Saturday Notes

"Slow birding but in the end some nice looks and a decent species list. It always seems to work out that way at Cape May."

Karl Lukens had that to say about today's walk at The Rea Farm/Beanery, which still netted over 40 species on a morning dominated by threatening skies, muggy air and a southerly breeze.

There were a few birds on the move over Cape Island this morning, notably small groups of Double-crested Cormorants and the occasional Common Loon. As Josh mentioned, it was a fine day to study Peregrines in Cape May, with several birds putting on spectacular displays directly over the hawk watch.

A late-morning jaunt with Sam Galick through the State Park trails was highlighted by a Philadelphia Vireo near the intersection of the red and yellow trails, which was home to the only real pocket of birds we hit along the way. As far as I know, there were no sightings of the Golden-winged Warbler at the Northwood Center today.

Reports from the Meadows today indicated that there were multiple Soras present, along with an American Bittern. Last evening's walk at the Meadows found ten species of waterfowl, as well as a Little Blue Heron and a Caspian Tern.

Caspian Tern was also one of few birds flying at the Avalon Seawatch late this afternoon. It was a slow day at the end of 7th Street, but I hear that Parasitic Jaeger was again recorded today. Tomorrow's west winds should bring about a better flight.


Location: The Beanery
Observation date: 10/3/09
Number of species: 47
Notes: CMBO Trip-K,CS,K&RH,BS,CB,+15.Cldy,68,SSW5.

Canada Goose 20
Mute Swan 1
Mallard 8
Great Blue Heron 1
Great Egret 5
Snowy Egret 8
Black-crowned Night-Heron 3
Turkey Vulture 2
Sharp-shinned Hawk 2
American Kestrel 2
Peregrine Falcon 1
Great Black-backed Gull 1
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1
Belted Kingfisher 1 heard
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1 heard
Downy Woodpecker 2
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 5
Eastern Phoebe 2
Red-eyed Vireo 1
Blue Jay 5
American Crow 10
Fish Crow 1
Tree Swallow 6
Carolina Chickadee 2
Tufted Titmouse 1
Carolina Wren 3 heard
House Wren 1
American Robin 30
Gray Catbird 3
Northern Mockingbird 1
Brown Thrasher 1
European Starling 100
Northern Parula 1
Palm Warbler 2
Blackpoll Warbler 1
Black-and-white Warbler 1
American Redstart 2
Common Yellowthroat 5
Field Sparrow 3
Savannah Sparrow 10
Northern Cardinal 2
Blue Grosbeak 1
Indigo Bunting 2
Bobolink 1
Red-winged Blackbird 10
Common Grackle 4

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

Peregrines in South Winds

10-3-09

Today strong South winds kept all but one species at bay at the hawkwatch. Peregrines were abundant slicing and dicing along the tree line today in the winds. Only in Cape May can you have more Peregrines than Sharp-shinned Hawks for the count. An American Bittern also made a very short apearance at the North end of the pond. Weather predictions for Sunday have gone from good to so so. Winds should be from the W which will bring birds to the coast but the Northern component that we all had hope for seems to have dissolved. Time will tell.

Golden-winged Sticks Around Northwood; Jaeger et. al. at Avalon Seawatch

[Not just any Laughing Gull - meet Francis, appointed mascot and mooch at the Avalon Seawatch. Probably temporary, since although Laughing Gulls can stick it out until December, numbers have tailed off already, and really tail off by November.]

The Golden-winged Warbler resurfaced at the Northwood Center this evening, a female, and drew quite a crowd. And held it, with her elusive behavior that feeder rushes by Accipiters did not help. Golden-crowned Kinglets, towhees and others called in the background.

A lovely adult light morph Parasitic Jaeger flew north past the Avalon Seawatch around 3:30 p.m. this afternoon, at some distance, but then returned headed south inside of the bell buoy there. A single Red-throated Loon flew by while I was there, and a few Northern Gannets were on the horizon. Counter Nick Metheny was desperate for countable birds. Not to worry, 700,000 or so will come in the coming three months. Be sure to stop by Avalon at 2 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays for Interpretive Naturalist Steve Kolbe's talk about the seawatch, its birds, and how to identify them.

[Not Francis, this Laughing Gull at Avalon is in heavy wing molt, and has shed its outer primaries. New ones are growing in. Click to enlarge.]

[Compare the above photo with this one of Francis, who has shed and is replacing her inner primaries (the shorter ones with the fresh white tips) but still has her worn outer primaries. Note all the nicks and that the white tips have worn completely away on these outer primary feathers, which are about a year old. Like most gulls, Laughing Gulls undergo a complete molt in fall, and a partial one involving head and body feathers in spring. And like most birds, Francis is replacing her primaries from the inside out.]

A Lot of Stuff Around + State Park Now Open

[Yesterday's male Hooded Warbler at Cape May Point State Park. It has not been found today, to my knowledge. Photo by Paul Lee.]

Word is that Cape May Point State Park is now open and will not be closed again, although next week some trails may be temporarily closed for spraying.

