Cape May Cape May Point, New Jersey, USA Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 07, 2014 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 0 39 39 Osprey 122 511 511 Bald Eagle 9 23 23 Northern Harrier 6 42 42 Sharp-shinned Hawk 1 5 5 Cooper's Hawk 28 41 41 Northern Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 1 1 Broad-winged Hawk 3 10 10 Red-tailed Hawk 8 14 14 Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0 Golden Eagle 0 0 0 American Kestrel 148 390 390 Merlin 12 27 27 Peregrine Falcon 1 2 2 Unknown Accipiter 0 0 0 Unknown Buteo 0 0 0 Unknown Falcon 0 0 0 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 1 1 1 Total: 339 1106 1106 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 05:30:00 Observation end time: 17:00:00 Total observation time: 11.5 hours Official Counter: Mary Raikes Observers: Weather: Cloudy then partly cloudy with temperatures in the low 70's. N, NE, then E winds shifting over the day between 5-15mph. Raptor Observations: A good mix of raptors with a strong movement of ospreys and kestrels. A high scattered flight for most of the day. Non-raptor Observations: BOBO's flying before dawn; several large flocks(650). Bats and Common Nighthawks(3). Black Tern(1). Willet(1). Glossy Ibis(6). Black Skimmer(2). Cape May Warbler(1). Predictions: Slight chance of showers with strong east winds. Temps in the mid 70's. ======================================================================== Cape May information may be found at: http://www.njaudubon.org/Centers/CMBO/
Hawkwatch - 7 September 2014
Morning Flight – 7 September 2014
Sorry everyone, no pictures today. This is because walking up to the top of the Higbee Dike is slippery and treacherous after a rainy night. This is because I tumbled up the dike and landed on my camera. I'm slowly cleaning the mud out of my camera. I think it's going to be OK.
Take it from me, use caution when walking up. And thank Mike Crewe, CMBO Program Director, next time you see him. Mike worked with shovel in-hand for an hour this morning to create many good steps and footholds for making a safe, tumble-free, ascent and descent. If you still have any doubts remember that you can take a less steep approach up the dike from the northwestern corner of the impoundment, adjacent to the fisherman's parking lot. The steep, but now stepped, "main" path I speak of just before is at the southwestern corner of the dike impoundment, adjacent to the wooden platform.
Now for the birds. With the exception of Bobolink, it was a low-showing of neotropical migrant numbers this morning in spite of winds from the north. A total of 1,491 BOBOs were counted and all significant movement was northbound. There were a few more warbler species than yesterday with 15 species today, including Blue-winged and the 2014 count's first Yellow-rumped Warbler.
Weather and time: cloudy, windy, and seasonably cool; 66–68 ºF; winds NE at 10-15 mph; 95% cloud cover; very good visibility; 0634 sunrise; 3.25 hours.
Morning Flight Count totals:
Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens) 1
Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus) 34
Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus) 1
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) 7
Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) 316
Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis) 10
Blue-winged Warbler (Vermivora cyanoptera) 1
Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia) 3
Tennessee Warbler (Oreothlypis peregrina) 1
American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) 47
Northern Parula (Setophaga americana) 9
Bay-breasted Warbler (Setophaga castanea) 1
Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia) 6
Chestnut-sided Warbler (Setophaga pensylvanica) 1
Blackpoll Warbler (Setophaga striata) 1
Black-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens) 3
Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum) 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata) 1
Prairie Warbler (Setophaga discolor) 2
Black-throated Green Warbler (Setophaga virens) 1
Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea) 1
Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus) 1
Blue Grosbeak (Passerina caerulea) 1
Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) 1491 northbound
House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus) 14
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) 1
Today's full list can be viewed at: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S19760915
Take it from me, use caution when walking up. And thank Mike Crewe, CMBO Program Director, next time you see him. Mike worked with shovel in-hand for an hour this morning to create many good steps and footholds for making a safe, tumble-free, ascent and descent. If you still have any doubts remember that you can take a less steep approach up the dike from the northwestern corner of the impoundment, adjacent to the fisherman's parking lot. The steep, but now stepped, "main" path I speak of just before is at the southwestern corner of the dike impoundment, adjacent to the wooden platform.
Now for the birds. With the exception of Bobolink, it was a low-showing of neotropical migrant numbers this morning in spite of winds from the north. A total of 1,491 BOBOs were counted and all significant movement was northbound. There were a few more warbler species than yesterday with 15 species today, including Blue-winged and the 2014 count's first Yellow-rumped Warbler.
Weather and time: cloudy, windy, and seasonably cool; 66–68 ºF; winds NE at 10-15 mph; 95% cloud cover; very good visibility; 0634 sunrise; 3.25 hours.
