Away from the immediate environs of Cape May Point and locations south of the Cape May Canal, perhaps the most popular birding destination in Cape May County through the year is Stone Harbor Point. The ravages of hurricanes and winter storms over the past few years have taken their toll on the area and a decision has been made to implement a beach replenishment project there.
All visitors should be aware that Stone Harbor Point was closed to public access on Tuesday, February 10th and will remain closed during the work phase. Fuller details can be found by visiting the websites of New Jersey Audubon. Links are included there to sites of other project partners.
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
Sunday, February 8, 2015
Cumberland Eagle Festival
Yesterday saw the annual eagle festival take place in Cumberland County - and what a great day it was. If you were there, you don't need me to tell you what a fun day we all had; if you weren't there - you missed out!
A great range of talks took place throughout the day at the Mauricetown Fire Hall and vendors hosting stalls there had a busy day. Many members as well as non-members stopped by the CMBO stand to chat to our team and spend a few dollars - and special thanks to new members that signed up on the day, we value your contribution to our cause.
Out at the watch points, we had a fabulous day and, though the weather really could have been 10 degrees warmer for comfort, there always seemed to be great birds around to show people. Bald Eagles could be watched on nests at two of the locations, while the other three locations all had eagles more or less constantly in view. At Turkey Point, we tallied perhaps 12 different Bald Eagles during the course of the day and a minimum of 15 Northern Harriers, including a brief but still enjoyable 'Gray Ghost'. River Otters were seen at Newport Landing and a great array of ducks and other waterbirds all performed well.
Brian Johnson's walks through the woods were extremely well-attended and many people enjoyed up close and personal scope views of eagles, as well as other wildlife. It truly was a great day to be out and enjoying the best of South Jersey, and for those who stayed for the "Owl Prowl" we finished in great style with a fly-by American Bittern and perched Great Horned and Short-eared Owls, with the latter providing excellent flight views too, as it hunted across the marsh.
Thanks to all who helped to make this a very special day...
A great range of talks took place throughout the day at the Mauricetown Fire Hall and vendors hosting stalls there had a busy day. Many members as well as non-members stopped by the CMBO stand to chat to our team and spend a few dollars - and special thanks to new members that signed up on the day, we value your contribution to our cause.
Out at the watch points, we had a fabulous day and, though the weather really could have been 10 degrees warmer for comfort, there always seemed to be great birds around to show people. Bald Eagles could be watched on nests at two of the locations, while the other three locations all had eagles more or less constantly in view. At Turkey Point, we tallied perhaps 12 different Bald Eagles during the course of the day and a minimum of 15 Northern Harriers, including a brief but still enjoyable 'Gray Ghost'. River Otters were seen at Newport Landing and a great array of ducks and other waterbirds all performed well.
Brian Johnson's walks through the woods were extremely well-attended and many people enjoyed up close and personal scope views of eagles, as well as other wildlife. It truly was a great day to be out and enjoying the best of South Jersey, and for those who stayed for the "Owl Prowl" we finished in great style with a fly-by American Bittern and perched Great Horned and Short-eared Owls, with the latter providing excellent flight views too, as it hunted across the marsh.
Thanks to all who helped to make this a very special day...
A perfect sunset ends the day for the owl watchers at Turkey Point [photo by Mike Crewe]
Friday, February 6, 2015
Week in review: 31 January – 6 February, 2015
CMBO is pleased to provide weekly summaries of the Cape's
birding highlights. Coverage is limited to bird sightings in Cape May County.
Readers should keep in mind that some reports may not be confirmed. The vast
majority of information utilized in these reports comes from eBird data and
"Keekeekerr" text alerts. Observers
are also encouraged to send reports and photos to compiler Tom Reed
(coturnicops at gmail dot com).
Location Abbreviations/Explanations: CMP (town of
Cape May Point); Lizard Tail Swamp (Nature Conservancy property, north of Cape May Court House); WMA
(Wildlife Management Area); Two Mile Beach (beachfront at south end of Wildwood
Crest).
This week’s
report is dedicated to the memory of Judy Lukens: CMBO ambassador, birding
mentor, and wonderful human being.
