This morning brought a very solid flight with great species diversity, though not overwhelming numbers. I have been attempting to deny that the fall is steadily slipping through my fingers, but my denial was dealt a resounding blow today when Palm Warblers soundly trounced redstarts as the most numerous warbler. Fall marches on. The Long-billed Dowitcher from yesterday made another appearance, but warblers were the hit of the morning. Including Common Yellowthroats, which do not participate in morning flight, we had 24 species of warblers; a rather solid total! There were 1084 individual warblers counted including 448 unidentified warblers. We also had some great looks at Rose-breasted Grosbeaks and a flyby Clay-colored Sparrow. A fine morning!
Location: Cape Island--Higbees Beach SWA--Dike
Observation date: 9/19/09
Number of species: 86
Mallard 6
Blue-winged Teal 5
Northern Shoveler 5
Green-winged Teal 6
Double-crested Cormorant 7
Great Blue Heron 1
Black Vulture 8
Turkey Vulture 12
Osprey 6
Bald Eagle 3
Sharp-shinned Hawk 18
Cooper's Hawk 3
Red-shouldered Hawk 1
Red-tailed Hawk 1
Merlin 8
Semipalmated Plover 2
Killdeer 2
Spotted Sandpiper 1
Solitary Sandpiper 2
Lesser Yellowlegs 5
Semipalmated Sandpiper 6
Least Sandpiper 9
Pectoral Sandpiper 1
Long-billed Dowitcher 1
Laughing Gull 55
Ring-billed Gull 4
Herring Gull 18
Great Black-backed Gull 35
Forster's Tern 2
Royal Tern 6
Rock Pigeon 12
Mourning Dove 4
Belted Kingfisher 1
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 94
Great Crested Flycatcher 1
Warbling Vireo 1
Red-eyed Vireo 12
Blue Jay 8
American Crow 55
Fish Crow 6
Tree Swallow 300
Barn Swallow 15
Carolina Chickadee 3
Carolina Wren 6
House Wren 1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 5
American Robin 4
Gray Catbird 2
Northern Mockingbird 1
European Starling 35
Cedar Waxwing 557
Blue-winged Warbler 1
Tennessee Warbler 9
Nashville Warbler 5
Northern Parula 110
Yellow Warbler 2
Chestnut-sided Warbler 3
Magnolia Warbler 2
Cape May Warbler 10
Black-throated Blue Warbler 13
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 4
Black-throated Green Warbler 8
Blackburnian Warbler 3
Prairie Warbler 1
Palm Warbler 256
Bay-breasted Warbler 9
Blackpoll Warbler 64
Black-and-white Warbler 22
American Redstart 80
Ovenbird 1
Northern Waterthrush 18
Connecticut Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 6
Wilson's Warbler 2
Canada Warbler 2
Scarlet Tanager 5
Clay-colored Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal 5
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 9
Indigo Bunting 5
Bobolink 21
Red-winged Blackbird 110
Common Grackle 8
Baltimore Oriole 4
House Finch 3
American Goldfinch 12
Morning Flight Friday September 18, 2009
Another very slow morning. Luckily a molting juvenile Long-billed Dowitcher was there from sunrise through the end of the count to brighten up the slow monotony of the flight. 107 re-determined migrants were counted. Tomorrow should be much better.
Location: Cape Island--Higbees Beach SWA--Dike
Observation date: 9/18/09
Number of species: 48
Mute Swan 4
Mallard X
Blue-winged Teal 6
Northern Shoveler 4
Green-winged Teal 10
Double-crested Cormorant X
Great Blue Heron 1
Snowy Egret 12
Osprey 2
Bald Eagle 1
Merlin 4
Semipalmated Plover 1
Spotted Sandpiper 4
Lesser Yellowlegs 6
Semipalmated Sandpiper 2
Least Sandpiper 6
Pectoral Sandpiper 1
Long-billed Dowitcher 1
Laughing Gull X
Herring Gull X
Great Black-backed Gull X
Caspian Tern 2
Forster's Tern X
Royal Tern 1
Rock Pigeon X
Mourning Dove X
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1
Red-eyed Vireo 3
crow sp. X
Tree Swallow X
Carolina Wren 6
American Robin 2
Gray Catbird 1
European Starling X
Cedar Waxwing 19
Tennessee Warbler 2
Northern Parula 28
Yellow Warbler 2
Black-throated Blue Warbler 2
Palm Warbler 2
Blackpoll Warbler 2
Black-and-white Warbler 5
American Redstart 35
Northern Waterthrush 6
warbler sp. 17
Northern Cardinal X
Blue Grosbeak 2
Red-winged Blackbird X
Location: Cape Island--Higbees Beach SWA--Dike
Observation date: 9/18/09
Number of species: 48
Mute Swan 4
Mallard X
Blue-winged Teal 6
Northern Shoveler 4
Green-winged Teal 10
Double-crested Cormorant X
Great Blue Heron 1
Snowy Egret 12
Osprey 2
Bald Eagle 1
Merlin 4
Semipalmated Plover 1
Spotted Sandpiper 4
Lesser Yellowlegs 6
Semipalmated Sandpiper 2
Least Sandpiper 6
Pectoral Sandpiper 1
Long-billed Dowitcher 1
Laughing Gull X
Herring Gull X
Great Black-backed Gull X
Caspian Tern 2
Forster's Tern X
Royal Tern 1
Rock Pigeon X
Mourning Dove X
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1
Red-eyed Vireo 3
crow sp. X
Tree Swallow X
Carolina Wren 6
American Robin 2
Gray Catbird 1
European Starling X
Cedar Waxwing 19
Tennessee Warbler 2
Northern Parula 28
Yellow Warbler 2
Black-throated Blue Warbler 2
Palm Warbler 2
Blackpoll Warbler 2
Black-and-white Warbler 5
American Redstart 35
Northern Waterthrush 6
warbler sp. 17
Northern Cardinal X
Blue Grosbeak 2
Red-winged Blackbird X
Morning Flight Thursday September 17 2009
A blustery morning with very few birds. Surprisingly, one of the weakest fliers, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, made an attempt to fight through the wind. A Seaside Sparrow, spotted by Scott Whittle, was a major surprise. Quite out of character it spent its time running around amid the frag!
Location: Cape Island--Higbees Beach SWA--Dike
Observation date: 9/17/09
Number of species: 67
Canada Goose 7
Mallard 4
Blue-winged Teal 5
Northern Shoveler 5
Green-winged Teal 2
Double-crested Cormorant 2
Great Egret 2
Glossy Ibis 3
Turkey Vulture 3
Osprey 8
Bald Eagle 3
Sharp-shinned Hawk 15
Merlin 10
Peregrine Falcon 1
Semipalmated Plover 3
Spotted Sandpiper 2
Solitary Sandpiper 2
Lesser Yellowlegs 6
Semipalmated Sandpiper 12
Least Sandpiper 5
Laughing Gull 45
Ring-billed Gull 3
Herring Gull 15
Great Black-backed Gull 40
Caspian Tern 1
Forster's Tern 4
Royal Tern 6
Rock Pigeon 3
Mourning Dove 5
Chimney Swift 2
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 8
Eastern Kingbird 6
Red-eyed Vireo 2
Blue Jay 3
American Crow 18
Fish Crow 1
Purple Martin 2
Tree Swallow 215
Bank Swallow 1
Cliff Swallow 1
Barn Swallow 45
Carolina Chickadee 3
Carolina Wren 5
House Wren 1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 16
American Robin 4
Gray Catbird 8
Northern Mockingbird 2
European Starling 35
Cedar Waxwing 15
Tennessee Warbler 1
Northern Parula 2
Palm Warbler (Western) 2
American Redstart 2
Northern Waterthrush 7
Common Yellowthroat 4
Seaside Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal 6
Indigo Bunting 1
Bobolink 11
Red-winged Blackbird 35
Common Grackle 3
Baltimore Oriole 7
House Finch 6
American Goldfinch 12
Location: Cape Island--Higbees Beach SWA--Dike
Observation date: 9/17/09
Number of species: 67
Canada Goose 7
Mallard 4
Blue-winged Teal 5
Northern Shoveler 5
Green-winged Teal 2
Double-crested Cormorant 2
Great Egret 2
Glossy Ibis 3
Turkey Vulture 3
Osprey 8
Bald Eagle 3
Sharp-shinned Hawk 15
Merlin 10
Peregrine Falcon 1
Semipalmated Plover 3
Spotted Sandpiper 2
Solitary Sandpiper 2
Lesser Yellowlegs 6
Semipalmated Sandpiper 12
Least Sandpiper 5
Laughing Gull 45
Ring-billed Gull 3
Herring Gull 15
Great Black-backed Gull 40
Caspian Tern 1
Forster's Tern 4
Royal Tern 6
Rock Pigeon 3
Mourning Dove 5
Chimney Swift 2
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 8
Eastern Kingbird 6
Red-eyed Vireo 2
Blue Jay 3
American Crow 18
Fish Crow 1
Purple Martin 2
Tree Swallow 215
Bank Swallow 1
Cliff Swallow 1
Barn Swallow 45
Carolina Chickadee 3
Carolina Wren 5
House Wren 1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 16
American Robin 4
Gray Catbird 8
Northern Mockingbird 2
European Starling 35
Cedar Waxwing 15
Tennessee Warbler 1
Northern Parula 2
Palm Warbler (Western) 2
American Redstart 2
Northern Waterthrush 7
Common Yellowthroat 4
Seaside Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal 6
Indigo Bunting 1
Bobolink 11
Red-winged Blackbird 35
Common Grackle 3
Baltimore Oriole 7
House Finch 6
American Goldfinch 12
Morning Flight Wednesday September 16 2009
A bit slow today though the warbler diversity was fairly good. The count of 7 Eastern Wood-Pewee was quite good.
Location: Cape Island--Higbees Beach SWA--Dike
Observation date: 9/16/09
Number of species: 79
Canada Goose 12
Gadwall 2
Mallard 5
Blue-winged Teal 12
Northern Shoveler 6
Green-winged Teal 5
Double-crested Cormorant 15
Great Blue Heron 1
Great Egret 2
Osprey 6
Bald Eagle 2
Sharp-shinned Hawk 12
Cooper's Hawk 2
American Kestrel 5
Merlin 10
Semipalmated Plover 6
Killdeer 2
Spotted Sandpiper 2
Solitary Sandpiper 1
Lesser Yellowlegs 8
Semipalmated Sandpiper 15
Least Sandpiper 6
Laughing Gull 85
Ring-billed Gull 2
Herring Gull 12
Great Black-backed Gull 30
Caspian Tern 1
Forster's Tern 6
Royal Tern 12
Rock Pigeon 115
Mourning Dove 2
Chimney Swift 9
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 2
Belted Kingfisher 1
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 2
Eastern Wood-Pewee 7
Alder Flycatcher 1
Eastern Kingbird 3
White-eyed Vireo 1
Warbling Vireo 1
Red-eyed Vireo 3
Blue Jay 3
American Crow 15
Fish Crow 2
Tree Swallow 250
Barn Swallow 300
Carolina Chickadee 3
Carolina Wren 6
House Wren 1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 8
Veery 1
American Robin 6
Gray Catbird 7
Northern Mockingbird 2
European Starling 85
Cedar Waxwing 6
Tennessee Warbler 2
Northern Parula 35
Yellow Warbler 6
Chestnut-sided Warbler 3
Cape May Warbler 3
Black-throated Blue Warbler 4
Blackburnian Warbler 2
Palm Warbler (Western) 4
Blackpoll Warbler 20
Black-and-white Warbler 14
American Redstart 36
Northern Waterthrush 43
Common Yellowthroat 6
Savannah Sparrow 2
Northern Cardinal 8
Blue Grosbeak 1
Dickcissel 1
Bobolink 21
Red-winged Blackbird 145
Common Grackle 6
Baltimore Oriole 6
House Finch 8
American Goldfinch 14
Location: Cape Island--Higbees Beach SWA--Dike
Observation date: 9/16/09
Number of species: 79
Canada Goose 12
Gadwall 2
Mallard 5
Blue-winged Teal 12
Northern Shoveler 6
Green-winged Teal 5
Double-crested Cormorant 15
Great Blue Heron 1
Great Egret 2
Osprey 6
Bald Eagle 2
Sharp-shinned Hawk 12
Cooper's Hawk 2
American Kestrel 5
Merlin 10
Semipalmated Plover 6
Killdeer 2
Spotted Sandpiper 2
Solitary Sandpiper 1
Lesser Yellowlegs 8
Semipalmated Sandpiper 15
Least Sandpiper 6
Laughing Gull 85
Ring-billed Gull 2
Herring Gull 12
Great Black-backed Gull 30
Caspian Tern 1
Forster's Tern 6
Royal Tern 12
Rock Pigeon 115
Mourning Dove 2
Chimney Swift 9
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 2
Belted Kingfisher 1
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 2
Eastern Wood-Pewee 7
Alder Flycatcher 1
Eastern Kingbird 3
White-eyed Vireo 1
Warbling Vireo 1
Red-eyed Vireo 3
Blue Jay 3
American Crow 15
Fish Crow 2
Tree Swallow 250
Barn Swallow 300
Carolina Chickadee 3
Carolina Wren 6
House Wren 1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 8
Veery 1
American Robin 6
Gray Catbird 7
Northern Mockingbird 2
European Starling 85
Cedar Waxwing 6
Tennessee Warbler 2
Northern Parula 35
Yellow Warbler 6
Chestnut-sided Warbler 3
Cape May Warbler 3
Black-throated Blue Warbler 4
Blackburnian Warbler 2
Palm Warbler (Western) 4
Blackpoll Warbler 20
Black-and-white Warbler 14
American Redstart 36
Northern Waterthrush 43
Common Yellowthroat 6
Savannah Sparrow 2
Northern Cardinal 8
Blue Grosbeak 1
Dickcissel 1
Bobolink 21
Red-winged Blackbird 145
Common Grackle 6
Baltimore Oriole 6
House Finch 8
American Goldfinch 14
Morning Flight Tuesday September 15 2009
Basically a typical day-after-a-big-flight kind of day. Some birds and good variety but it suffered from the comparison to yesterday. A flock of three adult Snow Geese was a pleasant surprise. Shorebird numbers are declining in the impoundment while waterfowl numbers are increasing.
Location: Cape Island--Higbees Beach SWA--Dike
Observation date: 9/15/09
Number of species: 89
Snow Goose 3
Canada Goose 5
Mallard 4
Blue-winged Teal 7
Northern Shoveler 5
Green-winged Teal 5
Double-crested Cormorant 12
Great Egret 2
Snowy Egret 36
Little Blue Heron 1
Osprey 4
Bald Eagle 3
Sharp-shinned Hawk 15
Cooper's Hawk 2
American Kestrel 8
Merlin 15
Semipalmated Plover 2
Killdeer 5
Spotted Sandpiper 2
Solitary Sandpiper 2
Lesser Yellowlegs 12
Semipalmated Sandpiper 9
Pectoral Sandpiper 1
Laughing Gull 115
Ring-billed Gull 5
Herring Gull 25
Great Black-backed Gull 45
Caspian Tern 1
Forster's Tern 12
Royal Tern 8
Rock Pigeon 15
Mourning Dove 8
Chimney Swift 8
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 6
Belted Kingfisher 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 80
Eastern Wood-Pewee 1
Empidonax sp. 1
Eastern Kingbird 5
White-eyed Vireo 1
Philadelphia Vireo 1
Red-eyed Vireo 8
Blue Jay 3
American Crow 45
Fish Crow 2
Tree Swallow 210
Barn Swallow 8
Carolina Chickadee 3
Carolina Wren 7
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 4
Veery 3
American Robin 5
Gray Catbird 6
Northern Mockingbird 2
European Starling 120
Cedar Waxwing 174
Tennessee Warbler 2
Nashville Warbler 7
Northern Parula 92
Yellow Warbler 5
Chestnut-sided Warbler 1
Magnolia Warbler 2
Cape May Warbler 4
Black-throated Blue Warbler 4
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 1
Black-throated Green Warbler 3
Blackburnian Warbler 3
Prairie Warbler 1
Palm Warbler (Western) 21
Bay-breasted Warbler 1
Blackpoll Warbler 21
Black-and-white Warbler 19
American Redstart 119
Ovenbird 1
Northern Waterthrush 31
Connecticut Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 4
Wilson's Warbler 1
Scarlet Tanager 2
Northern Cardinal 8
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 3
Dickcissel 1
Bobolink 96
Red-winged Blackbird 45
Common Grackle 4
Baltimore Oriole 4
House Finch 1
American Goldfinch 12
Location: Cape Island--Higbees Beach SWA--Dike
Observation date: 9/15/09
Number of species: 89
Snow Goose 3
Canada Goose 5
Mallard 4
Blue-winged Teal 7
Northern Shoveler 5
Green-winged Teal 5
Double-crested Cormorant 12
Great Egret 2
Snowy Egret 36
Little Blue Heron 1
Osprey 4
Bald Eagle 3
Sharp-shinned Hawk 15
Cooper's Hawk 2
American Kestrel 8
Merlin 15
Semipalmated Plover 2
Killdeer 5
Spotted Sandpiper 2
Solitary Sandpiper 2
Lesser Yellowlegs 12
Semipalmated Sandpiper 9
Pectoral Sandpiper 1
Laughing Gull 115
Ring-billed Gull 5
Herring Gull 25
Great Black-backed Gull 45
Caspian Tern 1
Forster's Tern 12
Royal Tern 8
Rock Pigeon 15
Mourning Dove 8
Chimney Swift 8
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 6
Belted Kingfisher 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 80
Eastern Wood-Pewee 1
Empidonax sp. 1
Eastern Kingbird 5
White-eyed Vireo 1
Philadelphia Vireo 1
Red-eyed Vireo 8
Blue Jay 3
American Crow 45
Fish Crow 2
Tree Swallow 210
Barn Swallow 8
Carolina Chickadee 3
Carolina Wren 7
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 4
Veery 3
American Robin 5
Gray Catbird 6
Northern Mockingbird 2
European Starling 120
Cedar Waxwing 174
Tennessee Warbler 2
Nashville Warbler 7
Northern Parula 92
Yellow Warbler 5
Chestnut-sided Warbler 1
Magnolia Warbler 2
Cape May Warbler 4
Black-throated Blue Warbler 4
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 1
Black-throated Green Warbler 3
Blackburnian Warbler 3
Prairie Warbler 1
Palm Warbler (Western) 21
Bay-breasted Warbler 1
Blackpoll Warbler 21
Black-and-white Warbler 19
American Redstart 119
Ovenbird 1
Northern Waterthrush 31
Connecticut Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 4
Wilson's Warbler 1
Scarlet Tanager 2
Northern Cardinal 8
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 3
Dickcissel 1
Bobolink 96
Red-winged Blackbird 45
Common Grackle 4
Baltimore Oriole 4
House Finch 1
American Goldfinch 12
Hawk Watch September 14, 2009
The day started out absurdly well, as there were American Kestrels and Sharp-shinned Hawks dotting the sky over the parking lot when I arrived just before dawn. American Kestrels were streaming high off the water (going north) over the entire visible coastline. In the frst 30 minutes of the day there were already 78 tallied. As a busy morning Kestrel and Accipiter flight tailed off, excitement built around the number of Bald Eagles that were moving. We ended up setting a new single day record count for Bald Eagles at the Cape May Hawkwatch, breaking the old record of 39 by 7.