There is a lot of stuff around, despite the fact that the wind started blowing from the east in the early morning hours, and is southeast and increasing now. I listened for a bit in the dark this morning from Norbury's Landing and heard only 19 flight notes in 15 minutes, though four thrushes were represented (Swainson's, Gray-cheeked, Veery, and Bicknell's). Listening at the ferry terminal later produced zilch, leaving me some concern that Higbee Beach would be pretty dead for this morning's CMBO walk.

Higbee was not exactly dead, but migrants were few and far between. There were some good ones, though, highlighted by a flyover juvenile Red-headed Woodpecker, headed south from the tower field, and a Common Nighthawk picked out over the tower field by Josh Lawrey. A few White-throated Sparrows were calling near the parking lot, and a smattering of other migrants were around. The world's most cooperative Savannah Sparrow posed and posed in the tower field as accipiters passed overhead. As we left, a good movement of hawks was underway, along the west side of the peninsula as sometimes happens on east winds, including Broad-winged Hawks, accipiters, Osprey, and a Merlin.

In the rarities department, Dave Hedeen had a White-winged Dove at St. Peter's this morning, undoubtedly the one previously reported on private property along Bayshore Road. A guy named Rob who has been birding by bicycle around Cape May reported a Western Kingbird on the bike path, north of the canal, that runs from Sandman Avenue/Route 9 north to Cold Spring - this was from yesterday. A Western Kingbird was photographed on very private property in Cape May earlier in the week. Also yesterday, a Golden-winged Warbler and two Golden-crowned Kinglets were found by Jonathon Wasse of the UK at the Northwood Center and later seen by Mike Crewe. These have not been refound so far today.

In the sometimes-a-pain-in-the-neck-to-see department, Michael O'Brien had 8 Wild Turkeys in a yard along New England Road east of Higbee around 9:00 a.m. this morning.

So, east winds or not, good birding is to be had. Here's this morning's Higbee list:

Location: Higbee Beach
Observation date: 10/2/09
Notes: CMBO Friday Walk. A few sp. were leader-only, more heard only.
Number of species: 46

Double-crested Cormorant 20
Turkey Vulture 10
Osprey 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk 40
Cooper's Hawk 8
Broad-winged Hawk 10
Merlin 1
Herring Gull 1
Mourning Dove 1
Common Nighthawk 1
Belted Kingfisher 1
Red-headed Woodpecker 1 juv
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 60
Red-eyed Vireo 1
Blue Jay 15
American Crow 10
Fish Crow 10
Tree Swallow 15
Carolina Chickadee 2
Carolina Wren 5
House Wren 1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1
American Robin 1
Gray Catbird 10
Northern Mockingbird 1
Brown Thrasher 4
Cedar Waxwing 50
Northern Parula 2
Black-throated Green Warbler 1
Palm Warbler 2
Blackpoll Warbler 1
American Redstart 2
Northern Waterthrush 1
Common Yellowthroat 5
Field Sparrow 2
Savannah Sparrow 2
White-throated Sparrow 3
Northern Cardinal 5
Indigo Bunting 2
Bobolink 1
Red-winged Blackbird 25
Common Grackle 1
House Finch 2

Hooded Warbler, Other Cape Island Migrants

[Everyone's favorite bird - or it oughtta be - Peregrine Falcon by Scott Whittle. Peregrines are double-digits almost every day now. Click to enlarge all photos.]

A cooperative and stunning male Hooded Warbler brightened many folks' day along the red trail at the state park this afternoon, reported to CMBO by Paul Lee of the UK. At 6:00 p.m. it became even more cooperative, as it fed actively and chipped constantly. I suspect this was Zugenruhe - migration restlessness - and this bird is unlikely to be there tomorrow. Other birds on the red trail this evening included Black-throated Green Warbler, Northern Parula, Swainson's Thrush, and Brown Creeper.

A Winter Wren was at the Beanery in the afternoon, under an excellent hawk flight which included Broad-winged Hawks and Black Vultures apparently streaming out of a thermal, up quite high (with harriers and others), headed due south.

It's going to be calm tonight, and clear, and in the 50's, and a near-full moon, which has me thinking about nocturnal migrants, including herons and even owls like Long-eared and Saw-whet, though it's too early for that kind of thinking. Late October with these conditions would be prime to look and listen for owls against the moon or the dawn sky. We've also had a several day stretch of decent migration weather now, so the migrant well may a little low for tomorrow. Only one way to find out. . .

Winds will be from the south the next couple days, but it looks like a cold front will pass Saturday night, so Sunday-Monday could bring interesting migrant volume.


[Merlin feeding on the wing, a common sight from the platform. Photo by Scott Whittle.]

[View from the Higbee dike. Photo by Scott Whittle.]

Thrushes, Clay-colored Sparrow, Long-billed Dowitcher

A Bicknell's Thrush was calling intermittently near the Higbee Beach Dike this morning, and two juvenile Long-billed Dowitchers are in the pool at the top of the dike. A Swainson's Thrush was seen near Lily Lake a few minutes ago, and Michael O'Brien reports there is a Clay-colored Sparrow near the parking lot across from the fire control tower along Sunset Boulevard, a.k.a. the old magnesite plant parking area.

State Park Update

We found out this morning that Cape May Point State Park is open today - apparently there is too much dew for Phragmites spraying. It may be closed tomorrow, Friday October 2.