BirdCapeMay.org

Pete Bacinski called us today while we were at Island Beach to tell of an Ash-throated Flycatcher at Brigantine, found by Jack and Jessie Connor near the bridge on Great Creek Road at the entrance to the refuge. Pete's trip also found 24 Marbled Godwits in the East Pool and several Bald Eagles.

It turns out a number of rarities are around; first this from Laurie Larson, posted to NJBIRDS:

"An Ash-throated Flycatcher was present about 12:15 to 12:30 at Brigantine (Forsythe) NWR today. Found by Jack and Jessie Connor, it was seen by a NJAS field trip and heard calling as well. The bird was located on the entrance road between the bridge with ponds on both sides, and the main entrance sign/HQ parking lot.

Also, at the Cape May Point in the past hour Sandhill Cranes as well as a Barnacle Goose (in a flock of Canadas) have been seen circling over the hawk watch; neither crossed the bay, and may still be in the area."

Jessie Barry fills out Laurie's report with the following "Non-raptor Observations:BARNACLE GOOSE (1), Sandhill Crane (2), Red Crossbill (10), Cave Swallow(30+), Tundra Swan (9)." Among other things, Jessie clicked 190 Red-tailed Hawks today.

Paul Lehman, also on NJBIRDS, adds: "No surprise given the weather the past number of days (i.e., 2+ days of mild weather with S/SW winds, followed by a sharp cold front), but yesterday (Friday) before dark there were 24+ Cave Swallows along the Cape May city waterfront hotels, and this morning (Saturday), in a more thorough check, there were 44 Cave Swallows. These birds roost on these hotels in colder weather and then disperse locally and/or totally depart the area during the day. Smaller number of Caves have been seen recently at the Cape May hawkwatch and at the Avalon seawatch. Also yesterday and today, three separate small flocks of Red Crossbills were seen flying by, one at the Avalon seawatch and two around Cape May Point. There has been a recent surge of Red Crossbills (but no White-wingeds) in Massachusetts and elsewhere the past few days. Another one or two fly-by Evening Grosbeaks.

Otherwise, the number of western passerines and late-lingering landbirds (other than Baltimore Orioles) the past couple weeks has seemingly been mediocre to poor this year. Sparrow numbers also seem sub-par."

Karl and Judy Lukens send this report from the CMBO Beanery walk today: "A brisk and partly sunny morning walk at the "Beanery" produced some interesting birds. Raptors included Harrier (Gray Ghost), Kestrel, Red-shoulder, Red-tail, Sharpies and Bald Eagle. Robins were present in the hundreds, with 40 Pipits, 25 Bluebirds, 4 Downy and 4 Hairy Woodpeckers, a Brown Creeper, and a Cave Swallow. And we almost stepped on 2 Woodcock before they startled us as they flushed. A Baltimore Oriole was also a nice sighting. Alas no other rarities." A full list is below.

Chuck and Mary Jane Slugg sent a report from the afternoon Cape May Point State Park walk, which "yawn" detected 5 Cave Swallows and, very much not a yawn, ever, a Northern Goshawk which was also counted at the hawk watch.

Our second day in a row at Island Beach ("our" means me, Scott Barnes, Karla Risdon, Tom Gilmore, and a number of NJAS supporters on a special donor field trip) was thankfully much less windy, so we managed to scrape up some interesting landbirds. Scott Barnes detected a very elusive chat on the road to the Winter Anchorage, and a much more cooperative thrasher was also along that road. On Barnegat Bay, Bufflehead were abundant, and we observed 12 Horned Grebes there as well. My favorite, and perhaps everyone else's, was the Rusty Blackbird that flew into a holly at the parking lot for the Fisherman's Walkway, proceeding to feed on Virginia Creeper and other berries. Pretty much every woody plant at Island Beach produces some sort of bird-friendly berry - the thrasher was involved with Eastern Redcedar berries as we watched it. Interestingly, the blackbird seemed to have come in off the ocean, even though it was about 2:00 p.m., and was clearly very hungry. The day list for this trip is also below.