Morning Flight Count totals:
Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens) 1
Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus) 34
Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus) 1
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) 7
Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) 316
Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis) 10
Blue-winged Warbler (Vermivora cyanoptera) 1
Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia) 3
Tennessee Warbler (Oreothlypis peregrina) 1
American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) 47
Northern Parula (Setophaga americana) 9
Bay-breasted Warbler (Setophaga castanea) 1
Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia) 6
Chestnut-sided Warbler (Setophaga pensylvanica) 1
Blackpoll Warbler (Setophaga striata) 1
Black-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens) 3
Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum) 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata) 1
Prairie Warbler (Setophaga discolor) 2
Black-throated Green Warbler (Setophaga virens) 1
Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea) 1
Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus) 1
Blue Grosbeak (Passerina caerulea) 1
Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) 1491 northbound
House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus) 14
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) 1
Today's full list can be viewed at: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S19760915
Hawkwatch - 6 September 2014
Cape May Cape May Point, New Jersey, USA Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 06, 2014 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 0 39 39 Osprey 65 389 389 Bald Eagle 1 14 14 Northern Harrier 0 36 36 Sharp-shinned Hawk 0 4 4 Cooper's Hawk 2 13 13 Northern Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 1 1 1 Broad-winged Hawk 0 7 7 Red-tailed Hawk 1 6 6 Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0 Golden Eagle 0 0 0 American Kestrel 28 242 242 Merlin 1 15 15 Peregrine Falcon 0 1 1 Unknown Accipiter 0 0 0 Unknown Buteo 0 0 0 Unknown Falcon 0 0 0 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 0 0 0 Total: 99 767 767 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 05:30:00 Observation end time: 17:00:00 Total observation time: 11.5 hours Official Counter: Mary Raikes Observers: Weather: Steady SW winds 5-10 mph. Mostly sunny; hot and humid. High's in the mid to upper 80's. Raptor Observations: Slow in the morning, steady flow of ospreys and kestrels mid-afternoon. Most on a distant westerly flight to the north. First Red-shouldered hawk of the season. Non-raptor Observations: Black Tern(1), American Robin(15), Glossy Ibis(10), Pectoral Sandpipers(35), Black Skimmer(10), Willet(2). Predictions: Cold front moving in after midnight with thunderstorms likely. Winds shifting to the north (10-15mph). Much cooler temperatures in the mid-70's. ======================================================================== Cape May information may be found at: http://www.njaudubon.org/Centers/CMBO/
Morning Flight – 6 September 2014
Today was quiet and warm but with a nice variety of neotropical migrants still shining through. After all it's peak time for many long-distance migrants. Under 30 individual warblers were encountered this morning but there was still a good diversity with 12 species from the family Parulidae.
Tomorrow is shaping up to be a good one for migration, judging by the weather. I hope to see you out there tomorrow!
NOTE: The main path up the side of the dike impoundment is steep walking. There is an easier, but less direct way up to Morning Flight by taking the path up the slope nearby to the fisherman's parking area along the canal which is located directly across the canal from the ferry terminal.
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) 1
Alder Flycatcher (Empidonax alnorum) 1
Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus) 13
Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus) 1
Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus) 1
Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) 27 27 south
Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla) 1
Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis) 7
Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia) 4
American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) 3
Cape May Warbler (Setophaga tigrina) 2
Magnolia Warbler (Setophaga magnolia) 2
Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia) 3
Chestnut-sided Warbler (Setophaga pensylvanica) 2
Blackpoll Warbler (Setophaga striata) 1
Black-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens) 1
Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum) 1
Wilson's Warbler (Cardellina pusilla) 1
Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea) 2
Dickcissel (Spiza americana) 1
Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) 99
House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus) 5
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) 2
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) 3
Today's full list can be viewed at: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S19752239
Tomorrow is shaping up to be a good one for migration, judging by the weather. I hope to see you out there tomorrow!
NOTE: The main path up the side of the dike impoundment is steep walking. There is an easier, but less direct way up to Morning Flight by taking the path up the slope nearby to the fisherman's parking area along the canal which is located directly across the canal from the ferry terminal.
Weather and time:
sunny and humid; 64–81 ºF; winds SSW-SW at 5-10 mph; 5%
cloud cover; good visibility; 0632 sunrise; 3.25
hours.
