BirdCapeMay.org

The turbulent weather today broke up enough that walks associated with the Autumn Weekend/Bird Show turned up some great stuff. A King Eider and several Common Eiders were reported from various seawatch points, the King being off convention hall. The scoter flight continues, with all three species represented (see below for the report from Avalon yesterday). White-rumped Sandpiper was present in Bunker Pond, with up to 10 Pectoral Sandpipers. An elusive Eurasian Collared Dove was briefly sighted in Cape May Point, from the hawk watch, but not relocated. Apparently this bird has been around for a bit.

The usual raptors, especially those that tolerate nasty weather, were around. Our Meadows walks this morning observed Peregrines hunting and roosting on the beach, as well as several Merlins, harriers and Cooper's Hawks.

It's pretty sparrowy around Cape May right now. The path running east from the Meadows parking lot today hosted 1 Clay-colored, several White-crowneds, at least one Vesper, as well as Blue Grosbeak.

Friday's seawatch total is preliminary at 158,000+ birds, 99% scoters, shattering the old single day count record of 101,000! This morning (Saturday) I noticed three green blobs on the weather radar, moving south east of the rainy system that was moving north - scoters migrating offshore and east of the rain?

It seems pretty clear tomorrow will be a special day of birding anywhere, but certainly in Cape May. The cold front has passed - I listened briefly and negatively for flight calls along the bay just now, but suspect birds are moving, perhaps en masse. The next three days could be the best of the the fall migration season.

Friday's hawkwatch was being conducted from under the pavilion overlooking the ocean/bay at Cape May Point State Park, and when I wandered up there Jessie Barrie asked if I had experienced any of the amazing seabird flight that was underway. I hadn't, other than the loons and cormorants over the Beanery in the morning, and was startled to learn it was building up to a record single-day scoter count.

You have to stand on the benches or picnic tables in the pavilion to see offshore, a bit annoying, but on jumping up for a look, in no time a group of scoters came by. . .except group doesn't quite do justice to 1,600 in about one minute's looking. Anna Harris remarked that there were a ton of scoters - at an average weight of a little over 2 pounds for the dark-winged scoters, it actually was more like a ton and a half!

We'll have the results from Friday's flight up on View from the Field soon, but at last word the total count at Avalon was 120,000 or more. Almost all of that was scoters. Interestingly, Avalon had almost no cormorants, I hear, but cormorants in droves were seen migrating just inland by many observers, perhaps pushed there by the northeast winds.

We'll be birding in the rain today (Saturday) but I suggest that everyone read David LaPuma's birding forecast. David uses the word "epic" in conjunction with Sunday's potential, and looking at the way the approaching cold front is shown passing on the NOAA site Saturday night (fast and hard), I agree - the only thing that would slow a big flight would be if the winds are too high Saturday night.

Looking at the weather radar loop just now (the hour between 5:00 and 6:00 a.m.), I noticed three small blobs well east of the rain that reappearred on the screen three times, each time a bit further south. Huge flocks of migrating scoters still moving along our coast, shifted farther offshore to avoid the rain?

Different folks have different reactions to the Seawatch and seawatching in general. Often the birds are distant and hard to identify, which is frustrating and turns some people off. But the drama is huge - over ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND birds migrating over a storm-driven sea, birds that have left their nesting grounds in northern Quebec and Labrador and are headed for wintering areas off the North American coast.

Well, if you were looking for raptors today. . . not so much. Our Raptor Workshop did find kestrel - 1 - and Merlin - 1 - although Michael O'Brien did tell me this evening that those species plus Peregrines were hunting Tree Swallows at the dune crossovers in Cape May Point this morning. It rained very hard in Cape May last night, and this morning the wind howled from the NE at 15-25 mph with higher gusts. We birded the Cape May Meadows for the workshop, finding a few sparrows, including White-crowned, despite the wind, as well as many dabbling ducks - pintails, wigeon, and over 100 Green-winged Teal included, and then punted and headed for the Avalon Sea Watch, where Ken Behrens, counter there, was pumped on the scoter flight, which might well have wound up being the best this year so far. "Dark-winged" scoters passed the sea watch at high speeds, accelerated by the 20+mph tailwind. Gannets were steady far offshore, and a flock of Lesser Scaup containing an outlier Ring-necked Duck passed heading the "wrong" way - north.

Jake's Landing this evening produced nothing unusual, just the omnipresent harriers and redtails there, plus a cooperative meadowlark. The wind, the cloud cover, and the wildness reminded me just how special a place Jake's is, any season, any weather.

Michael said he was hopeful for tomorrow, conditions seem somewhat ripe for a sparrow fallout. The morning will tell. This is the big weekend here at CMBO - THE Bird Show and Autumn Weekend - and we will keep you posted on the bird highlights, and human highlights too.