--===============--
WATERFOWL THROUGH HERONS
Cold weather
continued to adversely affect freshwater duck numbers, with significant ice
cover remaining on most fresh and brackish water. An unbanded and free-flying
female Ruddy Shelduck that appeared at Erma 15 Jan (SWh) continued to be seen
between Erma and Villas through at least 5 Feb (m. ob.). Though most North
American records presumably refer to individuals that have escaped from
captivity, it is worth fully documenting the species’ occurrences here, as it
is also a candidate for natural vagrancy. A Ross’s Goose was again reported from
the marshes north of Reed’s Beach 3 Feb (TR). Other noteworthy waterfowl included
a male King Eider at Townsend’s Inlet 31 Jan (MH, SK), along with a female King
Eider in the same area 31 Jan–1 Feb (m. ob.); and the continuing duo of female
Harlequin Ducks at Cold Spring Inlet through at least 4 Feb (TR). Various
observers noted a Red-necked Grebe near Avalon’s 8th Street jetty 3
Feb. There were apparently no reports of lingering American Bitterns or the
Tricolored Heron this week, and the period’s only Great Egret report consisted
of a lone bird at Pond Creek Marsh 6 Feb (MP).
[King Eider at Avalon, 1 Feb. Photo by Dustin Welch.]
RAPTORS THROUGH TERN
It seems that the
Osprey of January won’t be with us in February-- no reports in two weeks. A
dark-type Rough-legged Hawk was once again encountered at Tuckahoe WMA 1 Feb
(TB, TG). Dwindling numbers of beachfront Red Knots remained in the Wildwoods
through the period (m. ob.), along with the occasional Western Sandpiper (m.
ob.) among flocks of Dunlin and Sanderling. Yet another Dovekie was viewed from
shore, this time at Two Mile Beach 4 Feb (TR). At least 3 Razorbills were noted
from the same location 4 Feb (TR), plus 1 more seen there 5 Feb (JC, CH). At
least 1 adult Black-headed Gull remained along the lower Delaware Bayshore,
with several more reports between southern Villas and Sunset Beach through 5
Feb (m. ob.). An Iceland Gull put in a brief appearance at Avalon’s 8th
Street jetty 31 Jan (TG), and there was a slight uptick in Lesser Black-backed
Gull reports since the start of the month (m. ob.). The persistently cold
weather finally pushed out lingering Forster’s Terns, as displayed by a lack of
reports during the past 10 days.
[Black-headed Gull at North Cape May, 5 Feb. Photo by Michael O'Brien.]
COLLARED-DOVE
THROUGH FINCHES
There were no
reports of CMP’s Eurasian Collared-Dove this week. Observers are encouraged to
continue reporting sightings of the species at Cape May. There were also once
again no reports of Snowy Owl this week. One of the week’s more interesting
reports came in from the Lizard Tail Swamp, where 2 Red-headed Woodpeckers were
observed 6 Feb (MP). Predictably, the Tree Swallow flock at CMP continued to
dwindle through the progressively colder weather-- at least 2 individuals
remained through 6 Feb (SH). Other lingerers included an Eastern
Phoebe at West Cape May through 6 Feb (MO) and an Orange-crowned Warbler photographed
at Cape May City 4 Feb (MP). Eastern Meadowlark has declined as a wintering
bird at Cape Island; therefore the 25+ that continued at Hidden Valley through
6 Feb (BD, TR) are worth mentioning. Common Redpolls continued to become less
obvious following a mid-January influx, but there were still several sightings including
6 at Nummy Island 2 Feb (KH) and 5 at Reed’s Beach 3 Feb (TR).
--===============--
Contributors:
Tom Baxter (TB), Jacob Cuomo (JC), Bob Dodelson (BD), Tom
Gleason (TG), Chris Hajduk (CH), Marilyn Henry (MH), Scott Hinkle (SH), Kathy
Horn (KH), Sandra Keller (SK), Michael O’Brien (MO), Mike
Pasquarello (MP), Tom Reed (TR), Dustin Welch (DW), Scott Whittle (SWh).
----
References:
eBird. 2012. eBird: An online database of bird distribution and
abundance [web application]. eBird, Cornell Lab of
Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. Available: http://www.ebird.org. (Accessed: 6
February 2015).
Fogg, B. 2013. Keekeekerr: Recent Text Alerts. Available: http://keekeekerr.com/textalerts/keekeekerr. (Accessed: 6 February 2015).
Sunday, February 1, 2015
Wire-hoppers, long-distance migrants - and your list...
I would be prepared to wager a fair mound of money on the notion that the topic that raises the most discussion and controversy among keen birdwatchers is the difficult subject of escapes. A substantial amount of stress could be eased if captive birds would just stay where they were, but accidents happen. Cages get damaged in storms, pairs breed and their young depart before they can be banded or pinioned, a whole range of events can take place. And before you know it, a bird has turned up where it is not expected. Of course, if this bird were to be something like a kiwi or an ostrich, we wouldn't get too excited, for these birds are never likely to appear too far out of their normal range. No, the problem comes when there is an outside chance that the bird may be a genuine vagrant; a wanderer from its normal range that has perhaps been blown here by an adverse wind - and therefore fair game to go on our ever-growing check lists...