Morning Flight Count totals:
Morning Flight Count totals:
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) 1
Alder Flycatcher (Empidonax alnorum) 1
Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus) 13
Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus) 1
Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus) 1
Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) 27 27 south
Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla) 1
Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis) 7
Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia) 4
American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) 3
Cape May Warbler (Setophaga tigrina) 2
Magnolia Warbler (Setophaga magnolia) 2
Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia) 3
Chestnut-sided Warbler (Setophaga pensylvanica) 2
Blackpoll Warbler (Setophaga striata) 1
Black-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens) 1
Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum) 1
Wilson's Warbler (Cardellina pusilla) 1
Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea) 2
Dickcissel (Spiza americana) 1
Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) 99
House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus) 5
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) 2
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) 3
Today's full list can be viewed at: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S19752239
 |
| A sun-blur of Bobolink |
 |
| a not-so Scarlet Tanager |
 |
| Rock Pigeons are birds too, people! |
Hawkwatch - 5 September 2014
Cape May Cape May Point, New Jersey, USA Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 05, 2014 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 0 39 39 Osprey 26 324 324 Bald Eagle 0 13 13 Northern Harrier 0 36 36 Sharp-shinned Hawk 0 4 4 Cooper's Hawk 0 11 11 Northern Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 0 Broad-winged Hawk 0 7 7 Red-tailed Hawk 0 5 5 Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0 Golden Eagle 0 0 0 American Kestrel 2 214 214 Merlin 0 14 14 Peregrine Falcon 0 1 1 Unknown Accipiter 0 0 0 Unknown Buteo 0 0 0 Unknown Falcon 0 0 0 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 0 0 0 Total: 28 668 668 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 05:30:00 Observation end time: 17:00:00 Total observation time: 11.5 hours Official Counter: Mary Raikes Observers: Weather: Light SE winds in morning and patchy fog, then stronger south winds in the afternoon. Storm passed to the northwest in the late afternoon. Temps in low 80's. Raptor Observations: Slower day due to SE/S winds. Mainly ospreys in the early afternoon, then very little movement after 1400. Non-raptor Observations: Slow. Bobolinks(75), Willet(2), Blue-winged Teal(2), Northern Pintail(2), Black Tern(1), Orchard Oriole(1). Predictions: Chance of showers and thunderstorms throughout day. High of 84 with southwest winds (10-15mph). ======================================================================== Cape May information may be found at: http://www.njaudubon.org/Centers/CMBO/
Morning Flight – 5 September 2014
 |
| [This Chestnut-sided Warbler put on a good show at the dike today. Photo by Tom Reed.] |
Warm and muggy conditions, along with a continuing light breeze out of the southeast, made for a quiet morning atop the Higbee Dike. Birds were generally high and moving on a broad front. Warblers were mostly northbound for the first 90 minutes of daylight; the few that were noted after this point were mostly southbound. A roving pocket of songbirds below the dike included 6+ Red-eyed Vireos and a Philadelphia Vireo (which eventually jumped up and shot off to the north).
Weather and time: warm and humid; 73–82 ºF; winds calm, variable or SE at 2–7 mph; 90% cloud cover at start, decreasing through period; fair->good visibility; 0633 sunrise; 3.25 hours. Observer: Tom Reed.
Morning Flight Count totals:
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) 5
Philadelphia Vireo (Vireo philadelphicus) 1
Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus) 3
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea) 2
Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) 69
Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis) 12
Blue-winged Warbler (Vermivora cyanoptera) 1
Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia) 5
American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) 20
Northern Parula (Setophaga americana) 6
Magnolia Warbler (Setophaga magnolia) 1
Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia) 5
Chestnut-sided Warbler (Setophaga pensylvanica) 3
Blackpoll Warbler (Setophaga striata) 1
Bay-breasted/Blackpoll Warbler (Setophaga castanea/striata) 1
Black-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens) 3
warbler sp. (Parulinae sp.) 10
Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea) 1
Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea) 1
Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) 34 (southbound)
House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus) 7
Hawkwatch – 4 September 2014
 |
| [Cooper's Hawk hunting over Bunker Pond this afternoon. Photo by Tom Reed.] |
Cape May
Cape May Point, New Jersey, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 04, 2014
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
Black Vulture 0 0 0
Turkey Vulture 6 39 39
Osprey 64 298 298
Bald Eagle 2 13 13
Northern Harrier 14 36 36
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1 4 4
Cooper's Hawk 5 11 11
Northern Goshawk 0 0 0
Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 0
Broad-winged Hawk 5 7 7
Red-tailed Hawk 4 5 5
Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0
Golden Eagle 0 0 0
American Kestrel 72 212 212
Merlin 4 14 14
Peregrine Falcon 0 1 1
Unknown Accipiter 0 0 0
Unknown Buteo 0 0 0
Unknown Falcon 0 0 0
Unknown Eagle 0 0 0
Unknown Raptor 0 0 0
Total: 177 640 640
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Observation start time: 05:15:00
Observation end time: 16:00:00
Total observation time: 10.75 hours
Official Counter: Tom Reed
Observers:
Weather:
Seasonably mild. Partly cloudy skies early became clear by mid-morning,
clouding over by midday; gradual clearing again through PM hours. Winds
calm to start, becoming light N->E ~5mph, eventually SE ~10mph by 0930EST.
Visibility very good throughout.
Raptor Observations:
As expected, a very high movement of birds crossing Delaware Bay during AM
hours. Flight gradually diminished and became lower/more distant to the
north as SE winds took hold through PM hours.
Non-raptor Observations:
Excellent songbird flight. Select estimated totals incl. 7500 Bobolinks,
750 American Redstarts, 200 Northern Waterthrushes, 80 Yellow Warblers, 40
Black-and-white Warblers, 20 Red-eyed Vireos, 10 Chestnut-sided Warblers.
Also Connecticut Warbler (2), Wilson's Warbler (1), Blackburnian Warbler
(1), Palm Warbler (2), Yellow-rumped Warbler (1).
Predictions:
Fog early, then partly sunny; 81ºF, winds S 5-10mph.
========================================================================
Report submitted by Tom Reed (coturnicops@gmail.com)
Cape May information may be found at:
http://www.njaudubon.org/Centers/CMBO/
Morning Flight – 4 September 2014
Once again T. Reed reported a good flight over the hawkwatch but it
wasn't to be a sunrise thing at Morning Flight today... or was it,
sorta. Early on, I gave it a "sorta", but then a surge started at 45
minutes after sunrise and lasted into the third hour with almost 400
warblers and good diversity being counted. 1,724 out of 2351 birds
tallied were southbound Bobolinks.
