BirdCapeMay.org

In Cape May, the first day of September felt like July in terms of temperature, but the bird diversity sure felt like September with increased numbers of mid-season songbird migrants (birds such as Northern Parula and Black-throated Green Warbler). Additionally, today was much better than yesterday in terms of overall numbers, even though we're dealing with weather conditions that are much the same. This has been an unusually long period of favorable migratory conditions (clear skies and light winds with a westerly component), and I've been enjoying my mornings on the Higbee Dike immensely as a result! The warbler flight is still currently dominated by American Redstarts, with Northern Waterthrushes coming in a distant second place, but that will likely soon change as we near mid-September. Species highlights today included a close and lovely Yellow-throated Warbler flying overhead and the continuing juvenile Baird's Sandpiper. Another highlight today was the beginning of the fall hawkwatch at Cape May Point State Park. Check this blog for hawkwatch updates from counter Melissa Roach.

One neat aspect of watching morning flight is assessing the subtle characters that can be used to identify warblers and other songbirds in flight. Often, logical connections can be made between useful ID characters (like shape and structure) and the underlying biology of the birds. One example is wing length in warblers. Though there is considerable variation among species, there is a positive correlation between wing length and distance of migration. Additionally, the longer-winged warblers appear to have wingtips that appear more pointy when the wings are spread. Below, there are photos taken today at the Higbee Dike of individual Magnolia and Blackpoll Warblers with their wings outstretched. Compare their wing shape and apparent length with their migratory habits in mind. Magnolia Warblers are neotropical migrants, but they winter only as far south as southern Central American and the Caribbean, and appear to make much of their southbound migration overland. Blackpoll Warblers, on the other hand, are champion migrants that make very long overwater flights to northern South America, with many wintering in the Amazon basin. A Blackpoll that leaves Cape May in the evening might not stop flying until it reaches Venezuela! Those long, pointed wings sure seem to be a great asset for long journeys through the skies.

Magnolia Warbler. Higbees Beach. 1 September 2010 (Tom Johnson).

Blackpoll Warbler. Higbees Beach. 1 September 2010 (Michael O'Brien).


Location: Cape Island--Higbees Beach SWA--Dike
Observation date: 9/1/10
Notes: light WSW wind, very warm, clear; highlights = Baird's Sandpiper, Yellow-throated Warbler, nice September diversity and overall a good flight. Only species that appeared to be engaged in morning flight are included in this list.
Number of species: 33

Ruby-throated Hummingbird - Archilochus colubris 5
Belted Kingfisher - Megaceryle alcyon 1
Downy Woodpecker - Picoides pubescens 1
Eastern Kingbird - Tyrannus tyrannus 210
Red-eyed Vireo - Vireo olivaceus 18
Red-breasted Nuthatch - Sitta canadensis 18
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - Polioptila caerulea 12
American Robin - Turdus migratorius 11
Northern Mockingbird - Mimus polyglottos 4
Cedar Waxwing - Bombycilla cedrorum 49
Blue-winged Warbler - Vermivora pinus 1
Tennessee Warbler - Vermivora peregrina 6
Northern Parula - Parula americana 12
Yellow Warbler - Dendroica petechia 27
Chestnut-sided Warbler - Dendroica pensylvanica 5
Magnolia Warbler - Dendroica magnolia 4
Cape May Warbler - Dendroica tigrina 10
Black-throated Blue Warbler - Dendroica caerulescens 4
Black-throated Green Warbler - Dendroica virens 5
Blackburnian Warbler - Dendroica fusca 4
Yellow-throated Warbler - Dendroica dominica 1
Pine Warbler - Dendroica pinus 1
Prairie Warbler - Dendroica discolor 4
Blackpoll Warbler - Dendroica striata 4
Bay-breasted/Blackpoll Warbler - Dendroica castanea/striata 6
Black-and-white Warbler - Mniotilta varia 12
American Redstart - Setophaga ruticilla 264
Ovenbird - Seiurus aurocapilla 1
Northern Waterthrush - Seiurus noveboracensis 45
warbler sp. - Parulinae sp. 83
Savannah Sparrow - Passercula sandwichensis 1
Blue Grosbeak - Passerina caerulea 1
Indigo Bunting - Passerina cyanea 1
Bobolink - Dolichonyx oryzivorus 230
Baltimore Oriole - Icterus galbula 17

This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)

This morning featured a flight much reduced from those of the past several days at the Higbee dike. However, 52 Red-breasted Nuthatches were pretty neat to see - good August numbers continue to indicate a big autumn flight for this species. A single juvenile Baird's Sandpiper flying around with other sandpipers may have been the same individual present yesterday.