An unusual bird turns up and the hotlines start to vibrate. Facts can often be hard to come by, so opinion starts to hold sway. The list serves start to heat up; the meek give way and sink into the shadows; the discussion becomes a disagreement, becomes an argument; becomes pistols at dawn!!
But this is such a shame, for the only reason that such discussions get so heated is almost always because we put our lists before our interest in the bigger picture. Almost always, the problem starts with a duck or a goose, for these birds are extremely popular in captivity, difficult to keep penned, and thus prone to escaping relatively regularly. In addition, wild populations of such birds often are long-distance migrants and thus prone to vagrancy. The problem cam easily become unsurmountable.
It would be easy to dismiss any occurrence of an out-of-range duck or goose as not worthy of our attention. But, if we are generally interested in the vagrancy potential of birds, then we need to address the occurrence of such birds on an individual basis. And above all, we need to put our desire for a 'tick' on one side for a moment. It seems to me that the real sticking point is that there really seems to be no one single argument that categorically nails the exotic visitor one way or another; discussions revolve around several issues: is the bird banded? Does it show signs of captivity? Is it tame?
Can these questions help? It would seem not. A caged bird can escape before the owner has had time to apply a band (this shouldn't happen, but it does). Some observers look for extreme feather wear, or abrasion to feet or bill to suggest a captive origin - but visit a cage bird show and you will see perfect birds on display - the pride and joy of their trophy-winning owners. Is the bird tame? Not always a good sign, one way or the other. St James's Park in London has a mass of ducks on it in the winter, all readily coming to take bread from the visiting tourists - and yet such ducks often include individuals carrying bands that show they were trapped as wild birds in Russia during the breeding season!
So why do I bring this up now? Well, it's been an interesting winter again in New Jersey for unusual wildfowl. Barnacle and Pink-footed Geese have shown up in Canada Goose flocks in central Jersey, while Cape May currently hosts a wonderfully exotic Ruddy Shelduck, again in a flock of migratory Canada Geese. What to do? The geese, perhaps seem a little more straight forward. There is evidence for Canada Goose populations spreading eastward and establishing breeding populations in western Greenland - this seems to be because the region is become increasingly ice-free during the summer, courtesy of global climate change. At one time, such birds seemed to be considered guilty until proven innocent by regional records committees (for it is they that have the unenviable job of proclaiming on these things), but now a more liberal approach seems to hold sway. Certainly it is easy to see how Pink-footed or Barnacle Geese from eastern Greenland can find themselves tied up with Canada Goose flocks and then head south with them on the fall.
But what of a Ruddy Shelduck? Well, the long and the short of it is, we will almost certainly never know. This is a popular bird in captivity, but the species has a track record for vagrancy; indeed, it has probably been given short shrift in the past and unexplained groups of three or more birds have been noted in a number of unexplained occurrences in some far-flung places. Some years ago, I saw one feeding on the tidal flats at Nesseby, a picturesque little village half way along Varangerfjord in far northern Norway. Similarly - and even more intriguingly - a party of six Ruddy Shelducks was discovered on Southampton Island, Nunavut in July 2003. Escapes? Certainly the latter birds have not been accepted by the relevant records committees, but genuine vagrancy seems far more likely than a mass break-out of six birds that then decided to head into the far northern Canadian Arctic!
So why worry? Does it really matter whether these birds are escapes or not? Well I guess it depends on how interested you are in birds (I've moved on from lists now!). There are certainly implications for conservation. The greater New York area hosts a number of growing populations of Monk Parakeets; at the most basic level, these free-ranging, self-sustaining populations give us an extra bird for our lists, but what are the implications for the region? Are the birds having any adverse affects on the local habitats - competition with other bird species, potential effects on plant species that they might feed on? And what of their impacts on the Human environment? Should we be more concerned with the fact that they brighten up a dull day with their bright colors, or should we consider the potential problems that their nests might cause to utility wires?
Such populations of birds may not have been deliberately liberated, but they are now out there and part of the environment. Overwhelmingly, introduced species seem to cause problems, but this is not always the case and some populations of introduced birds now form significant percentages of the world populations of some species.