Soon after official dawn, at 6:31, Bobolink and warbler flight calls could be heard high overhead. BOBOs were headed south, but also were the warblers. Who knows how many could have slipped through undetected? I estimate that many of these early first hour birds flew over us at 1000 feet or more. While this hard-to-detect southbound flight seemed to diminish and die out the small swarm of 'neotrop' numbers and diversity headed our way. With the very low wind I though that the northbound flight could happen all over the place, but it looked mostly contained to the area around the dike. The all-around the diversity of flycatchers, vireos, and warblers was very good with highlights like Olive-sided Flycatcher, Warbling and Philadelphia Vireo, Ovenbird, Worm-eating, Tennessee, Bay-breasted, Blackburnian, Palm, and Wilson's Warbler. A Buff-breasted Sandpiper flew very high to the northwest after an equally altitudinous juvenile and parent pair of Caspian Terns drove toward the bay.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) 5
Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) 1
Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens) 1
Empidonax sp. (Empidonax sp.) 1
Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus) 57 25 north, 32 south
Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus) 1
Philadelphia Vireo (Vireo philadelphicus) 1
Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus) 4
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea) 2
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) 57
Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) 99
Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla) 1
Worm-eating Warbler (Helmitheros vermivorum) 2
Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis) 28
Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia) 12
Tennessee Warbler (Oreothlypis peregrina) 2
American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) 234
Cape May Warbler (Setophaga tigrina) 3
Northern Parula (Setophaga americana) 26
Magnolia Warbler (Setophaga magnolia) 6
Bay-breasted Warbler (Setophaga castanea) 2
Blackburnian Warbler (Setophaga fusca) 2
Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia) 8
Chestnut-sided Warbler (Setophaga pensylvanica) 2
Blackpoll Warbler (Setophaga striata) 4
Bay-breasted/Blackpoll Warbler (Setophaga castanea/striata) 3
Black-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens) 14
Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum) 2
Prairie Warbler (Setophaga discolor) 1
Black-throated Green Warbler (Setophaga virens) 2
Wilson's Warbler (Cardellina pusilla) 2
warbler sp. (Parulinae sp.) 61 26 north, 35 south
Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea) 2
Blue Grosbeak (Passerina caerulea) 1
Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea) 3
Dickcissel (Spiza americana) 1
Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) 1731 7 north, 1724 south
Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) 1
House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus) 39
Today's full list can be viewed at: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S19715359
Continue below the photos for today's hourly breakdown.
The following data show only north for EAKI and warbler sp. and only south for BOBO. Also note that it is out of taxonomic order.
Soon after official dawn, at 6:31, Bobolink and warbler flight calls could be heard high overhead. BOBOs were headed south, but also were the warblers. Who knows how many could have slipped through undetected? I estimate that many of these early first hour birds flew over us at 1000 feet or more. While this hard-to-detect southbound flight seemed to diminish and die out the small swarm of 'neotrop' numbers and diversity headed our way. With the very low wind I though that the northbound flight could happen all over the place, but it looked mostly contained to the area around the dike. The all-around the diversity of flycatchers, vireos, and warblers was very good with highlights like Olive-sided Flycatcher, Warbling and Philadelphia Vireo, Ovenbird, Worm-eating, Tennessee, Bay-breasted, Blackburnian, Palm, and Wilson's Warbler. A Buff-breasted Sandpiper flew very high to the northwest after an equally altitudinous juvenile and parent pair of Caspian Terns drove toward the bay.
Weather and time:
sunny and humid; 66–82 ºF; winds calm, variable or ESE at 1-2 mph; 25%
cloud cover H1-H2 0% cc H3-H4; very good visibility; 0631 sunrise; 4.25
hours.
Morning Flight Count totals:
Morning Flight Count totals:
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) 5
Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) 1
Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens) 1
Empidonax sp. (Empidonax sp.) 1
Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus) 57 25 north, 32 south
Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus) 1
Philadelphia Vireo (Vireo philadelphicus) 1
Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus) 4
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea) 2
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) 57
Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) 99
Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla) 1
Worm-eating Warbler (Helmitheros vermivorum) 2
Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis) 28
Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia) 12
Tennessee Warbler (Oreothlypis peregrina) 2
American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) 234
Cape May Warbler (Setophaga tigrina) 3
Northern Parula (Setophaga americana) 26
Magnolia Warbler (Setophaga magnolia) 6
Bay-breasted Warbler (Setophaga castanea) 2
Blackburnian Warbler (Setophaga fusca) 2
Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia) 8
Chestnut-sided Warbler (Setophaga pensylvanica) 2
Blackpoll Warbler (Setophaga striata) 4
Bay-breasted/Blackpoll Warbler (Setophaga castanea/striata) 3
Black-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens) 14
Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum) 2
Prairie Warbler (Setophaga discolor) 1
Black-throated Green Warbler (Setophaga virens) 2
Wilson's Warbler (Cardellina pusilla) 2
warbler sp. (Parulinae sp.) 61 26 north, 35 south
Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea) 2
Blue Grosbeak (Passerina caerulea) 1
Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea) 3
Dickcissel (Spiza americana) 1
Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) 1731 7 north, 1724 south
Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) 1
House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus) 39
Today's full list can be viewed at: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S19715359
Continue below the photos for today's hourly breakdown.
