Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Brace Yourself. . .
"Common Ground-dove photoed @ nummy island by bob abrams 2 hrs. ago." Thus read the text message from Michael O'Brien at 5:46 p.m. today. Michael saw the photos. The bird apparently was reported to Bob Abrams by another birder. This would be the third state record - after a lost specimen from 1858, and a sight record by Mary Gustafson in 1984. Who knows where it will be tomorrow?
Night Flight, Day Flight, Hawk Flight, & More on Leucistic Osprey
With a calm night of northwest-then north then finally northeast winds, there was a decent nocturnal flight in the early a.m. I heard rougly 5 calls/minute along the bayshore, and Michael O'Brien reported about 10/minute in Cape May. Swainson's Thrush and Gray-cheeked Thrushes were dominant, with Veeries, Wood Thrush, Bicknell's Thrush, Common Yellowthroats, Savannah sparrows and others included.
Morning Flight was dominated by Yellow-rumped Warblers - uh oh, the "end" is near. The end of the long-distance migrants, that is. But the flight was diverse, with a Connecticut Warbler being the star, and things like Cape Mays, Black-throated Greens and Blues, Parulas, Scarlet Tanagers, etc. adding spice to the butterbutts, Palms and Blackpolls. Eastern Meadowlarks, Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, Golden-crowned Kinglets, Purple Finch, and Red-breasted Nuthatches made it feel like, well, October.
The Red Trail at the state park was closed again for spraying, annoying since clearly there were landbirds at the park, including a Clay-colored Sparrow briefly seen from the hawk watch. Hawks were over head, all right, higher and then higher by the time I left the platform at 11:30, but featured some nice kettling on the by-then southeast winds. One kettle contained about 75 Broad-wingeds, with a Peregrine, a couple harriers, a couple eagles, and plenty of both accipiters. A Bald Eagle forced an Osprey to drop it's bunker (Atlantic Menhaden), then caught its stolen prize in mid-air.
Kevin Inman just sent me a note with a picture of a leucistic Osprey taken at Brig on August 29. The photo doesn't seem to want to upload right now, but hmmm. . . was it the same bird that was timed crossing the bay (see below?) It's neat when these known-to-be-the-same birds reappear. E.g. yesterday Doug had a Cackling Goose with 4 Canadas at the Avalon seawatch, and a little while later they showed up at Morning Flight! Or, yesterday from the pontoon boat, the Osprey, we had an adult-male-type eclipse plumage Common Eider standing on the bank of the intra-coastal waterway. . .we had a male eider in the back bay last June, and a year ago in mid-summer I had a second-year male in the same area. Has this same bird been hanging around the whole time, summer and winter? It was visible from land, by the way, by looking northwest from the toll bridge at the south end of Nummy Island.
Be sure to check View from the Field for updates on the migration counts. Cameron had a great day at the dike yesterday, and the seawatch was good too.
Morning Flight was dominated by Yellow-rumped Warblers - uh oh, the "end" is near. The end of the long-distance migrants, that is. But the flight was diverse, with a Connecticut Warbler being the star, and things like Cape Mays, Black-throated Greens and Blues, Parulas, Scarlet Tanagers, etc. adding spice to the butterbutts, Palms and Blackpolls. Eastern Meadowlarks, Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, Golden-crowned Kinglets, Purple Finch, and Red-breasted Nuthatches made it feel like, well, October.
The Red Trail at the state park was closed again for spraying, annoying since clearly there were landbirds at the park, including a Clay-colored Sparrow briefly seen from the hawk watch. Hawks were over head, all right, higher and then higher by the time I left the platform at 11:30, but featured some nice kettling on the by-then southeast winds. One kettle contained about 75 Broad-wingeds, with a Peregrine, a couple harriers, a couple eagles, and plenty of both accipiters. A Bald Eagle forced an Osprey to drop it's bunker (Atlantic Menhaden), then caught its stolen prize in mid-air.