This was emailed to me from Damon Noe. "The red crossbill is still hanging around.
Many sightings today."

Also a note from Karl Lukens about yesterdays CMBO Cape May Point walk.

"We encountered some rain on this morning's walk at Cape May Point State Park, but also encountered a nice variety of ducks, numerous Yellow-rumped Warblers as well as Palms. Shore birds have been scarce, but we did find 4 Pectoral Sandpipers and 1 Semi-palmated Plover in the second "Plover Pond"."

61 species, not bad for a rainy-ish day in Cape May!

SPECIES SEEN ~ CMBO TRIP

10/24/2007 ~ in Cape May Point ~ New Jersey Checklist ~ 61 seen

Northern Gannet 1
Double-crested Cormorant 5
Great Blue Heron 5
Great Egret 5
Snowy Egret 2
Mute Swan 6
Canada Goose 25
American Wigeon 20
Gadwall 10
Green-winged Teal 25
Mallard 20
Northern Pintail 4
Blue-winged Teal 10
Northern Shoveler 5
Turkey Vulture 5
Osprey 3
Northern Harrier 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk 5
Cooper's Hawk 1
Semipalmated Plover 1
Greater Yellowlegs 2
Lesser Yellowlegs 4
Sanderling 10
Pectoral Sandpiper 4
Ring-billed Gull 10
Great Black-backed Gull 40
American Herring Gull 20
Laughing Gull 15
Forster's Tern 2
Royal Tern 10
Black Skimmer 1
Rock Pigeon 10
Mourning Dove 5
Belted Kingfisher 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 4
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1
Carolina Wren 5
Gray Catbird 1
Northern Mockingbird 2
Brown Thrasher 2
American Robin 800
Carolina Chickadee 2
Tufted Titmouse 2
Red-breasted Nuthatch 2
Blue Jay 5
American Crow 30
European Starling 10
American Goldfinch 10
Yellow-rumped Warbler 100
Palm Warbler 8
Savannah Sparrow 3
Song Sparrow 1
Swamp Sparrow 5
White-throated Sparrow 4
Northern Cardinal 5
Red-winged Blackbird 20
Eastern Meadowlark 3
Common Grackle 1
Brown-headed Cowbird 15

Cape May Point went from 100% cloud cover and light south winds to 5-10 mph northwest winds at about 9:30 this morning. The clouds remain, it seems this front is really slow moving, and as of noon not much of a hawk flight developed.

The State Park was pretty birdy, generally. The highlight for the CMBO raptor workshop I was leading was (for those who got to see it well) an Orange-crowned Warbler along the path running beside bunker pond. 7 Purple Sandpipers flew past the bunker, heading south. A Lincoln's Sparrow was a long the red trail and a pipit was a flyby on the dunes. Yellow-rumps, of course, were everywhere, and a few Palms were around. Of raptors we did have fine looks at several accipiters, both small falcons, harriers, and Osprey. This morning's full list is below.

Location: Cape May Point SP
Observation date: 10/24/07
Notes: CMBO Raptors at the Migration Mainline workshop, day 1, morning. Stalled cold front eventually passed, 100% cloud cover.
Number of species: 64
Canada Goose 25
Mute Swan 5
Gadwall 10
American Wigeon 15
Mallard 10
Northern Shoveler 5
Green-winged Teal 25
Ruddy Duck 1
Double-crested Cormorant 20
Great Blue Heron 10
Great Egret 5
Turkey Vulture 10
Osprey 10
Northern Harrier 3
Sharp-shinned Hawk 10
Cooper's Hawk 5
American Kestrel 3
Merlin 3
Greater Yellowlegs 1
Sanderling 5
Western Sandpiper 1
Purple Sandpiper 7
Laughing Gull 20
Ring-billed Gull 5
Herring Gull 10
Great Black-backed Gull 10
Forster's Tern 20
Royal Tern 10
Black Skimmer 1
Rock Pigeon 25
Mourning Dove 5
Belted Kingfisher 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 5
Blue Jay 10
American Crow 5
Fish Crow 20
Tree Swallow 20
Carolina Chickadee 5
Carolina Wren 5
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1
Eastern Bluebird 5
American Robin 500
Gray Catbird 5
Northern Mockingbird 5
Brown Thrasher 10
European Starling 10
American Pipit 1
Orange-crowned Warbler 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler 500
Palm Warbler 10
Eastern Towhee 5
Song Sparrow 5
Lincoln's Sparrow 1
Swamp Sparrow 25
White-throated Sparrow 10
Northern Cardinal 5
Indigo Bunting 1
Red-winged Blackbird 10
Eastern Meadowlark 5
Brown-headed Cowbird 5
House Finch 10
American Goldfinch 5
House Sparrow 30

A Red Crossbill made a brief appearance at The Nature Conservancy's Delaware Bayshore Office feeders a week or so ago and has recently returned. I have received permission to post this info for anyone wishing to try for this great South Jersey bird.