Tree Swallow diving after a Red-breasted Nuthatch. Higbees Beach (Michael O'Brien).

Baird's Sandpiper (right) with a Semipalmated Sandpiper (left). Higbees Beach (Tom Johnson).

Location: Cape Island--Higbees Beach SWA--Dike
Observation date: 8/31/10
Notes: Calm, warm, humid conditions led to a smaller flight than previous days. Flight highlights include a continued strong August showing by Red-breasted Nuthatches, with 52 individuals today. 177 individual warblers representing 14 species were recorded today. A Mourning Warbler popped up along the edge of the woods, and a Baird's Sandpiper continued on the dike mudflats, occasionally flying by and offering nice size and shape comparisons with other sandpipers. Only birds that appeared to be engaged in morning flight behavior are included on this eBird list.
Number of species: 26

Ruby-throated Hummingbird - Archilochus colubris 11
Eastern Wood-Pewee - Contopus virens 2
Eastern Kingbird - Tyrannus tyrannus 410
Red-eyed Vireo - Vireo olivaceus 4
Red-breasted Nuthatch - Sitta canadensis 52
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - Polioptila caerulea 20
American Robin - Turdus migratorius 3
Cedar Waxwing - Bombycilla cedrorum 37
Tennessee Warbler - Vermivora peregrina 1
Northern Parula - Parula americana 4
Yellow Warbler - Dendroica petechia 14
Chestnut-sided Warbler - Dendroica pensylvanica 1
Magnolia Warbler - Dendroica magnolia 2
Cape May Warbler - Dendroica tigrina 2
Black-throated Blue Warbler - Dendroica caerulescens 7
Blackburnian Warbler - Dendroica fusca 1
Prairie Warbler - Dendroica discolor 2
Bay-breasted/Blackpoll Warbler - Dendroica castanea/striata 2
Black-and-white Warbler - Mniotilta varia 4
American Redstart - Setophaga ruticilla 66
Ovenbird - Seiurus aurocapilla 1
Northern Waterthrush - Seiurus noveboracensis 44
warbler sp. - Parulinae sp. 34
Chipping Sparrow - Spizella passerina 1
Blue Grosbeak - Passerina caerulea 1
Indigo Bunting - Passerina cyanea 5
Bobolink - Dolichonyx oryzivorus 29
Baltimore Oriole - Icterus galbula 2

This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)

It was a great day to be out in Cape May! In addition to a few unusual species (2 Summer Tanagers, Lark Sparrow, Baird's Sandpiper, and flyby Buff-breasted Sandpiper) for the Higbee Dike, there was a big flight of American Redstarts and Northern Waterthrushes with the highest counts for both species so far this fall. Interestingly, birders in the woods reported seeing lots of redstarts and waterthrushes, and Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Baird's Sandpiper, and Lark Sparrow all showed up elsewhere on Cape Island today - it really seemed that the morning flight was the preview for an excellent day throughout the area. Eastern Kingbirds continue to stage in large numbers at Higbees Beach, and provide great entertainment as they hawk insects, storm around in big clouds, and bicker with each other constantly. Additionally, a whole bunch of great counters and interpretive naturalists showed up in Cape May to spend the rest of the fall. The hawkwatch officially begins on Wednesday, and the Seawatch begins in about 3 weeks. See you out there!

Eastern Kingbirds are everywhere! This seems to be an adult male (check out the unusual shape of the outer primaries). Higbees Beach (Tom Johnson).

A Lark Sparrow played hard to get at the dike today. This was not that bird, but instead was one in the dunes at the Meadows later in the morning. I think it is a young (hatching year) bird that has almost completed its molt - a few leftover streaks on the flanks suggest that, anyway. Generally, adult-plumaged Lark Sparrows are tough to precisely age in the fall.