Clearly this is a multi-faceted issue, so how can we, as birders help with the bigger picture? Well there is a strong argument for recording any bird that turns up, escape or not. For if we are armed with all the facts, making informed decisions becomes so much easier. If the very first Monk Parakeet turns up and is recorded, in the future we can look back at, say, 10 years of data and make good judgement calls on the birds. Is the population showing signs of increasing rapidly and thus indicating the potential to be difficult to control should the need arise? Or do the birds seem to be levelling out and fitting into a comfortable niche? These decisions are for others to make, but we can help by recording our observations - and not worrying quite so much about our lists...
An unusual bird turns up and the hotlines start to vibrate. Facts can often be hard to come by, so opinion starts to hold sway. The list serves start to heat up; the meek give way and sink into the shadows; the discussion becomes a disagreement, becomes an argument; becomes pistols at dawn!!
But this is such a shame, for the only reason that such discussions get so heated is almost always because we put our lists before our interest in the bigger picture. Almost always, the problem starts with a duck or a goose, for these birds are extremely popular in captivity, difficult to keep penned, and thus prone to escaping relatively regularly. In addition, wild populations of such birds often are long-distance migrants and thus prone to vagrancy. The problem cam easily become unsurmountable.
It would be easy to dismiss any occurrence of an out-of-range duck or goose as not worthy of our attention. But, if we are generally interested in the vagrancy potential of birds, then we need to address the occurrence of such birds on an individual basis. And above all, we need to put our desire for a 'tick' on one side for a moment. It seems to me that the real sticking point is that there really seems to be no one single argument that categorically nails the exotic visitor one way or another; discussions revolve around several issues: is the bird banded? Does it show signs of captivity? Is it tame?
Can these questions help? It would seem not. A caged bird can escape before the owner has had time to apply a band (this shouldn't happen, but it does). Some observers look for extreme feather wear, or abrasion to feet or bill to suggest a captive origin - but visit a cage bird show and you will see perfect birds on display - the pride and joy of their trophy-winning owners. Is the bird tame? Not always a good sign, one way or the other. St James's Park in London has a mass of ducks on it in the winter, all readily coming to take bread from the visiting tourists - and yet such ducks often include individuals carrying bands that show they were trapped as wild birds in Russia during the breeding season!
So why do I bring this up now? Well, it's been an interesting winter again in New Jersey for unusual wildfowl. Barnacle and Pink-footed Geese have shown up in Canada Goose flocks in central Jersey, while Cape May currently hosts a wonderfully exotic Ruddy Shelduck, again in a flock of migratory Canada Geese. What to do? The geese, perhaps seem a little more straight forward. There is evidence for Canada Goose populations spreading eastward and establishing breeding populations in western Greenland - this seems to be because the region is become increasingly ice-free during the summer, courtesy of global climate change. At one time, such birds seemed to be considered guilty until proven innocent by regional records committees (for it is they that have the unenviable job of proclaiming on these things), but now a more liberal approach seems to hold sway. Certainly it is easy to see how Pink-footed or Barnacle Geese from eastern Greenland can find themselves tied up with Canada Goose flocks and then head south with them on the fall.
Rarity chasing will always be an attractive prospect and is a great excuse for visiting new places. If it wasn't for this Barnacle Goose, I wonder if I would ever have visited North Branch Park in Somerset County! Barnacle Geese are great birds wherever you see them and well worth seeing wherever they show up [photo by Mike Crewe].
Horses for courses... What species of bird draws the attention of local birders will, of course, depend on where you are. While US birders chase Pink-footed Geese in Canada Goose flocks, British birders chase Snow Geese in Pink-footed Goose flocks - and the same arguments ensue! This Snow Goose was one of two in a flock of some 3,000 Pink-feet in Norfolk, UK in January 2006 [photo by Mike Crewe].
But what of a Ruddy Shelduck? Well, the long and the short of it is, we will almost certainly never know. This is a popular bird in captivity, but the species has a track record for vagrancy; indeed, it has probably been given short shrift in the past and unexplained groups of three or more birds have been noted in a number of unexplained occurrences in some far-flung places. Some years ago, I saw one feeding on the tidal flats at Nesseby, a picturesque little village half way along Varangerfjord in far northern Norway. Similarly - and even more intriguingly - a party of six Ruddy Shelducks was discovered on Southampton Island, Nunavut in July 2003. Escapes? Certainly the latter birds have not been accepted by the relevant records committees, but genuine vagrancy seems far more likely than a mass break-out of six birds that then decided to head into the far northern Canadian Arctic!