The Nature Conservancy is located in Eldora, Cumberland County. Not too far away from where the Calliope hummingbird had been earlier in the month. You simply continue north on Rt. 47. A description of sightings and TNC's address is below provided by Damon Noe. Also a photo of the bird at the top of a Norway spruce. Very nice photo!

".....The Nature Conservancy (NJ Delaware Bayshores) here at our office in Eldora.
The address is 2350 Route 47 Delmont, NJ 08314.

The bird has been seen on and off for about 5 days now. I have seen it feeding on my tall cylindrical bird feeder near my office window which is located in the rear building. It's not always there though, so it's pot luck if someone wants to check it out. I was told there were a bunch of people with scopes today looking at the feeder. I don't know if they saw it or not. I did see it as I was leaving at 4:30 P.M. today. I followed it after it took off once today and got a really cool pic of it at the end of a Norway spruce bough. The quality is poor due to me shrinking it down considerably but you get the idea."

Karl Lukens reports; "This morning's walk at Higbee Beach produced the usual suspects for a warm October day with southerly winds. Numerous Yellow-rumped Warblers, Red-belly, Downy, and many Flickers, and Blue Jays. Towhees, Thrashers, and Catbirds were also present. Numbers of sparrows are low, maybe the next cold front will bring them in."

SPECIES SEEN ~ CMBO TRIP

10/23/2007 ~ in Higbee Beach ~ New Jersey Checklist ~ 39 seen

Turkey Vulture 2
Osprey 3
Sharp-shinned Hawk 5
Red-tailed Hawk 1
Great Black-backed Gull 5
American Herring Gull 2
Laughing Gull 5
Royal Tern 2
Rock Pigeon 5
Mourning Dove 10
Red-bellied Woodpecker 2
Downy Woodpecker 3
Northern Flicker 25
Eastern Phoebe 2
Golden-crowned Kinglet 1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1
Carolina Wren 5
Gray Catbird 5
Northern Mockingbird 1
Brown Thrasher 4
American Robin 30
Carolina Chickadee 2
Red-breasted Nuthatch 1
Blue Jay 15
American Crow 40
European Starling 1
American Goldfinch 2
Yellow-rumped Warbler 50
Palm Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 2
Eastern Towhee 5
Savannah Sparrow 1
Song Sparrow 1
Swamp Sparrow 2
White-throated Sparrow 5
Dark-eyed Junco 1
Northern Cardinal 5
Red-winged Blackbird 5
Eastern Meadowlark 2

This morning's CMBO Cape May Migratory Bird Refuge walk was rather sparrowy, with good numbers of Savannah, Swamp, Song and Chipping, as well as White-crowned and White-throated. A few gannets and some American Pipits were found from the beach. We missed Sanderling somehow, perhaps they were just around the corner on the beaches of Cape May City.

I had a tantalizing look at what was probably an Orange-crowned Warbler along the west path, but it will have to remain just that - tantalizing.

Winds were light and south, yet there was a strong flight of robins, meadowlarks, yellow-rumps, and House Finches. Yes, that's right, House Finches clearly engaged in morning flight, in largish flocks.

Today's full list is below:


Location: South Cape May Meadows
Observation date: 10/22/07
Notes: CMBO Monday morning meadows walk.
Number of species: 57
Canada Goose 300
Mute Swan 4
Gadwall 10
American Wigeon 10
American Black Duck 5
Mallard 10
Blue-winged Teal 2
Northern Shoveler 10
Northern Pintail 10
Green-winged Teal 5
Black Scoter 15
Northern Gannet 7
Double-crested Cormorant 200
Great Blue Heron 1
Great Egret 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk 3
Cooper's Hawk 2
American Kestrel 1
Merlin 5
Peregrine Falcon 1
Killdeer 2
Greater Yellowlegs 1
Laughing Gull 5
Ring-billed Gull 20
Herring Gull 50
Great Black-backed Gull 50
Royal Tern 15
Rock Pigeon 10
Mourning Dove 20
Northern Flicker 10
Blue Jay 1
American Crow 20
Carolina Chickadee 2
Red-breasted Nuthatch 1
Carolina Wren 2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1
American Robin 500
Gray Catbird 1
Northern Mockingbird 1
European Starling 25
Yellow-rumped Warbler 500
Palm Warbler 15
Common Yellowthroat 2
Chipping Sparrow 10
Savannah Sparrow 25
Song Sparrow 10
Swamp Sparrow 10
White-throated Sparrow 5
White-crowned Sparrow 1
Dark-eyed Junco 1
Red-winged Blackbird 75
Eastern Meadowlark 25
Boat-tailed Grackle 10
Brown-headed Cowbird 25
House Finch 100
American Goldfinch 5
House Sparrow 5

The season's first Swainson's Hawk, a light morph, was a real crowd pleaser at the Hawk Watch platform today, as it came in with a group of Turkey Vultures and "hung out" for quite a while around noon today. With winds now light and with a southerly component, perhaps it will be found again?

