Avalon Seawatch, 29 September 2016


     It was a cool and stormy day today with a total of 136 birds of 14 different species. The wind blew strong and steady out of the northeast at 30mph with gusts exceeding 40mph. The jetty was covered in rolling waves with yellow foam from the powerful surf. The #6 buoy made its way over the jetty early that morning with the high tide (pictured above). Visibility was very poor with low lying clouds and pelting raindrops throughout the day. Despite the weather, there was still amazing sightings of Northern Gannets diving near the inlet and Sanderlings zooming by in the wind. Attached below is a table of todays sightings and feel free to go to the live data link on Cape May Bird Observatory's homepage for live updates throughout the days! Join us anytime, sunrise to sunset, at 8th and 9th street beach in Avalon!


SNSN
Black Scoter  8  3  Great Black-backed Gull  7  -  
Gannet  2  -  Herring Gull  1  -  
Double-crested Cormorant  2  -  Caspian Tern  1  -  
Semipalmated Plover  10  -  Royal Tern  9  -  
Willet  3  -  Forster's Tern  5  -  
Sanderling  21  -  Sterna spec.  21  -  
Laughing Gull  37  -  Bottle-Nosed Dolphin  6  -  

Totals: 136 individuals, 14 species, 11:00 hours

Present: Osprey 6, Semipalmated Plover 1, Turnstone 3, Sanderling 53, Least Sandpiper 3, Laughing Gull 2, Ring-billed Gull 3, Great Black-backed Gull 6, Herring Gull 36, Caspian Tern 2, Royal Tern 1

Bold = Remarkable observation (scarce or rare species or large number)

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