Ruddy Shelduck at Lake Champlain, Villas, Cape May, January 2015. Whether it is wild or not, a Ruddy Shelduck is a great bird to see. This is an adult female, as shown by the extensive white on the head and the lack of a black neck ring. In most species, juvenile/first-winter birds seem most prone to wandering, so is it a bad sign for our lists that this is an adult? [Photo by Mike Crewe]
So why worry? Does it really matter whether these birds are escapes or not? Well I guess it depends on how interested you are in birds (I've moved on from lists now!). There are certainly implications for conservation. The greater New York area hosts a number of growing populations of Monk Parakeets; at the most basic level, these free-ranging, self-sustaining populations give us an extra bird for our lists, but what are the implications for the region? Are the birds having any adverse affects on the local habitats - competition with other bird species, potential effects on plant species that they might feed on? And what of their impacts on the Human environment? Should we be more concerned with the fact that they brighten up a dull day with their bright colors, or should we consider the potential problems that their nests might cause to utility wires?
Monk Parakeets at Carteret, New Jersey. A cheerful addition to the list, or a reason for concern? Research based on sound recording and monitoring will be the best way to decide [Photo by Mike Crewe].
And is a Monk Parakeet only 'countable' if you see it where it really should be? This bird was photographed on the Pantanal in southern Brazil, in the species' home range - and yet it was happily hanging out on a less-than-natural area of cattle ranching. A great example of a highly adaptive species [photo by Mike Crewe].
Monk Parakeet nest snuggling up between plastic siding and electrical wiring in New Jersey.... [photo by Mike Crewe].
Such populations of birds may not have been deliberately liberated, but they are now out there and part of the environment. Overwhelmingly, introduced species seem to cause problems, but this is not always the case and some populations of introduced birds now form significant percentages of the world populations of some species.
Clearly this is a multi-faceted issue, so how can we, as birders help with the bigger picture? Well there is a strong argument for recording any bird that turns up, escape or not. For if we are armed with all the facts, making informed decisions becomes so much easier. If the very first Monk Parakeet turns up and is recorded, in the future we can look back at, say, 10 years of data and make good judgement calls on the birds. Is the population showing signs of increasing rapidly and thus indicating the potential to be difficult to control should the need arise? Or do the birds seem to be levelling out and fitting into a comfortable niche? These decisions are for others to make, but we can help by recording our observations - and not worrying quite so much about our lists...
Red-legged Partridge in Norfolk, UK. This species was originally introduced into the UK for hunting, then started to become 'hybridized out' when the closely-related Chukar was also introduced. With natural populations of Red-legged Partridges seriously declining throughout its range in France and Spain, the UK population took on a new importance. A ban was put on the release of Chukars and now the UK population makes up a significant percentage of the world population of this species [photo by Mike Crewe].
Friday, January 30, 2015
Week in review: 24 – 30 January, 2015
CMBO is pleased to provide weekly summaries of the Cape's
birding highlights. Coverage is limited to bird sightings in Cape May County.
Readers should keep in mind that some reports may not be confirmed. The vast
majority of information utilized in these reports comes from eBird data and
"Keekeekerr" text alerts. Observers
are also encouraged to send reports and photos to compiler Tom Reed
(coturnicops at gmail dot com).
Location Abbreviations/Explanations: CMP (town of
Cape May Point); CMPSP (Cape May Pt. State Park); Cold Spring Inlet (entrance
to Cape May Harbor, accessed from Two Mile Beach); SHPt (Stone Harbor Point).
--===============--
WATERFOWL THROUGH HERONS
Cold weather
continued to adversely affect freshwater duck numbers, with significant ice
cover remaining on most fresh and brackish water. An unbanded and free-flying
female Ruddy Shelduck that appeared at Erma 15 Jan (SWh) continued to be seen
between Erma and Villas through at least 28 Jan (m. ob.). Though most North
American records presumably refer to individuals that have escaped from
captivity, it is worth fully documenting the species’ occurrences here, as it
is also a candidate for natural vagrancy. A Cackling Goose was again reported
on the pond at Champlain Drive, Villas 27 Jan (TB). Other noteworthy waterfowl
included a female King Eider at Avalon’s 8th Street jetty 29 Jan (WK)
and the continuing Harlequin Duck duo at Cold Spring Inlet through
at least 25 Jan (m. ob.). The week’s only American Bittern was a single at Jake’s
Landing 24 Jan (TR et al.). A hardy Tricolored Heron continued to play
hide-and-seek in the marshes along Ocean Drive, between Cape May and Wildwood
Crest, through at least 27 Jan (m. ob.).
