Mizpah Christmas Bird Count Results

[One of two adult Red-headed Woodpeckers found at the Weymouth Township Municipal Park in Dorothy, Atlantic County, during the Mizpah Christmas Bird Count. This is a known location for the species. Photo by Stephen Mason; click to enlarge.]

The first ever Mizpah Christmas Bird Count was held on Saturday. Planning for this count began a little over two years ago, and was followed by a "test count" in January of 2007. The circle was officially established in 2009.

Now, you're likely wondering just where in the world Mizpah is. It's actually a small town in western Atlantic County, located between Vineland and Mays Landing. When I went about creating the map for the circle, Mizpah just happened to be smack dab in the middle... hence the name. The circle includes several state wildlife management areas, including Makepeace Lake and portions of Peaslee. It also includes a few county and municipal parks and other protected areas.

Nineteen observers were in the field Saturday, and found about 70 species. Sustained northwest winds at 15-25mph made birding tough, and it seemed as though the bitter and stormy weather of December likely put a big dent in numbers of some species, particularly waterfowl and half-hardy songbirds. Also keep in mind that while the Cape May area generally received 3-8" of snow from the storm a few weeks back, areas up here received in the ballpark of 20-24".

That being said, there were some neat birds notched on count day. A total of three Red-headed Woodpeckers were found: two adults at the municipal park in the town of Dorothy, and a young bird found at Lake Lenape Park in Mays Landing. There were likely even more Red-headeds in the Dorothy area than we actually found. Don Freiday heard a Wood Duck squealing in the Estell Manor Park, the only one for our count, and oddly enough, a bird that was apparently missed on the Cape May CBC. The party on the west side of the count circle, which includes agricultural areas in the Vineland area, found 109 Horned Larks, a Merlin and a light-morph Rough-legged Hawk! 66 Chipping Sparrows were found in the circle, including one flock of 25 just outside of Mays Landing. These are impressive numbers this far north in January.

Next year's Mizpah CBC will be held on Saturday, January 1st, 2011. I hope many of you will consider lending a hand on New Jersey's newest CBC circle; one that holds a lot of potential in the years ahead.

[Red-shouldered Hawk, one of four found during the Mizpah CBC.
Photo by Tony Geiger; click to enlarge.]

Cape May CBC: 151 Species + Kittiwakes, Owls

[Some of the flock of 90 Snow Buntings on the dunes at Cape May Point State Park today. Click to enlarge photos.]

The Cape May Christmas Bird Count finished with a rough count, tallied by compiler Louise Zemaitis, of 151 species, universally agreed to be a good total for January, and the highest ever for a Cape May CBC held in that month (since the count, originally postponed due to snow from Dec. 20, has never been held in January before!)

Highlights included great counts of salt sparrows, especially at Nummy Island by Mike Fritz, Tony Leukering et. al. along the causeway during the full moon extra-high high tide; the discovery of the first Cape Island Bald Eagle nest at Hidden Valley by Scott Whittle and Pete Dunne, with the adult eagles seen almost constantly at Cape May Point today; Sandhill Crane "all over the place," including at Villas WMA and over Cape May (same bird); Orange-crowned Warbler and Yellow-breasted Chat found by Mark Garland at Cape May Point State Park; Sora found by Michael O'Brien along the bayshore; 6 (!) Eurasian Wigeons, 3 each of males and females at Lighthouse Pond; Black-headed Gull seen at Cold Spring inlet; and two adult Black-legged Kittiwakes seen flying well off Cape May during CMBO's annual Kick Off Your Year List Field Trip.

Said field trip finished at Jake's Landing, where we enjoyed a brief glimpse of an American Bittern and better views of two Short-eared Owls hunting across Dennis Creek. One perched for a bit on a slender wooden post. An American Woodcock flushed in front of my truck along Jake's Landing Road at the edge of the marsh as I left, and even better, a Northern Saw-whet Owl flew through the headlights, low over the road (as they often are), about half way between the marsh and Route 47. A pair of calling Great-horned Owls at Jake's rounded out the owls at that great raptor location.

Tomorrow is Tom Reed's newly established Mizpah CBC in Atlantic County, with Cumberland CBC on the Sunday. What wonders await!

[Six Tundra Swans continue on Bunker Pond. If their heads are tucked, check tail length, shorter than the more common Mute Swans.]

Hummer and Crane

The Cape May CBC is underway, and (for you month listers) the Ruby-throated Hummingbird at 152 Stevens Street in Cape May was found first thing this morning, the second Ruby-throated Hummingbird for the Cape May CBC, and the latest.

Richard Crossley also had a Sandhill Crane flying over the Cape May Canal towards Cape May this morning.

We'll post the CBC results here when available.

A Cape May Year In Pictures: Part 2

Continuing from yesterday's review of the first six months of the year, here's a run-down of some of the more memorable moments from the second half of 2009.