SPECIES SEEN ~ CMBO TRIP
11/17/2007 ~ in Beanery ~ New Jersey Checklist ~ 57 seen

Common Loon 2
Double-crested Cormorant 2
Great Blue Heron 1
Canada Goose 20
Gadwall 4
Mallard 6
Black Vulture 3
Turkey Vulture 5
Bald Eagle 1
Northern Harrier 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk 4
Red-shouldered Hawk 2
Red-tailed Hawk 2
American Kestrel 1
American Woodcock 2
Ring-billed Gull 5
American Herring Gull 3
Rock Pigeon 15
Mourning Dove 40
Red-bellied Woodpecker 3
Downy Woodpecker 4
Hairy Woodpecker 4
Northern Flicker 5
Tree Swallow 5
Cave Swallow 1
American Pipit 40
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1
Cedar Waxwing 10
Carolina Wren 2
Gray Catbird 1
Northern Mockingbird 1
Brown Thrasher 1
Eastern Bluebird 25
American Robin 500
Carolina Chickadee 5
Tufted Titmouse 1
Brown Creeper 1
Blue Jay 3
American Crow 15
European Starling 25
House Sparrow 5
Purple Finch 5
House Finch 3
American Goldfinch 20
Yellow-rumped Warbler 8
Chipping Sparrow 1
Savannah Sparrow 5
Fox Sparrow 1
Song Sparrow 3
White-throated Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal 2
Red-winged Blackbird 20
Eastern Meadowlark 3
Rusty Blackbird 2
Common Grackle 10
Brown-headed Cowbird 10
Baltimore Oriole 1

Location: Cape May Point SP
Observation date: 11/17/07
Number of species: 41
Canada Goose 30
Mute Swan 8
Tundra Swan 3
Wood Duck 6
Gadwall 20
American Wigeon 50
American Black Duck 6
Mallard 30
Northern Pintail 20
Green-winged Teal 200
Black Scoter 20
Hooded Merganser 25
Ruddy Duck 25
Northern Gannet 15
Double-crested Cormorant 25
Great Blue Heron 10
Great Egret 12
Northern Harrier 8
Sharp-shinned Hawk 2
Northern Goshawk 1
American Coot 2
Herring Gull 3
Great Black-backed Gull 30
Black Skimmer 20
Rock Pigeon 30
Mourning Dove 3
Northern Flicker 1
American Crow 5
Tree Swallow 5
Cave Swallow 6
Carolina Wren 6
Golden-crowned Kinglet 4
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1
American Robin 125
European Starling 10
Yellow-rumped Warbler 50
Song Sparrow 2
White-throated Sparrow 5
Snow Bunting 27
Red-winged Blackbird 15
Common Grackle 4


Location: Island Beach State Park
Observation date: 11/17/07
Number of species: 54
Brant 15
American Black Duck 50
Mallard 10
Green-winged Teal 10
White-winged Scoter 4
Black Scoter 20
Long-tailed Duck 30
Bufflehead 400
Hooded Merganser 4
Red-breasted Merganser 10
Red-throated Loon 5
Common Loon 2
Horned Grebe 12
Northern Gannet 100
Double-crested Cormorant 10
Great Blue Heron 3
Northern Harrier 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1
Red-tailed Hawk 1
Peregrine Falcon 1
Black-bellied Plover 30
Ruddy Turnstone 5
Sanderling 20
Dunlin 50
Laughing Gull 25
Ring-billed Gull 50
Herring Gull 200
Great Black-backed Gull 100
Royal Tern 2
Rock Pigeon 10
Mourning Dove 10
Blue Jay 5
American Crow 5
Carolina Chickadee 5
Tufted Titmouse 1
House Wren 1
Golden-crowned Kinglet 5
Hermit Thrush 2
American Robin 10
Northern Mockingbird 1
Brown Thrasher 1
European Starling 5
Yellow-rumped Warbler 15
Yellow-breasted Chat 1
Song Sparrow 5
White-throated Sparrow 10
Dark-eyed Junco 5
Snow Bunting 5
Northern Cardinal 2
Rusty Blackbird 1
Brown-headed Cowbird 1
Purple Finch 2
House Finch 10
American Goldfinch 10

Well, the guesstimation from below is born out, Jessie counted 330 raptors today, and notes: "Windy, cold, Red-tails and Cave Swallows sum up the day at the hawkwatch. An adult goshawk was also a highlight, and the first, long-awaited Tundra Swans. Cave Swallows around throughout the day, usually at least 3 could be seen at any given time. How many, who knows, but the two flying under the platform were my favorites." Her totals will be up on "View from the Field" soon.

I'm guessing today's Cape May hawk count, with the passing of the front, was better than yesterday's, a safe bet given that Chris Brown tallied a whopping 6 raptors yesterday (Thursday). However, there was some quality among Thursday's birds - a lot of quality, actually: Bald Eagle, Northern Harrier, sharpie, goshawk, and red-shouldered. That's okay for any day list, no?