RAPTORS THROUGH TERN
There were no
reports of the lingering Osprey this week. Rough-legged Hawk has been in short supply;
therefore 1 at Jake’s Landing 25 Jan (CV, DV) was notable. Beachfront Red Knots
remained in the Wildwoods through the period (m. ob.) and a ‘Western’ Willet--
a first for 2015, was noted in the vicinity of Cold Spring Inlet 28 Jan (MP). Alcid
reports were reduced, though that may be reflective of observer effort in
recent days. A Dovekie was seen from Sunset Beach, on the heels of a strong
coastal storm, 27 Jan (TJ). An adult Black-legged Kittiwake provided scope
views from Avalon’s 8th Street jetty 28 Jan (TB). The year’s first
Little Gull, an adult, was observed during a ferry crossing 26 Jan (DD, SD). At
least 2 adult Black-headed Gulls remained along the lower Delaware Bay, with
regular reports from the Ferry Terminal and at Sunset Beach through 30 Jan (m.
ob.). Forster’s Terns hung on through at least the middle of the week, with
near-daily sightings from Sunset Beach until 27 Jan (m. ob.).
COLLARED-DOVE
THROUGH REDPOLL
A long-staying
Eurasian Collared-Dove was most recently encountered at CMP 25 Jan (CBs). There
were apparently no Snowy Owl reports this week, but at least 3 Short-eared
Owls once again entertained dozens of observers at Jake’s Landing through
the period. Predictably, the Tree Swallow flock at CMP dwindled through the
recent stormy and progressively colder weather-- only a single individual was
reported by 30 Jan (m. ob.). Additional lingerers included a Yellow-breasted
Chat at CMPSP 28 Jan (WC) and 2 Orange-crowned Warblers at CMPSP 30 Jan (KH). Noteworthy
on the barrier islands, an American Tree Sparrow was reported at SHPt 24 Jan
(CBr, WC). Pierce’s Point was home to 229 Boat-tailed Grackles, a strong
midwinter total, 29 Jan (SG). Common Redpolls were not as conspicuous this week but there were still several sightings, the most recent
including 10 at SHPt 30 Jan (TB) and 1 at Villas the same day (SR).
--===============--
Contributors:
Tom Baxter (TB), Claudia Burns (CBr), Catherine Busch (CBs), Warren
Cairo (WC), David Disher (DD), Susan Disher (SD), Sam Galick (SG), Kathy Horn
(KH), Tom Johnson (TJ), Will Kerling (WK), Mike Pasquarello (MP), Tom Reed
(TR), Steven Rodan (SR), Colette Visser (CV), Derk Visser (DV), Scott Whittle
(SWh).
----
References:
eBird. 2012. eBird: An online database of bird distribution and
abundance [web application]. eBird, Cornell Lab of
Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. Available: http://www.ebird.org. (Accessed: 30
January 2015)
Fogg, B. 2013. Keekeekerr: Recent Text Alerts. Available: http://keekeekerr.com/textalerts/keekeekerr. (Accessed: 30 January 2015)
Sunday, January 25, 2015
Black-headed Gull, and enjoying the bayshore
The appearance of a scarce or rare bird is always the greatest inspiration for getting the coat on and getting out into the chilly January weather. After yesterday's forecast bad weather gave Cape May a wide berth, the sun returned today and provided even more impetus to get out and enjoy Cape May.
An adult Black-headed Gull continues to attract people to Cape May Point at the moment, but it also gives a great excuse to take in the other treats of a bayshore day in January. Right now, there appears to be some good nursery schools of young fish off Sunset Beach and good numbers of birds are gathering to feed on them, offering some wonderful opportunities to enjoy a few species that you might not normally see so well. The presence of the Black-headed Gull should have everyone checking their field guides for the key identification features for that species, but that then encourages familiarity with the commoner confusion species - always a good first step when looking for something rare. Currently, Bonaparte's Gulls are putting on a wonderful performance here and it's a great opportunity to remind ourselves that not all gulls are aggresive brutes that go around in scavenging gangs!
As well as dainty gulls, the appearance of baitfish shoals has brought Red-throated Loons and even Horned Grebes in close - again providing a great opportunity to watch these birds up close. It is interesting to study the behavior of these birds as they come into the shallows to feed on fish - what's the typical duration of a feeding dive? How far do they typically travel underwater before surfacing again? So many interesting questions to answer - or you could just marvel at those bizarre red eyes!
Come and enjoy CMBO's Saturday and Wednesday morning winter walks and get first hand guidance and tips on enjoying some great winter birding!