Cape May
Cape May Point, New Jersey, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 14, 2009
Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
Black Vulture 0 0 0
Turkey Vulture 0 0 0
Osprey 163 784 784
Bald Eagle 46 91 91
Northern Harrier 34 58 58
Sharp-shinned Hawk 753 1410 1410
Cooper's Hawk 165 335 335
Northern Goshawk 0 0 0
Red-shouldered Hawk 2 2 2
Broad-winged Hawk 33 83 83
Red-tailed Hawk 34 123 123
Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0
Golden Eagle 0 0 0
American Kestrel 399 1079 1079
Merlin 47 344 344
Peregrine Falcon 8 45 45
Unknown Accipiter 0 1 1
Unknown Buteo 0 0 0
Unknown Falcon 0 0 0
Unknown Eagle 0 0 0
Unknown Raptor 0 1 1
Total: 1684 4356 4356
Observation start time: 05:30:00
Observation end time: 17:00:00
Total observation time: 11.5 hours
Official Counter Pete Dunne
Observers: Doug Gochfeld
Weather:
Light NW winds.
Raptor Observations:
Kestrels and Sharp-shinneds were all over the sky pre-dawn. Bald Eagle count of 46 beat the previous daily high of 39.
Non-raptor Observations:
Cape May
Cape May Point, New Jersey, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 14, 2009
Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
Black Vulture 0 0 0
Turkey Vulture 0 0 0
Osprey 163 784 784
Bald Eagle 46 91 91
Northern Harrier 34 58 58
Sharp-shinned Hawk 753 1410 1410
Cooper's Hawk 165 335 335
Northern Goshawk 0 0 0
Red-shouldered Hawk 2 2 2
Broad-winged Hawk 33 83 83
Red-tailed Hawk 34 123 123
Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0
Golden Eagle 0 0 0
American Kestrel 399 1079 1079
Merlin 47 344 344
Peregrine Falcon 8 45 45
Unknown Accipiter 0 1 1
Unknown Buteo 0 0 0
Unknown Falcon 0 0 0
Unknown Eagle 0 0 0
Unknown Raptor 0 1 1
Total: 1684 4356 4356
Observation start time: 05:30:00
Observation end time: 17:00:00
Total observation time: 11.5 hours
Official Counter Pete Dunne
Observers: Doug Gochfeld
Weather:
Light NW winds.
Raptor Observations:
Kestrels and Sharp-shinneds were all over the sky pre-dawn. Bald Eagle count of 46 beat the previous daily high of 39.
Non-raptor Observations:
Hawk Watch September 13, 2009 (redux)
Cape May
Cape May Point, New Jersey, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 13, 2009
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
Black Vulture 0 0 0
Turkey Vulture 0 0 0
Osprey 185 621 621
Bald Eagle 15 45 45
Northern Harrier 12 24 24
Sharp-shinned Hawk 451 657 657
Cooper's Hawk 40 170 170
Northern Goshawk 0 0 0
Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 0
Broad-winged Hawk 6 50 50
Red-tailed Hawk 7 89 89
Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0
Golden Eagle 0 0 0
American Kestrel 243 680 680
Merlin 95 297 297
Peregrine Falcon 6 37 37
Unknown Accipiter 0 1 1
Unknown Buteo 0 0 0
Unknown Falcon 0 0 0
Unknown Eagle 0 0 0
Unknown Raptor 0 1 1
Total: 1060 2672 2672
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Observation start time: 05:30:00
Observation end time: 16:00:00
Total observation time: 10.5 hours
Official Counter: Doug Gochfeld
Observers:
Weather:
Light NNW wind throughout the day. Cloudy early with some drizzle at times,
clearing by ~10:30 AM when the raptor flight really picked up.
Cape May Point, New Jersey, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 13, 2009
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
Black Vulture 0 0 0
Turkey Vulture 0 0 0
Osprey 185 621 621
Bald Eagle 15 45 45
Northern Harrier 12 24 24
Sharp-shinned Hawk 451 657 657
Cooper's Hawk 40 170 170
Northern Goshawk 0 0 0
Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 0
Broad-winged Hawk 6 50 50
Red-tailed Hawk 7 89 89
Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0
Golden Eagle 0 0 0
American Kestrel 243 680 680
Merlin 95 297 297
Peregrine Falcon 6 37 37
Unknown Accipiter 0 1 1
Unknown Buteo 0 0 0
Unknown Falcon 0 0 0
Unknown Eagle 0 0 0
Unknown Raptor 0 1 1
Total: 1060 2672 2672
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Observation start time: 05:30:00
Observation end time: 16:00:00
Total observation time: 10.5 hours
Official Counter: Doug Gochfeld
Observers:
Weather:
Light NNW wind throughout the day. Cloudy early with some drizzle at times,
clearing by ~10:30 AM when the raptor flight really picked up.
Morning Flight Monday September 14 2009
Expectations. Sometimes they are met or exceeded sometimes they are not. Today fell into the former category. Or, more accurately, expectations were utterly outstripped! I had a feeling that it would be a good day as I watched over 30 Sharp-shinned Hawks sail through the pink-washed pre-dawn sky. Almost immediately my suspicions were justified as warblers dotted the sky. Things quickly accelerated into world class bedlam with birds all over the sky. Several of the counts for the day were notable: The 347 Northern Parulas is an excellent number, while in these post spruce budworm years, the 13 Bay-breasted Warblers seen today is also notable, and the 129 Blue-gray Gnatsnachers, the second highest count of the season and late in the season for such a large push of Gnatcatchers. Also more signs of the progress of fall were evident today with the first Yellow-rumped Warbler for the count and the first large flight of Northern Flickers. In all, 22 species of warblers were counted from the Dike. Add to that number the afraid-to-fly Common Yellowthroats, and the Wilson's and Blue-winged Warblers seen from the Morning Flight platform, but not on the Dike, and we had 25 total species of warblers. Not shabby! The total number of warblers was 2073 including 853 unidentified warblers. The total number of species for the morning was 104, a fantastic total for 4.5 hours spent all at one spot!
Location: Cape Island--Higbees Beach SWA--Dike
Observation date: 9/14/09
Number of species: 104
Canada Goose 2
Mute Swan 7
Mallard 6
Northern Shoveler 7
Northern Pintail 7
Green-winged Teal 8
Double-crested Cormorant 25
Black Vulture 35
Turkey Vulture 7
Osprey 9
Bald Eagle 3
Sharp-shinned Hawk 85 30+ before sunrise
Cooper's Hawk 1
American Kestrel 2
Merlin 12
Black-bellied Plover 1
Semipalmated Plover 2
Killdeer 5
Spotted Sandpiper 2
Solitary Sandpiper 1
Greater Yellowlegs 1
Lesser Yellowlegs 9
Semipalmated Sandpiper 18
Least Sandpiper 3
Laughing Gull 85
Ring-billed Gull 5
Herring Gull 15
Great Black-backed Gull 85
Caspian Tern 2
Forster's Tern 15
Royal Tern 8
Black Skimmer 6
Rock Pigeon 12
Mourning Dove 4
Chimney Swift 9
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 5
Belted Kingfisher 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 129
Eastern Wood-Pewee 2
Least Flycatcher 1
Great Crested Flycatcher 2
Eastern Kingbird 18
White-eyed Vireo 1
Warbling Vireo 2
Philadelphia Vireo 1
Red-eyed Vireo 15
Blue Jay 6
American Crow 25
Fish Crow 2
Purple Martin 3
Tree Swallow 400
Barn Swallow 6
Carolina Chickadee 3
Tufted Titmouse 1
Carolina Wren 4
House Wren 1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 129 Huge flight for this late!
Veery 4
American Robin 2
Gray Catbird 8
Northern Mockingbird 3
European Starling 120
Cedar Waxwing 112
Tennessee Warbler 8
Nashville Warbler 12
Northern Parula 347
Yellow Warbler 18
Chestnut-sided Warbler 2
Magnolia Warbler 31
Cape May Warbler 17
Black-throated Blue Warbler 110
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 1 The end is near! Run for your life!
Black-throated Green Warbler 9
Blackburnian Warbler 7
Yellow-throated Warbler 1
Pine Warbler 1
Prairie Warbler 6
Palm Warbler 33
Bay-breasted Warbler 13 The ratio of BBWA to BLPW was crazy. Seem to fly lower than BLPW
Blackpoll Warbler 27
Black-and-white Warbler 72
American Redstart 474
Ovenbird 1
Northern Waterthrush 23
Connecticut Warbler 6
Common Yellowthroat 9
Canada Warbler 1
Scarlet Tanager 15
Chipping Sparrow 1
Savannah Sparrow 3
Song Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal 8
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 10
Blue Grosbeak 2
Indigo Bunting 5
Dickcissel 2
Bobolink 150
Red-winged Blackbird 90
Common Grackle 6
Baltimore Oriole 12
Purple Finch 2
American Goldfinch 14
Location: Cape Island--Higbees Beach SWA--Dike
Observation date: 9/14/09
Number of species: 104
Canada Goose 2
Mute Swan 7
Mallard 6
Northern Shoveler 7
Northern Pintail 7
Green-winged Teal 8
Double-crested Cormorant 25
Black Vulture 35
Turkey Vulture 7
Osprey 9
Bald Eagle 3
Sharp-shinned Hawk 85 30+ before sunrise
Cooper's Hawk 1
American Kestrel 2
Merlin 12
Black-bellied Plover 1
Semipalmated Plover 2
Killdeer 5
Spotted Sandpiper 2
Solitary Sandpiper 1
Greater Yellowlegs 1
Lesser Yellowlegs 9
Semipalmated Sandpiper 18
Least Sandpiper 3
Laughing Gull 85
Ring-billed Gull 5
Herring Gull 15
Great Black-backed Gull 85
Caspian Tern 2
Forster's Tern 15
Royal Tern 8
Black Skimmer 6
Rock Pigeon 12
Mourning Dove 4
Chimney Swift 9
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 5
Belted Kingfisher 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 129
Eastern Wood-Pewee 2
Least Flycatcher 1
Great Crested Flycatcher 2
Eastern Kingbird 18
White-eyed Vireo 1
Warbling Vireo 2
Philadelphia Vireo 1
Red-eyed Vireo 15
Blue Jay 6
American Crow 25
Fish Crow 2
Purple Martin 3
Tree Swallow 400
Barn Swallow 6
Carolina Chickadee 3
Tufted Titmouse 1
Carolina Wren 4
House Wren 1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 129 Huge flight for this late!
Veery 4
American Robin 2
Gray Catbird 8
Northern Mockingbird 3
European Starling 120
Cedar Waxwing 112
Tennessee Warbler 8
Nashville Warbler 12
Northern Parula 347
Yellow Warbler 18
Chestnut-sided Warbler 2
Magnolia Warbler 31
Cape May Warbler 17
Black-throated Blue Warbler 110
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 1 The end is near! Run for your life!
Black-throated Green Warbler 9
Blackburnian Warbler 7
Yellow-throated Warbler 1
Pine Warbler 1
Prairie Warbler 6
Palm Warbler 33
Bay-breasted Warbler 13 The ratio of BBWA to BLPW was crazy. Seem to fly lower than BLPW
Blackpoll Warbler 27
Black-and-white Warbler 72
American Redstart 474
Ovenbird 1
Northern Waterthrush 23
Connecticut Warbler 6
Common Yellowthroat 9
Canada Warbler 1
Scarlet Tanager 15
Chipping Sparrow 1
Savannah Sparrow 3
Song Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal 8
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 10
Blue Grosbeak 2
Indigo Bunting 5
Dickcissel 2
Bobolink 150
Red-winged Blackbird 90
Common Grackle 6
Baltimore Oriole 12
Purple Finch 2
American Goldfinch 14
Hawk Watch Sunday September 13, 2009
Raptors, finally! The first few hours of the day made it seem like it was going to be a dud, but as soon as the clouds cleared and it warmed up the Sharpies started to move, and the Kestrels came a little while later. Ospreys were moving loosely all day. Also of note around the platform was a Yellow-breasted Chat, a crowd pleasing flyby Yellow-billed Cuckoo, and a flyby White-rumped Sandpiper. Bobolinks were pouring over all morning, and the count we got (thanks mostly to Tony Leukering's dilligent listing) was over 4500. Total # of migrant raptors for the day was 1,060.
Location: Cape Island--CMBO Hawk Watch Site
Observation date: 9/13/09
Notes: Light NNW wind throughout the day. Cloudy early with some drizzle at
times, clearing by ~10:30 AM when the raptor flight really picked up.
Number of species: 78
Canada Goose X
Mute Swan 7
American Wigeon 9
Blue-winged Teal 12
Green-winged Teal 3
Double-crested Cormorant X
American Bittern 1
Great Blue Heron 2
Great Egret 5
Green Heron 1
Glossy Ibis 4
Black Vulture 5
Turkey Vulture 18
Osprey 185
Bald Eagle 16 One local adult stealing fish from various Ospreys, the
rest were deemed migrants.
Northern Harrier 12
Sharp-shinned Hawk 451
Cooper's Hawk 40
Broad-winged Hawk 6
Red-tailed Hawk 7
American Kestrel 243
Merlin 95
Peregrine Falcon 6
Semipalmated Plover 10
Killdeer 1
American Oystercatcher 1
Solitary Sandpiper 2 flybys
Greater Yellowlegs 2
Lesser Yellowlegs 97
Least Sandpiper 8
White-rumped Sandpiper 1 flyby
Stilt Sandpiper 9 flybys, including a pure flock of 8
Short-billed Dowitcher 8
Laughing Gull X
Ring-billed Gull X
Herring Gull X
Great Black-backed Gull X
Caspian Tern 4
Common Tern X
Forster's Tern X
Royal Tern 15
Black Skimmer X
Parasitic Jaeger 1
Rock Pigeon X
Mourning Dove X
Yellow-billed Cuckoo 1
Common Nighthawk 3
Chimney Swift X
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 5
Belted Kingfisher 1
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 1
Empidonax sp. 1
Blue Jay X
American Crow X
Fish Crow X
Tree Swallow 2500
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 1
Bank Swallow 2
Barn Swallow X
Carolina Chickadee X
Carolina Wren 5
Gray Catbird 2
Northern Mockingbird 8
European Starling X
Cedar Waxwing X
Yellow Warbler 10
Magnolia Warbler 1
American Redstart 3
Northern Waterthrush 4
Common Yellowthroat 5
Yellow-breasted Chat 1
Song Sparrow 3
Northern Cardinal 3
Indigo Bunting 3
Bobolink 4671
Red-winged Blackbird X
Baltimore Oriole 6
American Goldfinch X
Location: Cape Island--CMBO Hawk Watch Site
Observation date: 9/13/09
Notes: Light NNW wind throughout the day. Cloudy early with some drizzle at
times, clearing by ~10:30 AM when the raptor flight really picked up.
Number of species: 78
Canada Goose X
Mute Swan 7
American Wigeon 9
Blue-winged Teal 12
Green-winged Teal 3
Double-crested Cormorant X
American Bittern 1
Great Blue Heron 2
Great Egret 5
Green Heron 1
Glossy Ibis 4
Black Vulture 5
Turkey Vulture 18
Osprey 185
Bald Eagle 16 One local adult stealing fish from various Ospreys, the
rest were deemed migrants.
Northern Harrier 12
Sharp-shinned Hawk 451
Cooper's Hawk 40
Broad-winged Hawk 6
Red-tailed Hawk 7
American Kestrel 243
Merlin 95
Peregrine Falcon 6
Semipalmated Plover 10
Killdeer 1
American Oystercatcher 1
Solitary Sandpiper 2 flybys
Greater Yellowlegs 2
Lesser Yellowlegs 97
Least Sandpiper 8
White-rumped Sandpiper 1 flyby
Stilt Sandpiper 9 flybys, including a pure flock of 8
Short-billed Dowitcher 8
Laughing Gull X
Ring-billed Gull X
Herring Gull X
Great Black-backed Gull X
Caspian Tern 4
Common Tern X
Forster's Tern X
Royal Tern 15
Black Skimmer X
Parasitic Jaeger 1
Rock Pigeon X
Mourning Dove X
Yellow-billed Cuckoo 1
Common Nighthawk 3
Chimney Swift X
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 5
Belted Kingfisher 1
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 1
Empidonax sp. 1
Blue Jay X
American Crow X
Fish Crow X
Tree Swallow 2500
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 1
Bank Swallow 2
Barn Swallow X
Carolina Chickadee X
Carolina Wren 5
Gray Catbird 2
Northern Mockingbird 8
European Starling X
Cedar Waxwing X
Yellow Warbler 10
Magnolia Warbler 1
American Redstart 3
Northern Waterthrush 4
Common Yellowthroat 5
Yellow-breasted Chat 1
Song Sparrow 3
Northern Cardinal 3
Indigo Bunting 3
Bobolink 4671
Red-winged Blackbird X
Baltimore Oriole 6
American Goldfinch X
Morning Flight Sunday September 13 2009
Expectations. Sometimes they are met or exceeded sometimes they are not. Today, unfortunately, fell in the later category. It wasn't a bad morning, in fact it was pretty good, but I expected excellent and was disappointed. There was an solid flight of northbound Bobolinks, over 1300. Also, the first signs of the progression of fall were evident with a trickle of Blackpolls and Palm Warblers. The highlights were an immature Red-headed Woodpecker and a flyover Long-billed Dowitcher. Hint for morning flight visitors: get there early. Lately more than 75% of the flight has occurred in the first hour after dawn, roughly 6:45-7:45.