I was up at Island Beach leading a trip today with Pete Bacinski, Scott Barnes, Karla Risdon, Tom Gilmore, and a hardy crew of NJAS supporters. If you've never been to Island Beach, please go - it's a display of what the whole mid-Atlantic coast used to look like, and should today, a matrix of dune forest and thicket, plus salt marsh and beach. NJAS members had a significant hand in protecting this site for perpetuity.

I've decided that the morning flight we count each year in Cape May is in part derived from birds that get south of Island Beach in the early morning hours only to discover that there's almost zero habitat between there and Delaware Bay. So the birds reach Cape May Point, still looking for habitat, and can only turn northward along the bay shore, where thankfully they can find resting places in the varied parcels of the Cape May NWR.

Scoters were surprisingly sparse at Island Beach today, except it's not such a surprise given that the Avalon Sea Watch has topped 700,000 birds with a month yet to go. This could be the year the official watch, conducted September 22 to December 22, tops one million birds. But the "barrel" of birds to come certainly has drained down. Gannets, however, were omnipresently and abundantly present, a few loons spiced the surf, and a late Osprey passed. The full list for Island Beach today is below. Bird numbers were light, frankly, and that had everything to do with the 20-30 mph northwest winds from which my face still burns, and from which passerines hid, while migrating seabirds were pushed out to sea.

We watched a Merlin munching on its prey, happily perched on a bayside Osprey platform, probably the favorite bird of this windy day. We'll be back at Island Beach tomorrow, alert in particular for migrant owls, because if the wind lays down tonight Saw-whets and Long-eareds will move.

Location: Island Beach State Park
Observation date: 11/16/07
Notes: NJAS trip, 20-30 mph nw winds.
Number of species: 48
Brant 75
American Black Duck 150
Northern Pintail 2
Green-winged Teal 25
Black Scoter 5
Long-tailed Duck 15
Bufflehead 25
Hooded Merganser 1
Red-breasted Merganser 50
Red-throated Loon 10
Common Loon 1
Northern Gannet 500
Double-crested Cormorant 50
Great Egret 1
Osprey 1
Northern Harrier 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk 2
Cooper's Hawk 1
Red-tailed Hawk 2
Merlin 2
Sanderling 20
Dunlin 10
Laughing Gull 10
Bonaparte's Gull 5
Ring-billed Gull 50
Herring Gull 20
Great Black-backed Gull 75
Forster's Tern 10
Royal Tern 5
Mourning Dove 20
Northern Flicker 2
American Crow 20
Carolina Chickadee 1
Tufted Titmouse 1
Carolina Wren 1
Golden-crowned Kinglet 5
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1
Hermit Thrush 1
American Robin 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler 5
Song Sparrow 1
White-throated Sparrow 1
Dark-eyed Junco 5
Red-winged Blackbird 5
House Finch 5
Pine Siskin 1
American Goldfinch 75
House Sparrow 5

Pete Dunne and I had to run an errand this afternoon, and walking out the door of the Center for Research and Education in Goshen, Pete remarked, "There sure are a lot more birds around here than there used to be." He meant, when the center first opened, before the wildlife gardens became established and the habitat had a chance to otherwise grow up.

I actually haven't had time to go looking for birds, though I did go on an owl chase a couple days ago when some jays began mobbing something so vocally I could hear them through my office window. Hermit Thrushes and Red-breasted Nuthatches were also upset, but though I checked the cedars carefully, I came up owl-less. I noticed several Field Sparrows during the search, and heard Purple Finches and one Pine Siskin overhead.

Just up the road on this afternoon that speaks "November" with its spitting rain and strong winds (guess this could be the end of the leaves, finally), a flock of Wild Turkeys foraged in a yard, a more and more common sight every year.

Last night I was up Delaware way, to speak at the Delaware Ornithological Society's meeting at the Ashland Nature Center, where this year an inaugural and very successful hawk watch has been conducted. A very fun and focused group of people. I learned that Delaware will begin its second Breeding Bird Atlas next year - when details become available I will post them here. I know I hope to take a block or too, atlassing is some of the most fun birding you can do. It adds a dimension - behavior watching to determine nesting status, and takes you to places that are often never birded otherwise, so discoveries are frequent.

This weekend it will finally be back to birding for me with Island Beach on both Friday and Saturday and CMBO's field trip, "Birding Cumberland," which Karen Johnson will co-lead with me on Sunday. Migrant waterfowl, raptors and passerines will be on the menu for that trip, which runs from 9 to 4. There are still a couple spaces available, call CMBO at 609.861.0700 to learn more or sign up.

