View from the Cape

LAGU!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2010-03-08T13:44:00.002-05:00

This just in: Scott Whittle and Sam Galick just now had a Laughing Gull from the Cape May-Lewes Ferry headed towards Villas. They claim to have been in NJ waters, and so can also claim the coveted LAGU award, though which of them gets it remains to be determined. . .

Forster's Terns, Black-headed Gull, Bonie Flock

2010-03-08T09:10:00.002-05:00

Looks like Forster's Terns beat Laughing Gull back to Cape May this year, with a dozen resting on the flats off Villas this morning near a marvelous flock of 170 (actual count) Bonaparte's Gulls, which chattered and fed actively in a pool left by the tide. The Black-headed Gull was nearby, fraternizing with Ring-billed Gulls a quarter mile south of the rest. I was viewing from the end of Hudson in the Villas, but the composition of birds there changed continuously as the gulls and terns arrived and departed, so the only way to properly work this area is to, well, work it, from the ferry northward as far as time allows you. Two American Oystercatchers, 100's of Dunlin, and dozens of Sanderlings and Black-bellied Plovers fed on the flats as well.

A few Forster's Terns occasionally winter around Cape May, but not this year that I am aware of. I have to believe someone will get the LAGU award today - it's another nice day, with an obvious movement of Canada Geese northward along the bayshore and Northern Cardinals singing everywhere.

Harbor Seal

2010-03-08T06:37:00.003-05:00

[Michael O'Brien photographed this Harbor Seal on the beach near the Convention Center in Cape May yesterday. Click to enlarge.]

Saturday Black-headed Gull, other Notes

2010-03-08T06:13:00.003-05:00

[The grass at the ferry terminal is littered by feathers from gulls in pre-alternate molt. Gulls often roost here during the day, especially at high tide. Click to enlarge photos.]

Had the Black-headed Gull twice on Saturday, once at 7:00 a.m. on the bay opposite Elwood Ave., about a mile north of the ferry, and again at 11:30 a.m. on the Gull Workshop, feeding with Bonaparte's Gulls behind the churning props of a ferry about to leave. When the ferry left, the gulls left too, heading south towards the concrete ship.

Tom Reed reported the immature male King Eider at Poverty Beach on Saturday afternoon, "relatively close." We had an adult male Common Eider off St. Mary's on Saturdays while looking at gulls, after this eider-rich winter one forgets what a nice sighting that is.

Results from Saturday's Cape May Point walk and Woodcock Dance are up on Field Trip Reports. The former included the two male Eurasian Wigeon and drake Redhead on Lighthouse Pond.

I hear from Dave Lord that Turkey Point was pretty special on Sunday morning, including a dark Rough-legged Hawk and, carrying just as much allure, the season's first butterfly (he didn't say which). I found myself thinking yesterday that I'm tired of looking at ducks and gulls, ducks and gulls, ducks and gulls. . .likely by June I'll be longing for them.

[This Atlantic Brant suffered identity issues on the Villas WMA pond yesterday. They are seldom seen even flying over land, so why this one was with the Canadas on freshwater is uncertain.]

[Eastern Bluebirds were singing and checking out the nest boxes at Villas yesterday, one target for our Introduction to Birdsong Workshop April 24.]

Woodcock Peenting in the Meadows

2010-03-06T05:29:00.002-05:00

Karl Lukens et. al. finished the CMBO Winter Evenings at the Meadows walk last night with a number of American Woodcock peenting and displaying, right from the meadows/TNC Cape May Migratory Bird Refuge parking lot. The full list is up on Field Trip Reports.

CAPE MAY BIRDING HOTLINE - THURSDAY MARCH 4 2010

2010-03-05T10:35:00.002-05:00

Hotline: Cape May Birding Hotline
To Report: call (609) 884-2736, or email sightings@birdcapemay.org
Coverage: Cape May, Cumberland and Atlantic Counties , NJ
Compiler: David Lord, Cape May Bird Observatory with additions by Don Freiday
URL: http://www.njaudubon.org ; http://www.birdcapemay.org

This is the Cape May Birding Hotline, a service of New Jersey Audubon's Cape May Bird Observatory. This week's message was prepared on Thursday, March 4, 2010. Highlights this week include sightings of NORTHERN SHRIKE, RAZORBILL, BLACK-HEADED GULL, KING EIDER, HARLEQUIN DUCK, COMMON EIDERS, SANDHILL CRANES, EURASIAN WIGEON, REDHEAD, ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, SHORT-EARED OWL, and apparent arrivals of AMERICAN BITTERN, BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON and an announcement about the CMBO annual Optics Sale March 13-14, 2010.