Mallard 6
Blue-winged Teal 6
Northern Shoveler 4
Northern Pintail 1
Green-winged Teal 8
Brown Pelican 1
Double-crested Cormorant 45
Great Blue Heron 1
Snowy Egret 3
Osprey 4
Bald Eagle 2
Sharp-shinned Hawk 5
Cooper's Hawk 2
Merlin 8
Semipalmated Plover 2
Spotted Sandpiper 2
Lesser Yellowlegs 4
Semipalmated Sandpiper 18
Least Sandpiper 4
Long-billed Dowitcher 1
Laughing Gull 85
Ring-billed Gull 4
Herring Gull 25
Great Black-backed Gull 45
Caspian Tern 4
Royal Tern 9
Rock Pigeon 12
Mourning Dove 3
Chimney Swift 3
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 6
Red-headed Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 3
Eastern Wood-Pewee 2
Least Flycatcher 1
Empidonax sp. 2
Eastern Kingbird 76
White-eyed Vireo 1
Warbling Vireo 2
Red-eyed Vireo 4
Blue Jay 5
American Crow 18
Fish Crow 2
Purple Martin 3
Tree Swallow 145
Barn Swallow 5
Carolina Chickadee 3
Carolina Wren 8
House Wren 1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1
Veery 2
American Robin 3
Gray Catbird 6
Northern Mockingbird 1
European Starling 145
Cedar Waxwing 15
Nashville Warbler 1
Northern Parula 56
Yellow Warbler 11
Chestnut-sided Warbler 2
Magnolia Warbler 5
Cape May Warbler 3
Black-throated Blue Warbler 13
Black-throated Green Warbler 1
Blackburnian Warbler 2
Prairie Warbler 3
Palm Warbler 5
Blackpoll Warbler 24
Black-and-white Warbler 9
American Redstart 121
Northern Waterthrush 15
Common Yellowthroat 6
Northern Cardinal 8
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 2
Indigo Bunting 1
Bobolink 1307
Red-winged Blackbird 90
Common Grackle 6
Baltimore Oriole 13
American Goldfinch 1
Mallard 6
Blue-winged Teal 6
Northern Shoveler 4
Northern Pintail 1
Green-winged Teal 8
Brown Pelican 1
Double-crested Cormorant 45
Great Blue Heron 1
Snowy Egret 3
Osprey 4
Bald Eagle 2
Sharp-shinned Hawk 5
Cooper's Hawk 2
Merlin 8
Semipalmated Plover 2
Spotted Sandpiper 2
Lesser Yellowlegs 4
Semipalmated Sandpiper 18
Least Sandpiper 4
Long-billed Dowitcher 1
Laughing Gull 85
Ring-billed Gull 4
Herring Gull 25
Great Black-backed Gull 45
Caspian Tern 4
Royal Tern 9
Rock Pigeon 12
Mourning Dove 3
Chimney Swift 3
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 6
Red-headed Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 3
Eastern Wood-Pewee 2
Least Flycatcher 1
Empidonax sp. 2
Eastern Kingbird 76
White-eyed Vireo 1
Warbling Vireo 2
Red-eyed Vireo 4
Blue Jay 5
American Crow 18
Fish Crow 2
Purple Martin 3
Tree Swallow 145
Barn Swallow 5
Carolina Chickadee 3
Carolina Wren 8
House Wren 1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1
Veery 2
American Robin 3
Gray Catbird 6
Northern Mockingbird 1
European Starling 145
Cedar Waxwing 15
Nashville Warbler 1
Northern Parula 56
Yellow Warbler 11
Chestnut-sided Warbler 2
Magnolia Warbler 5
Cape May Warbler 3
Black-throated Blue Warbler 13
Black-throated Green Warbler 1
Blackburnian Warbler 2
Prairie Warbler 3
Palm Warbler 5
Blackpoll Warbler 24
Black-and-white Warbler 9
American Redstart 121
Northern Waterthrush 15
Common Yellowthroat 6
Northern Cardinal 8
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 2
Indigo Bunting 1
Bobolink 1307
Red-winged Blackbird 90
Common Grackle 6
Baltimore Oriole 13
American Goldfinch 1
Hawk Watch Saturday September 12, 2009
What a day at the Hawkwatch. The platform list for the season gained several species, including Cattle Egret, American Bittern, Dickcissel, and Parasitic Jaeger, but the real show was from shorebirds. We tallied 653 Lesser Yellowlegs flowing by, and most of the flocks contained other species, largely Stilt (20+) and Pectoral (17), but also a few Dowitchers, 9 Semipalmated Sandpipers, and 2 Wilson's Phalaropes. The highlight shorebirds though, were 2 adult HUDSONIAN GODWITS still retainng some breeding plumage. We almost certainly missed a few shorebird flocks, and a couple of large ones were too far offshore to identify with any sort of certainty. Raptor-wise (this IS a hawkwatch after all) there wasn't a ton of variety, but Ospreys were definitely on the move through the middle of the day, Merlins had a small movement early, and a single Northern Harrier was nice.
My complete eBird lists follows:
Canada Goose X
Mute Swan 13
Gadwall 1
American Wigeon 6
Mallard X
Green-winged Teal 8
Pied-billed Grebe 3
Brown Pelican 12
Double-crested Cormorant 100
American Bittern 1
Great Blue Heron 12
Great Egret 5
Snowy Egret 9
Little Blue Heron 1
Cattle Egret 1
Green Heron 1
Glossy Ibis 8
Black Vulture 4
Turkey Vulture 12
Osprey 67
Bald Eagle 1
Northern Harrier 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk 4
Cooper's Hawk 6
Broad-winged Hawk 1 The same non-migrant that's been hanging around for
a few days.
American Kestrel 5
Merlin 21
Peregrine Falcon 1
Greater Yellowlegs 25
Lesser Yellowlegs 653
Whimbrel 1 S-N calling flyby over Bunker Pond
Hudsonian Godwit 2 Close flyby adults, 9:15 AM
Semipalmated Sandpiper 11
Least Sandpiper 15
Pectoral Sandpiper 17
Stilt Sandpiper 20
Short-billed Dowitcher 7
Wilson's Phalarope 2 Flyovers with separate Lesser Yellowlegs flocks.
Laughing Gull X
Ring-billed Gull X
Herring Gull X
Great Black-backed Gull X
Caspian Tern 1
Common Tern 200
Forster's Tern 40
Royal Tern 20
Parasitic Jaeger 2
Rock Pigeon X
Mourning Dove X
Common Nighthawk 2
Chimney Swift X
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 3
Belted Kingfisher 1
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 1
Least Flycatcher 1
Eastern Kingbird 2
Blue Jay X
American Crow X
Fish Crow X
Purple Martin 1
Tree Swallow 1500
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 1
Bank Swallow 2
Cliff Swallow 1
Barn Swallow 50
Carolina Chickadee X
Carolina Wren 3
House Wren 1
Gray Catbird X
Northern Mockingbird X
European Starling X
American Pipit 1 calling flyover, seemed to drop down near the bunker
Cedar Waxwing X
Yellow Warbler 12
Black-and-white Warbler 1
Northern Waterthrush 8
Common Yellowthroat X
Song Sparrow X
Northern Cardinal X
Indigo Bunting 1
Dickcissel 2
Bobolink 700
Red-winged Blackbird X
Common Grackle 2
Baltimore Oriole 54
American Goldfinch X
House Sparrow X
Morning Flight Saturday September 12 2009
Quite an interesting morning on the dike; perhaps even weird. The Baltimore Oriole situation provides the best example of how things went this morning. Throughout the morning orioles were trickling south until the beginning of the third hour when the floodgates opened and about three hundred went south! Just as I was beginning to wonder if there was enough space on the Point for all these orioles, when 300 orioles came back north! Then 60 went south, and 84 went north, ect. I was just a bit puzzled. Otherwise there were few passerines in flight. There were tons of Lesser Yellowlegs and two Stilt Sandpipers. The main highlight was a dark bird I picked up through binoculars and I assumed was my first Parasitic Jaeger for the dike, but when I put it in the scope it was clear that it was something different. After some fumbling around I realized it was a Long-tailed Jaeger!
Finally, on a personal note, some of you may have seen post from me on the NJ list. Unfortunately my email has been hacked and I've spent the last two day trying to fix it. My apologizes for the additions to your spam.
Location: Cape Island--Higbees Beach SWA--Dike
Observation date: 9/12/09
Number of species: 72
Mallard 4
Blue-winged Teal 3
Northern Shoveler 4
Green-winged Teal 8
Black Scoter 17
Brown Pelican 9
Double-crested Cormorant 8
Turkey Vulture 1
Osprey 5
Bald Eagle 2
Sharp-shinned Hawk 4
Cooper's Hawk 2
Merlin 8
Semipalmated Plover 2
Spotted Sandpiper 1
Lesser Yellowlegs 85
Sanderling 2
Semipalmated Sandpiper 40
Least Sandpiper 6
Pectoral Sandpiper 2
Laughing Gull 85
Ring-billed Gull 2
Herring Gull 25
Great Black-backed Gull 105
Common Tern 1
Forster's Tern 8
Royal Tern 12
Long-tailed Jaeger 1
Rock Pigeon 35
Mourning Dove 4
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 2
Belted Kingfisher 1
Eastern Kingbird 78
White-eyed Vireo 1
Red-eyed Vireo 3
Blue Jay 6
American Crow 15
Purple Martin 2
Tree Swallow 200
Barn Swallow 2
Carolina Chickadee 2
Carolina Wren 6
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1
Veery 2
American Robin 6
Gray Catbird 4
Northern Mockingbird 1
European Starling 45
Cedar Waxwing 6
Nashville Warbler 1
Northern Parula 4
Yellow Warbler 6
Magnolia Warbler 1
Cape May Warbler 1
Black-throated Blue Warbler 4
Black-throated Green Warbler 1
Prairie Warbler 1
Blackpoll Warbler 9
Black-and-white Warbler 2
American Redstart 9
Northern Waterthrush 8
Clay-colored Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal 7
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 1
Blue Grosbeak 1
Indigo Bunting 1
Dickcissel 3
Bobolink 300
Red-winged Blackbird 12
Common Grackle 2
Baltimore Oriole 353
American Goldfinch 2
Finally, on a personal note, some of you may have seen post from me on the NJ list. Unfortunately my email has been hacked and I've spent the last two day trying to fix it. My apologizes for the additions to your spam.
Location: Cape Island--Higbees Beach SWA--Dike
Observation date: 9/12/09
Number of species: 72
Mallard 4
Blue-winged Teal 3
Northern Shoveler 4
Green-winged Teal 8
Black Scoter 17
Brown Pelican 9
Double-crested Cormorant 8
Turkey Vulture 1
Osprey 5
Bald Eagle 2
Sharp-shinned Hawk 4
Cooper's Hawk 2
Merlin 8
Semipalmated Plover 2
Spotted Sandpiper 1
Lesser Yellowlegs 85
Sanderling 2
Semipalmated Sandpiper 40
Least Sandpiper 6
Pectoral Sandpiper 2
Laughing Gull 85
Ring-billed Gull 2
Herring Gull 25
Great Black-backed Gull 105
Common Tern 1
Forster's Tern 8
Royal Tern 12
Long-tailed Jaeger 1
Rock Pigeon 35
Mourning Dove 4
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 2
Belted Kingfisher 1
Eastern Kingbird 78
White-eyed Vireo 1
Red-eyed Vireo 3
Blue Jay 6
American Crow 15
Purple Martin 2
Tree Swallow 200
Barn Swallow 2
Carolina Chickadee 2
Carolina Wren 6
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1
Veery 2
American Robin 6
Gray Catbird 4
Northern Mockingbird 1
European Starling 45
Cedar Waxwing 6
Nashville Warbler 1
Northern Parula 4
Yellow Warbler 6
Magnolia Warbler 1
Cape May Warbler 1
Black-throated Blue Warbler 4
Black-throated Green Warbler 1
Prairie Warbler 1
Blackpoll Warbler 9
Black-and-white Warbler 2
American Redstart 9
Northern Waterthrush 8
Clay-colored Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal 7
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 1
Blue Grosbeak 1
Indigo Bunting 1
Dickcissel 3
Bobolink 300
Red-winged Blackbird 12
Common Grackle 2
Baltimore Oriole 353
American Goldfinch 2
Monarch Monitoring Project 9/12/2009
Greetings butterfly, birding, and nature enthusiasts! My name is Claire Iseton and I am the new Monarch Migration Project intern for what will hopefully be an exciting fall 2009 season here at Cape May. Chances are you may have seen me in the neighborhood channeling my inner 5-year old and donning a butterfly net. If you haven't yet, not to worry, that will soon change. I hope that if you do find me awkwardly tripping over things in people’s gardens that you'll stop on over, say hello, and feel free to ask any questions you may have.
But enough about me, let's talk about the star of the show: Danaus plexippus a.k.a. the Monarch Butterfly.
Some say that this butterfly was named in honor of King William III of England, who claimed the throne following a growing threat of a revival of Catholicism at the hand of King James II. A devout Protestant, he quickly gained public support and later won the English, Scottish, and Irish crowns following the Glorious Revolution of 1688. King William III to this day is more commonly known as William of Orange, which seems to make "Monarch" a rather fitting name for one of the most popular of the butterfly species.
The Monarch season has yet to reach full swing but the first week of September was very promising with an average of 26.77 monarchs per hour! This is significantly higher than the average 14.02 monarchs/hr we saw this time last year, and it's only the beginning...
In the past few days Monarch numbers have slowed to a halt, so I've been out trimming butterfly bushes (Buddleja sp, see above) around the Point. Before our cross-country migrants wander into your garden, I strongly encourage you do go out and deadhead too! Besides being a reference to the Grateful Dead fanbase, deadheading refers to removing the flower heads that have died to make way for fresh growth and new flowers. When removing the dead flowers, take care to leave as much of the stem as possible so the plant can devote more energy in creating new flowers just in time for the migrating season.
For more info. on butterfly bushes and the art of deadheading check out these sites:
http://www.mountainvalleygrowers.com/mvv2-94.htm
http://butterflywebsite.com/articles/bgq/buddleia.htm
So grab a pair of clippers, a pail, and your green thumb and let's get deadheading!
But enough about me, let's talk about the star of the show: Danaus plexippus a.k.a. the Monarch Butterfly.
Some say that this butterfly was named in honor of King William III of England, who claimed the throne following a growing threat of a revival of Catholicism at the hand of King James II. A devout Protestant, he quickly gained public support and later won the English, Scottish, and Irish crowns following the Glorious Revolution of 1688. King William III to this day is more commonly known as William of Orange, which seems to make "Monarch" a rather fitting name for one of the most popular of the butterfly species.
The Monarch season has yet to reach full swing but the first week of September was very promising with an average of 26.77 monarchs per hour! This is significantly higher than the average 14.02 monarchs/hr we saw this time last year, and it's only the beginning...
In the past few days Monarch numbers have slowed to a halt, so I've been out trimming butterfly bushes (Buddleja sp, see above) around the Point. Before our cross-country migrants wander into your garden, I strongly encourage you do go out and deadhead too! Besides being a reference to the Grateful Dead fanbase, deadheading refers to removing the flower heads that have died to make way for fresh growth and new flowers. When removing the dead flowers, take care to leave as much of the stem as possible so the plant can devote more energy in creating new flowers just in time for the migrating season.
For more info. on butterfly bushes and the art of deadheading check out these sites:
http://www.mountainvalleygrowers.com/mvv2-94.htm
http://butterflywebsite.com/articles/bgq/buddleia.htm
So grab a pair of clippers, a pail, and your green thumb and let's get deadheading!
Morning "Flight" Friday September 11, 2009
It would be hard for me to fully describe the early hours of today. Suffice to say that there was a lot of water around Cape May...mostly in places where it shouldn't have been. The street where us counters and naturalists are staying was under several inches of said water, and it was still coming down (and hard) as I started the morning "flight" count. 0 reverse migrants were counted, although an absolutely miserable looking Whimbrel was perched up on the dike for most of my stay there.
If you are planning on heading up to the dike over the next few days be forewarned that there is a large puddle at the base of the dike and the slope up to the dike is VERY slippery and dangerous. The photos above were taken on the sreet directly in front of the house and, yes, that is a Kayak.
eBird list:
Blue-winged Teal 2
Northern Shoveler 3
Green-winged Teal 6
Snowy Egret 1
Merlin 1
Peregrine Falcon 1
Semipalmated Plover 9
Spotted Sandpiper 1
Lesser Yellowlegs 2
Whimbrel 1
Semipalmated Sandpiper 8
Least Sandpiper 1
Laughing Gull X
Forster's Tern X
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 1
Yellow Warbler 1
Northern Waterthrush 4
Morning Flight Thursday September 10 2009
Wow, just a bit windy this morning. Surprisingly there were warblers flying in between and sometimes amid the 40 MPH gusts. I spent a large part of the morning looking at warbler specks through the excellent Zeiss scope out on the distant treeline. Lots of raptors was also a surprise; the Ospreys just kept coming. Add 204 unidentified warblers to the total.
Mallard 4
Blue-winged Teal 15
Northern Pintail 1
Common Loon 1
Double-crested Cormorant 85
Great Blue Heron 3
Great Egret 1
Snowy Egret 8
Turkey Vulture 4
Osprey 40
Bald Eagle 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk 4
Cooper's Hawk 2
Red-tailed Hawk 1
American Kestrel 6
Merlin 3
Peregrine Falcon 2
Semipalmated Plover 1
Killdeer 2
Spotted Sandpiper 2
Solitary Sandpiper 2
Lesser Yellowlegs 8
Sanderling 15
Semipalmated Sandpiper 55
Western Sandpiper 1
Least Sandpiper 8
Laughing Gull 35
Herring Gull 10
Great Black-backed Gull 35
Forster's Tern 3
Royal Tern 8
Rock Pigeon 15
Mourning Dove 6
Chimney Swift 12
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 4
Belted Kingfisher 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Great Crested Flycatcher 1
Eastern Kingbird 131
White-eyed Vireo 1
Red-eyed Vireo 6
Blue Jay 2
American Crow 15
Purple Martin 3
Tree Swallow 215
Barn Swallow 30
Carolina Chickadee 3
Carolina Wren 6
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 2
Veery 1
American Robin 8
Gray Catbird 6
Northern Mockingbird 1
European Starling 65
Cedar Waxwing 53
Blue-winged Warbler 1
Tennessee Warbler 1
Northern Parula 23
Yellow Warbler 20
Magnolia Warbler 2
Cape May Warbler 10
Black-throated Blue Warbler 7
Black-throated Green Warbler 2
Pine Warbler 1
Prairie Warbler 1
Blackpoll Warbler 1
Black-and-white Warbler 10
American Redstart 56
Northern Waterthrush 11
Connecticut Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 8
Wilson's Warbler 1
Savannah Sparrow 2
Northern Cardinal 9
Indigo Bunting 3
Bobolink 279
Red-winged Blackbird 85
Common Grackle 1
Baltimore Oriole 8
American Goldfinch 3
Mallard 4
Blue-winged Teal 15
Northern Pintail 1
Common Loon 1
Double-crested Cormorant 85
Great Blue Heron 3
Great Egret 1
Snowy Egret 8
Turkey Vulture 4
Osprey 40
Bald Eagle 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk 4
Cooper's Hawk 2
Red-tailed Hawk 1
American Kestrel 6
Merlin 3
Peregrine Falcon 2
Semipalmated Plover 1
Killdeer 2
Spotted Sandpiper 2
Solitary Sandpiper 2
Lesser Yellowlegs 8
Sanderling 15
Semipalmated Sandpiper 55
Western Sandpiper 1
Least Sandpiper 8
Laughing Gull 35
Herring Gull 10
Great Black-backed Gull 35
Forster's Tern 3
Royal Tern 8
Rock Pigeon 15
Mourning Dove 6
Chimney Swift 12
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 4
Belted Kingfisher 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Great Crested Flycatcher 1
Eastern Kingbird 131
White-eyed Vireo 1
Red-eyed Vireo 6
Blue Jay 2
American Crow 15
Purple Martin 3
Tree Swallow 215
Barn Swallow 30
Carolina Chickadee 3
Carolina Wren 6
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 2
Veery 1
American Robin 8
Gray Catbird 6
Northern Mockingbird 1
European Starling 65
Cedar Waxwing 53
Blue-winged Warbler 1
Tennessee Warbler 1
Northern Parula 23
Yellow Warbler 20
Magnolia Warbler 2
Cape May Warbler 10
Black-throated Blue Warbler 7
Black-throated Green Warbler 2
Pine Warbler 1
Prairie Warbler 1
Blackpoll Warbler 1
Black-and-white Warbler 10
American Redstart 56
Northern Waterthrush 11
Connecticut Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 8
Wilson's Warbler 1
Savannah Sparrow 2
Northern Cardinal 9
Indigo Bunting 3
Bobolink 279
Red-winged Blackbird 85
Common Grackle 1
Baltimore Oriole 8
American Goldfinch 3
Morning Flight Wednesday September 9 2009
Following the pattern that has been established recently, the day started with a bang and ended with a whimper. There was an excellent flight for about the first hour then it quickly tailed off. A Baird's Sandpiper made a brief appearance (thanks to Michael O'Brien for that pick), also two Connecticut Warblers and two Canada Warblers added variety.
