Morning Flight - 7 September 2012

There a number of warblers that have local allegiances.  Most notably, of course, is Cape May Warbler, but there are others: Mourning Warbler (Geothlypis philadelphia) and Chestnut-sided Warbler (Setophaga pensylvanica).  However, no regular eastern warbler is as sought-after in Cape May as the Connecticut Warbler and for the first time this morning, one flew out at Higbee Beach.  And then another, and another.  And one more for good measure.  In all, four Connecticut Warblers were seen amid a modest warbler flight (589 individuals of 16 species).  Today's flight consisted of the same major players as yesterday - with much fewer redstarts - but Yellow Warblers also flew in comparatively reduced numbers.  And for the first time in nearly a week, Red-breasted Nuthatches moved in appreciable numbers (the last double-digit flight was 53 on 9/1).  

Yellow-billed Cuckoo - 1
Red-headed Woodpecker - 1
Ruby-throated Hummingbird - 1
Empidonax flycatcher - 4
Philadelphia Vireo - 1
Red-eyed Vireo - 7
Red-breasted Nuthatch - 53
Cedar Waxwing - 31
Tennessee Warbler - 3
Nashville Warbler - 1
Northern Parula - 100
Yellow Warbler - 12
Chestnut-sided Warbler - 7
Magnolia Warbler - 7
Black-throated Blue Warbler - 4
Black-throated Green Warbler - 3
Prairie Warbler - 3
Bay-breasted Warbler - 1
Blackpoll Warbler - 3
"Baypoll" Warbler - 1
Black-and-white Warbler - 47
American Redstart - 172
Ovenbird - 2
Northern Waterthrush - 83
Connecticut Warbler - 4
warbler sp. - 141
Scarlet Tanager - 2
Rose-breasted Grosbeak - 1
Blue Grosbeak - 1
Indigo Bunting - 3
Bobolink - 40
Baltimore Oriole - 2

Total = 738

Connecticut Warbler - New Jersey
Connecticut Warbler (Photo by Tom Johnson)