A NORTHERN SHRIKE was seen at the Natural Lands Trust's Peek Preserve in Millville, Cumberland County on Wednesday, March 03, 2010.

A RAZORBILL was seen at the Coast Guard Jetty on Thursday, February 25, 2010. The immature male KING EIDER was seen at the same location on Saturday, February 27, 2010. The Coast Guard Jetty is viewable only by looking north from Poverty Beach, and this bird may be at a great distance.

One of the BLACK-HEADED GULLS was found at the end of Miami Avenue in the Villas on the morning of Wednesday, March 03, 2010. Look for these birds from Cape May Point north along the bay at places like Sunset Beach, the Cape May-Lewes Ferry Terminal, the mouth of Cox Hall Creek, and the end of Miami Ave. in the Villas.

Groups of up to 4 HARLEQUIN DUCKS and 60 or so COMMON EIDERS have been noted in Townsend's Inlet seen from Avalon, reported last on Sunday, February 28th, 2010. Viewing of these birds is best from the end of 3rd Avenue or the 8th Street Jetty.

The two Cape Island wintering SANDHILL CRANES were seen Sunday, February 28, 2010 in the field between St. Mary's Cemetery and The Assembly of God Church along Seashore Rd./Broadway.

Two drake EURASIAN WIGEONS were seen at Lighthouse Pond on Saturday, February, 27, 2010. The drake REDHEAD was reported there Wednesday March 3 2010.

A dark morph ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was observed at Husted's Landing Road, Cumberland County on Monday, March 1st, 2010.

Three SHORT-EARED OWLS were seen on the morning of Sunday, February 28th, 2010, at the end of Turkey Point Road in Cumberland County.

An AMERICAN BITTERN was seen flying over the Marsh on the west side of Avalon on Sunday February, 28th 2010.

An adult BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON was seen along Ocean Drive on Sunday, February 28th, 2010.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

CMBO's Fifteenth Annual Optics Sale will be Saturday and Sunday, March 13 and 14 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the CMBO Center for Research and Education in Goshen. A large selection of closeout, demo, factory-refurbished, new and used optics will be priced to move. Binoculars and spotting scopes from all major brands will be available. There are no advance or phone orders: first come, first served. You must be a member of NJAS or CMBO to take advantage of these great deals, so join today if you’re not already a member.

CMBO is offering a special to new and upgraded membership renewals. Join CMBO for the first time or upgrade from Individual or Family to The Hundred and receive Charley Harper's Migration Mainline- Cape May lithograph poster, valued at $50. Call either CMBO center to ask an associate about joining today!

******CMBO Bookstore WINTER HOURS are as follows: Northwood Center on East Lake Drive in Cape May Point is open Wednesday through Monday, 9:30am to 4:30pm; closed Tuesdays. The Center for Research and Education on Rt. 47 in Goshen is open Tuesday through Saturday, 9:30am to 4:30pm (but open Sunday March 14 for the Optics Sale); closed Mondays and Tuesdays. ******

The Cape May Birding Hotline is a service of the New Jersey Audubon's Cape May Bird Observatory and details sightings from Cape May, Cumberland and Atlantic Counties. Updates are made weekly. Please report sightings of rare or unusual birds to CMBO at 609-884-2736. Sponsorship for this hotline comes from the support of CMBO members and business members, and should you not be a member, we cordially invite you to join. Individual membership is $39 per year; $49 for families. You can call either center to become a member or visit. Become a member in person and you'll receive a FREE gift (in addition to member discounts in the stores).
Good Luck and Good Birding!

The Eagle has Landed!

2010-03-04T10:06:00.001-05:00

There's a real buzz in the air at the moment; the sun keeps threatening to remember what its daytime duties are and a whole host of birds are toning their vocal chords - Northern Cardinals, Mourning Doves, Carolina Chickadees, Tufted Titmice, Northern Mockingbirds - they're all helping to chase away the winter blues.

And the birds of prey are adding to the feeling of spring too. A chunky female Cooper's Hawk was in full display flight right over my house this morning (much to the dismay of the local sparrows!) and - most exciting of all - reports of pairs of Bald Eagles continue to come in. I've added here a picture sent to me this week by Debbie Hudson, who was lucky enough to watch this Bald Eagle bathing in flood water on the Cape May Airport, just off Breakwater Road. Not a bad start to any day and a treat that more and more of us are able to share these days - though the pair that's nesting just one mile from my house has so far failed to appear on my yard list!!