Mallard 4
Double-crested Cormorant 2
Osprey 3
Sharp-shinned Hawk 2
Merlin 2
Semipalmated Plover 2
Spotted Sandpiper 2
Solitary Sandpiper 1
Lesser Yellowlegs 8
Ruddy Turnstone 1
Semipalmated Sandpiper 35
Least Sandpiper 8
Baird's Sandpiper 1
Laughing Gull 95
Ring-billed Gull 3
Herring Gull 25
Great Black-backed Gull 35
Caspian Tern 1
Forster's Tern 6
Royal Tern 6
Rock Pigeon 18
Mourning Dove 4
Chimney Swift 8
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 9
Belted Kingfisher 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 1
Eastern Wood-Pewee 1
Least Flycatcher 1
Great Crested Flycatcher 2
Eastern Kingbird 65
White-eyed Vireo 1
Red-eyed Vireo 5
Blue Jay 4
American Crow 18
Fish Crow 8
Purple Martin 8
Tree Swallow 115
Barn Swallow 12
Carolina Chickadee 4
Carolina Wren 7
House Wren 1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 2
Veery 3
American Robin 13
Gray Catbird 8
Northern Mockingbird 3
Brown Thrasher 1
European Starling 45
Cedar Waxwing 18
Tennessee Warbler 4
Nashville Warbler 1
Northern Parula 71
Yellow Warbler 12
Chestnut-sided Warbler 2
Magnolia Warbler 3
Cape May Warbler 1
Black-throated Blue Warbler 8
Black-throated Green Warbler 3
Blackburnian Warbler 1
Prairie Warbler 1
Palm Warbler 1
Blackpoll Warbler 3
Black-and-white Warbler 15
American Redstart 120
Northern Waterthrush 21
Connecticut Warbler 2
Common Yellowthroat 7
Wilson's Warbler 1
Canada Warbler 2
Scarlet Tanager 3
Northern Cardinal 8
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 1
Bobolink 101
Red-winged Blackbird 55
Common Grackle 4
Baltimore Oriole 2
American Goldfinch 3
Mallard 4
Double-crested Cormorant 2
Osprey 3
Sharp-shinned Hawk 2
Merlin 2
Semipalmated Plover 2
Spotted Sandpiper 2
Solitary Sandpiper 1
Lesser Yellowlegs 8
Ruddy Turnstone 1
Semipalmated Sandpiper 35
Least Sandpiper 8
Baird's Sandpiper 1
Laughing Gull 95
Ring-billed Gull 3
Herring Gull 25
Great Black-backed Gull 35
Caspian Tern 1
Forster's Tern 6
Royal Tern 6
Rock Pigeon 18
Mourning Dove 4
Chimney Swift 8
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 9
Belted Kingfisher 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 1
Eastern Wood-Pewee 1
Least Flycatcher 1
Great Crested Flycatcher 2
Eastern Kingbird 65
White-eyed Vireo 1
Red-eyed Vireo 5
Blue Jay 4
American Crow 18
Fish Crow 8
Purple Martin 8
Tree Swallow 115
Barn Swallow 12
Carolina Chickadee 4
Carolina Wren 7
House Wren 1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 2
Veery 3
American Robin 13
Gray Catbird 8
Northern Mockingbird 3
Brown Thrasher 1
European Starling 45
Cedar Waxwing 18
Tennessee Warbler 4
Nashville Warbler 1
Northern Parula 71
Yellow Warbler 12
Chestnut-sided Warbler 2
Magnolia Warbler 3
Cape May Warbler 1
Black-throated Blue Warbler 8
Black-throated Green Warbler 3
Blackburnian Warbler 1
Prairie Warbler 1
Palm Warbler 1
Blackpoll Warbler 3
Black-and-white Warbler 15
American Redstart 120
Northern Waterthrush 21
Connecticut Warbler 2
Common Yellowthroat 7
Wilson's Warbler 1
Canada Warbler 2
Scarlet Tanager 3
Northern Cardinal 8
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 1
Bobolink 101
Red-winged Blackbird 55
Common Grackle 4
Baltimore Oriole 2
American Goldfinch 3
Hawk Watch Thursday September 10, 2009
It was a solid day at the Hawk Watch, even though the wind and rain made it slightly uncomfortable at times. The movers today were Ospreys, especially early on, and Merlins which delighted most of the platform visitors throughout the day by attacking various unfortunate passerines. The unquestionable non-raptor highlight was a brief look at a Sandhill Crane getting mobbed by crows while flying NE away from the Platform.
Location: Cape Island--CMBO Hawk Watch Site
Observation date: 9/10/09
Notes: NNE Wind most of the day. Rainy later on.
Number of species: 65
Canada Goose X
Mute Swan X
Gadwall 3
Mallard X
Blue-winged Teal 15
Green-winged Teal 14
Double-crested Cormorant 300
Great Blue Heron 4
Great Egret 6
Snowy Egret 1
Green Heron 1
Glossy Ibis 4
Black Vulture 5
Turkey Vulture 12
Osprey 64
Bald Eagle 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk 5
Cooper's Hawk 12
Broad-winged Hawk 1
American Kestrel 19
Merlin 64
Peregrine Falcon 2
Sandhill Crane 1 Seen flying NE over the tree line to the Northwest of
Bunker Pond, getting mobbed by ~15 crows (~8:45 AM).
Semipalmated Plover 5 Calling flyovers
Killdeer 1
Greater Yellowlegs 1
Lesser Yellowlegs 6
Least Sandpiper 12
Laughing Gull X
Ring-billed Gull X
Herring Gull X
Great Black-backed Gull X
Caspian Tern 1
Common Tern X
Forster's Tern X
Royal Tern 15
Black Skimmer 23
Rock Pigeon X
Mourning Dove 20
Common Nighthawk 1
Chimney Swift X
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 3
Belted Kingfisher 1
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 1
Eastern Kingbird 2
Purple Martin 4
Tree Swallow X
Barn Swallow X
Carolina Chickadee X
Carolina Wren X
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 2
Gray Catbird X
European Starling X
Cedar Waxwing X
Yellow Warbler X
Northern Waterthrush 2
Common Yellowthroat X
Song Sparrow X
Northern Cardinal X
Bobolink 200
Red-winged Blackbird X
Common Grackle 1
Baltimore Oriole 1
American Goldfinch X
House Sparrow X
Location: Cape Island--CMBO Hawk Watch Site
Observation date: 9/10/09
Notes: NNE Wind most of the day. Rainy later on.
Number of species: 65
Canada Goose X
Mute Swan X
Gadwall 3
Mallard X
Blue-winged Teal 15
Green-winged Teal 14
Double-crested Cormorant 300
Great Blue Heron 4
Great Egret 6
Snowy Egret 1
Green Heron 1
Glossy Ibis 4
Black Vulture 5
Turkey Vulture 12
Osprey 64
Bald Eagle 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk 5
Cooper's Hawk 12
Broad-winged Hawk 1
American Kestrel 19
Merlin 64
Peregrine Falcon 2
Sandhill Crane 1 Seen flying NE over the tree line to the Northwest of
Bunker Pond, getting mobbed by ~15 crows (~8:45 AM).
Semipalmated Plover 5 Calling flyovers
Killdeer 1
Greater Yellowlegs 1
Lesser Yellowlegs 6
Least Sandpiper 12
Laughing Gull X
Ring-billed Gull X
Herring Gull X
Great Black-backed Gull X
Caspian Tern 1
Common Tern X
Forster's Tern X
Royal Tern 15
Black Skimmer 23
Rock Pigeon X
Mourning Dove 20
Common Nighthawk 1
Chimney Swift X
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 3
Belted Kingfisher 1
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 1
Eastern Kingbird 2
Purple Martin 4
Tree Swallow X
Barn Swallow X
Carolina Chickadee X
Carolina Wren X
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 2
Gray Catbird X
European Starling X
Cedar Waxwing X
Yellow Warbler X
Northern Waterthrush 2
Common Yellowthroat X
Song Sparrow X
Northern Cardinal X
Bobolink 200
Red-winged Blackbird X
Common Grackle 1
Baltimore Oriole 1
American Goldfinch X
House Sparrow X
Hawk Watch Wednesday September 9, 2009
The combination of rain and unfavorable winds kept raptor movement down all day with the exception of a nice little brief push just before the rains came. The real name of the game today was Bobolinks, as we tallied at least 1,700 coming over through the morning. Pectoral Sandpipers were also seen flying by several times. The cumulative total of individuals seen was 55, with 30 being the most seen at any one time.
Location: Cape Island--CMBO Hawk Watch Site
Observation date: 9/9/09
Notes: Rainy day
Number of species: 72
Canada Goose 50
Mute Swan 9
Gadwall 3
American Wigeon 1
American Black Duck 1
Mallard X
Blue-winged Teal 7
Green-winged Teal 4
Pied-billed Grebe 1
Double-crested Cormorant X
Great Blue Heron 2
Great Egret 7
Snowy Egret 2
Green Heron 2
Glossy Ibis 3
Black Vulture 1
Turkey Vulture 20
Osprey 21 (20 migrants)
Sharp-shinned Hawk 7
Broad-winged Hawk 1
Red-tailed Hawk 2
American Kestrel 13
Merlin 3
Semipalmated Plover 1
Killdeer 4
Lesser Yellowlegs 10
Semipalmated Sandpiper 1
Least Sandpiper 20
Pectoral Sandpiper 30 Minimum count (possibly as many as 55).
Short-billed Dowitcher 9
Laughing Gull X
Ring-billed Gull X
Herring Gull X
Great Black-backed Gull X
Caspian Tern 1
Common Tern 150
Forster's Tern 30
Royal Tern 10
Black Skimmer 4
Rock Pigeon X
Mourning Dove 8
Chimney Swift X
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 2
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 1
Empidonax sp. 1
Blue Jay X
Fish Crow X
Purple Martin X
Tree Swallow 1000
Bank Swallow 1
Cliff Swallow 1
Barn Swallow 50
Carolina Chickadee X
Carolina Wren 3
House Wren 1
Marsh Wren 1
Gray Catbird X
Northern Mockingbird 6
European Starling X
Cedar Waxwing 5
Yellow Warbler 8
American Redstart 3
Northern Waterthrush 3
Common Yellowthroat 12
Song Sparrow 5
Northern Cardinal 5
Bobolink 1700
Red-winged Blackbird X
Common Grackle 3
Baltimore Oriole 1
American Goldfinch X
House Sparrow X
Location: Cape Island--CMBO Hawk Watch Site
Observation date: 9/9/09
Notes: Rainy day
Number of species: 72
Canada Goose 50
Mute Swan 9
Gadwall 3
American Wigeon 1
American Black Duck 1
Mallard X
Blue-winged Teal 7
Green-winged Teal 4
Pied-billed Grebe 1
Double-crested Cormorant X
Great Blue Heron 2
Great Egret 7
Snowy Egret 2
Green Heron 2
Glossy Ibis 3
Black Vulture 1
Turkey Vulture 20
Osprey 21 (20 migrants)
Sharp-shinned Hawk 7
Broad-winged Hawk 1
Red-tailed Hawk 2
American Kestrel 13
Merlin 3
Semipalmated Plover 1
Killdeer 4
Lesser Yellowlegs 10
Semipalmated Sandpiper 1
Least Sandpiper 20
Pectoral Sandpiper 30 Minimum count (possibly as many as 55).
Short-billed Dowitcher 9
Laughing Gull X
Ring-billed Gull X
Herring Gull X
Great Black-backed Gull X
Caspian Tern 1
Common Tern 150
Forster's Tern 30
Royal Tern 10
Black Skimmer 4
Rock Pigeon X
Mourning Dove 8
Chimney Swift X
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 2
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 1
Empidonax sp. 1
Blue Jay X
Fish Crow X
Purple Martin X
Tree Swallow 1000
Bank Swallow 1
Cliff Swallow 1
Barn Swallow 50
Carolina Chickadee X
Carolina Wren 3
House Wren 1
Marsh Wren 1
Gray Catbird X
Northern Mockingbird 6
European Starling X
Cedar Waxwing 5
Yellow Warbler 8
American Redstart 3
Northern Waterthrush 3
Common Yellowthroat 12
Song Sparrow 5
Northern Cardinal 5
Bobolink 1700
Red-winged Blackbird X
Common Grackle 3
Baltimore Oriole 1
American Goldfinch X
House Sparrow X
Morning Flight Tuesday September 8 2009
Another day of strong NE wind and occasional showers and surprisingly some birds moved. Not many, but far more than I expected. I guess that's why we get up and go outside every morning. The highlight of the morning was an alternate (AKA eclipse, a travesty of a term for a plumage, completely unnecessary) male Pintail that sparked a brief but interesting discussion of the appropriate adjectives to describe the structure of various ducks. Did I mention it was a bit slow?
Mallard 8
Northern Pintail 1
Double-crested Cormorant 16
Osprey 4
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1
Merlin 3
Semipalmated Plover 3
Spotted Sandpiper 2
Solitary Sandpiper 1
Greater Yellowlegs 1
Lesser Yellowlegs 12
Semipalmated Sandpiper 15
Western Sandpiper 1
Least Sandpiper 7
Laughing Gull 55
Ring-billed Gull 1
Herring Gull 18
Great Black-backed Gull 35
Caspian Tern 1
Forster's Tern 8
Royal Tern 4
Rock Pigeon 2
Mourning Dove 4
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 3
Belted Kingfisher 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Least Flycatcher 1
Great Crested Flycatcher 1
Eastern Kingbird 85
White-eyed Vireo 1
Red-eyed Vireo 2
Blue Jay 2
American Crow 4
Purple Martin 15
Tree Swallow 115
Bank Swallow 2
Barn Swallow 20
Carolina Chickadee 3
Carolina Wren 5
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1
Veery 1
American Robin 3
Gray Catbird 8
Northern Mockingbird 2
Brown Thrasher 1
European Starling 15
Cedar Waxwing 30
Northern Parula 43
Yellow Warbler 4
Black-throated Blue Warbler 1
Black-and-white Warbler 6
American Redstart 37
Northern Waterthrush 14
Common Yellowthroat 5
Northern Cardinal 6
Bobolink 15
Red-winged Blackbird 35
Common Grackle 2
Baltimore Oriole 3
American Goldfinch 2
Mallard 8
Northern Pintail 1
Double-crested Cormorant 16
Osprey 4
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1
Merlin 3
Semipalmated Plover 3
Spotted Sandpiper 2
Solitary Sandpiper 1
Greater Yellowlegs 1
Lesser Yellowlegs 12
Semipalmated Sandpiper 15
Western Sandpiper 1
Least Sandpiper 7
Laughing Gull 55
Ring-billed Gull 1
Herring Gull 18
Great Black-backed Gull 35
Caspian Tern 1
Forster's Tern 8
Royal Tern 4
Rock Pigeon 2
Mourning Dove 4
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 3
Belted Kingfisher 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Least Flycatcher 1
Great Crested Flycatcher 1
Eastern Kingbird 85
White-eyed Vireo 1
Red-eyed Vireo 2
Blue Jay 2
American Crow 4
Purple Martin 15
Tree Swallow 115
Bank Swallow 2
Barn Swallow 20
Carolina Chickadee 3
Carolina Wren 5
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1
Veery 1
American Robin 3
Gray Catbird 8
Northern Mockingbird 2
Brown Thrasher 1
European Starling 15
Cedar Waxwing 30
Northern Parula 43
Yellow Warbler 4
Black-throated Blue Warbler 1
Black-and-white Warbler 6
American Redstart 37
Northern Waterthrush 14
Common Yellowthroat 5
Northern Cardinal 6
Bobolink 15
Red-winged Blackbird 35
Common Grackle 2
Baltimore Oriole 3
American Goldfinch 2
Morning Flight Monday September 7 2009
Even the birds took a rest this Labor Day, though that may have been due to the strong NE winds and intermittent showers rather than the calender. Still managed 63 species for the morning.
Mallard 8
Double-crested Cormorant 35
Osprey 1
Semipalmated Plover 3
Killdeer 2
Spotted Sandpiper 2
Greater Yellowlegs 1
Lesser Yellowlegs 6
Semipalmated Sandpiper 35
Western Sandpiper 1
Least Sandpiper 12
Laughing Gull 85
Ring-billed Gull 3
Herring Gull 18
Great Black-backed Gull 25
Caspian Tern 1
Forster's Tern 12
Royal Tern 8
Black Skimmer 3
Rock Pigeon 6
Mourning Dove 2
Chimney Swift 15
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 3
Downy Woodpecker 2
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 1
Alder Flycatcher 1
Least Flycatcher 3
Eastern Kingbird 85
White-eyed Vireo 1
Red-eyed Vireo 8
Blue Jay 2
American Crow 15
Fish Crow 3
Purple Martin 45
Tree Swallow 20
Bank Swallow 3
Barn Swallow 30
Carolina Chickadee 6
Tufted Titmouse 2
Carolina Wren 8
House Wren 2
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 4
Veery 3
Swainson's Thrush 1
American Robin 12
Gray Catbird 6
Northern Mockingbird 3
European Starling 80
Cedar Waxwing 20
Northern Parula 9
Yellow Warbler 3
Magnolia Warbler 1
Black-throated Blue Warbler 1
Prairie Warbler 1
Black-and-white Warbler 5
American Redstart 8
Northern Waterthrush 19
Northern Cardinal 8
Bobolink 40
Red-winged Blackbird 18
Common Grackle 4
Baltimore Oriole 6
American Goldfinch 3
Mallard 8
Double-crested Cormorant 35
Osprey 1
Semipalmated Plover 3
Killdeer 2
Spotted Sandpiper 2
Greater Yellowlegs 1
Lesser Yellowlegs 6
Semipalmated Sandpiper 35
Western Sandpiper 1
Least Sandpiper 12
Laughing Gull 85
Ring-billed Gull 3
Herring Gull 18
Great Black-backed Gull 25
Caspian Tern 1
Forster's Tern 12
Royal Tern 8
Black Skimmer 3
Rock Pigeon 6
Mourning Dove 2
Chimney Swift 15
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 3
Downy Woodpecker 2
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 1
Alder Flycatcher 1
Least Flycatcher 3
Eastern Kingbird 85
White-eyed Vireo 1
Red-eyed Vireo 8
Blue Jay 2
American Crow 15
Fish Crow 3
Purple Martin 45
Tree Swallow 20
Bank Swallow 3
Barn Swallow 30
Carolina Chickadee 6
Tufted Titmouse 2
Carolina Wren 8
House Wren 2
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 4
Veery 3
Swainson's Thrush 1
American Robin 12
Gray Catbird 6
Northern Mockingbird 3
European Starling 80
Cedar Waxwing 20
Northern Parula 9
Yellow Warbler 3
Magnolia Warbler 1
Black-throated Blue Warbler 1
Prairie Warbler 1
Black-and-white Warbler 5
American Redstart 8
Northern Waterthrush 19
Northern Cardinal 8
Bobolink 40
Red-winged Blackbird 18
Common Grackle 4
Baltimore Oriole 6
American Goldfinch 3
Morning Flight Sunday September 6 2009
The morning was, in short, spectacular. There were birds going all over the place. Once again, 20 species of warblers were observed and, including 759 unidentified warblers, 1797 warblers were counted. The highlights included the first two Connecticut Warblers of the season, a Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, a lateish Orchard Oriole, as well as spectacular views of most of the common warblers in stellar light.