Kevin Inman just sent me a note with a picture of a leucistic Osprey taken at Brig on August 29. The photo doesn't seem to want to upload right now, but hmmm. . . was it the same bird that was timed crossing the bay (see below?) It's neat when these known-to-be-the-same birds reappear. E.g. yesterday Doug had a Cackling Goose with 4 Canadas at the Avalon seawatch, and a little while later they showed up at Morning Flight! Or, yesterday from the pontoon boat, the Osprey, we had an adult-male-type eclipse plumage Common Eider standing on the bank of the intra-coastal waterway. . .we had a male eider in the back bay last June, and a year ago in mid-summer I had a second-year male in the same area. Has this same bird been hanging around the whole time, summer and winter? It was visible from land, by the way, by looking northwest from the toll bridge at the south end of Nummy Island.
Be sure to check View from the Field for updates on the migration counts. Cameron had a great day at the dike yesterday, and the seawatch was good too.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Meadows: Little Blue, Sapsucker, Merlin Picnicking on the Beach
[Merlin this morning on the beach off the Cape May Meadows, entertaining CMBO's Monday walk at the expense of a Red-winged Blackbird. Photo by Karl Lukens, click to enlarge.]Karl Lukens sent the following report from this morning's meadows walk, which garnered 60 species according to eBird: "CMBO Morning walk at The Meadows - TNC. Large group and fine weather. Good Ducks, waders, and Yellow-rumped Warblers are back. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker from the parking lot to start off. Also a movement of sharpies and a few Merlins, one of which we scoped eating a female Red-winged Blackbird. - Karl (Pete, Chuck, Mary Jane, Warren, David, Janet, Carrie, Tom, Judy)."
[Juvenile Little Blue Heron at the Meadows. Photo by Karl Lukens.]
Flying things, 4 October (with apologies to Juno)
Text and photographs (all copyrighted) by Tony Leukering
It began with a Monarch.
Well, actually, it began with a lot of Monarchs. The "morning flight" past my house in Villas on early morning of 4 October was dominated by Monarchs, even before 8 am. Thus, I decided to head to the Point to help with the tagging of these spectacular butterflies. On the way, I stopped to talk to Louise, the local Grand Master of Monarch tagging to see where she and the Monarch Intern, Claire Iseton, would be starting their efforts. As Louise and Michael were heading out the door to join mutual friends for breakfast at Bella Vida, I joined them. Among the other participants of that breakfast were two previous Monarch Interns, Meg Walker and Chris Kisiel. After a great breakfast, we journeyed to Cape May Point to check out the Monarchs at Bill and Edie's place on Cambridge Ave. Two doors down, Glen Davis found a gathering of Monarchs nectaring on blooming English Ivy, some of which are pictured below.
After the photographers among us were permitted a few minutes to photograph the concentration, the catchers among us (and I am included in both sets) started in on capturing critters for tagging. With so many Monarchs flying, however, both Michael O'Brien and I soon turned our focus to photographing flying Monarchs rather than catching 'em.
The above was, obviously, recently tagged by the taggers and its tag number is more or less readable in the picture. But, then the raptors started pouring overhead and Michael and I were hard-pressed to take advantage of all of the flying photo ops, whether of butterflies, dragonflies, or raptors. However, this Peregrine got us focused more strongly on the raptors, at least for a while.
Then, a diverse kettle set up overhead that included Sharp-shinned, Cooper's, and Broad-winged hawks and Peregrine Falcons. At least one of the Peregrines seemingly took umbrage to the presence of the Broad-wingeds and started making passes at them. Michael managed a picture of some talon-locking which I missed out on, but I did get a nice Broad-winged reaction photo.
Monarchs were not the only species passing by that had recently been captured, as evidenced by this banded Cooper's Hawk.
Shortly after the passage of the Cooper's with intermixed frisbee tossing, we adjourned to the State Park and I joined the weekend throng of visitors on the Hawkwatch platform. The raptor show continued, led by a strong Peregrine showing, including by this obliging juvenile female.