Debbie Hudson, who lives at Green Creek, was able to capture some nice images of a fabulous adult Bald Eagle as it bathed close to Breakwater Road at Cape May Airport this week.

Cumberland Shrike + Black-headed Gull

2010-03-03T09:52:00.004-05:00

[This Black-headed Gull was at the end of Miami Avenue in the Villas this morning. Note the extensive black visible under the far wing, the easiest way to separate Black-headed from Bonaparte's at a distance. Click to enlarge.]

Karen Johnson reports that her husband Brian had a shrike, probably Northern Shrike, at the Natural Lands Trust's Peek Preserve this morning, near the building (right along the Maurice River.) That's a good bird in south Jersey!

The interesting thing about the Black-headed Gull this morning was that it was not with any Bonaparte's Gulls.

In preparation for this weekend's rescheduled gull workshop (still a few spots open) I've been looking through a lot of gull pictures. One fun learning was that I assumed of the hundreds of gull pictures I've taken over the past couple years, surely I would have images of the common gull species in all their various plumages, but not so Great Black-backed - I only had adults and first cycle birds.

Part of that is simple math - adults and first cycles are what you see most of, because that's what there are most of! Like all wildlife, gulls die, and they start dying their first year. The next year's cohort, now second cycle, will have fewer members in it than in did the first year, and the following year (third cycle) there will be fewer still. Once a gull is an adult, it stays that way, so you've got all the adult Great-black Backeds that are 4, 5, 6, 7 and upwards years old still out there. Hence, mostly adults and first winters.

Another thing I've noticed is that, of the gulls, Great Black-backeds seem to be the shyest. Sure, you see piles of them, but how often do you see them at close range? I must not, since if any gull flies by at close range, I'm probably taking its picture. A few of us were talking about this the other day, and Michael O'Brien observed that in general larger animals are shyer than small ones.

[Who needs fancy rare gulls? This is the lovely creature I was really stalking this morning, a third cycle Great Black-backed Gull, center with Herring Gulls and a 4th or later cycle in the background with wings spread. It even had adventitious molt going on in the left wing. . . perhaps TMI for some birders, but among the many reasons to study gull is that it can help you gain a better understanding of molt in general.]

Black-headed Gull, Turkey Point Birds, Raptor Survey Results, Courting Mergs

2010-03-01T16:04:00.003-05:00

[Over 50 Red-breasted Mergansers were assembled in Cape May Harbor near the Nature Center of Cape May on Sunday, with much courting in evidence. Click to enlarge.]

Scott Whittle and Sam Galick had one of the Black-headed Gulls yesterday, where Racetrack Ave. meets the Delaware Bay in North Cape May.

Turkey Point had some great stuff for the Sunday morning walk there. Dave Lord reports: ". . . Three Short-Eared Owls were seen flying around the Peregrine hacking tower, and the Peregrine even visited the tower when a Short-Eared was flying by. We had five Bald Eagles without leaving the road end, and two Red-Tailed Hawks were seen mixing it up with one Eagle that came too close. The Harriers put in a nice showing after last week's sparser numbers, and the Snow Geese Movement was terrific." Dave also reported a dark morph Rough-legged Hawk along Husted Landing Road in Cumberland County.

The results from last weekend's CMBO Winter Marsh Raptor Survey are up on View from the Field. Interesting - harrier numbers dropped since January, but not everywhere.

An adult Black-crowned Night-heron with lovely long head plumes hunkered along Ocean Drive yesterday. In Cape May Point, many scoters are at the mouth of the bay - I estimated 2,000 but there could be many more, since most are out past the curve of the earth.

Context for Spring

2010-02-28T07:01:00.006-05:00

[Looks like the Adirondacks or Canada, but in fact it's East Creek Lake in Belleplain yesterday, click to enlarge all photos.]

I took a wander through snowy-clean and pristine Belleplain State Forest yesterday, hiking about 3.5 miles and spending a good three hours. Here's my bird list from the expedition:

Location: Belleplain State Forest
Observation date: 2/27/10
Notes: Walked East Creek Trail and Tom Field Road. 6-8 inches of snow on ground except melted areas.
Number of species: 14

Hooded Merganser 12
Pied-billed Grebe 1
Black Vulture 1
Belted Kingfisher 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 1
Carolina Chickadee 5
Tufted Titmouse 5
Golden-crowned Kinglet 6
Hermit Thrush 2
American Robin 150
Yellow-rumped Warbler 1

Not overwhelming, but interesting nonetheless. Only a month or so until the first Louisiana Waterthrush!

