R- RBA
* New Jersey
* Cape May, Cumberland, Atlantic Counties
* NJNH0603.16
* March 16, 2006
- Birds Mentioned
American Oystercatcher
American Wigeon
American Woodcock
Bald Eagle
Blue-winged Teal
Common Eider
Common Merganser
Eastern Bluebird
Eastern Phoebe
Eurasian Green-winged Teal
Gadwall
Great Cormorant
Great Horned Owl
Green-winged Teal
Harlequin Duck
Horned Grebe
Laughing Gull
Marsh Wren
Merlin
Mute Swan
Northern Gannet
Northern Pintail
Northern Shoveler
Osprey
Pine Warbler
Piping Plover
Purple Martin
Red Knot
Red-breasted Merganser
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-throated Loon
Ring-necked Duck
Short-eared Owl
Surf Scoter
Tree Swallow
Tundra Swan
Virginia Rail
Wild Turkey
- Butterflies Mentioned
Clouded Sulphur
Eastern Comma
Mourning Cloak
Orange Sulphur
Spring Azure
===========- Transcript
Hotline: Cape May Natural History & Events Hotline
Number: (609) 861-0466
To Report: (609) 861-0700, 884-2736
Coverage: Cape May, Cumberland & Atlantic Counties, NJ
Compiler: Pat Sutton, Cape May Bird Observatory
URL: http://www.njaudubon.org
CAPE MAY NATURAL HISTORY & EVENTS HOTLINE – March 16, 2006
This is Pat Sutton with the Cape May Natural History & Events
Hotline, a service of New Jersey Audubon Society's Cape May Bird
Observatory. This hotline was prepared on Thursday, March 16. New
Jersey Audubon's three hotlines can be read in full on our website
(www.njaudubon.org), by clicking on "Sightings" (at the top of any
page).
Please read to the end of this hotline to learn (1) how you can help
Halt the Harvest & Save the Red Knot from Extinction, (2) and about
all the fun special field trips coming up!
Signs of spring continue! May 9-13, when temperatures hovered in the
60s and 70s many, many reports came in. Suddenly lots of WOOD FROGS
were heard calling their duck-like quacking. S. LEOPARD FROGS, SPRING
PEEPERS, and CHORUS FROGS were also heard. On March 11, 11 PAINTED
TURTLES sun bathed at the Rea Farm while 1,000s of REDBELLY TURTLES
sunbathed at Mannington Marsh. 6 TIGER BEETLES (Cicindela
tranquebarica) were out on March 14 along the Great Egg Harbor River.
2 CUCUMBER BEETLES were at the Rea Farm on March 11. And the
butterflies! Well, reports came in of ORANGE SULPHURS, CLOUDED
SULPHURS, E. COMMA, lots of MOURNING CLOAKS, and SPRING AZURES. While
working in CMBO’s Gardens in Goshen on March 11, at least 5 dashed
through the property, moving fast. On March 15 a BLACK RAT SNAKE was
sunning.
Also during the warm stretch on March 11, a HARBOR SEAL was seen on
the Cold Spring Jetty and a small group of HARBOR PORPOISE were in
the waters offshore.
Suddenly E. PHOEBE and OSPREY are back in their usual haunts,
including an OSPREY on its nest at Jakes Landing on March 14. TREE
SWALLOW flocks can be found, including 50 over Sapawana Meadows NWR
on March 11. PINE WARBLERS are thick and singing. LAUGHING GULLS are
becoming more numerous. Flocks of AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHERS are being
seen. RED-TAILED HAWKS are on eggs. MARSH WRENS are in full song at a
few spots. VIRGINIA RAILS are being heard (Corbin City on March 12,
Jakes Landing on March 11). WILD TURKEYS are gobbling (in Goshen on
March 12 at 6 a.m.) and displaying – 2-3 “Toms” were strutting for 12
hens on Hayleyville Road next to Bear Swamp on March 11. AMERICAN
WOODCOCKS are still displaying like mad at last light at Woodcock
Lane in the Cape May NWR and elsewhere (including behind the
Northwood Center and around the CMBO Center in Goshen). BLUEBIRDS
were checking out a nest box near the Rea Farm on March 11. GREAT
CORMORANTS are around (Cold Spring Jetty on 3/11, Corbin City
Impoundments on 3/14, 4 at Two Mile Beach Unit of Cape May NWR on
3/10) and in full breeding plumage with the white patch showing! A
PURPLE MARTIN was spotted in Hammonton this week (http://
purplemartin.org/scoutreport/).
The first PIPING PLOVER was seen March 16 on the beach at The
Meadows. If you’d like to help the NJ Fish and Wildlife’s Endangered
and Nongame Species Program with their “Annual Beach Nesting Bird
Fencing Days,” contact Christina Kisiel, 609-628-1919 or
ckisiel@gtc3.com. Each fencing date only requires a few hours of
mildly strenuous work (pounding posts, placing rope and signage).