Karl & Judy Lukens sent this report from Cape May Point from Wednesday's CMBO walk: "Nice show of sea birds at the start of this morning's walk; 77-100 close Gannets, Royal, and Forster's Terns, as well as flocks of off shore scoters and cormorants. Five snow buntings with a flock of Am. Pipits on the beach. A good variety of ducks in Bunker & Lighthouse Ponds, and Lily Lake. The Eurasian Wigeon is still hanging out with the American Wigeons on Lily Lake." Karl et. al.'s full list is below.

SPECIES SEEN ~ CMBO TRIP
11/14/2007 ~ in Cape May Point ~ New Jersey Checklist ~ 59 seen

Red-throated Loon 5
Common Loon 1
Pied-billed Grebe 3
Northern Gannet 75
Double-crested Cormorant 50
Great Blue Heron 3
Great Egret 1
Mute Swan 10
Canada Goose 10
Eurasian Wigeon 1
American Wigeon 50
Gadwall 10
Green-winged Teal 100
Mallard 20
Northern Shoveler 10
Black Scoter 20
Hooded Merganser 1
Ruddy Duck 15
Turkey Vulture 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk 3
Cooper's Hawk 1
Sanderling 30
Ring-billed Gull 5
Great Black-backed Gull 100
American Herring Gull 20
Laughing Gull 2
Forster's Tern 15
Royal Tern 10
Rock Pigeon 30
Mourning Dove 10
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 1
Tree Swallow 10
American Pipit 25
Golden-crowned Kinglet 5
Carolina Wren 2
Winter Wren 1
Gray Catbird 1
Northern Mockingbird 3
Eastern Bluebird 1
American Robin 30
Carolina Chickadee 5
Red-breasted Nuthatch 5
Blue Jay 5
American Crow x
European Starling 50
House Sparrow 20
House Finch 10
American Goldfinch 15
Yellow-rumped Warbler 10
Field Sparrow 1
Song Sparrow 4
Swamp Sparrow 1
White-throated Sparrow 5
Dark-eyed Junco 2
Snow Bunting 5
Northern Cardinal 5
Red-winged Blackbird 5

I just learned that since October 15 this year, banders have captured about 175 Saw-whet Owls in Cape May at a station only run part-time, and in a different location than the place used in previous years. I always find it amazing that this many owls can pass through the point essentially unnoticed otherwise. Check the archives of Birding Fieldcraft http://www.birdcapemay.org/tigrina/tips_11107.shtml
for an article on finding migrant owls.

Results from this morning's Two Mile Beach walk are below, courtesy of Chuck and Mary Jane Slugg. Single lingering Snowy Egrets and Little Blue Herons were found by the Sluggs et. al. Both are scarce in winter in south coastal NJ, the Little Blue actually rare, though it is regularly found on the Cape May Christmas Bird Count.

Also below are results from Saturday's Beanery walk. Karl Lukens notes, "Cold, windy, threatening showers, with 3 hardy participants, but a nice walk after all. We even had a pinch of sun at the end. Loads of robins going in all directions, Bluebirds overhead and sitting in trees and farm machinery. A Kestrel at the start and a 1st year Bald Eagle near the end of the walk also made for nice viewing."

Location: Two Mile Beach
Observation date: 11/13/07
Number of species: 42
Brant 20
Canada Goose 15
American Black Duck 50
Black Scoter 75
Long-tailed Duck 2
Red-throated Loon 8
Common Loon 3
Northern Gannet 150
Double-crested Cormorant 60
Great Blue Heron 1
Great Egret 25
Snowy Egret 1
Little Blue Heron 1
Northern Harrier 1
Black-bellied Plover 1
Killdeer 3
Greater Yellowlegs 10
Willet 3
Ruddy Turnstone 10
Sanderling 15
Dunlin 8
Ring-billed Gull 3
Herring Gull 15
Great Black-backed Gull 50
Mourning Dove 5
Belted Kingfisher 1
Northern Flicker 1
American Crow 10
Carolina Wren 2
American Robin 25
Gray Catbird 5
Northern Mockingbird 1
European Starling 50
American Pipit 8
Yellow-rumped Warbler 50
Savannah Sparrow 1
Song Sparrow 5
Northern Cardinal 1
Boat-tailed Grackle 1
House Finch 7
American Goldfinch 5
House Sparrow 10

SPECIES SEEN ~ CMBO TRIP
11/10/2007 ~ in Beanery ~ New Jersey Checklist ~ 42 seen