Karl Lukens et. al. garnered the two Eurasian Wigeon, a Peregrine on the Water Tower, and a nice mix of ducks et. al. on Saturday's Cape May Point Walk; details on Field Trip Reports. Tony Leukering reported a movement of Snow Geese across the bay yesterday, heading north.

[Script in the snow, courtesy of a white-footed mouse who ventured from below the snow (tracks top left), plowed around a bit, then said forget this and headed back under.]

In the afternoon I visited Avalon, which held all the usuals of late, meaning Harlequins, Common Eiders, Purple Sandpiper, Great Cormorant, etc. Four Green-winged Teal flying south past the jetty reminded me a bit of October, and an American Bittern flying over the marsh on the west side of Avalon was a nice surprise and I think my first since fall.

[Dunlin with Sanderlings, gliding in for a landing. Avalon yesterday.]

[Spring on the way - Red-winged Blackbirds were lined up along all the causeways yesterday - Avalon, Stone Harbor, Nummy Island - singing away. This one persisted into evening at Nummy, with the full moon behind.]

Gull Workshop Postponed + Some Cancellations

2010-02-26T13:27:00.003-05:00

[Slide from CMBO Gull Workshop indoor session, click to enlarge. The weather forced us to reschedule the workshop until March 6.]

Due to inclement weather, the CMBO Gull Workshop scheduled for tomorrow has been postponed to next Saturday, March 6. A few spaces remain, to register call 609.861.0700.

The CMBO Brigantine and Barnegat Light Field Trip for tomorrow is cancelled.

The CMBO Nightfall at Corbin City field trip for Sunday is also cancelled, since the dikes at Tuckahoe and Corbin City remain unsafe.

The 8:00 a.m. Sunday Morning at Turkey Point field trip will go as scheduled - and hopefully find the Golden Eagle that has been wintering there!

Razorbill

2010-02-26T06:58:00.002-05:00

Chris Hajduk had a Razorbill yesterday in King Eider land, i.e. off the pilings at the Coast Guard base, which can be viewed from Poverty beach. It was last seen with a group of Red-throated Loons, and not relocated later in the day. Extensive scanning did turn up White-winged Scoter, Horned Grebe, and the immature male King Eider. This is a tough pick because of distance, let alone the waves from today's wind.

CAPE MAY BIRDING HOTLINE - THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25 2010

2010-02-26T06:37:00.002-05:00

Hotline: Cape May Birding Hotline
To Report: call (609) 884-2736, or email sightingsATbirdcapemay.org
Coverage: Cape May, Cumberland and Atlantic Counties , NJ
Compiler: David Lord, Cape May Bird Observatory with additions by Don Freiday
URL: http://www.njaudubon.org ; http://www.birdcapemay.org

This is the Cape May Birding Hotline, a service of New Jersey Audubon Society's Cape May Bird Observatory. This week's message was prepared on Thursday, February 25, 2010. Highlights this week include sightings of BLACK-HEADED GULLS, SANDHILL CRANES, LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, HARLEQUINS, COMMON EIDER, EASTERN PHOEBE, KING EIDER, EURASIAN WIGEON, REDHEADS, apparent arrivals of WOOD DUCK and GREAT EGRET, and an announcement about the CMBO annual Optics Sale March 13-14, 2010.

-For up-to-the-minute Cape May sightings information, photos and downloadable birding maps and checklist of Cape May, visit www.birdcapemay.org . Follow review list sightings and spectacles on www.twitter.com/CMBObirds -

Two BLACK-HEADED GULLS have been noted in Cape May and along the Delaware Bay, last reported on Thursday, February 25, 2010 at Sunset Beach in Cape May. Look for these birds from Cape May Point north along the bay at places like Sunset Beach, the Cape May-Lewes Ferry Terminal, the mouth of Cox Hall Creek, and the end of Miami Ave. in the Villas.

Two SANDHILL CRANES were noted in the uncut cornfield south of St. Mary's Cemetery on Cape Island, between Broadway/Seashore and Shunpike Road, on Sunday, February 21, 2010.

An adult LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was at Avalon on Sunday, February 21 2010. Up to 4 HARLEQUINS and 60 or so COMMON EIDERS are present there as well. View from the 8th street jetty or the end of 3rd Avenue.

An EASTERN PHOEBE was noted at the Railroad Tracks along Bayshore Road just north of the Beanery on Saturday, February 20, 2010.

An immature male KING EIDER was seen at Poverty Beach on Monday, February 22, 2010. Look far to the north and/or offshore from the boundary with the Coast Guard Station.

An EURASIAN WIGEON and drake REDHEAD were noted on Lighthouse Pond in Cape May Point State Park this week, through Thursday, February 25, 2010.