Location: Cape Island--Higbees Beach SWA--Dike
Observation date: 8/30/10
Notes: West winds overnight drifted lots of birds out over the Atlantic last night as shown on radar. This was the highest warbler count so far this season, with 919 individual warblers tallied. Species highlights were numerous today, with 2 Summer Tanagers, a Lark Sparrow, a Baird's Sandpiper, and a flyby Buff-breasted Sandpiper. This list only reflects birds that appeared to be engaged in morning flight behavior.
Number of species: 31

Ruby-throated Hummingbird - Archilochus colubris 14
Eastern Wood-Pewee - Contopus virens 1
Eastern Kingbird - Tyrannus tyrannus 250
Red-eyed Vireo - Vireo olivaceus 2
Red-breasted Nuthatch - Sitta canadensis 10
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - Polioptila caerulea 25
American Robin - Turdus migratorius 19
Northern Mockingbird - Mimus polyglottos 2
Cedar Waxwing - Bombycilla cedrorum 53
Tennessee Warbler - Vermivora peregrina 9
Northern Parula - Parula americana 12
Yellow Warbler - Dendroica petechia 41
Chestnut-sided Warbler - Dendroica pensylvanica 3
Magnolia Warbler - Dendroica magnolia 2
Cape May Warbler - Dendroica tigrina 1
Black-throated Blue Warbler - Dendroica caerulescens 9
Black-throated Green Warbler - Dendroica virens 2
Blackburnian Warbler - Dendroica fusca 2
Pine Warbler - Dendroica pinus 1
Prairie Warbler - Dendroica discolor 4
Bay-breasted/Blackpoll Warbler - Dendroica castanea/striata 1
Black-and-white Warbler - Mniotilta varia 8
American Redstart - Setophaga ruticilla 594
Ovenbird - Seiurus aurocapilla 2
Northern Waterthrush - Seiurus noveboracensis 116
Wilson's Warbler - Wilsonia pusilla 2
warbler sp. - Parulinae sp. 110
Lark Sparrow - Chondestes grammacus 1
Summer Tanager - Piranga rubra 2
Blue Grosbeak - Passerina caerulea 1
Indigo Bunting - Passerina cyanea 1
Bobolink - Dolichonyx oryzivorus 315
Baltimore Oriole - Icterus galbula 7

This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)

At the Higbee Dike today, there was yet another warbler flight on clear skies with light winds (which today were SW or W). There weren't as many warblers today as the last three days, but there were some interesting sightings. One was a very surprising, very bright Empidonax flycatcher that zipped over and actually gave all observers extended views - Michael O'Brien also took some photos. Some characters gleaned from the photos suggest Acadian Flycatcher, but given the difficulty of Empid ID, I'll leave it as an Empidonax sp. on the count totals. A Yellow-throated Warbler late in the morning was a splendid addition to the list (and the third YTWA this week!). A high southbound flock of Northern Shoveler and Northern Pintail was a strong reminder that despite afternoon temperatures in the 90s, we are well into the fall migration (in case the boreal warblers weren't enough of a tip off)!Northern Waterthrush in morning flight. Higbees Beach (Tom Johnson).


Black-throated Blue Warbler in morning flight. Higbees Beach (Tom Johnson).



Location: Cape Island--Higbees Beach SWA--Dike
Observation date: 8/29/10
Notes: Clear, light variable wind, 70-75 F; observers almost outnumbered the warblers, but there was a small flight anyway. Only species engaged in morning flight are listed below.
Number of species: 22

Ruby-throated Hummingbird - Archilochus colubris 6
Empidonax sp. - Empidonax sp. 2 *one possible Acadian photographed by M'OB high overhead, very unusual view and a very difficult ID!
Eastern Kingbird - Tyrannus tyrannus 260
Red-eyed Vireo - Vireo olivaceus 10
Red-breasted Nuthatch - Sitta canadensis 17
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - Polioptila caerulea 24
Northern Mockingbird - Mimus polyglottos 1
Cedar Waxwing - Bombycilla cedrorum 11
Tennessee Warbler - Vermivora peregrina 1
Northern Parula - Parula americana 1
Yellow Warbler - Dendroica petechia 8
Cape May Warbler - Dendroica tigrina 1
Black-throated Blue Warbler - Dendroica caerulescens 4
Black-throated Green Warbler - Dendroica virens 1
Yellow-throated Warbler - Dendroica dominica 1
Prairie Warbler - Dendroica discolor 2
Black-and-white Warbler - Mniotilta varia 5
American Redstart - Setophaga ruticilla 53
Northern Waterthrush - Seiurus noveboracensis 32
Canada Warbler - Wilsonia canadensis 1
warbler sp. - Parulinae sp. 19
Indigo Bunting - Passerina cyanea 2
Bobolink - Dolichonyx oryzivorus 18
Baltimore Oriole - Icterus galbula 12

This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)