Skimmers Washed Out Of Stone Harbor

An estimated 1,000+ Black Skimmers attempted to nest at the south end of Stone Harbor Point this summer. However, by the beginning of August the colony had been washed out by multiple high tides, forcing the Skimmers to abandon the Point and move up the coast a few miles to Longport. Here's a look at the colony in early-July (photo by Tom Reed).

Boat Trips Reveal Hidden Summer Gems

CMBO helped run two different boat trips this summer, one from Somers Point aboard the Duke o' Fluke; the other from Cape May aboard The Osprey. The trips were excellent ways to look into otherwise inaccessible portions of the back bay marshes of the Cape May Peninsula. One trip out of Somers Point in mid-July netted 40 Yellow-crowned Night-Herons, 20 Tricolored Herons and 19 Little Blue Herons. A trip out of Cape May in mid-August came across an American White Pelican, pictured above by Peter Langman.

Bells Of Autumn

The first familiar "bink" flight calls of Bobolinks overhead are a sure sign that another fall season is not far off. Bobolinks comprise a fair portion of neotropical migrants streaming through Cape May between July and October, and the first often appear in the waning days of June. This flock was photographed by Michael O'Brien.

A Ghost From The Past

Loggerhead Shrikes used to be expected in Cape May during late-summer, but have been almost completely absent for two decades. This bird was found at Cape May Point State Park on August 31st, and hung out there for a couple days. Photo by Karl Lukens.

All-Star Seasonal Crew Makes Autumn Happen

This year's seasonal crew helped bring the magic of Cape May to thousands of visitors throughout the fall. It was difficult to go anywhere around Cape May without seeing one of them in action, or without hearing somebody expressing appreciation for their help and enthusiasm. From left to right: Pete Dunne, Doug Gochfeld, Steve Kolbe, Melissa Roach, Claire Iseton, Ari Waldstein, Josh Lawrey, Jessica Donohue, and Cameron Cox. Not pictured is Nick Metheny, who was the '09 seawatch counter. Thanks to all for a great season (photo by Don Freiday).

Record Eagle Year At Hawkwatch

On September 14th, 46 Bald Eagles passed the Cape May Hawkwatch, a new single day record. By the end of the season, 459 had been counted, blasting the former single-season record of 340 in 2006. Here is one of those 459, photographed by Don Freiday.

The Biggest Sit

On October 11th, a group of Cape May regulars and visitors crammed the top deck of the Hawkwatch to partake in "The Big Sit!", an international competition in which groups of birders try to identify as many birds as possible from one 17' diameter circle. Thanks to great migration conditions and a remarkable assemblage of birding talent, 146 species were found, quite possibly representing the most species ever seen in North America from one spot in one day. In this photo by Don Freiday, the group eagerly anticipates what would eventually be their last bird of the day, an American Redstart.

Cooter Comes Back For More

For several years, a Great Black-backed Gull has preyed on American Coots on Bunker Pond. Locals have named this beast "Cooter". Here's the monster in action on Halloween, fighting a coot that is soon to be its lunch. Photo by Don Freiday.

"There's a WHAT in the harbor?!"

On the day after Thanksgiving, Jim Dowdell discovered what would quickly become one of Cape May's most famous vagrants. A young Ivory Gull had somehow made its way into Cape May Harbor, and soon after its discovery, hundreds of birders converged on the scene to catch a glimpse of the Arctic jewel. The bird moved to the Bree-Zee Lee Marina the next day, and proceeded to linger there for two weeks. Over a thousand birders from all over the country came to see the bird, which was likely the most viewed, and most photographed, Ivory Gull in history. Photo by Kevin Karlson (this was his life Ivory).

Wicked Weather Brings Wacky Birds To The Lake

A cold and stormy December was punctuated by a rare early-winter snowstorm on the 19th. The storm resulted in a postponement of the Cape May Christmas Bird Count, and also brought some lingering birds to Lily Lake, which was kept free of ice by bubblers. In the days following the storm, notable birds such as Green Heron, Glossy Ibis, Long-billed Dowitcher and Sandhill Crane (photo'd above by Mike Crewe) were all found at the lake. Perhaps even more remarkable was the Ruby-throated Hummingbird that continued to linger through the storm in West Cape May.

A Cape May Year In Pictures: Part 1

2009 was another superb year for birding in Cape May. In honor of the end of the year, we'll take a look at some of the highlights from January to June; second half highlights will follow tomorrow. We hope that you were able to take part in some of these happenings, but if not, then put Cape May in your schedule for 2010!

Click to enlarge most pictures, and enjoy.

Snowy Owls Dominate Early On

As many as 3 Snowy Owls took up residence in the Stone Harbor Point area during the winter of 2008-2009. This one was photographed by Mike Fritz as it sat atop the newly-constructed viewing platform at the Point. Sightings continued through mid-March.