A pair of WOOD DUCKS were seen at Villas WMA on Monday, February 22, 2010, while a flock of a dozen were seen flying by at Turkey Point in Cumberland County the same date.

A possibly arriving GREAT EGRET was seen along Kimble's Beach Road on Wednesday, February 24, 2010.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

CMBO's Fifteenth Annual Optics Sale will be Saturday and Sunday, March 13 and 14 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the CMBO Center for Research and Education in Goshen. A large selection of closeout, demo, factory-refurbished, new and used optics will be priced to move. Binoculars and spotting scopes from all major brands will be available. There are no advance or phone orders: first come, first served. You must be a member of NJAS or CMBO to take advantage of these great deals, so join today if you’re not already a member.

CMBO is offering a special to new and upgraded membership renewals. Join CMBO for the first time or upgrade from Individual or Family to The Hundred and receive Charley Harper's Migration Mainline- Cape May lithograph poster, valued at $50. Call either CMBO center to ask an associate about joining today!

******CMBO Bookstore WINTER HOURS are as follows: Northwood Center on East Lake Drive in Cape May Point is open Wednesday through Monday, 9:30am to 4:30pm; closed Tuesdays. The Center for Research and Education on Rt. 47 in Goshen is open Tuesday through Saturday, 9:30am to 4:30pm (but open Sunday March 14 for the Optics Sale); closed Mondays and Tuesdays. ******

The Cape May Birding Hotline is a service of the New Jersey Audubon Society's Cape May Bird Observatory and details sightings from Cape May, Cumberland and Atlantic Counties. Updates are made weekly. Please report sightings of rare or unusual birds to CMBO at 609-884-2736. Sponsorship for this hotline comes from the support of CMBO members and business members, and should you not be a member, we cordially invite you to join. Individual membership is $39 per year; $49 for families. You can call either center to become a member or visit. Become a member in person and you'll receive a FREE gift (in addition to member discounts in the stores).

Good Luck and Good Birding!

Black-headed Gull, King Eider, Great Egret

2010-02-24T11:34:00.003-05:00

[A late February Great Egret, like this one this morning on Kimble's Beach Road, is gray in terms of origin. They sometimes do arrive in late February, though most years they begin trickling in in March. If this one survived the winter, well, it's a survivor.]

The Black-headed Gull (s) continue, with the latest report coming from Bob Fogg at Sunset Beach this morning. Chris Hajduk reports the immature male King Eider continues at Poverty Beach, and Great Cormorants are really prettying up.

It's gonna snow again. . .sigh. It almost started feeling like spring, with woodcock calling, Mourning Doves and Northern Cardinals singing, and the Great Egret, which I'm thinking of as an arriving bird, mainly because that's what I want. Its breeding plumes looked in pretty good shape for a bird that went through two blizzards.

Scott Whittle's March Photography Workshop filled, but we're adding a second session April 10-11, call CMBO 609.861.0700 to register. The Gull Workshop this Saturday also has a few spaces open - and a Black-headed Gull on the agenda, though we'll spend more time simply learning, really learning, the common gulls (as opposed to Common Gulls with capital letters, the European version of Mew Gull!)

Wood Ducks, Eurasian Wigeon, Yellowlegs, Oystercatcher

2010-02-22T10:21:00.002-05:00

[Wintering Greater Yellowlegs are routine in south coastal NJ, but anyone who saw the frozen, snow-covered marshes this month knows any still surviving are tough birds indeed. This one was along the Avalon Causeway this morning. Click to enlarge.]

There was a report of two Wood Ducks flying over the big pond at Villas WMA this morning, and Pete Dunne told me he had a flock of a dozen or so flying north near Turkey Point - spring migrants!

An American Oystercatcher flew past the 8th Street jetty at Avalon this morning, and a single female Harlequin lingered near the jetty.

A Eurasian Wigeon and 2 Redheads were found at Lighthouse Pond yesterday.

Avalon and Cape May Reports

2010-02-21T19:51:00.002-05:00

[Three plumages of Harlequin Duck at Avalon this afternoon. Left to right, immature male, adult male, female. A fourth bird, an immature male, was there as well. Click to enlarge.]

The two Black-headed Gulls turned up at the Concrete Ship as well as the Ferry Terminal today. The two Sandhill Cranes were in the cornfield south of the cemetary again as well.

Avalon this evening hosted about 60 Common Eiders, 4 Harlequins, an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull, 10 Purple Sandpipers, Horned Grebes, both loons, &c. A Belted Kingfisher, the first I've had for a while, was along the Avalon Causeway.