 | |||
| The bird with the impossibly green-colored back (Chestnut-sided Warbler) says roll the tape on today's flight shots of American Redstart and Black-and-white Warbler. This bird also says "ziiih". |
(Photos by: Glen Davis)
The following data show only north for EAKI and warbler sp. and only south for BOBO. Also note that it is out of taxonomic order.
|
Hawkwatch – 3 September 2014
Cape May Cape May Point, New Jersey, USA Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 03, 2014 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 33 33 33 Osprey 216 234 234 Bald Eagle 11 11 11 Northern Harrier 21 22 22 Sharp-shinned Hawk 3 3 3 Cooper's Hawk 6 6 6 Northern Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 0 Broad-winged Hawk 2 2 2 Red-tailed Hawk 1 1 1 Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0 Golden Eagle 0 0 0 American Kestrel 138 140 140 Merlin 10 10 10 Peregrine Falcon 1 1 1 Unknown Accipiter 0 0 0 Unknown Buteo 0 0 0 Unknown Falcon 0 0 0 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 0 0 0 Total: 442 463 463 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 05:15:00 Observation end time: 16:30:00 Total observation time: 11.25 hours Official Counter: Tom Reed Observers: Weather: Seasonably warm with gradual clearing throughout the AM. Winds calm to start, becoming NW/N 5–10mph during AM; NW/W 5–10mph during PM. Cold front cleared around 0700EST. Raptor Observations: A nice flight for the date, albeit very high and on a broad front. OSPR started to move around 0830EST and continued throughout (biggest hr total=39). AMKE also put in a fair showing, especially during PM hours. 11 BAEA during midday. Non-raptor Observations: Little Blue Heron (3), Tricolored Heron (1), American Golden-Plover (1), Pectoral Sandpiper (7), Stilt Sandpiper (1), Caspian Tern (8), Red-breasted Nuthatch (1), White-breasted Nuthatch (1), Tennessee Warbler (1), Cape May Warbler (2), Blackburnian Warbler (1), Chestnut-sided Warbler (2), Ovenbird (1), Pine Warbler (1), Palm Warbler (1), Dickcissel (1), Bobolink (500+) Predictions: Sunny, 78ºF, winds SE 10–15mph. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Tom Reed (coturnicops@gmail.com) Cape May information may be found at: http://www.njaudubon.org/Centers/CMBO/
Morning Flight – 3 September 2014
A development in the weather department dropped migrants down our way on the dawn NNW winds. Tom Reed, stationed at the hawkwatch, reported to me early on that warblers and Bobolink flocks were moving high and to the south of Higbee Beach. This key piece of coordinated observation might well explain why the dike saw very little activity until 30-45 minutes after sunrise. American Redstart lead the charge and dominated the warbler tally, and often showed in small groups approaching from a few hundred feet up or just over the treetops. There was a pleasant mixture of birds following a variety of behavioral urges. Hummingbirds chased quite a few species of migrants today. A sudden appearance by the largest group of Common Grackle yet this fall (60) caused the trees to shed their treetop Eastern Kingbird assortment and the two species mixed and mingled. With the high cloud ceiling perhaps some portion of the flight (Bobolink especially) went super high and undetected.
It was great to see Clay Taylor, with Swarovski Optik, and enjoy this morning's birding together with our Swarovski binoculars, scope, and scope phone adapter.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) 5
Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens) 1
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (Empidonax flaviventris) 1
Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus) 58
Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus) 1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea) 7
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 1
Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) 6
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) 74
Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) 67
Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis) 7
Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia) 2
American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) 83
Cape May Warbler (Setophaga tigrina) 1
Northern Parula (Setophaga americana) 2
Magnolia Warbler (Setophaga magnolia) 3
Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia) 2
Black-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens) 1
Wilson's Warbler (Cardellina pusilla) 1
warbler sp. (Parulinae sp.) 4
Blue Grosbeak (Passerina caerulea) 3
Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea) 3
Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) 35
Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) 1
House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus) 5
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) 1
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) 2
Today's full list can be viewed at: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S19656559
It was great to see Clay Taylor, with Swarovski Optik, and enjoy this morning's birding together with our Swarovski binoculars, scope, and scope phone adapter.
Weather and time: sunny and humid; 74–75 ºF; winds NNW at 8-10 mph; 60% cloud cover; very good visibility; 0630 sunrise; 3.25
hours.