The highlight, however, of the Hawkwatch day was a leucistic Osprey, already noted in this venue, but for which I provide another couple images as a composite.
It ended with a Monarch.
One of the last creatures that I photographed on the 4th was this Monarch peregrinating past the Hawkwatch platform.
It began with a Monarch.
Well, actually, it began with a lot of Monarchs. The "morning flight" past my house in Villas on early morning of 4 October was dominated by Monarchs, even before 8 am. Thus, I decided to head to the Point to help with the tagging of these spectacular butterflies. On the way, I stopped to talk to Louise, the local Grand Master of Monarch tagging to see where she and the Monarch Intern, Claire Iseton, would be starting their efforts. As Louise and Michael were heading out the door to join mutual friends for breakfast at Bella Vida, I joined them. Among the other participants of that breakfast were two previous Monarch Interns, Meg Walker and Chris Kisiel. After a great breakfast, we journeyed to Cape May Point to check out the Monarchs at Bill and Edie's place on Cambridge Ave. Two doors down, Glen Davis found a gathering of Monarchs nectaring on blooming English Ivy, some of which are pictured below.
After the photographers among us were permitted a few minutes to photograph the concentration, the catchers among us (and I am included in both sets) started in on capturing critters for tagging. With so many Monarchs flying, however, both Michael O'Brien and I soon turned our focus to photographing flying Monarchs rather than catching 'em.
The above was, obviously, recently tagged by the taggers and its tag number is more or less readable in the picture. But, then the raptors started pouring overhead and Michael and I were hard-pressed to take advantage of all of the flying photo ops, whether of butterflies, dragonflies, or raptors. However, this Peregrine got us focused more strongly on the raptors, at least for a while.
Then, a diverse kettle set up overhead that included Sharp-shinned, Cooper's, and Broad-winged hawks and Peregrine Falcons. At least one of the Peregrines seemingly took umbrage to the presence of the Broad-wingeds and started making passes at them. Michael managed a picture of some talon-locking which I missed out on, but I did get a nice Broad-winged reaction photo.
Monarchs were not the only species passing by that had recently been captured, as evidenced by this banded Cooper's Hawk.
Shortly after the passage of the Cooper's with intermixed frisbee tossing, we adjourned to the State Park and I joined the weekend throng of visitors on the Hawkwatch platform. The raptor show continued, led by a strong Peregrine showing, including by this obliging juvenile female.
The highlight, however, of the Hawkwatch day was a leucistic Osprey, already noted in this venue, but for which I provide another couple images as a composite.
It ended with a Monarch.
One of the last creatures that I photographed on the 4th was this Monarch peregrinating past the Hawkwatch platform.
[One of a kind bird, this is the leucistic Osprey that crossed Delaware Bay in 25 minutes yesterday. We know we didn't count this one twice!! Photo by Karl Lukens, click to enlarge.]Apparently where I should have been yesterday is on the hawk watch platform, based on reports from Josh (below) and others. No small consolation, that is exactly where I was this morning, after listening for nocturnal migrants for a while. It was very windy, west at 10-20, and I heard no migrants in the dark
The raptors, however, were a different story, with a strong steady flight of American Kestrels and Sharp-shinned Hawks, which combined for over 100 an hour through 10:00 a.m. Peregrines were almost absent, at least so far, but there was a healthy dollop of Bald Eagles, Ospreys, harriers, Broad-wingeds, Cooper's Hawks and Merlins.
I'd probably make a lousy official hawk counter if I had to do it all the time, instead of the few hours of swing counting I do here and there, because it is too easy to be distracted by non-raptors. Especially in Cape May when birds are flying. Several American Pipits flew by, and a group of three Eastern Meadowlarks passed on the dune side of the platform and then fluttered into the wind over the parking lot for great views. Lots of Yellow-rumped and Palm Warblers were engaged in morning flight - I hear Higbee had a lot of birds flying and not much perching - and I detected 4 Cape May Warblers passing together as 2 sets of 2, plus a Northern Waterthrush, numerous Indigo Buntings and others from the hawk watch. A single flock containing 17 Wood Ducks was my high count of fall so far, and several Northern Pintails were about, as well. Of interest, at least to me, were flocks of passing Killdeer that totaled 130 birds by 10:00 a.m. The sky always had birds this morning - Cedar Waxwings, Red-winged Blackbirds, cowbirds, passing terns including a group 7 Caspians, swallows. . .it's a good day, hope you're out somewhere.