Gull(s), Crane, Phoebe; Winter Marsh Raptor Survey

2010-02-21T07:18:00.006-05:00

[One of two Horned Larks along Shepard's Mill Road, north of the Cohansey River in Cumberland County. Click to enlarge photos.]

Dave LaPuma's got "the" Black-headed Gull right now at the same spot he had it yesterday, the mouth of Cox Hall Creek. Two were reported at the Ferry Terminal yesterday, seen simultaneously.

The Cape Island Sandhill Cranes live on, with a report from the uncut cornfield south of the St. Mary's cemetary. The cemetary is between Broadway/Seashore and Shunpike Roads.

Speaking of living on, Tony Leukering had an Eastern Phoebe at the Beanery thaw area along Bayshore Road near the railroad tracks yesterday. Dave LaPuma had a Pied-billed Grebe on"Lake Champlain," the small development pond along Champlain Avenue in the Villas, north of Villas WMA. Best bet is to find it on your Cape May County map and navigate your way there.

The drake Redhead was among the 47 species found on CMBO's Saturday Cape May Point field trip, see the full results on Field Trip Reports.

A midday stroll around the Villas WMA yesterday yielded plenty of wet snow. The large pond was 30% open, with a single Double-crested Cormorant roosting on the ice with 6 Green-winged Teal. The usual Ring-necked Ducks, American Wigeon, Gadwall, Mallards and Black Ducks were on the pond , too.

Yesterday evening was CMBO's second Winter Marsh Raptor Survey of 2010. At least one survey point (Tuckahoe) and maybe others were unreachable thanks to the snow. Tom Reed and Tony Leukering had one Short-eared Owl at Jake's Landing right at dark, but I don't know if they had to walk out the road to get there. My survey point at the end of Ragged Island Road at the Cohansey River mouth was lovely and had a beautiful Short-eared Owl lit up from below by the snow, with only slightly diminished numbers of harriers compared to January - but it was a long walk through drifts up to three feet deep to get out there. Karen and Brian Johnson had 3 Short-eareds at Mott's Creek. Their's, like mine, were close to the woods edge - less wind and maybe more prey.

[Female Northern Harrier going to bed with a full crop at the mouth of the Cohansey. We'll post the survey results when all points have reported - will numbers be down after the blizzards?]

Prelude to a Gull Workshop

2010-02-20T09:48:00.006-05:00

[This is a good gull to dial in on, a first cycle=first winter American Herring Gull. The truth is, most gulls in the east are easy to identify, including this one - if it's big and brown, it's a young Herring Gull, unless it's something quite rare. Pay attention to exact wing pattern on young gulls, e.g. the pale inner primaries and primary coverts forming a pale wedge on Herring. Newburyport, MA yesterday, click to enlarge all photos.]

Dave LaPuma had the adult Black-headed Gull this morning at the mouth of Cox Hall Creek along Delaware Bay. To find this bird, start looking on the beach at the park north of the Cape May-Lewes Ferry terminal, and if it's not there, just work your way north along the bay, looking for Bonaparte's Gulls to sort through. This one is a pretty small individual, and at a distance doesn't exactly jump out of the Bonaparte's Gull flock in hangs with, at least until you get a good look at the underwing. Black-headeds are a bit paler than Bonaparte's, have dark underwing tips that really stand out, a dull red bill, and bright red legs. Scroll down for a photo from an earlier post.

We just got back from our annual Newburyport, MA trip, always delightful winter birding (and sometimes our first look at snow for the year, NOT this year!) And a great place to take photos for the gull workshop next Saturday.

[Second cycle Iceland Gull. Dove like proportions, small size, very pale overall with variably darker primaries. Second cycle because of adult like back feathers and pale bill base. Icelands are fairly easy to find in north coastal MA.]

[Now, how about this one (bird at right)? Pale bird, but quite dark primaries with pale tips, quite dark tertials. . .Scott Whittle picked this one out, and study of the bird and digiscoped photos convinced us it was a second cycle Thayer's Gull. Nile's Pond, MA on Wednesday.]

[See, not all gulls are difficult! Notice the extensive black on the underwing tip of the adult Ring-billed Gull Scott's feeding, a good quick-trick for separating ringbills from adult Herring's when flying overhead. Herrings average much less black.]

A Sunny Day...