Morning Flight Count totals:
Morning Flight Count totals:
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) 5
Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens) 1
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (Empidonax flaviventris) 1
Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus) 58
Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus) 1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea) 7
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 1
Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) 6
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) 74
Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) 67
Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis) 7
Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia) 2
American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) 83
Cape May Warbler (Setophaga tigrina) 1
Northern Parula (Setophaga americana) 2
Magnolia Warbler (Setophaga magnolia) 3
Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia) 2
Black-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens) 1
Wilson's Warbler (Cardellina pusilla) 1
warbler sp. (Parulinae sp.) 4
Blue Grosbeak (Passerina caerulea) 3
Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea) 3
Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) 35
Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) 1
House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus) 5
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) 1
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) 2
Today's full list can be viewed at: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S19656559
 |
| Blue-winged Teal truckin' up the bay |
 |
| You can't get enough mockingbirds at Morning Flight! |
 |
| House Finch is an interesting case in migration. Eastern birds are introduced from the west. Is short-medium-distance migration of this species more pronounced in the East? |
 |
| Icterids, like this Red-winged Blackbird, also exhibit a fascinating variety of movement strategies. |
 |
| You'd swear there was a turkey there yesterday... (Photos by: Glen Davis) |
Hawkwatch - 2 September 2014
Cape May Cape May Point, New Jersey, USA Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 02, 2014 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 0 0 0 Osprey 13 18 18 Bald Eagle 0 0 0 Northern Harrier 0 1 1 Sharp-shinned Hawk 0 0 0 Cooper's Hawk 0 0 0 Northern Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 0 Broad-winged Hawk 0 0 0 Red-tailed Hawk 0 0 0 Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0 Golden Eagle 0 0 0 American Kestrel 2 2 2 Merlin 0 0 0 Peregrine Falcon 0 0 0 Unknown Accipiter 0 0 0 Unknown Buteo 0 0 0 Unknown Falcon 0 0 0 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 0 0 0 Total: 15 21 21 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 05:30:00 Observation end time: 17:00:00 Total observation time: 11.5 hours Official Counter: Mary Raikes Observers: Weather: Very hot with light S/SW winds. Raptor Observations: Overall fairly slow day. Early afternoon flight of ospreys thermaling then heading out, as well as two female kestrels. Non-raptor Observations: Small movement of shorebirds: Least Sandpipers(80), Lesser Yellowlegs(40) and Pectoral Sandpipers(15). Other interesting birds included a Brown Pelican heading east. Predictions: Winds shifting west after midnight. Sunny, low 80's, west winds 6-9mph. ======================================================================== Cape May information may be found at: http://www.njaudubon.org/Centers/CMBO/
Morning Flight – 2 September 2014
A light, but pleasant and well-seen flight happened today up at the Higbee dike. Activity dropped way down after the first hour. American Redstart and Bobolink were both seen at high altitudes. It seems like the SW winds today were strong enough to put the charge into the migration activity in evidence.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) 3
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) 1
Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus) 5
Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus) 1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea) 1
Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) 66
Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis) 2
Blue-winged Warbler (Vermivora cyanoptera) 1
Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia) 1
American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) 49
Cape May Warbler (Setophaga tigrina) 1
Northern Parula (Setophaga americana) 1
Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia) 2
Black-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens) 2
Prairie Warbler (Setophaga discolor) 1
Wilson's Warbler (Cardellina pusilla) 1
warbler sp. (Parulinae sp.) 3
Dickcissel (Spiza americana) 1
Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) 167
Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) 1
House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus) 42
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) 4
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) 2
Today's full list can be viewed at: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S19651219
Weather and time: sunny and humid; 73–81 ºF; winds SW at 8-10 mph; 5% cloud cover; good visibility; 0629 sunrise; 2.75
hours.
Morning Flight Count totals:
Morning Flight Count totals:
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) 3
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) 1
Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus) 5
Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus) 1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea) 1
Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) 66
Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis) 2
Blue-winged Warbler (Vermivora cyanoptera) 1
Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia) 1
American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) 49
Cape May Warbler (Setophaga tigrina) 1
Northern Parula (Setophaga americana) 1
Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia) 2
Black-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens) 2
Prairie Warbler (Setophaga discolor) 1
Wilson's Warbler (Cardellina pusilla) 1
warbler sp. (Parulinae sp.) 3
Dickcissel (Spiza americana) 1
Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) 167
Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) 1
House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus) 42
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) 4
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) 2
Today's full list can be viewed at: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S19651219
 |
| Today's installment of photos is all about acorn-eaters! Blue Jay, here. |
 |
| This female Wild Turkey had at least two older polts in her care to the south of the Morning Flight Platform, early at sunrise. |
 |
| Eventually more of these acorn-eating fowl will be on the move-- blurry Red-bellied Woodpecker (Photos by: Glen Davis). |
Hawkwatch - 1 September 2014
Cape May Cape May Point, New Jersey, USA Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 01, 2014 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 0 0 0 Osprey 5 5 5 Bald Eagle 0 0 0 Northern Harrier 1 1 1 Sharp-shinned Hawk 0 0 0 Cooper's Hawk 0 0 0 Northern Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 0 Broad-winged Hawk 0 0 0 Red-tailed Hawk 0 0 0 Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0 Golden Eagle 0 0 0 American Kestrel 0 0 0 Merlin 0 0 0 Peregrine Falcon 0 0 0 Unknown Accipiter 0 0 0 Unknown Buteo 0 0 0 Unknown Falcon 0 0 0 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 0 0 0 Total: 6 6 6 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 05:00:00 Observation end time: 16:15:00 Total observation time: 11.25 hours Official Counter: Mary Raikes Observers: Weather: Very hot and humid. Light SW winds. Late afternoon thunderstorm. Raptor Observations: Fairly slow flight day with light SW winds and heat. A handful of Ospreys and one Northern Harrier passed through on a SW flight direction. Non-raptor Observations: Early morning shorebird movement of Lesser Yellowlegs (100+), Short-billed Dowitchers(20), Pectoral Sandpipers (24), Solitary Sandpipers(19), Ruddy Turnstone(1), Stilt Sandpiper(1), American Golden-Plover(1). Rare Bird: LONG-TAILED JAEGER(1). Predictions: Sunny, SW 5-10, high of 89. ======================================================================== Cape May information may be found at: http://www.njaudubon.org/Centers/CMBO/
Meet the 2014 Team
Welcome to the 2014 Cape May Bird Observatory Seasonal Research Counters and Interpretive Naturalists
Skye Haas
Hawkwatch Counter
Mary is a migrator herself and is excited to have made the trip to Cape May to work with CMBO as the primary hawk counter this fall. While she considers Maine to be her home, she has lived across the country for the last 16 years including Hawaii, Colorado, Montana, Arizona, Wyoming, Vermont and New Hampshire. She has worked as a kayak guide, whitewater raft guide, Bald Eagle nestwatcher, Ferruginous Hawk prey surveyor, loon observer, seabird researcher, and even as a lobsterwoman on the coast of Maine. Mary loves being outdoors in any capacity and is excited to learn everything about her new environment. This is her second hawkwatch and she looks forward to meeting the Cape May community while observing such an amazing migration.