Location: Cape Island--Higbees Beach SWA--Dike
Observation date: 9/6/09
Number of species: 96
Mallard 8
Blue-winged Teal 1
Northern Shoveler 3
Double-crested Cormorant 85
Great Blue Heron 1
Great Egret 2
Snowy Egret 3
Black Vulture 4
Turkey Vulture 3
Osprey 2
Northern Harrier 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk 3
Cooper's Hawk 1
American Kestrel 5
Peregrine Falcon 1
Semipalmated Plover 5
Killdeer 2
Spotted Sandpiper 3
Lesser Yellowlegs 8
Sanderling 5
Semipalmated Sandpiper 45
Western Sandpiper 5
Least Sandpiper 14
Laughing Gull 115
Herring Gull 10
Great Black-backed Gull 15
Common Tern 12
Forster's Tern 15
Royal Tern 6
Rock Pigeon 18
Mourning Dove 10
Common Nighthawk 2
Chimney Swift 9
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 4
Belted Kingfisher 1
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher 1
Empidonax sp. 3
Eastern Kingbird 85
White-eyed Vireo 2
Warbling Vireo 1
Red-eyed Vireo 7
Blue Jay 3
American Crow 16
Fish Crow 4
Purple Martin 6
Tree Swallow 22
Bank Swallow 3
Cliff Swallow 1
Barn Swallow 45
Carolina Chickadee 4
Tufted Titmouse 3
Red-breasted Nuthatch 1
Carolina Wren 8
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 4
Veery 6
Wood Thrush 1
American Robin 32
Gray Catbird 8
Northern Mockingbird 3
European Starling 120
Cedar Waxwing 35
Blue-winged Warbler 2
Tennessee Warbler 4
Nashville Warbler 4
Northern Parula 131
Yellow Warbler 133
Chestnut-sided Warbler 2
Magnolia Warbler 14
Cape May Warbler 3
Black-throated Blue Warbler 38
Black-throated Green Warbler 5
Blackburnian Warbler 5
Prairie Warbler 3
Blackpoll Warbler 5
Black-and-white Warbler 118
American Redstart 480
Worm-eating Warbler 1
Ovenbird 8
Northern Waterthrush 82
Connecticut Warbler 2
Common Yellowthroat 8
Scarlet Tanager 7
Field Sparrow 2
Northern Cardinal 12
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 2
Blue Grosbeak 1
Indigo Bunting 2
Dickcissel 2
Bobolink 380
Red-winged Blackbird 65
Common Grackle 4
Orchard Oriole 1
Baltimore Oriole 86
House Finch 6
American Goldfinch 4
House Sparrow 9
Location: Cape Island--Higbees Beach SWA--Dike
Observation date: 9/6/09
Number of species: 96
Mallard 8
Blue-winged Teal 1
Northern Shoveler 3
Double-crested Cormorant 85
Great Blue Heron 1
Great Egret 2
Snowy Egret 3
Black Vulture 4
Turkey Vulture 3
Osprey 2
Northern Harrier 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk 3
Cooper's Hawk 1
American Kestrel 5
Peregrine Falcon 1
Semipalmated Plover 5
Killdeer 2
Spotted Sandpiper 3
Lesser Yellowlegs 8
Sanderling 5
Semipalmated Sandpiper 45
Western Sandpiper 5
Least Sandpiper 14
Laughing Gull 115
Herring Gull 10
Great Black-backed Gull 15
Common Tern 12
Forster's Tern 15
Royal Tern 6
Rock Pigeon 18
Mourning Dove 10
Common Nighthawk 2
Chimney Swift 9
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 4
Belted Kingfisher 1
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher 1
Empidonax sp. 3
Eastern Kingbird 85
White-eyed Vireo 2
Warbling Vireo 1
Red-eyed Vireo 7
Blue Jay 3
American Crow 16
Fish Crow 4
Purple Martin 6
Tree Swallow 22
Bank Swallow 3
Cliff Swallow 1
Barn Swallow 45
Carolina Chickadee 4
Tufted Titmouse 3
Red-breasted Nuthatch 1
Carolina Wren 8
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 4
Veery 6
Wood Thrush 1
American Robin 32
Gray Catbird 8
Northern Mockingbird 3
European Starling 120
Cedar Waxwing 35
Blue-winged Warbler 2
Tennessee Warbler 4
Nashville Warbler 4
Northern Parula 131
Yellow Warbler 133
Chestnut-sided Warbler 2
Magnolia Warbler 14
Cape May Warbler 3
Black-throated Blue Warbler 38
Black-throated Green Warbler 5
Blackburnian Warbler 5
Prairie Warbler 3
Blackpoll Warbler 5
Black-and-white Warbler 118
American Redstart 480
Worm-eating Warbler 1
Ovenbird 8
Northern Waterthrush 82
Connecticut Warbler 2
Common Yellowthroat 8
Scarlet Tanager 7
Field Sparrow 2
Northern Cardinal 12
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 2
Blue Grosbeak 1
Indigo Bunting 2
Dickcissel 2
Bobolink 380
Red-winged Blackbird 65
Common Grackle 4
Orchard Oriole 1
Baltimore Oriole 86
House Finch 6
American Goldfinch 4
House Sparrow 9
Morning Flight Saturday September 5 2009
In the wee hours of Saturday morning the wind shifted from NE to NW; a welcome change that brought us a solid morning of birding. While not massive,the flight was perfect, manageable and diverse with a few goodies thrown in for added interest. 19 species of warblers were observed in morning flight while the presents of the morning flight adverse Common Yellowthroats around the dike added a twentieth species for the morning. Including 82 warbler sp, 532 warblers were counted. A handful of Scarlet Tanagers and a great flight of Baltimore Oriole added non-warbler spice. Highlights included 2! Olive-sided Flycatchers and 2! Prothonotary Warblers. These two species of early migrants along with an excellent late movement of Yellow Warblers gave the flight more of an August feel. Non bird highlights included a stunning Comet Darner and the naturalist on the morning flight platform spotted a Swamp Darner that had captured a Common Green Darner and was eating it alive!
Totals below are for all birds seen and include species or individuals not participating in morning flight.
Location: Cape Island--Higbees Beach SWA--Dike
Observation date: 9/5/09
Number of species: 91
Mallard 6
Green-winged Teal 1
Brown Pelican 9
Double-crested Cormorant 12
Osprey 2
Bald Eagle 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk 2
Broad-winged Hawk 2
Merlin 1
Semipalmated Plover 3
Killdeer 2
Spotted Sandpiper 2
Greater Yellowlegs 1
Lesser Yellowlegs 8
Whimbrel 1
Ruddy Turnstone 1
Sanderling 65
Semipalmated Sandpiper 55
Western Sandpiper 2
Least Sandpiper 15
Laughing Gull 80
Ring-billed Gull 1
Herring Gull 6
Great Black-backed Gull 45
Common Tern 90
Forster's Tern 15
Royal Tern 4
Rock Pigeon 30
Mourning Dove 18
Common Nighthawk 5
Chimney Swift 12
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 9
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 1
Olive-sided Flycatcher 2 In and out for most of the first two hours. Incredibly dark vested.
Eastern Wood-Pewee 2
Alder Flycatcher 1
Least Flycatcher 1
Empidonax sp. 2
Great Crested Flycatcher 2
Eastern Kingbird 75
White-eyed Vireo 2
Red-eyed Vireo 5
Blue Jay 5
American Crow 18
Fish Crow 10
Purple Martin 15
Tree Swallow 20
Bank Swallow 1
Cliff Swallow 1
Barn Swallow 80
Carolina Chickadee 3
Carolina Wren 6
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 5
Veery 7
American Robin 8
Gray Catbird 12
Northern Mockingbird 6
European Starling 180
Cedar Waxwing 45
Tennessee Warbler 4
Nashville Warbler 1
Northern Parula 47
Yellow Warbler 74
Chestnut-sided Warbler 1
Magnolia Warbler 4
Cape May Warbler 6
Black-throated Blue Warbler 20
Black-throated Green Warbler 2
Blackburnian Warbler 3
Pine Warbler 1
Prairie Warbler 8
Bay-breasted Warbler 1
Blackpoll Warbler 1
Black-and-white Warbler 29
American Redstart 217
Prothonotary Warbler 2 Great looks!
Ovenbird 1
Northern Waterthrush 28
Common Yellowthroat 3
Scarlet Tanager 8
Northern Cardinal 6
Blue Grosbeak 3
Indigo Bunting 2
Bobolink 300
Red-winged Blackbird 120
Common Grackle 8
Baltimore Oriole 83
House Finch 7
American Goldfinch 5
House Sparrow 12
Totals below are for all birds seen and include species or individuals not participating in morning flight.
Location: Cape Island--Higbees Beach SWA--Dike
Observation date: 9/5/09
Number of species: 91
Mallard 6
Green-winged Teal 1
Brown Pelican 9
Double-crested Cormorant 12
Osprey 2
Bald Eagle 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk 2
Broad-winged Hawk 2
Merlin 1
Semipalmated Plover 3
Killdeer 2
Spotted Sandpiper 2
Greater Yellowlegs 1
Lesser Yellowlegs 8
Whimbrel 1
Ruddy Turnstone 1
Sanderling 65
Semipalmated Sandpiper 55
Western Sandpiper 2
Least Sandpiper 15
Laughing Gull 80
Ring-billed Gull 1
Herring Gull 6
Great Black-backed Gull 45
Common Tern 90
Forster's Tern 15
Royal Tern 4
Rock Pigeon 30
Mourning Dove 18
Common Nighthawk 5
Chimney Swift 12
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 9
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 1
Olive-sided Flycatcher 2 In and out for most of the first two hours. Incredibly dark vested.
Eastern Wood-Pewee 2
Alder Flycatcher 1
Least Flycatcher 1
Empidonax sp. 2
Great Crested Flycatcher 2
Eastern Kingbird 75
White-eyed Vireo 2
Red-eyed Vireo 5
Blue Jay 5
American Crow 18
Fish Crow 10
Purple Martin 15
Tree Swallow 20
Bank Swallow 1
Cliff Swallow 1
Barn Swallow 80
Carolina Chickadee 3
Carolina Wren 6
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 5
Veery 7
American Robin 8
Gray Catbird 12
Northern Mockingbird 6
European Starling 180
Cedar Waxwing 45
Tennessee Warbler 4
Nashville Warbler 1
Northern Parula 47
Yellow Warbler 74
Chestnut-sided Warbler 1
Magnolia Warbler 4
Cape May Warbler 6
Black-throated Blue Warbler 20
Black-throated Green Warbler 2
Blackburnian Warbler 3
Pine Warbler 1
Prairie Warbler 8
Bay-breasted Warbler 1
Blackpoll Warbler 1
Black-and-white Warbler 29
American Redstart 217
Prothonotary Warbler 2 Great looks!
Ovenbird 1
Northern Waterthrush 28
Common Yellowthroat 3
Scarlet Tanager 8
Northern Cardinal 6
Blue Grosbeak 3
Indigo Bunting 2
Bobolink 300
Red-winged Blackbird 120
Common Grackle 8
Baltimore Oriole 83
House Finch 7
American Goldfinch 5
House Sparrow 12
Morning Flight Friday September 4, 2009
A decent movement of birds early on despite the unfavorable conditions (at least the 4th day in a row of NE winds). It was highlighted by a couple of Cape May Warblers in the last hour and change, well after the flight had slowed to almost nothing.
eBird list:
Location: Cape Island--Higbees Beach SWA--Dike
Observation date: 9/4/09
Notes: NNE/NE Winds.
Number of species: 54
Mallard 3
Double-crested Cormorant X
Turkey Vulture 17
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1
Cooper's Hawk 2
Broad-winged Hawk 1
Peregrine Falcon 1
Semipalmated Plover 9
Killdeer 1
Spotted Sandpiper 2
Lesser Yellowlegs 11
Semipalmated Sandpiper 50
Least Sandpiper 1
Laughing Gull X
Ring-billed Gull X
Herring Gull X
Great Black-backed Gull X
Caspian Tern 1
Common Tern X
Forster's Tern X
Rock Pigeon X
Mourning Dove 6
Chimney Swift X
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 12
Belted Kingfisher 1
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Eastern Wood-Pewee 2
Eastern Kingbird 75
American Crow X
Fish Crow X
Purple Martin 2
Tree Swallow X
Barn Swallow X
Carolina Chickadee X
Carolina Wren 4
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1
Northern Parula 7
Yellow Warbler 3
Magnolia Warbler 1
Cape May Warbler 2
Black-throated Blue Warbler 5
Prairie Warbler 1
Blackpoll Warbler 1
Black-and-white Warbler 10
American Redstart 117
Northern Waterthrush 4
Common Yellowthroat 1
Northern Cardinal X
Blue Grosbeak 1
Bobolink 3
Red-winged Blackbird X
Common Grackle X
Brown-headed Cowbird 1
American Goldfinch X
eBird list:
Location: Cape Island--Higbees Beach SWA--Dike
Observation date: 9/4/09
Notes: NNE/NE Winds.
Number of species: 54
Mallard 3
Double-crested Cormorant X
Turkey Vulture 17
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1
Cooper's Hawk 2
Broad-winged Hawk 1
Peregrine Falcon 1
Semipalmated Plover 9
Killdeer 1
Spotted Sandpiper 2
Lesser Yellowlegs 11
Semipalmated Sandpiper 50
Least Sandpiper 1
Laughing Gull X
Ring-billed Gull X
Herring Gull X
Great Black-backed Gull X
Caspian Tern 1
Common Tern X
Forster's Tern X
Rock Pigeon X
Mourning Dove 6
Chimney Swift X
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 12
Belted Kingfisher 1
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Eastern Wood-Pewee 2
Eastern Kingbird 75
American Crow X
Fish Crow X
Purple Martin 2
Tree Swallow X
Barn Swallow X
Carolina Chickadee X
Carolina Wren 4
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1
Northern Parula 7
Yellow Warbler 3
Magnolia Warbler 1
Cape May Warbler 2
Black-throated Blue Warbler 5
Prairie Warbler 1
Blackpoll Warbler 1
Black-and-white Warbler 10
American Redstart 117
Northern Waterthrush 4
Common Yellowthroat 1
Northern Cardinal X
Blue Grosbeak 1
Bobolink 3
Red-winged Blackbird X
Common Grackle X
Brown-headed Cowbird 1
American Goldfinch X
Morning Flight Thursday September 3 2009
Definitely a bit on the slow side today, but it highlights how important weather is to the birding here in Cape May. If we don't get the weather we don't get the birds, if we do then there are few better placed to be.
Totals below are for all birds seen and include species or individuals not participating in morning flight.
Canada Goose 2
Mallard 8
Northern Shoveler 1
Double-crested Cormorant 6
Black Vulture 6
Turkey Vulture 4
Osprey 3
Bald Eagle 1
Semipalmated Plover 1
Spotted Sandpiper 3
Solitary Sandpiper 1
Greater Yellowlegs 1
Lesser Yellowlegs 8
Semipalmated Sandpiper 35
Least Sandpiper 3
Laughing Gull 60
Herring Gull 3
Great Black-backed Gull 12
Common Tern 2
Forster's Tern 6
Royal Tern 9
Rock Pigeon 4
Mourning Dove 6
Chimney Swift 18
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 4
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Great Crested Flycatcher 1
Eastern Kingbird 18
White-eyed Vireo 1
Blue Jay 3
American Crow 8
Fish Crow 2
Purple Martin 25
Tree Swallow 15
Bank Swallow 1
Cliff Swallow 1
Barn Swallow 55
Carolina Chickadee 4
Tufted Titmouse 1
Carolina Wren 8
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 2
Veery 3
American Robin 12
Gray Catbird 6
Northern Mockingbird 4
Brown Thrasher 1
European Starling 150
Cedar Waxwing 15
Nashville Warbler 1
Northern Parula 8
Yellow Warbler 4
Cape May Warbler 1
Black-throated Blue Warbler 1
Black-throated Green Warbler 1
Black-and-white Warbler 6
American Redstart 34
Northern Waterthrush 2
Common Yellowthroat 3
Northern Cardinal 6
Bobolink 4
Red-winged Blackbird 85
Common Grackle 6
House Finch 6
American Goldfinch 3
House Sparrow 1
Totals below are for all birds seen and include species or individuals not participating in morning flight.
Canada Goose 2
Mallard 8
Northern Shoveler 1
Double-crested Cormorant 6
Black Vulture 6
Turkey Vulture 4
Osprey 3
Bald Eagle 1
Semipalmated Plover 1
Spotted Sandpiper 3
Solitary Sandpiper 1
Greater Yellowlegs 1
Lesser Yellowlegs 8
Semipalmated Sandpiper 35
Least Sandpiper 3
Laughing Gull 60
Herring Gull 3
Great Black-backed Gull 12
Common Tern 2
Forster's Tern 6
Royal Tern 9
Rock Pigeon 4
Mourning Dove 6
Chimney Swift 18
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 4
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Great Crested Flycatcher 1
Eastern Kingbird 18
White-eyed Vireo 1
Blue Jay 3
American Crow 8
Fish Crow 2
Purple Martin 25
Tree Swallow 15
Bank Swallow 1
Cliff Swallow 1
Barn Swallow 55
Carolina Chickadee 4
Tufted Titmouse 1
Carolina Wren 8
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 2
Veery 3
American Robin 12
Gray Catbird 6
Northern Mockingbird 4
Brown Thrasher 1
European Starling 150
Cedar Waxwing 15
Nashville Warbler 1
Northern Parula 8
Yellow Warbler 4
Cape May Warbler 1
Black-throated Blue Warbler 1
Black-throated Green Warbler 1
Black-and-white Warbler 6
American Redstart 34
Northern Waterthrush 2
Common Yellowthroat 3
Northern Cardinal 6
Bobolink 4
Red-winged Blackbird 85
Common Grackle 6
House Finch 6
American Goldfinch 3
House Sparrow 1
Hawkwatch Thursday September 3, 2009
Today saw a rather slow raptor flght, as expected with the NE winds through the day and a smattering of drizzle later on. Aside from the 43 migrant raptors, there were also 2-3 Cliff Swallows in the afternoon once again, and another immature Northern Gannet offshore early in the morning.
Full eBird list below:
Location: Cape Island--CMBO Hawk Watch Site
Observation date: 9/3/09
Notes: NNE wind early on, shifting to NE after a couple of hours and staying
that way for the duration. A few droplets of rain came a couple of times in the later afternoon. Mostly cloudy all day.
Number of species: 73
Canada Goose X
Mute Swan 8
Mallard X
Blue-winged Teal 1
Pied-billed Grebe 1
Northern Gannet 1
Double-crested Cormorant X
Great Blue Heron 1
Great Egret 7
Snowy Egret 2
Green Heron 2
Glossy Ibis 5
Black Vulture 10
Turkey Vulture 20
Osprey 10 (8 migrants)
Bald Eagle 3 (2 migrants)
Northern Harrier 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk 5
Cooper's Hawk 9 (8 migrants)
Broad-winged Hawk 7
Red-tailed Hawk 5
American Kestrel 3
Merlin 1
Peregrine Falcon 4
Killdeer 1
Greater Yellowlegs 2
Lesser Yellowlegs 2
Semipalmated Sandpiper 2
Least Sandpiper 4
peep sp. 5
Laughing Gull X
Ring-billed Gull X
Herring Gull X
Great Black-backed Gull X
Common Tern X
Forster's Tern X
Royal Tern 16
Rock Pigeon X
Mourning Dove X
Chimney Swift 41
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 4
Belted Kingfisher 1
Eastern Kingbird 1
Blue Jay 3
American Crow X
Fish Crow X
Purple Martin 40
Tree Swallow 250
Bank Swallow 2
Cliff Swallow 2
Barn Swallow 100
Carolina Chickadee X
Carolina Wren 5
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1
Gray Catbird X
Northern Mockingbird 2
European Starling X
Cedar Waxwing 2
Yellow Warbler 3
Black-and-white Warbler 1
American Redstart 1
Northern Waterthrush 1
Common Yellowthroat 3
Song Sparrow X
Northern Cardinal X
Indigo Bunting 1
Bobolink 99
Red-winged Blackbird 240
Common Grackle 1
Brown-headed Cowbird 1
House Finch 1
American Goldfinch X
House Sparrow X
Full eBird list below:
Location: Cape Island--CMBO Hawk Watch Site
Observation date: 9/3/09
Notes: NNE wind early on, shifting to NE after a couple of hours and staying
that way for the duration. A few droplets of rain came a couple of times in the later afternoon. Mostly cloudy all day.