2010-02-18T20:52:00.001-05:00

It was a sunny day at Cape May today and a noticeable thaw really set in on the snow that still persists here. Roads are pretty much clear now, but if you go 'off piste', walking can be tough. As it has been a couple of weeks since I ventured into Cape May Point State Park, I thought that a nice sunny day would be the time for a quick lunchtime foray to find out what is still out there. As it transpired, I found a pretty empty landscape, the endless sea of slushy snow and dead cat-tails stems broken only by the dark brown mounds of Muskrat lodges. Persistence threw up a nice party of eight female Hooded Mergansers, a Great Blue Heron and a peculiar mixed passerine flock that consisted of single Brown Thrasher, Carolina Wren, Carolina Chickadee, American Robin, Yellow-rumped Warbler and White-throated Sparrow! Somewhat strangely, the commonest bird aside from the expected ducks turned out to be Northern Flicker as I logged five of them feeding on the ground in spots where the snow had just cleared. The highlight was a Great Horned Owl which flushed from a stand of pines. Back near the road, the male Redhead was still on Lighthouse Pond.

Cape May Point State Park has remained open throughout the bad weather, but note that parking is very limited at present as the parking lot has not been ploughed, while the longer blue trail is closed for maintenance work until April 1st. If you're coming down this weekend, don't forget to visit the Northwood Center, where the feeders are bustling with action, including up to three Brown Thrashers, two male Eastern Towhees and all the regular guests.

Cape May Harbor has a nice selection of wintering ducks at present, including nearly 200 Ruddy Ducks and good numbers of Buffleheads, Brant, Red-breasted Mergansers and a couple of Common Loons - all visible from right by the Nature Center of Cape May on Delaware Avenue.

Hopes of Spring?

2010-02-17T12:05:00.001-05:00

Just a couple of quick snippets to keep you all going; news reached me late yesterday of an Osprey, seen fishing the creek near CMBO's Center for Research and Education on Route 47 just north of Goshen. The bird was found by Dale Rosselet and later seen by Will Kerling. It's always difficult - if not impossible - to work out what such out-of-season birds are up to. Has this bird been wintering well north of traditional wintering grounds, or has it somehow picked up early spring fever and decided to head north to be first back at a prime breeding site?

Another nice report that came through by way of a phone call from Loralea Kirby late yesterday, involves a Dickcissel which Loralea photographed at her yard feeder. A nice find of a bird that should be wintering well south of New Jersey, in southern Mexico or northern South America. I bet he's feeling the cold! Loralea lives in Little Egg Harbor in Ocean County, so wherever you are, it always pays to expect the unexpected!

Dickcissel at Little Egg Harbor, Courtesy of Loralea Kirby.

Black-headed Gull

2010-02-15T18:32:00.003-05:00

[Black-headed Gull, with a Ring-billed Gull, on the beach north of the Ferry Terminal this morning. Bright red legs, red bill, dark under the primaries all separate from Bonaparte's. Click to enlarge. This bird was discovered a couple days ago, I believe by Steve Kerr.]

Besides the Black-headed Gull, the American Kestrel continues along Bayshore Road, Rusty Blackbirds are still at the Beanery, and American Woodcock, Fox Sparrows, etc. are all around. Two Red-breasted Nuthatches and a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker were near the Cape May Point State park entrance this morning. Check Field Trip Reports for various bird sightings today. A number of CMBO naturalists are off for our annual Newburyport, MA field trip tomorrow, and a few highlights may appear here, but we'll still keep you up to date on sightings around Cape May.

Tales of a Snow-covered Marsh

2010-02-15T06:36:00.004-05:00

[Female Northern Harrier hunting along Turkey Point Road, near Dividing Creek in Cumberland County on Sunday. The marsh, though lovely, is eerily silent compared to easier times. Click to enlarge.]

The undoubted highlight of CMBO's Wintering Hawks, Eagles and Owls Workshop, day 2, was the Long-eared Owl that flew over the group along Turkey Point Road at dusk and proceeded to perch on the edge of the marsh for a silhouette view - one with long ears! A Great-horned also came to the marsh edge, and the world's toughest Virginia Rail bellowed its "stuck pig" call several times as darkness fell.

With everything concentrated along the roadsides, the landbirding was pretty incredible in the Turkey Point Area- over 20 Hermit Thrushes for example. We managed one each of Cooper's Hawk, Peregrine and Merlin, and many Bald Eagles. The full list is up on Field Trip Reports.

Other Field Trip highlights included reports from Cape May Point Saturday, the long list from Longtails in Love on Saturday, and the first Sunday Morning Turkey Point Walk.

A Golden Eagle was seen from Turkey Point on Sunday morning by several different observers at various times.