An adult Black-headed Gull continues to attract people to Cape May Point at the moment, but it also gives a great excuse to take in the other treats of a bayshore day in January. Right now, there appears to be some good nursery schools of young fish off Sunset Beach and good numbers of birds are gathering to feed on them, offering some wonderful opportunities to enjoy a few species that you might not normally see so well. The presence of the Black-headed Gull should have everyone checking their field guides for the key identification features for that species, but that then encourages familiarity with the commoner confusion species - always a good first step when looking for something rare. Currently, Bonaparte's Gulls are putting on a wonderful performance here and it's a great opportunity to remind ourselves that not all gulls are aggresive brutes that go around in scavenging gangs!
Bonaparte's Gull is one of the smaller gull species and even has certain tern-like qualities in their dainty flight and delicate bills. Most of the time they feed by picking food up at, or just below, the water surface. They may do this either in flight or by swimming; either way, when the fish shoals are in close, it's a great opportunity to enjoy these smart birds [photo by Mike Crewe].
As is so often the case, familiarity with the usual will help you pick out the unusual if it should show up. Spend time watching Bonaparte's Gulls and notice the clean white underwing, pale pink legs and black bill [photo by Mike Crewe].
Against the light, Bonaparte's Gulls look grayer on the underwing, but this grayness is uniform across the outer and the inner wing, while the delicate, black bill is still apparent [photo by Mike Crewe].
Sunset Beach's Black-headed Gull can be a little restless and it often disappears around the corner for periods of time. But watch for it flying past and note the deep red bill and legs, as well as the very blackish look to the underside of the outer wing which makes the white leading edge really stand out. Black-heads are a little chunkier and longer winged than Bonaparte's too [photo by Mike Crewe].
As well as dainty gulls, the appearance of baitfish shoals has brought Red-throated Loons and even Horned Grebes in close - again providing a great opportunity to watch these birds up close. It is interesting to study the behavior of these birds as they come into the shallows to feed on fish - what's the typical duration of a feeding dive? How far do they typically travel underwater before surfacing again? So many interesting questions to answer - or you could just marvel at those bizarre red eyes!
Red-throated Loons are wonderful birds when seen up close. The speckled pattern of the back gives them their scientific name, Gavia stellata, the latter word meaning starry. The head shape of loons can vary a lot according to the birds mood - bumpy like this usually means relaxed. But note the relatively delicate, slightly upturned bill of this bird, which helps to tell it from Common Loon [photo by Mike Crewe].
Horned Grebes mostly keep themselves out in the deeper channels, so any close encounter is always enjoyable - and that eye is just freaky! [Photo by Mike Crewe]
Come and enjoy CMBO's Saturday and Wednesday morning winter walks and get first hand guidance and tips on enjoying some great winter birding!
Friday, January 23, 2015
Week in review: 17 – 23 January, 2015
CMBO is
pleased to provide weekly summaries of the Cape's birding highlights. Coverage
is limited to bird sightings in Cape May County. Readers should keep in mind
that some reports may not be confirmed. The vast majority of information
utilized in these reports comes from eBird data and "Keekeekerr" text
alerts. Observers are also encouraged to
send reports and photos to compiler Tom Reed (coturnicops at gmail dot com).
Location
Abbreviations/Explanations: CMP (town of Cape May Point); CMPSP (Cape May Pt. State Park);
Cold Spring Inlet (entrance to Cape May Harbor, accessed from Two Mile Beach); SHPt
(Stone Harbor Point); WMA (Wildlife Management Area); Two Mile Beach
(beachfront at south end of Wildwood Crest).
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WATERFOWL
THROUGH HERONS
Cold weather continued to adversely
affect freshwater duck numbers, with significant ice cover remaining on most
fresh and brackish water. An unbanded, female Ruddy Shelduck that appeared at
Erma 15 Jan (SWh) continued to be seen in the area, with the most recent report from the pond at Champlain Drive, Villas 23 Jan
(m. ob.). Though most North American records presumably refer to individuals
that have escaped from captivity, it is worth fully documenting the species’
occurrences here, as it is also a candidate for natural vagrancy. A trio of Cackling
Geese was reported on the pond at Champlain Drive, Villas 20 Jan (KH). Exciting
first-of-2015 reports included a female King Eider at Avalon’s 8th
Street jetty 19 Jan (CS, PS) and a duo of female Harlequin Ducks at Cold Spring
Inlet the same day (TR). The Harlequins remained through at least 22 Jan (m. ob.).