Crossbill Invasion Reaches Cape May

Shortly after New Year's Day, White-winged Crossbills started to infiltrate the Garden State. A large flight of this species occurred throughout the east this winter, easily the largest irruption in recent memory. By month's end, there were almost daily reports of the species around Cape May. Most were fly-overs, but several set up shop at Villas WMA/Ponderlodge for a few weeks. These two were photographed by Karl Lukens in Cape May Point.

Waterbirds Stage In The Bay

Thousands of scoters called the mouth of the Delaware Bay home during late-February and March. As per usual, numbers of Red-throated Loons, Bonaparte's Gulls and Northern Gannets also spent time here during the early spring. Here's a view of a couple thousand scoters from Cape May Point, courtesy of Bob Fogg.

Springtime Arrives In Cape May

The first warm days in March always produce a plethora of newly-arrived migrants, including this Piping Plover, photographed by Karl Lukens in Cape May Point. The first plovers of 2009 appeared on March 8th. Numbers of Laughing Gulls, Osprey and Oystercatchers were close behind.

April Rarities Take Center Stage

A number of goodies found their way into the area during the fourth month of the year. Some of the highlights: Pileated Woodpecker flying over West Cape May, Swallow-tailed Kites in three different locations, two Yellow Rails at Turkey Point, Black-necked Stilt in the Meadows Plover Pond, and a Say's Phoebe at Cove Pool. The phoebe is pictured above, courtesy of Michael O'Brien.

"Parulean" Warbler Headlines Weak Songbird Migration

For whatever reason, spring warbler migration largely "missed" Cape May this year. However, a fine consolation prize was this apparent Cerulean Warbler x Northern Parula hybrid, found at Head of River by Michael O'Brien and Louise Zemaitis during an early-May CMBO Warbler Workshop. The bird sang a song that was Parula-like in cadence, but Cerulean-like in richness. Photo by Michael O'Brien.

Gone Kiting

The week leading up to the World Series of Birding usually provides some interesting birding, and this year was no exception. Both Mississippi and Swallow-tailed Kites appeared simultaneously over Cape Island on May 5th, and sightings of both species continued through the rest of the week. A Painted Bunting at the Beanery and a Little Gull at the Meadows were also seen the same day. The following week's Monday morning CMBO Meadows Walk found an incredible 3 Swallow-tailed Kites flying together overhead. This Swallow-tail was photo'd over the Beanery parking lot by Tom Reed on May 6th.

Heislerville Becomes Shorebird Central

Anyone who visited the Heislerville impoundments during high tide at the end of May was treated to an incredible spectacle of staging shorebirds, pictured here by Don Freiday. Estimations of 40,000-50,000 birds were common, with Semipalmated Sandpipers and Dunlin dominating the species composition. Add in two Curlew Sandpipers, an American Avocet and a host of other uncommon shorebirds, and the place turned into a birder's paradise. It was also heartening to find decent numbers of Red Knots along the county's bayshore beaches and to hear that this year's Horseshoe Crab spawning season was the best in years. Here's hoping for more of the same in 2010.

Flood Tide = Bad News For Coastal Breeders

Days of east winds combined with the moon cycle to create an extremely high tide that also coincided with CMBO's first ever tally of breeding marsh birds in mid-June, aboard The Osprey. Here's a look at nesting Laughing Gulls in the marshes of Grassy Sound, as freeze-framed by Michael O'Brien. Many gulls and terns lost nests, eggs and chicks during this high tide. 96 Clapper Rails were seen on this trip, a testament to the remarkable conditions.

A June To Remember

Let's face it... you probably don't bird nearly as much in June as you do in May. However, June has always had a reputation of being a month with rarity potential, and in 2009 it was simply sizzling. During the last two weeks of the month, Anhinga, White Ibis, Black Rail, Black-headed Gull and Roseate Tern were all seen in or from the Meadows. Multiple Mississippi Kites, a King Rail and a number of Cory's and Greater Shearwaters also made appearances. You can be sure that the June of 2009 will be talked about in Cape May for a very long time, and don't be surprised to find a few more birders than usual out during the same time next year. Pictured above is the Anhinga; photo by Michael O'Brien.

Of Snow Buntings and a Roadside Ibis

[A picture-perfect winter scene. These Snow Buntings were part of a flock
of 78 on the beach at Cape May Pt. State Park this afternoon.
Photo by Roger & Kathy Horn; click to enlarge.]


["On a rainy Boxer Day, (for our Canadian friends) we had a Glossy Ibis
feeding on Sunset, pretending to be a Woodcock." -Roger & Kathy Horn (click to enlarge).]

Wandering Sandhill Strikes Again

A Sandhill Crane was seen on the south side of Villas WMA / Ponderlodge this morning by Josh Nemeth. This is likely the same bird originally found by Richard Crossley in North Cape May on December 20th, and seen again on Cape Island December 23rd. Where will it show up next?