Winter Continues, But Birds Are Out There

2010-02-14T19:03:00.000-05:00

It will be interesting to hear how Don and Megan got on in Cumberland County today, as some of the more remote tracks are still snowed in up there, but Cape May Point is pretty much opened up now - though Bayshore Road and Stevens Street remain tricky (which is a pain because it's my route to work each day!). American Woodcock continue to be reported at many locations, especially in yards around Cape May Point and the Rea Farm stand had two American Tree Sparrows as I drove past this morning. A scattering of Horned Larks were noted and I had a party of 11 which flew south along the beach by the Cape May Ferry Dock. The latter site had a Black-headed Gull yesterday, still present today so probably well worth a look tomorrow. Vince Elia reported a single Razorbill flying south off Sunset Boulevard this morning and a good scattering of Black Scoter were to be seen there.

Continuing the theme of feeder birds (yet again!), three Brown Thrashers were gracing the Northwood Center feeders today along with the usual selection of other birds, including our faithful male Eastern Towhee.

Well, we had to go one better at the Northwood Center today - at least for silliness if not for rarity value. Three Mallards somehow discovered the feeders yesterday, and brought along another seven mates today - here's a few of them!

A scarce winter bird at Cape May, this wonderful male American Kestrel was along Bayshore Road at lunch time - and a nice addition to our yard list!

Six Tundra Swans were on the Cape May Canal this evening by the ferry dock and flew off over a snowy Higbee Dike. Being five adults and one juvenile, I'll wager they're the birds that have been wintering at Cape May Point State Park.

Sparrows, Cranes, Raptors

2010-02-14T07:14:00.002-05:00

Birders were back out in force yesterday, finding mainly things driven to plowed areas by the persisting deep snow. Tom Reed & Sam Galick had a White-crowned Sparrow at the Cape May Point State Park entrance, and more American Tree Sparrows turned up, including one with Horned Larks at the Rea Farm Stand along Stevens Street, seen by several observers.

The Cape Island Sandhill Cranes live on, seen by several observers in various places, the most reliable of which is the vicinity of the Assembly of God Church on Seashore/Broadway south of the West Cape May Bridge. Sheila and Marleen had one of the Cape Island Bald Eagle pair flying towards the nest site with prey.

The best site we found yesterday during CMBO's Wintering Raptor Workshop was Glade Road/East Point Road in Cumberland County. The big salt marsh along Glade had an immature Red-shouldered Hawk harassed first by a Sharp-shinned hawk, then by a harrier and crows, as well as several Bald Eagles, including a copulating pair.

Past Heislerville heading towards East Point, multiple sheltered and melted areas along the road held LOTS of birds, with many Fox Sparrows and Hermit Thrushes, Gray Catbird, Brown Thrasher, and 2 American Woodcock that seemed to be managing well. Part of me would love to walk that road again today, but we're headed up to Turkey Point to try to track down Golden Eagle et. al. in what looms as a bitter cold and windy day.

Along Thompson's Beach Road we bumped into some Tree Sparrows feeding on the left side (heading out) in an old field. Initially it looked like maybe 6 birds, but when the flock flushed there were more like 20 and the 10 or so I could be sure of were indeed Tree Sparrows.

Disturbingly, a vigil along Reed's Beach Road at dusk produced nothing, not even a harrier, and a serious attempt for Eastern Screech Owl at a known location turned up empty. Our lists from yesterday are up on Field Trip Reports.

It's Always Worth Going Out!

2010-02-12T22:48:00.001-05:00

With the weather gradually improving at Cape May (though still very chilly!), cabin fever is kicking in with all of us and the birding community are getting out and checking up on our local birds. Of course, we are spoiled at Cape May with all-round great birding, but even spending time watching the backyard feeders can produce unexpected finds. Unusual weather conditions can produce unexpected bird movements and the last few days have certainly been interesting.

Don has mentioned the American Tree Sparrows that have been turning up in Cape May and we have been lucky enough to be entertaining one for the last two days at our own feeder (along with five other species of sparrow - six if you count my British conpatriots!).

Amongst the hordes of Common Grackles and Red-winged Blackbirds at our feeder today, I found a lone male Rusty Blackbird. I find it easiest to pick these out by the combination of pale eye and small bill rather than looking for any rusty markings, especially if looking against the light.

My final surprise at the feeder today was a colour-marked Northern Cardinal. Some interesting data can be obtained by individually marking birds rather than just using a metal ring and it will be interesting to find out where this bird has come from and what its movements have told the bander - we'll keep you posted!

Cold weather movements of birds often provide us with unexpected sightings and this Horned Lark was no exception. I found it feeding quite happily in the middle of a busy road, at the junction of Stevens Street and Bayshore Road beside the Rea Farm.