Fencing will protect nesting habitat for Piping Plovers, Least Terns
and Black Skimmers. Fencing dates follow: (1) Saturday, March 25th at
10am at Cape May Point State Park, (2) Saturday, April 1st at 10am at
Stone Harbor Point, (3) Saturday, April 8th at 10am at Monmouth
Beach, (4) Saturday, April 15th at 10am at Barnegat Light
Imagine savoring winter waterfowl and other goodies on a warm spring
day! You can do that by visiting Barnegat Light where 47 HARLEQUIN
DUCKS, 20+ COMMON EIDER, a MERLIN, and 3 RED KNOT were seen March 13.
In the Delaware Bay from the end of Kimble’s Beach 175+ RED-BREASTED
MERGANSERS and 300+ SURF SCOTER were enjkoyed on March 12. Both the
Tuckahoe WMA impoundments and those at the Corbin City Unit are
packed with waterfowl: 2 BLUE-WINGED TEAL, GADWALL, AMERICAN WIDGEON,
17 N. SHOVELER, 180 N. PINTAIL, 900 GREEN-WINGED TEAL, and a male
COMMON TEAL, RING-NECKED DUCK, HOODED and COMMON MERGANSERS, MUTE
SWANS, and still some TUNDRA SWANS (5 on 3/14). Another waterfowl
hotspot is Sunset Lake in Wildwood Crest and the Coast Guard Ponds on
Ocean Drive where 100+ RED-BR. MERGS, 100 SCAUP, and dozens of HORNED
GREBES were enjoyed on March 10.
A SHORT-EARED OWL was seen at Jakes Landing on March 11 at dusk!
Each spring RED-THROATED LOONS stage at the mouth of the Delaware
Bay. Huge numbers gather and feed in these waters. Add to this the
fact that by mid-April Common Loons will be coming into breeding
plumage just before they migrate further north. Timed for a stellar
loon adventure, is CMBO’s “Cruisin’ For Loons” on Saturday, April 22
(1-5:30 p.m.) with 16 spaces left. Call 609-861-0700, x-16 to
register or for more information.
On March 11, 200 N. GANNETS (mostly adults) were seen during a Cape
May Pelagic Trip. CMBO’s “Poor Man’s Pelagic” on Saturday, March 18
(7-11 a.m.) is timed perfectly to drink in the gannet movement,
wintering Bonaparte Gulls, the scoter gathering, and whatever else is
heading north across the Delaware Bay! There are a few space left!
* New Jersey
* Cape May, Cumberland, Atlantic Counties
* NJNH0603.16
* March 16, 2006
- Birds Mentioned
American Oystercatcher
American Wigeon
American Woodcock
Bald Eagle
Blue-winged Teal
Common Eider
Common Merganser
Eastern Bluebird
Eastern Phoebe
Eurasian Green-winged Teal
Gadwall
Great Cormorant
Great Horned Owl
Green-winged Teal
Harlequin Duck
Horned Grebe
Laughing Gull
Marsh Wren
Merlin
Mute Swan
Northern Gannet
Northern Pintail
Northern Shoveler
Osprey
Pine Warbler
Piping Plover
Purple Martin
Red Knot
Red-breasted Merganser
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-throated Loon
Ring-necked Duck
Short-eared Owl
Surf Scoter
Tree Swallow
Tundra Swan
Virginia Rail
Wild Turkey
- Butterflies Mentioned
Clouded Sulphur
Eastern Comma
Mourning Cloak
Orange Sulphur
Spring Azure
===========- Transcript
Hotline: Cape May Natural History & Events Hotline
Number: (609) 861-0466
To Report: (609) 861-0700, 884-2736
Coverage: Cape May, Cumberland & Atlantic Counties, NJ
Compiler: Pat Sutton, Cape May Bird Observatory
URL: http://www.njaudubon.org
CAPE MAY NATURAL HISTORY & EVENTS HOTLINE – March 16, 2006
This is Pat Sutton with the Cape May Natural History & Events
Hotline, a service of New Jersey Audubon Society's Cape May Bird
Observatory. This hotline was prepared on Thursday, March 16. New
Jersey Audubon's three hotlines can be read in full on our website
(www.njaudubon.org), by clicking on "Sightings" (at the top of any
page).
Please read to the end of this hotline to learn (1) how you can help
Halt the Harvest & Save the Red Knot from Extinction, (2) and about
all the fun special field trips coming up!
Signs of spring continue! May 9-13, when temperatures hovered in the
60s and 70s many, many reports came in. Suddenly lots of WOOD FROGS
were heard calling their duck-like quacking. S. LEOPARD FROGS, SPRING
PEEPERS, and CHORUS FROGS were also heard. On March 11, 11 PAINTED
TURTLES sun bathed at the Rea Farm while 1,000s of REDBELLY TURTLES
sunbathed at Mannington Marsh. 6 TIGER BEETLES (Cicindela
tranquebarica) were out on March 14 along the Great Egg Harbor River.
