flocks of Least Sandpipers came in high out of the northwest; some continuing across the bay without pausing, others making multiple passes around the point. Three Pectoral Sandpipers made a noisy entrance overhead and quickly exited stage right, toward Cape May City. Half-dozens of Short-billed Dowitchers, the occasional bunch of Semipalmated Sandpipers and a trio of Stilt Sandpipers rounded out the birds on the wing. Birds on the ground were a bit harder to come by- water levels in the Meadows are a bit high for shorebirds for the time being, and it's hard to say at this point when/if the water level will become "optimal" for shorebirds.

Out on the beach, the tern/gull/skimmer show continues in earnest, frontlined by 300-400 Common Terns alternating between the sand and the rips. An adult Black Tern, still in mainly alternate plumage, made a brief visit with the Commons before flying into the Meadows and later back out toward the 2nd Avenue Jetty. Two Sandwich Terns flew over calling as they made their way east along the beach. Sanderling numbers have reached the triple-digit mark, and Ruddy Turnstone numbers are also on the rise. A single Western Sandpiper was mixed in with one group of Sanderlings at the water's edge. Lesser Black-backed Gulls continue to be relatively easy to find near the surfline... I came across three this evening.

Otherwise, swallows continue to increase throughout, Orchard Oriole and Blue Grosbeak linger along the west path, and a Least Bittern made a brief appearance along the west path at dusk.

Meadows Notes: Louisiana Waterthrush, Shorebirds

A mid-morning stroll through the Meadows produced some nice birds, highlighted by a fly-over Louisiana Waterthrush that appeared to land in the vegetation behind the dunes near the west path. Now is the time to look for migrant Louisiana Waterthrushes, as they are one of our earliest "fall warblers," and are darn near impossible to find after August. In addition to the Louisiana, other evidence of a small passerine movement this morning included a few fly-over Yellow Warblers and Bobolinks, as well as a Northern Waterthrush at the State Park.

Shorebirds weren't bountiful this morning, but there were a few flocks of Short-billed Dowitchers here and there, as well as a couple passing groups of Semipalmated Sandpipers. Both yellowlegs were in attendance at the Meadows, and the beach there played host to Ruddy Turnstone and Sanderling. A pair of Royal Terns made a brief pass through the center pool at the Meadows, and a dozen Black Skimmers followed suit.

The haze over the ocean prevented me from doing anything that remotely resembled seawatching, but I hear that Wilson's Storm-Petrel and Black Tern have been seen from shore within the past few days.

Semi-plovers, Royal Terns, Pelicans and Kingfisher: News From Stone Harbor Point & the Meadows

Last night at sunset I walked the length of Stone Harbor Point for the first time in a month or more. The tide was high and falling, and gulls and terns were beginning to roost on the point. Among them were 75 or more Royal Terns. A flock of at least 100 Semipalmated Plovers alternately flew around and rested on the beach, the highest recent count I've heard about. With them were a few hundred Sanderlings, a few Piping Plovers, and a few peep, including both Western and Semipalmated Sandpipers. At least 25 American Oystercatchers and a significant body of adult Ring-billed Gulls, perhaps 40, also shared beach space with the many Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls, Black Skimmers, and Common Terns as the sun disappeared.

According to Todd Pover of Conserve Wildlife Foundation, the entire Black Skimmer colony at Stone Harbor Point (1000+) was washed out last week, for the 2nd or 3rd time, a shame because they should have just started hatching this week. Happily, as they did last year, they have moved up to Seaview Harbor near Longport.

Down in Cape May, two Brown Pelicans were a highlight on this morning's Meadows walk, along with three Lesser Black-backed Gulls on the beach. The shorebird trickle continues, including maybe some of the same semi-plos from Stone Harbor last night, and Sanderling numbers have built up on the beach. A Belted Kingfisher was a nice bird, as was the Cattle Egret that flew over and eventually was refound perched on a shrub in the center impoundment.

The Cape May Point Least Terns were pretty much all washed out by last Thursday's tides, with the exception of just a few chicks left. This news is again from Todd Pover, who is a beachnesting bird biologist for the state. At Cape May Point State Park, two Piping Plover pairs each still have two chicks left, here's hoping for these, which will fledge approximately August 9 and August 21, respectively.

The full list from this morning's meadows walk is below.