[Willet and Marbled Godwit, by Karl Lukens.]
[Flight i.d. of dragonflies, in this case a Black Saddlebags, photo by Michael O'Brien.]
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Hawks out of the fog
Sunday Oct. 4
A heavy fog settled into the area for most of the morning. WNW winds kept people around and for good reason. As the fog burned off raptors began to stream out of it. The flight was as terrific as the turn out to see it. Hundreds of people had a great time on the watch today as birds were being called out left and right throughout the day. Peregrine falcons were abundant again with over 100 observed. Kettles of Broad-winged and Cooper's hawks over the Ceders happened several times. The real excitement happened when a partial albino osprey pushed past the watch and the was observed across the bay in 26 minutes. Very cool. Non-raptor highlights include Common Moorhen, Clay-colored Sparrow, and Glossy Ibis. Monday appears to be shaping up to be W winds and plenty of sunshine. Could also be good.
A heavy fog settled into the area for most of the morning. WNW winds kept people around and for good reason. As the fog burned off raptors began to stream out of it. The flight was as terrific as the turn out to see it. Hundreds of people had a great time on the watch today as birds were being called out left and right throughout the day. Peregrine falcons were abundant again with over 100 observed. Kettles of Broad-winged and Cooper's hawks over the Ceders happened several times. The real excitement happened when a partial albino osprey pushed past the watch and the was observed across the bay in 26 minutes. Very cool. Non-raptor highlights include Common Moorhen, Clay-colored Sparrow, and Glossy Ibis. Monday appears to be shaping up to be W winds and plenty of sunshine. Could also be good.
Clay-colored, Philly V, White-rumped, and a Lovely Night for a Moon Watch. . .
[Full moon setting over Delaware Bay this morning. Last night was definitely not the night to be looking or listening for migrants against the moon, but perhaps tonight or tomorrow night?]
The latest cold front passed Cape May over night Saturday-Sunday, with accompanying rain, but apparently came through too late in the night to generate much of a landbird flight this morning. I haven't talked to any other nocturnal listeners, but this morning (Sunday pre-dawn) I heard almost, but not quite, zilch. There were some Black Skimmers foraging in the moonlight over the very calm Delaware bay as a consolation prize.
A Clay-colored Sparrow entertained observers at the hawk watch today, and I hear a Philadelphia Vireo was found again today along the trails at the state park around 9:30 a.m. (courtesy of John Crosby). Two Parasitic Jaegers were seen far up the bay, for them, at Reed's Beach this afternoon. I also heard about good falcon shows yesterday and today, in the form of Peregrines and Merlins at the State Park and a cooperative Merlin at Villas during CMBO's walk this morning.
After the weak night flight, I couldn't quite figure out where to bird today, and finally settled on Stone Harbor this morning. The Stone Harbor Bird Sanctuary hosted a few migrants, including double digit Indigo Buntings (one of the species I heard overhead in the dark), Common Yellowthroats, and Gray Catbirds. A Blue-headed Vireo and Black-throated Green Warbler stopped there as well. In the plantings at the lighthouse along the North Wildwood sea wall we added Magnolia Warbler, and two Peregrines. Many (200?) white egrets, Snowy and Great, foraged on Nummy Island.
This evening I returned to Stone Harbor. From the free bridge looking north at 5:30 p.m. we counted 12 Marbled Godwits, a really good count for this bird, plus 60 Western Willets, 420 Red Knots, 190 Black-bellied Plovers, and smaller numbers of things like dowitchers, Semi-palmated Plovers, and Dunlin. Go an hour later tomorrow to account for the daily change in the tide.