2 CUCUMBER BEETLES were at the Rea Farm on March 11. And the
butterflies! Well, reports came in of ORANGE SULPHURS, CLOUDED
SULPHURS, E. COMMA, lots of MOURNING CLOAKS, and SPRING AZURES. While
working in CMBO’s Gardens in Goshen on March 11, at least 5 dashed
through the property, moving fast. On March 15 a BLACK RAT SNAKE was
sunning.
Also during the warm stretch on March 11, a HARBOR SEAL was seen on
the Cold Spring Jetty and a small group of HARBOR PORPOISE were in
the waters offshore.
Suddenly E. PHOEBE and OSPREY are back in their usual haunts,
including an OSPREY on its nest at Jakes Landing on March 14. TREE
SWALLOW flocks can be found, including 50 over Sapawana Meadows NWR
on March 11. PINE WARBLERS are thick and singing. LAUGHING GULLS are
becoming more numerous. Flocks of AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHERS are being
seen. RED-TAILED HAWKS are on eggs. MARSH WRENS are in full song at a
few spots. VIRGINIA RAILS are being heard (Corbin City on March 12,
Jakes Landing on March 11). WILD TURKEYS are gobbling (in Goshen on
March 12 at 6 a.m.) and displaying – 2-3 “Toms” were strutting for 12
hens on Hayleyville Road next to Bear Swamp on March 11. AMERICAN
WOODCOCKS are still displaying like mad at last light at Woodcock
Lane in the Cape May NWR and elsewhere (including behind the
Northwood Center and around the CMBO Center in Goshen). BLUEBIRDS
were checking out a nest box near the Rea Farm on March 11. GREAT
CORMORANTS are around (Cold Spring Jetty on 3/11, Corbin City
Impoundments on 3/14, 4 at Two Mile Beach Unit of Cape May NWR on
3/10) and in full breeding plumage with the white patch showing! A
PURPLE MARTIN was spotted in Hammonton this week (http://
purplemartin.org/scoutreport/).
The first PIPING PLOVER was seen March 16 on the beach at The
Meadows. If you’d like to help the NJ Fish and Wildlife’s Endangered
and Nongame Species Program with their “Annual Beach Nesting Bird
Fencing Days,” contact Christina Kisiel, 609-628-1919 or
ckisiel@gtc3.com. Each fencing date only requires a few hours of
mildly strenuous work (pounding posts, placing rope and signage).
Fencing will protect nesting habitat for Piping Plovers, Least Terns
and Black Skimmers. Fencing dates follow: (1) Saturday, March 25th at
10am at Cape May Point State Park, (2) Saturday, April 1st at 10am at
Stone Harbor Point, (3) Saturday, April 8th at 10am at Monmouth
Beach, (4) Saturday, April 15th at 10am at Barnegat Light
Imagine savoring winter waterfowl and other goodies on a warm spring
day! You can do that by visiting Barnegat Light where 47 HARLEQUIN
DUCKS, 20+ COMMON EIDER, a MERLIN, and 3 RED KNOT were seen March 13.
In the Delaware Bay from the end of Kimble’s Beach 175+ RED-BREASTED
MERGANSERS and 300+ SURF SCOTER were enjkoyed on March 12. Both the
Tuckahoe WMA impoundments and those at the Corbin City Unit are
packed with waterfowl: 2 BLUE-WINGED TEAL, GADWALL, AMERICAN WIDGEON,
17 N. SHOVELER, 180 N. PINTAIL, 900 GREEN-WINGED TEAL, and a male
COMMON TEAL, RING-NECKED DUCK, HOODED and COMMON MERGANSERS, MUTE
SWANS, and still some TUNDRA SWANS (5 on 3/14). Another waterfowl
hotspot is Sunset Lake in Wildwood Crest and the Coast Guard Ponds on
Ocean Drive where 100+ RED-BR. MERGS, 100 SCAUP, and dozens of HORNED
GREBES were enjoyed on March 10.
A SHORT-EARED OWL was seen at Jakes Landing on March 11 at dusk!
Each spring RED-THROATED LOONS stage at the mouth of the Delaware
Bay. Huge numbers gather and feed in these waters. Add to this the
fact that by mid-April Common Loons will be coming into breeding
plumage just before they migrate further north. Timed for a stellar
loon adventure, is CMBO’s “Cruisin’ For Loons” on Saturday, April 22
(1-5:30 p.m.) with 16 spaces left. Call 609-861-0700, x-16 to
register or for more information.
On March 11, 200 N. GANNETS (mostly adults) were seen during a Cape
May Pelagic Trip. CMBO’s “Poor Man’s Pelagic” on Saturday, March 18
(7-11 a.m.) is timed perfectly to drink in the gannet movement,
wintering Bonaparte Gulls, the scoter gathering, and whatever else is
heading north across the Delaware Bay! There are a few space left!