Double-crested Cormorant 2
Great Blue Heron 2
Canada Goose 5
Mallard 8
Bald Eagle 1 - 1st yr.
Northern Harrier 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk 3
Red-tailed Hawk 1
American Kestrel 1
American Herring Gull 1
Rock Pigeon 10
Mourning Dove 40
Northern Flicker 3
American Pipit 3
Carolina Wren 5
Winter Wren 2
Gray Catbird 1
Northern Mockingbird 1
Eastern Bluebird 70
American Robin 500
Carolina Chickadee 3
Tufted Titmouse 1
Blue Jay 3
American Crow 50
European Starling 10
House Sparrow 5
Purple Finch 2
House Finch 5
American Goldfinch 25
Yellow-rumped Warbler 10
Eastern Towhee 1
Savannah Sparrow 1
Song Sparrow 5
Swamp Sparrow 5
White-throated Sparrow 3
Dark-eyed Junco 2
Northern Cardinal 2
Red-winged Blackbird 25
Eastern Meadowlark 40
Rusty Blackbird 2
Common Grackle 25
Brown-headed Cowbird 25

Below is a list, sent to me by George Meyers, of species seen on the CMBO Villas WMA walk, yesterday, 11/11.

EDIT: Just noticed that George provided some photos of the imm. Red-headed woodpecker and the flock of rusty blackbirds observed on the Villas WMA walk. Enjoy!





"Highlights from the Villas WMA Walk this morning 11/11.

Good numbers of American Goldfinches and American Robins but the big highlight was at least 60 Rusty Blackbirds!

Also:
One of the immature Red-headed Woodpeckers taking acorns from a Willow Oak and storing them in a particular dead snag.
Several Red-breasted Nuthatches
5 Purple Finch
1 Pine Siskin
1 White-breasted Nuthatch
1 Brown Creeper
15 Ring-necked Ducks
1 Lesser Scaup
3 Ruddy Ducks
1 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
1 Merlin
3 Sharp-shinned Hawks (one that had what looked like a Tufted Titmouse in it's talons)"

This just in from Jessie Barrie, from yesterday at the hawk watch: "Cool flight today, but it only lasted from ~930-1130. Cave Swallows congregated along dunes at dusk. At least 6 individuals, also seen throughout day. Biting NE wind throughout the day.If you plan on coming out to the hawkwatch, its time to bring lots of layers. Flyby Cattle Egret, also a highlight. Gannet numbers were spectacular in the rips. Gannets were very close to shore in general, and a kettle of 40 formed next to the Bunker at one point. But, one of the most incredible sightings of the season was an adult Northern Goshawk chasing a Cooper's Hawk. They locked talons twice, and ultimately the two birds spun to the ground out of sight. I wouldn't be surprised it that was that Cooper's Hawk's last flight."

Truly unbelievable! Although I once saw a Great-horned Owl carrying a still-flopping Cooper's Hawk, and Pete Dunne told me about a gos taking a sharpie up on Racoon Ridge. Raptors do eat each other when they can.

I hear that the Avalon Seawatch had another strong gannet and scoter flight yesterday. Finally, following is a report from CMBO's afternoon walk at Cape May Point State Park, courtesy of Chuck and Mary Jane Slugg, also from yesterday:

Location: Cape May Point SP
Observation date: 11/10/07
Number of species: 53
Canada Goose 40
Mute Swan 8
Gadwall 10
American Wigeon 40
American Black Duck 2
Mallard 30
Northern Shoveler 15
Northern Pintail 30
Green-winged Teal 50
Black Scoter 40
Hooded Merganser 10
Ruddy Duck 10
Common Loon 5
Northern Gannet 50
Double-crested Cormorant 60
Great Blue Heron 8
Great Egret 3
Black Vulture 2
Turkey Vulture 10
Northern Harrier 10
Sharp-shinned Hawk 5
Cooper's Hawk 2
Red-tailed Hawk 1
American Coot 10
Herring Gull 15
Great Black-backed Gull 75
Royal Tern 5
Rock Pigeon 20
Mourning Dove 10
Belted Kingfisher 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker 2
Northern Flicker 5
Eastern Phoebe 1
Blue Jay 8
American Crow 10
Tree Swallow 200
Cave Swallow 2
Carolina Chickadee 5
Red-breasted Nuthatch 5
Carolina Wren 7
Golden-crowned Kinglet 1
American Robin 300
Northern Mockingbird 1
European Starling 75
Yellow-rumped Warbler 25
Eastern Towhee 1
Savannah Sparrow 4
Song Sparrow 2
Swamp Sparrow 6
Northern Cardinal 2
Red-winged Blackbird 20
House Finch 20
American Goldfinch 12