Other notable ducks included a drake Eurasian Wigeon at CMPSP 20–23 Jan (m.
ob.), a drake Canvasback at Reed’s Beach 22 Jan (KH), 6 Common Eiders at Avalon
19 Jan (JN, DW), and several reports of the locally uncommon Common Merganser
(m. ob.). A significant total for the southern half of the peninsula, 60 Wild
Turkeys were counted in a Green Creek field 21 Jan (SG, SWi). American Bittern sightings spanned the length of the county. Singles were detected at Tuckahoe WMA 17 Jan (BR), CMPSP 21 Jan (VE), and
Sunset Lake, Wildwood Crest 21 Jan (SG). A hardy Tricolored Heron continued to hang around the
marshes along Ocean Drive--between Cape May and Wildwood Crest--through 23 Jan
(m. ob.).
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| [Female King Eider near Avalon's 8th Street jetty, 19 Jan. Photo by Pat & Clay Sutton.] |
RAPTORS
THROUGH TERN
A/the wandering Osprey appeared again at
Two Mile Beach and Cape May Harbor 23 Jan (m. ob.). There were apparently no
reports of Rough-legged Hawk during the past week. Shorebird news was headlined by a Marbled Godwit at Hereford Inlet 17 Jan (JA). No reports of
that bird since, though 56 American Oystercatchers remained at the same site 21
Jan (SG, SWi). A sizable wintering flock of Red Knots remained in the Wildwoods
through the period, with a recent max of 82 at Two Mile Beach 19 Jan (TR). Alcids
again featured prominently. Single Dovekies were observed from Two Mile Beach 19
Jan (TR) and 23 Jan (KH). Large alcids were also evident from Two Mile Beach 19
Jan, and included 28 Razorbills plus 31 alcids too distant to identify to
species (TR). Black-headed Gull appeared again in recent days, with 1-2 adults
present at Sunset Beach 21–23 Jan (m. ob.). Forster’s Terns remained through
the cold weather, highlighted by a total of 18 at Two Mile Beach 20 Jan (MP).
[Snowy Owl at SHPt, 22 Jan. Photo by Dustin Welch.]
COLLARED-DOVE THROUGH REDPOLL
A long-staying Eurasian Collared-Dove
was most recently encountered at CMP 19 Jan (SG, EH). A Snowy Owl was discovered
at SHPt 22 Jan (m. ob.), and the same or another was seen flying in from the
ocean at North Wildwood 23 Jan (MK). At least 3 Short-eared Owls once again entertained
observers at Jake’s Landing throughout the period. A pair was again seen from
Nummy Island 17 Jan (MP), and another was at Pond Creek Marsh, just north of Sunset Beach, 19 Jan (TB, TG). Notable
given the cold weather, 3 Eastern Phoebes persisted on private property at West
Cape May 22 Jan (MP). Remarkable were the 50+ Tree Swallows that survived at
Cape Island through at least 21 Jan (m. ob.). Additional noteworthy lingerers
included Orange-crowned Warbler and Yellow-breasted Chat at CMPSP 17 Jan (m.
ob.). A snow-covered SHPt hosted a noteworthy count of 53 ‘Ipswich’
Savannah Sparrows 22 Jan (TR), along with Saltmarsh and Nelson’s Sparrows (MP).
Another Nelson’s Sparrow was photographed along the Delaware Bay at Pierce’s
Point 21 Jan (SG, SWi). A substantial influx of Common Redpolls arrived during recent days-- particularly 18–23 Jan. Largest totals included 25+
at CMP 18 Jan (m. ob.), 13 at CMPSP 20 Jan (m. ob.), and 11 at SHPt 21 Jan
(TR). Almost all reports have come from the immediate coast.
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| [ABOVE: Map of Common Redpoll reports in Cape May County, NJ during January 2014 (no reports). BELOW: Map of Common Redpoll reports in Cape May, NJ during January 2015. Images provided by eBird (www.ebird.org) and created 23 January 2015.] |
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Contributors:
Jesse
Amesbury (JA), Tom Baxter (TB), Warren Cairo, Vince Elia (VE), Sam Galick (SG),
Tom Gleason (TG), Emily Heiser (EH), Kathy Horn (KH), Mike Kilpatrick (MK), Josh
Nemeth (JN), Mike Pasquarello (MP), Tom Reed (TR), Bill Roache (BR), Clay
Sutton (CS), Pat Sutton (PS), Dustin Welch (DW), Scott Whittle (SWh), Sam
Wilson (SWi).
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References:
eBird. 2012. eBird: An online database of bird distribution and
abundance [web application]. eBird, Cornell Lab of
Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. Available: http://www.ebird.org. (Accessed: 23
January 2015).
Fogg, B. 2013. Keekeekerr: Recent Text Alerts. Available: http://keekeekerr.com/textalerts/keekeekerr. (Accessed: 23 January
2015).