Stone Harbor Point was riddled with Sanderlings, 1500 plus, amongst which tarried a White-rumped Sandpiper, Western Sandpipers, and a few Semipalmated Sandpipers. At least 6 Piping Plovers remain at Stone Harbor Point (they tend to roost much of the time away from the beach, so scan the sand frequently), and at dusk a Peregrine roosted out in the middle of the sand flats there, as they often do.
A west wind is forecast for tonight, though at 10-15 mph it is perhaps a touch stronger than we'd like for a nocturnal flight. Have to leave it to the birds to decide, but I'd really try to go birding tomorrow if I were you. Certainly, there will be hawks, and almost certainly, there will be passerines. Tomorrow (Monday) night the wind is forecast west going to northwest, in short, just about perfect, but if the birds fly tonight, there will be fewer to migrate tomorrow night. Tuesday morning thus looks at least very interesting, though if the wind does as forecast, it will come around to east-southeast by noon and squelch Tuesday's hawk flight.
Predicting flights is such a risky business - I suggest simply birding every chance you get.
The latest cold front passed Cape May over night Saturday-Sunday, with accompanying rain, but apparently came through too late in the night to generate much of a landbird flight this morning. I haven't talked to any other nocturnal listeners, but this morning (Sunday pre-dawn) I heard almost, but not quite, zilch. There were some Black Skimmers foraging in the moonlight over the very calm Delaware bay as a consolation prize.
A Clay-colored Sparrow entertained observers at the hawk watch today, and I hear a Philadelphia Vireo was found again today along the trails at the state park around 9:30 a.m. (courtesy of John Crosby). Two Parasitic Jaegers were seen far up the bay, for them, at Reed's Beach this afternoon. I also heard about good falcon shows yesterday and today, in the form of Peregrines and Merlins at the State Park and a cooperative Merlin at Villas during CMBO's walk this morning.
After the weak night flight, I couldn't quite figure out where to bird today, and finally settled on Stone Harbor this morning. The Stone Harbor Bird Sanctuary hosted a few migrants, including double digit Indigo Buntings (one of the species I heard overhead in the dark), Common Yellowthroats, and Gray Catbirds. A Blue-headed Vireo and Black-throated Green Warbler stopped there as well. In the plantings at the lighthouse along the North Wildwood sea wall we added Magnolia Warbler, and two Peregrines. Many (200?) white egrets, Snowy and Great, foraged on Nummy Island.
This evening I returned to Stone Harbor. From the free bridge looking north at 5:30 p.m. we counted 12 Marbled Godwits, a really good count for this bird, plus 60 Western Willets, 420 Red Knots, 190 Black-bellied Plovers, and smaller numbers of things like dowitchers, Semi-palmated Plovers, and Dunlin. Go an hour later tomorrow to account for the daily change in the tide.
Stone Harbor Point was riddled with Sanderlings, 1500 plus, amongst which tarried a White-rumped Sandpiper, Western Sandpipers, and a few Semipalmated Sandpipers. At least 6 Piping Plovers remain at Stone Harbor Point (they tend to roost much of the time away from the beach, so scan the sand frequently), and at dusk a Peregrine roosted out in the middle of the sand flats there, as they often do.
A west wind is forecast for tonight, though at 10-15 mph it is perhaps a touch stronger than we'd like for a nocturnal flight. Have to leave it to the birds to decide, but I'd really try to go birding tomorrow if I were you. Certainly, there will be hawks, and almost certainly, there will be passerines. Tomorrow (Monday) night the wind is forecast west going to northwest, in short, just about perfect, but if the birds fly tonight, there will be fewer to migrate tomorrow night. Tuesday morning thus looks at least very interesting, though if the wind does as forecast, it will come around to east-southeast by noon and squelch Tuesday's hawk flight.
Predicting flights is such a risky business - I suggest simply birding every chance you get.