Number of species: 73
Canada Goose X
Mute Swan 8
Mallard X
Blue-winged Teal 1
Pied-billed Grebe 1
Northern Gannet 1
Double-crested Cormorant X
Great Blue Heron 1
Great Egret 7
Snowy Egret 2
Green Heron 2
Glossy Ibis 5
Black Vulture 10
Turkey Vulture 20
Osprey 10 (8 migrants)
Bald Eagle 3 (2 migrants)
Northern Harrier 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk 5
Cooper's Hawk 9 (8 migrants)
Broad-winged Hawk 7
Red-tailed Hawk 5
American Kestrel 3
Merlin 1
Peregrine Falcon 4
Killdeer 1
Greater Yellowlegs 2
Lesser Yellowlegs 2
Semipalmated Sandpiper 2
Least Sandpiper 4
peep sp. 5
Laughing Gull X
Ring-billed Gull X
Herring Gull X
Great Black-backed Gull X
Common Tern X
Forster's Tern X
Royal Tern 16
Rock Pigeon X
Mourning Dove X
Chimney Swift 41
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 4
Belted Kingfisher 1
Eastern Kingbird 1
Blue Jay 3
American Crow X
Fish Crow X
Purple Martin 40
Tree Swallow 250
Bank Swallow 2
Cliff Swallow 2
Barn Swallow 100
Carolina Chickadee X
Carolina Wren 5
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1
Gray Catbird X
Northern Mockingbird 2
European Starling X
Cedar Waxwing 2
Yellow Warbler 3
Black-and-white Warbler 1
American Redstart 1
Northern Waterthrush 1
Common Yellowthroat 3
Song Sparrow X
Northern Cardinal X
Indigo Bunting 1
Bobolink 99
Red-winged Blackbird 240
Common Grackle 1
Brown-headed Cowbird 1
House Finch 1
American Goldfinch X
House Sparrow X
Hawk Watch Wednesday September 2, 2009
Steady northeast winds throughout contributed to a rather slow day raptor-wise, with 63 migrant raptors counted. There were some non-raptor highlights however, including 2 Cliff Swallows (6 species of swallow seen from the platform today), 8 Brown Pelicans (flock of 7 south of the watch plus a single bird soaring over towards the Meadows), an early morning Northern Gannet, and a juvenile Black Tern that showed up at Bunker Pond early in the AM and then again after 3 PM. My complete eBird list is below:
Canada Goose X
Mallard 6
Pied-billed Grebe 1
Northern Gannet 1
Brown Pelican 8
Double-crested Cormorant 55
Great Blue Heron 3
Great Egret 18
Green Heron 2
Glossy Ibis 3
Black Vulture 16
Turkey Vulture 10
Osprey 14 (10 migrants)
Bald Eagle 4
Sharp-shinned Hawk 4
Cooper's Hawk 19
Broad-winged Hawk 10
Red-tailed Hawk 8 (4 migrants)
American Kestrel 5
Merlin 1
Peregrine Falcon 5
Killdeer 1
Lesser Yellowlegs 8
Semipalmated Sandpiper 12
Least Sandpiper 15
Laughing Gull X
Ring-billed Gull X
Herring Gull X
Great Black-backed Gull X
Caspian Tern 1
Black Tern 1
Common Tern X
Forster's Tern X
Royal Tern 8
Black Skimmer 70
Rock Pigeon X
Mourning Dove 10
Chimney Swift 20
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1
Belted Kingfisher 1
Northern Flicker 1
Eastern Kingbird 4
American Crow X
Fish Crow 10
Purple Martin 40
Tree Swallow 100
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 3
Bank Swallow 2
Cliff Swallow 2
Barn Swallow 100
Carolina Chickadee X
Carolina Wren 8
Marsh Wren 2
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 3
Northern Mockingbird X
European Starling X
Cedar Waxwing 2
Yellow Warbler 5
Prairie Warbler 1
American Redstart 6
Northern Waterthrush 2
Common Yellowthroat 2
Song Sparrow 2
Northern Cardinal 4
Blue Grosbeak 1
Indigo Bunting 1
Bobolink 135
Red-winged Blackbird X
House Finch 2
American Goldfinch X
House Sparrow X
Canada Goose X
Mallard 6
Pied-billed Grebe 1
Northern Gannet 1
Brown Pelican 8
Double-crested Cormorant 55
Great Blue Heron 3
Great Egret 18
Green Heron 2
Glossy Ibis 3
Black Vulture 16
Turkey Vulture 10
Osprey 14 (10 migrants)
Bald Eagle 4
Sharp-shinned Hawk 4
Cooper's Hawk 19
Broad-winged Hawk 10
Red-tailed Hawk 8 (4 migrants)
American Kestrel 5
Merlin 1
Peregrine Falcon 5
Killdeer 1
Lesser Yellowlegs 8
Semipalmated Sandpiper 12
Least Sandpiper 15
Laughing Gull X
Ring-billed Gull X
Herring Gull X
Great Black-backed Gull X
Caspian Tern 1
Black Tern 1
Common Tern X
Forster's Tern X
Royal Tern 8
Black Skimmer 70
Rock Pigeon X
Mourning Dove 10
Chimney Swift 20
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1
Belted Kingfisher 1
Northern Flicker 1
Eastern Kingbird 4
American Crow X
Fish Crow 10
Purple Martin 40
Tree Swallow 100
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 3
Bank Swallow 2
Cliff Swallow 2
Barn Swallow 100
Carolina Chickadee X
Carolina Wren 8
Marsh Wren 2
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 3
Northern Mockingbird X
European Starling X
Cedar Waxwing 2
Yellow Warbler 5
Prairie Warbler 1
American Redstart 6
Northern Waterthrush 2
Common Yellowthroat 2
Song Sparrow 2
Northern Cardinal 4
Blue Grosbeak 1
Indigo Bunting 1
Bobolink 135
Red-winged Blackbird X
House Finch 2
American Goldfinch X
House Sparrow X
Morning Flight Wednesday September 2 2009
The game of the day was low volume but high diversity. 16 species of warblers were observed participating in morning flight in the first two hours after sunrise. An additional 2 species, Worm-eating and Common Yellowthroat, were also observed bring the total for the day up to 18. Good warbler diversity combined with an excellent sunrise, and another visit from the infamous Peregrine from yesterday made for a quality morning.
Totals below are for all birds seen and include species or individuals not participating in morning flight.
Canada Goose 2
Mallard 8
Northern Shoveler 1
Double-crested Cormorant 6
Great Egret 2
Snowy Egret 3
Black Vulture 3
Turkey Vulture 5
Osprey 5
Bald Eagle 2
Peregrine Falcon 1
Semipalmated Plover 2
Killdeer 1
Spotted Sandpiper 4
Solitary Sandpiper 1
Greater Yellowlegs 1
Lesser Yellowlegs 12
Sanderling 18
Semipalmated Sandpiper 55
Western Sandpiper 1
Least Sandpiper 8
Laughing Gull 200
Herring Gull 8
Great Black-backed Gull 18
Caspian Tern 1
Common Tern 45
Forster's Tern 15
Royal Tern 12
Rock Pigeon 8
Mourning Dove 12
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 3
Belted Kingfisher 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Least Flycatcher 1
Great Crested Flycatcher 2
Eastern Kingbird 35
White-eyed Vireo 1
Red-eyed Vireo 2
Blue Jay 2
American Crow 12
Fish Crow 1
Purple Martin 15
Tree Swallow 12
Barn Swallow 85
Carolina Chickadee 4
Carolina Wren 6
House Wren 1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 19
American Robin 12
Gray Catbird 6
Northern Mockingbird 6
Brown Thrasher 1
European Starling 120
Cedar Waxwing 28
Tennessee Warbler 1
Nashville Warbler 1
Northern Parula 8
Yellow Warbler 6
Chestnut-sided Warbler 1
Magnolia Warbler 1
Cape May Warbler 2
Black-throated Blue Warbler 1
Black-throated Green Warbler 1
Blackburnian Warbler 2
Pine Warbler 1
Prairie Warbler 1
Blackpoll Warbler 1
Black-and-white Warbler 8
American Redstart 49
Worm-eating Warbler 1
Northern Waterthrush 18
Common Yellowthroat 4
Chipping Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal 3
Blue Grosbeak 1
Bobolink 6
Red-winged Blackbird 125
Common Grackle 8
Baltimore Oriole 3
House Finch 14
American Goldfinch 2
Totals below are for all birds seen and include species or individuals not participating in morning flight.
Canada Goose 2
Mallard 8
Northern Shoveler 1
Double-crested Cormorant 6
Great Egret 2
Snowy Egret 3
Black Vulture 3
Turkey Vulture 5
Osprey 5
Bald Eagle 2
Peregrine Falcon 1
Semipalmated Plover 2
Killdeer 1
Spotted Sandpiper 4
Solitary Sandpiper 1
Greater Yellowlegs 1
Lesser Yellowlegs 12
Sanderling 18
Semipalmated Sandpiper 55
Western Sandpiper 1
Least Sandpiper 8
Laughing Gull 200
Herring Gull 8
Great Black-backed Gull 18
Caspian Tern 1
Common Tern 45
Forster's Tern 15
Royal Tern 12
Rock Pigeon 8
Mourning Dove 12
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 3
Belted Kingfisher 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Least Flycatcher 1
Great Crested Flycatcher 2
Eastern Kingbird 35
White-eyed Vireo 1
Red-eyed Vireo 2
Blue Jay 2
American Crow 12
Fish Crow 1
Purple Martin 15
Tree Swallow 12
Barn Swallow 85
Carolina Chickadee 4
Carolina Wren 6
House Wren 1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 19
American Robin 12
Gray Catbird 6
Northern Mockingbird 6
Brown Thrasher 1
European Starling 120
Cedar Waxwing 28
Tennessee Warbler 1
Nashville Warbler 1
Northern Parula 8
Yellow Warbler 6
Chestnut-sided Warbler 1
Magnolia Warbler 1
Cape May Warbler 2
Black-throated Blue Warbler 1
Black-throated Green Warbler 1
Blackburnian Warbler 2
Pine Warbler 1
Prairie Warbler 1
Blackpoll Warbler 1
Black-and-white Warbler 8
American Redstart 49
Worm-eating Warbler 1
Northern Waterthrush 18
Common Yellowthroat 4
Chipping Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal 3
Blue Grosbeak 1
Bobolink 6
Red-winged Blackbird 125
Common Grackle 8
Baltimore Oriole 3
House Finch 14
American Goldfinch 2
Morning Flight Tuesday Septemer 1 2009
The birds I was expecting yesterday decided that they would rather come today instead. The first hour was busy bordering on crazy but things slowed down fairly quickly. Including 180 warbler sp. there were 557 warblers counted representing 16 species. The warbler highlights were a Cerulean and a Canada. The highlight of the morning, however, was the full blown shootout between a hefty juvenile female Peregrine Falcon and a Lesser Yellowlegs! The thrilling duel lasted several minutes during which I was certain that the yellowlegs would meet its end at least 6 or 7 times. The Peregrine finally broke off the pursuit, visibly winded and without dinner, and left to take a nap. The Yellowlegs went the opposite direction likely in search of a therapist and a fresh pair of shorts.
Totals below are for all birds seen and include species or individuals not participating in morning flight.
Mallard 8
Double-crested Cormorant 85
Great Blue Heron 1
Great Egret 3
Snowy Egret 2
Green Heron 2
Black Vulture 3
Turkey Vulture 3
Osprey 8
Sharp-shinned Hawk 3
Cooper's Hawk 2
Broad-winged Hawk 2
Merlin 1
Peregrine Falcon 1
Semipalmated Plover 6
Spotted Sandpiper 3
Solitary Sandpiper 1
Greater Yellowlegs 1
Lesser Yellowlegs 12
Sanderling 35
Semipalmated Sandpiper 40
Least Sandpiper 6
Stilt Sandpiper 1
Short-billed Dowitcher 2
Laughing Gull 215
Herring Gull 35
Great Black-backed Gull 25
Least Tern 2
Caspian Tern 1
Common Tern 115
Forster's Tern 90
Royal Tern 4
Rock Pigeon 40
Mourning Dove 18
Common Nighthawk 2
Chimney Swift 6
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 4
Belted Kingfisher 1
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 1
Empidonax sp. 1
Great Crested Flycatcher 3
Eastern Kingbird 140
Red-eyed Vireo 6
Blue Jay 2
American Crow 12
Fish Crow 14
Purple Martin 45
Tree Swallow 80
Barn Swallow 40
Carolina Chickadee 4
Tufted Titmouse 2
Carolina Wren 12
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 50
American Robin 47
Gray Catbird 8
Northern Mockingbird 5
European Starling 350
Cedar Waxwing 139
Blue-winged Warbler 2
Tennessee Warbler 2
Nashville Warbler 1
Northern Parula 21
Yellow Warbler 7
Chestnut-sided Warbler 4
Magnolia Warbler 18
Cape May Warbler 5
Black-throated Blue Warbler 16
Blackburnian Warbler 3
Prairie Warbler 4
Cerulean Warbler 1
Black-and-white Warbler 16
American Redstart 266
Northern Waterthrush 10
Common Yellowthroat 5
Canada Warbler 1
Scarlet Tanager 1
Northern Cardinal 6
Indigo Bunting 2
Dickcissel 1
Bobolink 125
Red-winged Blackbird 135
Common Grackle 6
Brown-headed Cowbird 3
Baltimore Oriole 71
American Goldfinch 5
House Sparrow 8
Totals below are for all birds seen and include species or individuals not participating in morning flight.
Mallard 8
Double-crested Cormorant 85
Great Blue Heron 1
Great Egret 3
Snowy Egret 2
Green Heron 2
Black Vulture 3
Turkey Vulture 3
Osprey 8
Sharp-shinned Hawk 3
Cooper's Hawk 2
Broad-winged Hawk 2
Merlin 1
Peregrine Falcon 1
Semipalmated Plover 6
Spotted Sandpiper 3
Solitary Sandpiper 1
Greater Yellowlegs 1
Lesser Yellowlegs 12
Sanderling 35
Semipalmated Sandpiper 40
Least Sandpiper 6
Stilt Sandpiper 1
Short-billed Dowitcher 2
Laughing Gull 215
Herring Gull 35
Great Black-backed Gull 25
Least Tern 2
Caspian Tern 1
Common Tern 115
Forster's Tern 90
Royal Tern 4
Rock Pigeon 40
Mourning Dove 18
Common Nighthawk 2
Chimney Swift 6
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 4
Belted Kingfisher 1
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 1
Empidonax sp. 1
Great Crested Flycatcher 3
Eastern Kingbird 140
Red-eyed Vireo 6
Blue Jay 2
American Crow 12
Fish Crow 14
Purple Martin 45
Tree Swallow 80
Barn Swallow 40
Carolina Chickadee 4
Tufted Titmouse 2
Carolina Wren 12
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 50
American Robin 47
Gray Catbird 8
Northern Mockingbird 5
European Starling 350
Cedar Waxwing 139
Blue-winged Warbler 2
Tennessee Warbler 2
Nashville Warbler 1
Northern Parula 21
Yellow Warbler 7
Chestnut-sided Warbler 4
Magnolia Warbler 18
Cape May Warbler 5
Black-throated Blue Warbler 16
Blackburnian Warbler 3
Prairie Warbler 4
Cerulean Warbler 1
Black-and-white Warbler 16
American Redstart 266
Northern Waterthrush 10
Common Yellowthroat 5
Canada Warbler 1
Scarlet Tanager 1
Northern Cardinal 6
Indigo Bunting 2
Dickcissel 1
Bobolink 125
Red-winged Blackbird 135
Common Grackle 6
Brown-headed Cowbird 3
Baltimore Oriole 71
American Goldfinch 5
House Sparrow 8
Morning Flight Monday August 31 2009
A minor internet snafu delayed the posting of yesterdays totals.
The winds shifted east too soon severely limiting what I expected would be a great flight. While the volume of birds was far less than expected the diversity was excellent in the first hour then dropped off. Small morning flight tip: the first two hours after sunrise are when the bulk of the flight occurs. Particularly early in the season virtually all the birds move early and visitors arriving at 9:30 get a tiny taste of what a flight is like at best. The highlights were a Whimbrel that flew directly over our heads and a Louisiana Waterthrush that nearly slipped by as a Northern.
Totals below are for all birds seen and include species or individuals not participating in morning flight.
Mallard 6
Northern Shoveler 1
Double-crested Cormorant 28
Great Egret 1
Snowy Egret 1
Osprey 8
Bald Eagle 2
Semipalmated Plover 8
Spotted Sandpiper 3
Solitary Sandpiper 1
Greater Yellowlegs 1
Lesser Yellowlegs 14
Whimbrel 1
Semipalmated Sandpiper 30
Least Sandpiper 12
White-rumped Sandpiper 1
Short-billed Dowitcher 2
Laughing Gull 65
Herring Gull 3
Great Black-backed Gull 15
Least Tern 1
Common Tern 3
Forster's Tern 8
Royal Tern 3
Rock Pigeon 8
Mourning Dove 12
Chimney Swift 9
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 5
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Alder Flycatcher 2
Eastern Kingbird 300
White-eyed Vireo 1
Blue Jay 6
American Crow 4
Fish Crow 6
Purple Martin 8
Tree Swallow 15
Barn Swallow 35
Carolina Chickadee 3
Carolina Wren 8
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 3
American Robin 14
Gray Catbird 12
Northern Mockingbird 8
European Starling 400
Cedar Waxwing 90
Northern Parula 1
Yellow Warbler 12
Chestnut-sided Warbler 1
Cape May Warbler 3
Black-throated Blue Warbler 8
Black-throated Green Warbler 3
Blackburnian Warbler 2
Prairie Warbler 1
Black-and-white Warbler 5
American Redstart 49
Northern Waterthrush 13
Louisiana Waterthrush 1
Common Yellowthroat 12
Northern Cardinal 15
Blue Grosbeak 1
Indigo Bunting 2
Bobolink 450
Red-winged Blackbird 600
Common Grackle 5
Brown-headed Cowbird 3
Baltimore Oriole 15
House Finch 6
American Goldfinch 8
The winds shifted east too soon severely limiting what I expected would be a great flight. While the volume of birds was far less than expected the diversity was excellent in the first hour then dropped off. Small morning flight tip: the first two hours after sunrise are when the bulk of the flight occurs. Particularly early in the season virtually all the birds move early and visitors arriving at 9:30 get a tiny taste of what a flight is like at best. The highlights were a Whimbrel that flew directly over our heads and a Louisiana Waterthrush that nearly slipped by as a Northern.
Totals below are for all birds seen and include species or individuals not participating in morning flight.