Location: South Cape May Meadows
Observation date: 8/3/09
Notes: CMBO Monday walk
Number of species: 68

Canada Goose 75
Mute Swan 20
Wood Duck 3
Mallard 20
Brown Pelican 2
Double-crested Cormorant 1
Great Blue Heron 1
Great Egret 5
Snowy Egret 3
Cattle Egret 1
Green Heron 3
Black-crowned Night-Heron 3
Glossy Ibis 50
Black Vulture 1
Turkey Vulture 1
Osprey 5
Semipalmated Plover 10 only 1 set down
Piping Plover 1
Killdeer 10
American Oystercatcher 6
Spotted Sandpiper 2
Solitary Sandpiper 3
Greater Yellowlegs 1
Lesser Yellowlegs 10
Ruddy Turnstone 3
Sanderling 50
Semipalmated Sandpiper 5 flybys
Least Sandpiper 20 mostly flybys
Pectoral Sandpiper 1 flyover
Short-billed Dowitcher 15 flyovers
Laughing Gull 75
Ring-billed Gull 20
Herring Gull 30
Lesser Black-backed Gull 3
Great Black-backed Gull 30
Least Tern 100
Common Tern 20
Royal Tern 3
Black Skimmer 25
Rock Pigeon 5
Mourning Dove 15
Chimney Swift 15 1 molting p8-9
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 5
Belted Kingfisher 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Downy Woodpecker 3
Northern Flicker 2
Eastern Kingbird 3
Fish Crow 10
Purple Martin 50
Tree Swallow 10 1 molting p7-8?
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 5
Barn Swallow 15
Marsh Wren 4
American Robin 2
Gray Catbird 1
Northern Mockingbird 5
European Starling 10
Cedar Waxwing 1
Yellow Warbler 2
Common Yellowthroat 4
Song Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal 3
Indigo Bunting 2
Bobolink 5
Red-winged Blackbird 25
Common Grackle 10
American Goldfinch 5
House Sparrow 10

State Park Report; Summer Muggies

[Male Orchard Oriole (left) and Eastern Kingbird (right), seen during this morning's walk at Cape May Pt. State Park. Photo by Karl Lukens, click to enlarge.]

"...The walk at the state park was mostly the usual suspects, with a mix of breeders and some migrants. Interesting was an adult male Orchard Oriole chipping in a tree top who was joined by 8 wandering females, probably from the 2-3 nests in the area. A female Baltimore Oriole was also seen. Several adult Piping Plovers, one with 2 small chicks and 1 with a couple week old chick. A Yellow-billed Cuckoo sat briefly for a scope view."

- Karl, (Kathy, Roger, Tom)

Even with the recent lack of conducive conditions, migrants continue to trickle in to Cape May, with a few early warblers seen recently (an American Redstart was in my front yard this evening), in addition to small flocks of shorebirds in the expected locations. The weather forecast doesn't bring much change to the current unstable, muggy pattern we're in through at least the next several days.

Location: Cape May Point SP
Observation date: 8/1/09
Notes: CMBO Trip-K,R&KH,T,+4.Clr,75,SE3.
Number of species: 67

Canada Goose 20
Mute Swan 5
Mallard 25
Double-crested Cormorant 8
Great Blue Heron 1
Great Egret 2
Snowy Egret 1
Green Heron 1
Glossy Ibis 12
Turkey Vulture 2
Osprey 4
Piping Plover 7 (3 chicks)
Killdeer 10
American Oystercatcher 3
Spotted Sandpiper 5
Solitary Sandpiper 1
Greater Yellowlegs 1
Lesser Yellowlegs 6
Sanderling 5
Least Sandpiper 6
Short-billed Dowitcher 15
Laughing Gull 100
Ring-billed Gull 1
Herring Gull 3
Great Black-backed Gull 2
Least Tern 30
Common Tern 15
Forster's Tern 15
Black Skimmer 3
Rock Pigeon 11
Mourning Dove 8
Yellow-billed Cuckoo 1
Chimney Swift 7
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 2
Downy Woodpecker 1 heard
Northern Flicker 3
Eastern Kingbird 3
American Crow 1
Fish Crow 5
Purple Martin 75
Tree Swallow 10
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 3
Bank Swallow 1
Barn Swallow 10
Carolina Chickadee 2
Tufted Titmouse 1
Carolina Wren 5
House Wren 1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1
American Robin 35
Gray Catbird 2
Northern Mockingbird 6
European Starling 15
Cedar Waxwing 25
Yellow Warbler 10
Common Yellowthroat 3
Song Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal 5
Indigo Bunting 2
Red-winged Blackbird 15
Common Grackle 10
Brown-headed Cowbird 75
Orchard Oriole 9 /p ad 1, female 8
Baltimore Oriole 1 female
House Finch 3
American Goldfinch 3
House Sparrow 5

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