Jordan Rogan
Interpretive Naturalist
Lindsey Brendel
Monarch Project Field Naturalist
Lindsey is thrilled to be part of the Monarch Monitoring Project, and loves the community of Cape May. Growing up on a small farm in Michigan Lindsey developed a love of nature early on. With a strong passion for the arts, she earned her bachelors degree in film studies, and graduated in April 2014 from Oakland University in Rochester, MI. She feels that if conservation efforts can be united with the arts, the possibility to educate and inspire others to action is huge. She hopes to work with documentary films and has already produced one short documentary on monarch butterflies. Before coming to Cape May, Lindsey raised over 500 monarch butterflies at her home, and spent the summer educating her community on the migration and ecology of the monarch butterfly
Glen Davis
Morning Flight Counter
Morning Flight Counter
Glen hails from NYC, but has called Cape May
home for more than 15 years. Simply put, he loves living and working here! He has worked in a variety of roles: biological consultant, tour leader, graduate student, bartender, musician, school teacher and veterinary technician. He has worked seasonally for CMBO as a researcher,
naturalist, and salesperson and is very excited to be this fall season's main
songbird counter with the Morning Flight Project. He resides in Cape May Point
with his wife, Kashi.
Seawatch Counter
Skye is a naturalist and contract biologist living in Marquette in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. He has worked for the last six years for The Nature Conservancy and the previous eight years before that for the Michigan Breeding Bird Atlas II as a field biologist, author and technical editor. He has also dome field work in Montana, led birding tours both as a private guide and for the Michigan Audubon Society across the Great Lakes states and was a former waterbird counter at Whitefish Point Bird Observatory. Skye is also the chairman of the Laughing Whitefish Audubon Society, founding member of the Keweenaw Raptor Survey and is a former member of the Michigan Bird Records Committee. But he is happiest when just wandering the Earth looking at birds and other delightful creatures from the North Woods to the Oregon coastline, on down to the vales of Costa Rica because, well... someone has to do it!
Margeaux Maerz
Interpretive Naturalist
While growing up in upstate New York, Margeaux
Maerz spent her summers exploring Stone Harbor and Cape May. She has spent the
last 7 years in Georgia where she studied Ecology at the University of Georgia
and worked as a naturalist and teacher throughout the state as well as in Costa
Rica, New Zealand, and Australia. She started working for NJ Audubon this
summer as a teacher-naturalist at the Nature Center of Cape May and is excited
to continue her work this fall on the hawk watch platform. Margeaux's greatest
passion lies in environmental education and sharing her enthusiasm for what she
loves with others. She can't wait to see what amazing birds the fall in Cape
May will bring her and the incredible community she will get to share it with.
Mary Raikes
Hawkwatch CounterMary is a migrator herself and is excited to have made the trip to Cape May to work with CMBO as the primary hawk counter this fall. While she considers Maine to be her home, she has lived across the country for the last 16 years including Hawaii, Colorado, Montana, Arizona, Wyoming, Vermont and New Hampshire. She has worked as a kayak guide, whitewater raft guide, Bald Eagle nestwatcher, Ferruginous Hawk prey surveyor, loon observer, seabird researcher, and even as a lobsterwoman on the coast of Maine. Mary loves being outdoors in any capacity and is excited to learn everything about her new environment. This is her second hawkwatch and she looks forward to meeting the Cape May community while observing such an amazing migration.