Mallard 6
Northern Shoveler 1
Double-crested Cormorant 28
Great Egret 1
Snowy Egret 1
Osprey 8
Bald Eagle 2
Semipalmated Plover 8
Spotted Sandpiper 3
Solitary Sandpiper 1
Greater Yellowlegs 1
Lesser Yellowlegs 14
Whimbrel 1
Semipalmated Sandpiper 30
Least Sandpiper 12
White-rumped Sandpiper 1
Short-billed Dowitcher 2
Laughing Gull 65
Herring Gull 3
Great Black-backed Gull 15
Least Tern 1
Common Tern 3
Forster's Tern 8
Royal Tern 3
Rock Pigeon 8
Mourning Dove 12
Chimney Swift 9
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 5
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Alder Flycatcher 2
Eastern Kingbird 300
White-eyed Vireo 1
Blue Jay 6
American Crow 4
Fish Crow 6
Purple Martin 8
Tree Swallow 15
Barn Swallow 35
Carolina Chickadee 3
Carolina Wren 8
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 3
American Robin 14
Gray Catbird 12
Northern Mockingbird 8
European Starling 400
Cedar Waxwing 90
Northern Parula 1
Yellow Warbler 12
Chestnut-sided Warbler 1
Cape May Warbler 3
Black-throated Blue Warbler 8
Black-throated Green Warbler 3
Blackburnian Warbler 2
Prairie Warbler 1
Black-and-white Warbler 5
American Redstart 49
Northern Waterthrush 13
Louisiana Waterthrush 1
Common Yellowthroat 12
Northern Cardinal 15
Blue Grosbeak 1
Indigo Bunting 2
Bobolink 450
Red-winged Blackbird 600
Common Grackle 5
Brown-headed Cowbird 3
Baltimore Oriole 15
House Finch 6
American Goldfinch 8
Morning Flight Sunday August 30 2009
This morning featured a small movement of migrants. Highlights included some striking adult male Redstarts, a brief glimpse at an adult male Black-throated Green, and an Orchard Oriole, the first in over a week. Shorebird highlights were three Stilt Sandpipers including a juvenile sporting the fresh from the arctic tundra buffy wash typical of fresh juvenile sandpipers.
Not all birds listed were participating in morning flight.
Mallard 4
Double-crested Cormorant 2
Great Egret 1
Snowy Egret 1
Green Heron 1
Osprey 2
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1
Black-bellied Plover 1
Semipalmated Plover 6
Spotted Sandpiper 3
Greater Yellowlegs 1
Lesser Yellowlegs 18
Whimbrel 1 Very short billed. Flying up the bay.
Semipalmated Sandpiper 35
Western Sandpiper 1
Least Sandpiper 8
White-rumped Sandpiper 1
Stilt Sandpiper 3 Juv was very long billed. Still with faint peach wash but far less obvious than the juvs 2 weeks ago.
Short-billed Dowitcher 2
Laughing Gull 55
Herring Gull 15
Great Black-backed Gull 45
Common Tern 5
Forster's Tern 8
Royal Tern 7
Rock Pigeon 35
Mourning Dove 18
Chimney Swift 9
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 3
Belted Kingfisher 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Least Flycatcher 1
Eastern Kingbird 145
White-eyed Vireo 1
Red-eyed Vireo 3
Blue Jay 2
American Crow 8
Fish Crow 1
Purple Martin 18
Tree Swallow 20
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 1
Barn Swallow 35
Carolina Chickadee 3
Tufted Titmouse 2
Carolina Wren 9
House Wren 1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 7
American Robin 25
Gray Catbird 9
Northern Mockingbird 6
Brown Thrasher 1
European Starling 350
Cedar Waxwing 65
Northern Parula 1
Yellow Warbler 12
Cape May Warbler 1
Black-throated Green Warbler 1
Blackburnian Warbler 1
Prairie Warbler 3
Black-and-white Warbler 1
American Redstart 98
Northern Waterthrush 4
Common Yellowthroat 3
Chipping Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal 6
Blue Grosbeak 1
Indigo Bunting 2
Dickcissel 1
Bobolink 45
Red-winged Blackbird 160
Common Grackle 20
Brown-headed Cowbird 1
Orchard Oriole 1
Baltimore Oriole 10
House Finch 6
American Goldfinch 4
Not all birds listed were participating in morning flight.
Mallard 4
Double-crested Cormorant 2
Great Egret 1
Snowy Egret 1
Green Heron 1
Osprey 2
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1
Black-bellied Plover 1
Semipalmated Plover 6
Spotted Sandpiper 3
Greater Yellowlegs 1
Lesser Yellowlegs 18
Whimbrel 1 Very short billed. Flying up the bay.
Semipalmated Sandpiper 35
Western Sandpiper 1
Least Sandpiper 8
White-rumped Sandpiper 1
Stilt Sandpiper 3 Juv was very long billed. Still with faint peach wash but far less obvious than the juvs 2 weeks ago.
Short-billed Dowitcher 2
Laughing Gull 55
Herring Gull 15
Great Black-backed Gull 45
Common Tern 5
Forster's Tern 8
Royal Tern 7
Rock Pigeon 35
Mourning Dove 18
Chimney Swift 9
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 3
Belted Kingfisher 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Least Flycatcher 1
Eastern Kingbird 145
White-eyed Vireo 1
Red-eyed Vireo 3
Blue Jay 2
American Crow 8
Fish Crow 1
Purple Martin 18
Tree Swallow 20
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 1
Barn Swallow 35
Carolina Chickadee 3
Tufted Titmouse 2
Carolina Wren 9
House Wren 1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 7
American Robin 25
Gray Catbird 9
Northern Mockingbird 6
Brown Thrasher 1
European Starling 350
Cedar Waxwing 65
Northern Parula 1
Yellow Warbler 12
Cape May Warbler 1
Black-throated Green Warbler 1
Blackburnian Warbler 1
Prairie Warbler 3
Black-and-white Warbler 1
American Redstart 98
Northern Waterthrush 4
Common Yellowthroat 3
Chipping Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal 6
Blue Grosbeak 1
Indigo Bunting 2
Dickcissel 1
Bobolink 45
Red-winged Blackbird 160
Common Grackle 20
Brown-headed Cowbird 1
Orchard Oriole 1
Baltimore Oriole 10
House Finch 6
American Goldfinch 4
Morning Flight Saturday August 29 2009
The word for the day is "precipitation"! I'll be using a kayak to reach the dike for the next week or two. Unsurprisingly there was no morning flight. There was, however, an excellent Prothontary Warbler kicking around for most of the morning. Since Prothontary was my "spark" bird I always enjoy them. I believe an a case can be made that for many birders the first bird on their life list is more important than the 600 0r 700 milestone that we celebrate.
None of the birds seen today were participating in morning flight.
Location: Cape Island--Higbees Beach SWA--Dike
Observation date: 8/29/09
Number of species: 49
Mallard 6
Great Egret 5
Snowy Egret 1
Osprey 1
Semipalmated Plover 4
Spotted Sandpiper 2
Solitary Sandpiper 1
Greater Yellowlegs 2
Lesser Yellowlegs 6
Semipalmated Sandpiper 15
Least Sandpiper 12
Pectoral Sandpiper 1
American Woodcock 1
Laughing Gull 65
Herring Gull 6
Great Black-backed Gull 15
Forster's Tern 8
Royal Tern 2
Rock Pigeon 2
Yellow-billed Cuckoo 1
Chimney Swift 6
Belted Kingfisher 1
Eastern Kingbird 90
White-eyed Vireo 1
Red-eyed Vireo 3
Blue Jay 2
American Crow 6
Purple Martin 35
Tree Swallow 12
Barn Swallow 55
Carolina Chickadee 4
Tufted Titmouse 1
Carolina Wren 7
House Wren 1
American Robin 4
Cedar Waxwing 8
Yellow Warbler 6
Black-and-white Warbler 3
American Redstart 5
Prothonotary Warbler 1
Northern Waterthrush 4
Common Yellowthroat 2
Northern Cardinal 8
Blue Grosbeak 1
Bobolink 20
Red-winged Blackbird 15
Common Grackle 2
Baltimore Oriole 1
American Goldfinch 2
None of the birds seen today were participating in morning flight.
Location: Cape Island--Higbees Beach SWA--Dike
Observation date: 8/29/09
Number of species: 49
Mallard 6
Great Egret 5
Snowy Egret 1
Osprey 1
Semipalmated Plover 4
Spotted Sandpiper 2
Solitary Sandpiper 1
Greater Yellowlegs 2
Lesser Yellowlegs 6
Semipalmated Sandpiper 15
Least Sandpiper 12
Pectoral Sandpiper 1
American Woodcock 1
Laughing Gull 65
Herring Gull 6
Great Black-backed Gull 15
Forster's Tern 8
Royal Tern 2
Rock Pigeon 2
Yellow-billed Cuckoo 1
Chimney Swift 6
Belted Kingfisher 1
Eastern Kingbird 90
White-eyed Vireo 1
Red-eyed Vireo 3
Blue Jay 2
American Crow 6
Purple Martin 35
Tree Swallow 12
Barn Swallow 55
Carolina Chickadee 4
Tufted Titmouse 1
Carolina Wren 7
House Wren 1
American Robin 4
Cedar Waxwing 8
Yellow Warbler 6
Black-and-white Warbler 3
American Redstart 5
Prothonotary Warbler 1
Northern Waterthrush 4
Common Yellowthroat 2
Northern Cardinal 8
Blue Grosbeak 1
Bobolink 20
Red-winged Blackbird 15
Common Grackle 2
Baltimore Oriole 1
American Goldfinch 2
Morning Flight Friday August 28 2009
I generally consider it a good omen when the first bird of the day is something fun. Today as I opened my car door in the pre-dawn murkiness of Higbee's Beach a Barred Owl sounded off. While this omen did not foreshadow an excellent flight of warblers, movement today was a bare trickle, it did proceed the arrival of a great bird. Glen Davis and I were deftly not seeing warblers when a small flock of Lesser Yellowlegs began a quick reconnaissance of the muddy flat at the top of the dike. In their midst was a odd mottled black shorebird that Glen quickly recognized as a Ruff! The Ruff settled on the mudflat briefly then then took flight again, circled the impoundment several times and flew south not to be seen again. I was quite pleased to see an adult, still largely in alternate plumage, rather than the more expected juvenile. It always amazes me what can be seen if you stay in one place long enough, particularly if that place happens to be in Cape May.
Canada Goose 2
Mallard 8
Blue-winged Teal 1
Double-crested Cormorant 35
Osprey 2
Bald Eagle 1 A different bird than the one that has been around Higbee recently
Semipalmated Plover 3 Still have yet to see a juv this fall
Spotted Sandpiper 2
Solitary Sandpiper 1
Greater Yellowlegs 4
Lesser Yellowlegs 12
Sanderling 6
Semipalmated Sandpiper 60 Back to all juvs
Western Sandpiper 1
Least Sandpiper 25
White-rumped Sandpiper 1
Stilt Sandpiper 1
Ruff 1 Flew in with a flock of 5 LEYE. Upper breast and back largely blackish while the head was a bit pale due to incoming basic feathers. Landed on the flats for less than a minute then circled around the impoundments for several times then took off toward Pond Creek. Just before 7:20.
Laughing Gull 120
Herring Gull 16
Great Black-backed Gull 20
Common Tern 3
Forster's Tern 8
Royal Tern 4
Rock Pigeon 5
Mourning Dove 15
Yellow-billed Cuckoo 1
Barred Owl 1 Calling in the woods before 6.
Chimney Swift 14
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 5
Belted Kingfisher 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Eastern Kingbird 240
White-eyed Vireo 1
Red-eyed Vireo 3
Blue Jay 6
American Crow 8
Purple Martin 20
Tree Swallow 20
Bank Swallow 1
Barn Swallow 45
Carolina Chickadee 5
Tufted Titmouse 1
Carolina Wren 6
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 2
Veery 1
American Robin 5
Gray Catbird 8
Northern Mockingbird 5
European Starling 125
Cedar Waxwing 150
Yellow Warbler 4
Prairie Warbler 1
Black-and-white Warbler 3
American Redstart 5
Northern Waterthrush 5
Common Yellowthroat 2
Northern Cardinal 6
Blue Grosbeak 1
Indigo Bunting 3
Bobolink 350 Southbound
Red-winged Blackbird 180
Common Grackle 4
Baltimore Oriole 2
American Goldfinch 3
House Sparrow 12
Canada Goose 2
Mallard 8
Blue-winged Teal 1
Double-crested Cormorant 35
Osprey 2
Bald Eagle 1 A different bird than the one that has been around Higbee recently
Semipalmated Plover 3 Still have yet to see a juv this fall
Spotted Sandpiper 2
Solitary Sandpiper 1
Greater Yellowlegs 4
Lesser Yellowlegs 12
Sanderling 6
Semipalmated Sandpiper 60 Back to all juvs
Western Sandpiper 1
Least Sandpiper 25
White-rumped Sandpiper 1
Stilt Sandpiper 1
Ruff 1 Flew in with a flock of 5 LEYE. Upper breast and back largely blackish while the head was a bit pale due to incoming basic feathers. Landed on the flats for less than a minute then circled around the impoundments for several times then took off toward Pond Creek. Just before 7:20.
Laughing Gull 120
Herring Gull 16
Great Black-backed Gull 20
Common Tern 3
Forster's Tern 8
Royal Tern 4
Rock Pigeon 5
Mourning Dove 15
Yellow-billed Cuckoo 1
Barred Owl 1 Calling in the woods before 6.
Chimney Swift 14
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 5
Belted Kingfisher 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Eastern Kingbird 240
White-eyed Vireo 1
Red-eyed Vireo 3
Blue Jay 6
American Crow 8
Purple Martin 20
Tree Swallow 20
Bank Swallow 1
Barn Swallow 45
Carolina Chickadee 5
Tufted Titmouse 1
Carolina Wren 6
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 2
Veery 1
American Robin 5
Gray Catbird 8
Northern Mockingbird 5
European Starling 125
Cedar Waxwing 150
Yellow Warbler 4
Prairie Warbler 1
Black-and-white Warbler 3
American Redstart 5
Northern Waterthrush 5
Common Yellowthroat 2
Northern Cardinal 6
Blue Grosbeak 1
Indigo Bunting 3
Bobolink 350 Southbound
Red-winged Blackbird 180
Common Grackle 4
Baltimore Oriole 2
American Goldfinch 3
House Sparrow 12
Morning Flight Thursday August 27 2009
A weak front passed overnight bringing with it a moderate, but enjoyable, morning flight. Mostly Redstarts and Black-and-White Warblers. The total for the day was 652 with 395 warblers counted including 80 unidentified warblers. Flyby Stilt and White-rumped Sandpipers were shorebird highlights. Totals below are for all birds seen and include species or individuals not participating in morning flight.
Location: Cape Island--Higbees Beach SWA--Dike
Observation date: 8/27/09
Number of species: 74
Mallard 4
Double-crested Cormorant 45 2 migrating flocks
Osprey 2
Black-bellied Plover 2
Semipalmated Plover 6
Spotted Sandpiper 3
Solitary Sandpiper 2
Greater Yellowlegs 2
Lesser Yellowlegs 4
Semipalmated Sandpiper 70 Adults made up almost half of todays total
Western Sandpiper 2
Least Sandpiper 30
White-rumped Sandpiper 2
Stilt Sandpiper 2
Short-billed Dowitcher 1
Laughing Gull 120
Ring-billed Gull 2
Herring Gull 12
Great Black-backed Gull 20
Least Tern 1
Common Tern 2
Forster's Tern 8
Royal Tern 3
Rock Pigeon 6
Mourning Dove 14
Chimney Swift 4
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 8
Downy Woodpecker 1
Alder Flycatcher 1
Least Flycatcher 1
Empidonax sp. 1
Eastern Kingbird 300
White-eyed Vireo 1
Red-eyed Vireo 3
Blue Jay 9
American Crow 6
Fish Crow 2
Purple Martin 20
Tree Swallow 35
Barn Swallow 25
Carolina Chickadee 6
Tufted Titmouse 2
Carolina Wren 5
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 19
Veery 1
American Robin 35
Gray Catbird 9
Northern Mockingbird 4
European Starling 80
Cedar Waxwing 60
Nashville Warbler 2
Northern Parula 3
Yellow Warbler 18
Chestnut-sided Warbler 1
Magnolia Warbler 1
Black-throated Blue Warbler 3
Blackburnian Warbler 3
Prairie Warbler 4
Black-and-white Warbler 41
American Redstart 218
Worm-eating Warbler 1
Northern Waterthrush 19
Field Sparrow 1
Savannah Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal 6
Blue Grosbeak 1
Indigo Bunting 3
Bobolink 180
Red-winged Blackbird 115
Common Grackle 12
Baltimore Oriole 8
House Finch 6
American Goldfinch 9
House Sparrow 12
Location: Cape Island--Higbees Beach SWA--Dike
Observation date: 8/27/09
Number of species: 74
Mallard 4
Double-crested Cormorant 45 2 migrating flocks
Osprey 2
Black-bellied Plover 2
Semipalmated Plover 6
Spotted Sandpiper 3
Solitary Sandpiper 2
Greater Yellowlegs 2
Lesser Yellowlegs 4
Semipalmated Sandpiper 70 Adults made up almost half of todays total
Western Sandpiper 2
Least Sandpiper 30
White-rumped Sandpiper 2
Stilt Sandpiper 2
Short-billed Dowitcher 1
Laughing Gull 120
Ring-billed Gull 2
Herring Gull 12
Great Black-backed Gull 20
Least Tern 1
Common Tern 2
Forster's Tern 8
Royal Tern 3
Rock Pigeon 6
Mourning Dove 14
Chimney Swift 4
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 8
Downy Woodpecker 1
Alder Flycatcher 1
Least Flycatcher 1
Empidonax sp. 1
Eastern Kingbird 300
White-eyed Vireo 1
Red-eyed Vireo 3
Blue Jay 9
American Crow 6
Fish Crow 2
Purple Martin 20
Tree Swallow 35
Barn Swallow 25
Carolina Chickadee 6
Tufted Titmouse 2
Carolina Wren 5
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 19
Veery 1
American Robin 35
Gray Catbird 9
Northern Mockingbird 4
European Starling 80
Cedar Waxwing 60
Nashville Warbler 2
Northern Parula 3
Yellow Warbler 18
Chestnut-sided Warbler 1
Magnolia Warbler 1
Black-throated Blue Warbler 3
Blackburnian Warbler 3
Prairie Warbler 4
Black-and-white Warbler 41
American Redstart 218
Worm-eating Warbler 1
Northern Waterthrush 19
Field Sparrow 1
Savannah Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal 6
Blue Grosbeak 1
Indigo Bunting 3
Bobolink 180
Red-winged Blackbird 115
Common Grackle 12
Baltimore Oriole 8
House Finch 6
American Goldfinch 9
House Sparrow 12
Morning Flight 8/26/09
After the deluge of birds yesterday, today was quite tame. Still the two American Avocets made an appearance to spice things up. There are still a number of Eastern Kingbirds around even after 380 Don counted yesterday. A fair number of them seem to be suffering from acute "Brett Favre Syndrome". Most cannot decide if they are coming or going.
Location: Cape Island--Higbees Beach SWA--Dike
Observation date: 8/26/09
Number of species: 74
Mallard 8
Double-crested Cormorant 6
Green Heron 1
Glossy Ibis 1
Osprey 2
Bald Eagle 1
Cooper's Hawk 1
American Kestrel 1
Peregrine Falcon 1
Semipalmated Plover 8
Killdeer 2
American Avocet 2 back again after missing yesterday.