A Vesper Sparrow flew past and alighted on the edge of Bunker Pond, but we couldn't relocate it. Plenty of the expected raptors were in view, including several Red-shouldered Hawks, which, with Broad-wingeds and Red-taileds (and the Swainson's) made for a nice buteo comparison.

I overheard Anna Harris, one of our hawk watch interpreters, say to a visitor (about a Bald Eagle that Glen Davis had called out) as she described where it was, "Well, I haven't really looked at it yet, but. . . "

I remarked that you do that at your peril, and Anna, who's always on top of things, said "Yes, I've found that out first hand. But not usually with Glen." My not really looking at it booboo (which I call the rubber stamping phenomenon) came with a Peregrine someone pointed out to me, which I then announced to the crowd, that transmogrified into a Merlin right before my eyes.

Add this to your rules for living: identify it yourself, and always use at least three field marks.

The Morning Flight was impressive, and as impressive was the fact that Chipping Sparrows rivaled Yellow-rumpeds for top honors in the numbers department. At one point the view from the Morning Flight platform was a shimmering sea of backlit Chipping Sparrows flying directly at us - I told everyone to look, but keep your hands in front of your face. Sam Galick, Morning Flight counter, almost caught a Chipping Sparrow with his hand as it flew by.

With the common species were the usual smattering of extras - Orange-crowned Warbler being the best of the lot I saw from the dike at Higbee, as it pitched into a Holly and perched briefly. Nashville, Black-throated Blue, Black-throated Green, and Blackburnian Warblers were also fly-bys, as were several Blue-headed Vireos. Palm Warblers, Swamp Sparrows, and others were present in the fields at Higbee's, but didn't seem to comprise much of the morning flight. Multiple Pine Siskins and Purple Finches flew over, as did several White-breasted Nuthatches, unusual for this species. Red-breasted Nuthatches continue to be everywhere. My full list for Higbee's is below.

A brief afternoon stop at the Avalon Sea Watch yielded a single White-winged Scoter flying north with Surfs, as well as gannets, Common Loons, and Caspian and Royal Terns.

Location: Higbee Beach
Observation date: 10/21/07
Number of species: 77
Mallard X
Northern Shoveler X
Green-winged Teal X
Double-crested Cormorant X
Great Blue Heron X
Turkey Vulture X
Osprey X
Sharp-shinned Hawk X
Cooper's Hawk X
Merlin X
Black-bellied Plover X
Lesser Yellowlegs 15
Semipalmated Sandpiper 1
Least Sandpiper 5
Pectoral Sandpiper 5
Dunlin 2
Stilt Sandpiper 1
Short-billed Dowitcher 1
Laughing Gull X
Herring Gull X
Great Black-backed Gull X
Caspian Tern X
Royal Tern X
Rock Pigeon X
Mourning Dove X
Northern Flicker X
Eastern Phoebe X
Blue-headed Vireo X
Blue Jay X
American Crow X
Carolina Chickadee X
Tufted Titmouse X
Red-breasted Nuthatch X
White-breasted Nuthatch X
Brown Creeper X
Carolina Wren X
House Wren X
Golden-crowned Kinglet X
Ruby-crowned Kinglet X
American Robin X
Gray Catbird X
Northern Mockingbird X
Brown Thrasher X
European Starling X
Cedar Waxwing X
Orange-crowned Warbler X
Nashville Warbler X
Black-throated Blue Warbler X
Yellow-rumped Warbler X
Black-throated Green Warbler X
Blackburnian Warbler X
Palm Warbler X
Blackpoll Warbler X
Black-and-white Warbler X
American Redstart X
Common Yellowthroat X
Chipping Sparrow X
Field Sparrow X
Savannah Sparrow X
Grasshopper Sparrow X
Song Sparrow X
Swamp Sparrow X
White-throated Sparrow X
Dark-eyed Junco X
Northern Cardinal X
Dickcissel X
Bobolink X
Red-winged Blackbird X
Eastern Meadowlark X
Rusty Blackbird X
Brown-headed Cowbird X
Baltimore Oriole X
Purple Finch X
House Finch X
Pine Siskin X
American Goldfinch X
House Sparrow X