Tom Reed
Hawkwatch Counter
Tom
Reed returns as swing counter for the 2014 season. Born and raised in Cape May
County, he has been birding since the age of ten and is a longtime CMBO
naturalist. Tom is currently serving his first term on the New Jersey Bird
Records Committee, contributes as a Regional Editor for North American
Birds, and sits on the Mentor Advisory Board of the Race 4 Birds
Foundation. He holds a B.S. in Environmental Policy from Rutgers
University. Jordan RoganInterpretive Naturalist
Jordan is a May 2014
graduate from Wheaton College in Massachusetts with a degree in Environmental
Science with a Biology concentration. She is from Swarthmore, PA and has been
visiting Cape May in the summer throughout her life, but just recently
discovered the incredible opportunities for the study of wildlife that Cape May
offers. Jordan first became interested in the study of birds in an Ornithology
course at Wheaton College taught by Dr. John Kricher, and was inspired to
continue learning as much as she could about birds ever since. She has always
had a passion for the study of all wildlife and hopes to continue her education
through graduate school, particularly within the field of ecology and
evolutionary biology, conservation biology and avian conservation. Jordan is
thrilled to be working as an Interpretive Naturalist this season and can’t wait
to see all there is to discover here in Cape May.
Emily Wilmoth
George Myers Field Naturalist
Emily
has returned for a second season in Cape May.
She was an Interpretive Naturalist last fall, and had so much fun that
she couldn’t wait to return as the George Myers Field Naturalist. Emily graduated from the University of
Wisconsin-Madison last year with a degree in Conservation Biology. Since graduating, she has worked various seasonal
jobs around the country. She spent her
spring and summer in Nevada, catching and monitoring Greater Sage-grouse. After spending so much time in the desert,
Emily is happy to be close to the ocean once again.
Lindsey Brendel
Monarch Project Field Naturalist
Lindsey is thrilled to be part of the Monarch Monitoring Project, and loves the community of Cape May. Growing up on a small farm in Michigan Lindsey developed a love of nature early on. With a strong passion for the arts, she earned her bachelors degree in film studies, and graduated in April 2014 from Oakland University in Rochester, MI. She feels that if conservation efforts can be united with the arts, the possibility to educate and inspire others to action is huge. She hopes to work with documentary films and has already produced one short documentary on monarch butterflies. Before coming to Cape May, Lindsey raised over 500 monarch butterflies at her home, and spent the summer educating her community on the migration and ecology of the monarch butterfly
Angela Demarce
Monarch Project Field Naturalist
Angela Demarse has a B.Sc. in Biology with
an Honors thesis from the University of Windsor in Ontario, Canada. Throughout
her undergrad, Angela enjoyed several courses in field biology targeted at
ecology and identification of insects, birds and plants. In her second year she
joined the Board of Directors at OPIRG-Windsor as the Environmental
Coordinator. During those
two years as Environmental Coordinator, she also volunteered in two ornithology
labs, assisting with identification of migratory songbird night-flight calls in
the Mennill lab, and researching avian reproductive strategies in another.
Those experiences led Angela to an Honors
thesis in her final year. She approached Dr. Oliver Love, who offered an
opportunity to contribute to a project investigating the influences of insect
phenology on the reproductive success of snow buntings. While still writing her
thesis, Angela was hired as a research assistant in Jan Ciborowski’s lab and
has been working there since January 2014. In the Ciborowski lab, she has had
many wonderful opportunities to contribute to projects she finds meaningful. The
work she does now involves identifying benthic invertebrates to help piece
together the effects of oil sands development on natural versus constructed
wetlands throughout the Athabasca Oil Sands. She also collects benthic and
water quality samples from the Great Lakes to assess invasive species and
anthropogenic damage.
Angela is looking forward to spending this
autumn in Cape May tagging monarchs and educating the public on monarch
conservation.
Morning Flight – 1 September 2014
We welcomed September with a similar summery feel that also characterized yesterday. The Morning Flight Project collected little data but was struck with some good birding nonetheless. While a local-breeding White-eyed Vireo sounded off below around the Morning Flight platform, an Alder Flycatcher sneaked in its own song phrase, "reeBEEa"at the tail end. For a while we thought what sounded like an extension to the vireo song was in fact a vireo exhibiting its excellent skills at mimicry. A few minutes later the two songs came from different locations and at different times, and "Eureka" out pops the Alder to be enjoyed through our Swarovski scope while it perched in the open. Most singing of neotropical songbirds subsides during the fall but can still occur, such as the case with this neat Alder Flycatcher. Empidonax flycatchers are more vocal than just the occasional song in the fall. Study up on and listen for their other calls to detect more during the next few weeks.
American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) 2
Blackburnian Warbler (Setophaga fusca) 1
Chestnut-sided Warbler (Setophaga pensylvanica) 1
Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) 2
Today's full list can be viewed at: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S19632819
Weather and time: sunny and humid; 75–79 ºF; winds SW at 23-7 mph; 90% cloud cover; very good visibility; 0628 sunrise; 2.25
hours.
Morning Flight Count totals:
Morning Flight Count totals:
American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) 2
Blackburnian Warbler (Setophaga fusca) 1
Chestnut-sided Warbler (Setophaga pensylvanica) 1
Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) 2
Today's full list can be viewed at: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S19632819
 |
| Notice the little yellowish gape on this juvenile Prairie Warbler. This is one member of the local clan than lurks below the top of the dike every day so far this year. |
 |
| Our friend from a more boreal world, this Wilson's Warbler loves the Baccharis as much as the Prairie Warblers do. |
 |
| Flyby Black-bellied Plover in the glare |
 |
| Caspian Tern in the prettier light |
 |
| Check out the shadow effects on these egrets. The lighting in early morning is quite dramatic (Photos by: Glen Davis). |