Spotted Sandpiper 4
Solitary Sandpiper 1
Greater Yellowlegs 6
Lesser Yellowlegs 8
Sanderling 30
Semipalmated Sandpiper 35 Mostly Juveniles. The switch to juvs has happened suddenly in the past few days.
Western Sandpiper 1
Least Sandpiper 35 Mostly very bright juvs.
White-rumped Sandpiper 1
Laughing Gull 140
Ring-billed Gull 2
Herring Gull 8
Great Black-backed Gull 30
Caspian Tern 5
Common Tern 4
Forster's Tern 12
Royal Tern 3
Rock Pigeon 8
Mourning Dove 12
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 8
Belted Kingfisher 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Downy Woodpecker 3
Great Crested Flycatcher 1
Eastern Kingbird 180 Counted 88
White-eyed Vireo 1
Red-eyed Vireo 3
Blue Jay 6
American Crow 8
Purple Martin 20
Tree Swallow 15
Barn Swallow 65 Most appeared to be on the move again today after milling about in the N wind yesterday
Carolina Chickadee 3
Carolina Wren 8
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 4
Veery 1
American Robin 16
Gray Catbird 6
Northern Mockingbird 3
Brown Thrasher 1
European Starling 350
Cedar Waxwing 85
Blue-winged Warbler 1
Northern Parula 1
Yellow Warbler 8 Counted 6
Blackburnian Warbler 1
Prairie Warbler 2 Counted 1
Black-and-white Warbler 8 Counted 4
American Redstart 35 Counted 27
Ovenbird 2
Northern Waterthrush 15
Common Yellowthroat 3
Northern Cardinal 12
Blue Grosbeak 1
Indigo Bunting 4 Counted 2
Bobolink 250 High overhead southbound.
Red-winged Blackbird 95
Common Grackle 6
Brown-headed Cowbird 10
Baltimore Oriole 6 Counted 4
House Finch 3
American Goldfinch 5
Location: Cape Island--Higbees Beach SWA--Dike
Observation date: 8/26/09
Number of species: 74
Mallard 8
Double-crested Cormorant 6
Green Heron 1
Glossy Ibis 1
Osprey 2
Bald Eagle 1
Cooper's Hawk 1
American Kestrel 1
Peregrine Falcon 1
Semipalmated Plover 8
Killdeer 2
American Avocet 2 back again after missing yesterday.
Spotted Sandpiper 4
Solitary Sandpiper 1
Greater Yellowlegs 6
Lesser Yellowlegs 8
Sanderling 30
Semipalmated Sandpiper 35 Mostly Juveniles. The switch to juvs has happened suddenly in the past few days.
Western Sandpiper 1
Least Sandpiper 35 Mostly very bright juvs.
White-rumped Sandpiper 1
Laughing Gull 140
Ring-billed Gull 2
Herring Gull 8
Great Black-backed Gull 30
Caspian Tern 5
Common Tern 4
Forster's Tern 12
Royal Tern 3
Rock Pigeon 8
Mourning Dove 12
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 8
Belted Kingfisher 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Downy Woodpecker 3
Great Crested Flycatcher 1
Eastern Kingbird 180 Counted 88
White-eyed Vireo 1
Red-eyed Vireo 3
Blue Jay 6
American Crow 8
Purple Martin 20
Tree Swallow 15
Barn Swallow 65 Most appeared to be on the move again today after milling about in the N wind yesterday
Carolina Chickadee 3
Carolina Wren 8
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 4
Veery 1
American Robin 16
Gray Catbird 6
Northern Mockingbird 3
Brown Thrasher 1
European Starling 350
Cedar Waxwing 85
Blue-winged Warbler 1
Northern Parula 1
Yellow Warbler 8 Counted 6
Blackburnian Warbler 1
Prairie Warbler 2 Counted 1
Black-and-white Warbler 8 Counted 4
American Redstart 35 Counted 27
Ovenbird 2
Northern Waterthrush 15
Common Yellowthroat 3
Northern Cardinal 12
Blue Grosbeak 1
Indigo Bunting 4 Counted 2
Bobolink 250 High overhead southbound.
Red-winged Blackbird 95
Common Grackle 6
Brown-headed Cowbird 10
Baltimore Oriole 6 Counted 4
House Finch 3
American Goldfinch 5
Morning Flight Results - Tuesday, August 25 2009
What an amazing morning! Much of the early flightline was well east of the dike, leading to many warbler "sp.'s." Nice diversity overall, 3,217 total birds.
Location: Higbee Beach
Observation date: 8/25/09
Notes: CMBO Morning Flight Count. Add 908 Warbler "sp." D. Freiday official counter with help from Cameron Cox, Vince Elia, Michael O'Brien, Tom Reed. *'d species were not engaged in Morning Flight; many of these species are not considered as part of Morning Flight count. Cold front finally cleared area Monday, high pressure building into area, winds light and generally with north component, northeast early, northwest late.
Number of species: 88
Canada Goose 5 *
Mallard 2 *
Green-winged Teal 2 *
Double-crested Cormorant 50 *
Great Blue Heron 1 *
Great Egret 3 *
Snowy Egret 5 *
Glossy Ibis 3 *
Black Vulture 5 *
Turkey Vulture 25 *
Osprey 5 *
Bald Eagle 1 *
Cooper's Hawk 1 *
Red-tailed Hawk 1 *
Black-bellied Plover 2 *
Semipalmated Plover 10 *
Spotted Sandpiper 1 *
Solitary Sandpiper 4 *
Greater Yellowlegs 2 *
Lesser Yellowlegs 5 *
Sanderling 5 *
Semipalmated Sandpiper 25 *
Laughing Gull 50 *
Ring-billed Gull 5 *
Herring Gull 15 *
Great Black-backed Gull 10 *
Least Tern 1 *
Common Tern 3 *
Forster's Tern 15 *
Royal Tern 5 *
Black Skimmer 1 *
Rock Pigeon 20 *
Mourning Dove 20 *
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 10
Belted Kingfisher 1 *
Downy Woodpecker 3 *
Hairy Woodpecker 1 *
Eastern Wood-Pewee 1
Alder Flycatcher 1 *
Alder/Willow Flycatcher (Traill's) 2 *
Least Flycatcher 1 *
Empidonax sp. 2
Great Crested Flycatcher 3 *
Eastern Kingbird 840
White-eyed Vireo 1 *
Yellow-throated Vireo 1
Warbling Vireo 3
Red-eyed Vireo 8
Fish Crow 10 *
Purple Martin 75 *
Tree Swallow 10 *
Barn Swallow 20 *
Carolina Chickadee 5 *
Carolina Wren 3 *
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 181
American Robin 2
Gray Catbird 3 *
Northern Mockingbird 4
European Starling 50 *
Cedar Waxwing 135
Blue-winged Warbler 2
Nashville Warbler 6
Northern Parula 1
Yellow Warbler 31
Magnolia Warbler 4
Cape May Warbler 1
Black-throated Blue Warbler 6
Black-throated Green Warbler 1
Prairie Warbler 11
Cerulean Warbler 2
Black-and-white Warbler 92
American Redstart 652
Prothonotary Warbler 2
Ovenbird 3
Northern Waterthrush 44
Louisiana Waterthrush 2
Common Yellowthroat 1 *
Lark Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal 5 *
Blue Grosbeak 2 *
Indigo Bunting 2 *
Bobolink 183
Red-winged Blackbird 200 *
Common Grackle 20 *
Brown-headed Cowbird 10 *
Baltimore Oriole 82
House Finch 20 *
American Goldfinch 5 *
Location: Higbee Beach
Observation date: 8/25/09
Notes: CMBO Morning Flight Count. Add 908 Warbler "sp." D. Freiday official counter with help from Cameron Cox, Vince Elia, Michael O'Brien, Tom Reed. *'d species were not engaged in Morning Flight; many of these species are not considered as part of Morning Flight count. Cold front finally cleared area Monday, high pressure building into area, winds light and generally with north component, northeast early, northwest late.
Number of species: 88
Canada Goose 5 *
Mallard 2 *
Green-winged Teal 2 *
Double-crested Cormorant 50 *
Great Blue Heron 1 *
Great Egret 3 *
Snowy Egret 5 *
Glossy Ibis 3 *
Black Vulture 5 *
Turkey Vulture 25 *
Osprey 5 *
Bald Eagle 1 *
Cooper's Hawk 1 *
Red-tailed Hawk 1 *
Black-bellied Plover 2 *
Semipalmated Plover 10 *
Spotted Sandpiper 1 *
Solitary Sandpiper 4 *
Greater Yellowlegs 2 *
Lesser Yellowlegs 5 *
Sanderling 5 *
Semipalmated Sandpiper 25 *
Laughing Gull 50 *
Ring-billed Gull 5 *
Herring Gull 15 *
Great Black-backed Gull 10 *
Least Tern 1 *
Common Tern 3 *
Forster's Tern 15 *
Royal Tern 5 *
Black Skimmer 1 *
Rock Pigeon 20 *
Mourning Dove 20 *
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 10
Belted Kingfisher 1 *
Downy Woodpecker 3 *
Hairy Woodpecker 1 *
Eastern Wood-Pewee 1
Alder Flycatcher 1 *
Alder/Willow Flycatcher (Traill's) 2 *
Least Flycatcher 1 *
Empidonax sp. 2
Great Crested Flycatcher 3 *
Eastern Kingbird 840
White-eyed Vireo 1 *
Yellow-throated Vireo 1
Warbling Vireo 3
Red-eyed Vireo 8
Fish Crow 10 *
Purple Martin 75 *
Tree Swallow 10 *
Barn Swallow 20 *
Carolina Chickadee 5 *
Carolina Wren 3 *
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 181
American Robin 2
Gray Catbird 3 *
Northern Mockingbird 4
European Starling 50 *
Cedar Waxwing 135
Blue-winged Warbler 2
Nashville Warbler 6
Northern Parula 1
Yellow Warbler 31
Magnolia Warbler 4
Cape May Warbler 1
Black-throated Blue Warbler 6
Black-throated Green Warbler 1
Prairie Warbler 11
Cerulean Warbler 2
Black-and-white Warbler 92
American Redstart 652
Prothonotary Warbler 2
Ovenbird 3
Northern Waterthrush 44
Louisiana Waterthrush 2
Common Yellowthroat 1 *
Lark Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal 5 *
Blue Grosbeak 2 *
Indigo Bunting 2 *
Bobolink 183
Red-winged Blackbird 200 *
Common Grackle 20 *
Brown-headed Cowbird 10 *
Baltimore Oriole 82
House Finch 20 *
American Goldfinch 5 *
Fall 2009 Migration Counts are Underway!
Well, one of them is , anyway, that being Morning Flight, conducted from the dike at Higbee Beach by primary counter Cameron Cox. Cameron will posting his results here soon - check back often to learn neotropical migrants are passing through Cape May, and how many.
Sea Watch Count - 12/22/08
Counter: Dan Berard
Snow Goose - 103
Brant - 23
Canada Goose - 672
Tundra Swan - 16
American Black Duck - 38
Mallard - 13
Green-winged Teal - 89
Greater Scaup - 40
Lesser Scaup - 14
Bufflehead - 21
Red-breasted Merganser - 7
Total - 1,036
Notes: This was the last day of the season for the Avalon Sea Watch. The low temps and high wind seemed to be a swift kick to the undertail coverts for many waterfowl, resulting in a nice showing of ducks, geese, and swans with most flocks relatively low (by high flock 'o geese standards).
Thank you to everyone who made this season possible: everyone at the Cape May Bird Observatory and all the sea hardy visitors!
Sea Watch Count - 12/21/08
Counter: Dan Berard
Snow Goose - 17
Canada Goose - 132
Tundra Swan - 12
Razorbill - 8
Total - 169
Sea Watch Count - 12/20/08
Counter: Dan Berard
Snow Goose - 40
Brant - 225
Canada Goose - 139
American Black Duck - 4
Bufflehead - 2
Red-breasted Merganser - 9
American Oystercatcher - 39
Total - 458
Sea Watch Count - 12/19/08
Counter: Dan Berard
Canada Goose - 6
Surf Scoter - 11
Black Scoter - 58
Red-breasted Merganser - 5
Red-throated Loon - 7
Total - 87
Notes: Low Visibility and rain made viewing conditions poor. Two Sanderlings feeding in the parking lot all afternoon was a plus.
Sea Watch Count - 12/18/08
Counter: Dan Berard
Brant - 21
Greater Scaup - 1
Lesser Scaup - 1
Surf Scoter - 1203
White-winged Scoter - 10
Black Scoter - 3554
Long-tailed Duck - 15
Common Goldeneye - 1
Red-throated Loon - 65
Double-crested Cormorant - 5
Total - 4876
Sea Watch Count - 12/17/08
Counter: Sean Fitzgerald
Snow Goose - 75
Gadwall - 3
American Black Duck - 6
Surf Scoter - 588
White-winged Scoter - 2
Total: 2,489
Notes: Today was my final day conducting the seawatch as I'm heading back to the midwest for a prior obligation. I want to thank everyone who came up and kept me company, kept me well supplied with warm drinks and snacks, and helped me out on the major flight days. Many helped, but I want to especially thank Jon Kauffman, who did a terrific job not only being the interpretive naturalist and interacting with visitors, but also in spotting and counting birds when it got busy. Special thanks also go out to Gail Dwyer and Shaun Bamford for their constant company even on the "slow days", and also to Tony Leukering, Cameron Cox, Glenn Davis, Michael O'Brien, Sam Galick, and Clay Sutton for their assistance on the mega days and for their willingness to drop what they were doing to come help me out. It's been an incredible season and I'm extremely honored to have been a part of a truly spectacular migration phenomenon.
-Sean Fitzgerald
Snow Goose - 75
Gadwall - 3
American Black Duck - 6
Surf Scoter - 588
White-winged Scoter - 2
Black Scoter - 592
dark-winged scoter - 70
dark-winged scoter - 70
Long-tailed Duck - 17
Red-breasted Merganser - 3
Red-throated Loon - 64
Common Loon - 1
Northern Gannet - 1,026
Bonaparte's Gull - 39
Ring-billed Gull - 2
Dovekie - 1Northern Gannet - 1,026
Bonaparte's Gull - 39
Ring-billed Gull - 2
Total: 2,489
Notes: Today was my final day conducting the seawatch as I'm heading back to the midwest for a prior obligation. I want to thank everyone who came up and kept me company, kept me well supplied with warm drinks and snacks, and helped me out on the major flight days. Many helped, but I want to especially thank Jon Kauffman, who did a terrific job not only being the interpretive naturalist and interacting with visitors, but also in spotting and counting birds when it got busy. Special thanks also go out to Gail Dwyer and Shaun Bamford for their constant company even on the "slow days", and also to Tony Leukering, Cameron Cox, Glenn Davis, Michael O'Brien, Sam Galick, and Clay Sutton for their assistance on the mega days and for their willingness to drop what they were doing to come help me out. It's been an incredible season and I'm extremely honored to have been a part of a truly spectacular migration phenomenon.
-Sean Fitzgerald
Sea Watch Count - 12/16/08
Counter: Sean Fitzgerald
Surf Scoter - 374
White-winged Scoter - 7
Total: 1,264
Surf Scoter - 374
White-winged Scoter - 7
Black Scoter - 499
Long-tailed Duck - 5
Red-breasted Merganser - 20
Red-throated Loon - 248
Common Loon - 4
Northern Gannet - 64
Bonaparte's Gull - 32
Ring-billed Gull - 11
Northern Gannet - 64
Bonaparte's Gull - 32
Ring-billed Gull - 11
Total: 1,264
Sea Watch Count - 12/15/08
Counter: Sean Fitzgerald
American Black Duck - 9
Lesser Scaup - 1
Common Eider - 1
Surf Scoter - 411
White-winged Scoter - 12
Total: 1,360
American Black Duck - 9
Lesser Scaup - 1
Common Eider - 1
Surf Scoter - 411
White-winged Scoter - 12
Black Scoter - 545
Long-tailed Duck - 9
Red-breasted Merganser - 25
Red-throated Loon - 180
Common Loon - 1
Horned Grebe - 1
Red-necked Grebe - 1
Northern Gannet - 124
Great Cormorant - 1
Bonaparte's Gull - 37
Razorbill - 2
Horned Grebe - 1
Red-necked Grebe - 1
Northern Gannet - 124
Great Cormorant - 1
Bonaparte's Gull - 37
Razorbill - 2
Total: 1,360
Sea Watch Count - 12/14/08
Counter: Sean Fitzgerald
Canada Goose - 6
American Black Duck - 48
Green-winged Teal - 16
Greater Scaup - 14
Lesser Scaup - 2
King Eider - 1
Common Eider - 1
Harlequin Duck - 1
Surf Scoter - 1,786
White-winged Scoter - 113
Total: 8,197
Canada Goose - 6
American Black Duck - 48
Green-winged Teal - 16
Greater Scaup - 14
Lesser Scaup - 2
King Eider - 1
Common Eider - 1
Harlequin Duck - 1
Surf Scoter - 1,786
White-winged Scoter - 113
Black Scoter - 4,958
dark-winged scoter - 163
dark-winged scoter - 163
Long-tailed Duck - 81
Common Goldeneye - 1
Hooded Merganser - 5
Common Goldeneye - 1
Hooded Merganser - 5
Red-breasted Merganser - 41
Red-throated Loon - 342
Common Loon - 14
Horned Grebe - 2
Northern Gannet - 522
Bonaparte's Gull - 18
Ring-billed Gull - 31
Herring Gull - 18
Great Black-backed Gull - 2
Razorbill - 7
large alcid sp. - 4
Horned Grebe - 2
Northern Gannet - 522
Bonaparte's Gull - 18
Ring-billed Gull - 31
Herring Gull - 18
Great Black-backed Gull - 2
Razorbill - 7
large alcid sp. - 4
Total: 8,197
Sea Watch Count - 12/13/08
Counter: Sean Fitzgerald
Snow Goose - 236
Canada Goose - 1,334
Tundra Swan - 3
American Black Duck - 9
Mallard - 4
Northern Pintail - 3
dabbler sp. - 8
Greater Scaup - 4
Lesser Scaup - 10
Surf Scoter - 172
White-winged Scoter - 24
Total: 6,694
Snow Goose - 236
Canada Goose - 1,334
Tundra Swan - 3
American Black Duck - 9
Mallard - 4
Northern Pintail - 3
dabbler sp. - 8
Greater Scaup - 4
Lesser Scaup - 10
Surf Scoter - 172
White-winged Scoter - 24
Black Scoter - 2,807
dark-winged scoter - 799
dark-winged scoter - 799
Long-tailed Duck - 147
Bufflehead - 4
Common Goldeneye - 4
Bufflehead - 4
Common Goldeneye - 4
Red-breasted Merganser - 62
Red-throated Loon - 747
Common Loon - 7
Horned Grebe - 2
Northern Gannet - 102
Horned Grebe - 2
Northern Gannet - 102
Double-crested Cormorant - 70
Great Cormorant - 1
Laughing Gull - 2
Bonaparte's Gull - 8
Ring-billed Gull - 32
Herring Gull - 83
Great Black-backed Gull - 7
Great Cormorant - 1
Laughing Gull - 2
Bonaparte's Gull - 8
Ring-billed Gull - 32
Herring Gull - 83
Great Black-backed Gull - 7
Total: 6,694
Sea Watch Count - 12/11/08
Observer: Dan Berard
Black Scoter - 32
Long-tailed Duck - 9
Red-breasted Merganser - 43
Red-throated Loon - 19
Total - 103