RBA
* New Jersey
* Cape May, Cumberland, Atlantic Counties
* NJNH0509.22
* September 22, 2005
- Birds Mentioned
American Bittern
American Kestrel
Bald Eagle
Black Skimmer
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Brant
Broad-winged Hawk
Brown Pelican
Caspian Tern
Common Nighthawk
Common Tern
Cooper's Hawk
Dunlin
Forster's Tern
Golden-winged Warbler
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Green Heron
Magnolia Warbler
Marbled Godwit
Merlin
Northern Harrier
Northern Parula
Osprey
Palm Warbler
Peregrine Falcon
Piping Plover
Red Knot
Red-tailed Hawk
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Western Sandpiper
- Butterflies Mentioned
Aaron's Skipper
Black Swallowtail
Cloudless Sulphur
Common Checkered Skipper
Crossline Skipper
Fiery Skipper
Hackberry Emperor
Hayhurst's Scallopwing
Horace's Duskywing
Long-tailed Skipper
Monarch
Ocola Skipper
Painted Lady
Red-banded Hairstreak
Red-spotted Purple
Sachem
Snowberry Clearwing
Swarthy Skipper
Tawny Emperor
Variegated Fritillary
Viceroy
White M Hairstreak
Zabulon Skipper
- Dragonflies Mentioned
Carolina Saddlebag
Wandering Glider
===========- 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 AND EVENTS HOTLINE, September 22, 2005
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, September 22. NJ
Audubon's three hotlines can be read in full on our website
(www.njaudubon.org), by clicking on "Sightings" (top of any page).
The trails at the Cape May Point State Park and The Meadows are
temporarily closed due to phragmites spraying. Otherwise the State
Park is OPEN and the Hawkwatch goes on from the platform. We will
keep you informed as we learn more. There are many other excellent
spots to enjoy the fall migration.
It is the peak of the fall migration! And CMBO’s sighting sheets are
lengthy for each and every day as observers share all their wonderful
sightings. Fifteen different weekly bird walks (requiring no
preregistration) are offered now, each at a different birding
hotspot! Be sure to go with “the experts” on one, several, or all of
these walks to learn the areas and savor the fall unfolding. For
details on each walk as well as CMBO’s many preregistration programs
go to:
http://www.njaudubon.org/Calendar/calcmbo.html
Some very special CMBO field trips still have room: “Giants Among Us:
Cape May County’s Biggest Trees” on October 8 (10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.),
“Birding Cumberland (with Pat and possibly Clay Sutton)” on October 9
(9 a.m. to 4 p.m.), “Great Egg Harbor River Cruise (with Pat and
possibly Clay Sutton & Karen Johnson)” on October 15 (11 a.m. to 4
p.m.), “All About Owls Workshop & Field Trip” on October 22 (1:30 to
6:30 p.m.), “Cape May NWR Field Trip: Delaware Bay Division” on
November 12 (8 to 11 a.m.). Call 609-861-0700, x-11 for more
information or to register.
Several GREAT workshops are coming up. October 1 & 2, “Advanced
Birding By Ear” will be taught by Michael O’Brien, coauthor of the
multimedia CD-Rom, “Flight Calls of Migratory Birds.” Pete Dunne and
Pat Sutton will teach 2 raptor workshops: (1) “Raptors I: Falcons,
Accipiters, Osprey” on September 24 & 25, (2) Raptors II: Buteos,
Eagles, and Great Diversity” on October 26-27. “Waterfowl” with
Michael O’Brien & Louise Zemaitis on November 25 & 26. CMBO’s 2005
Workshops are ideal ways to learn. To register call 609-861-0700. For
more information go to: http://www.njaudubon.org/Calendar/
Cmboworks05.html
Over 5,000 raptors have been counted at the Cape May Hawkwatch since
September 1. On September 21 twelve species were tallied including 50
OSPREY, 6 BALD EAGLES, 20 N. HARRIER, 136 SHARP-SHINS, 54 COOPER’S
HAWKS, 23 BROAD-WINGS, 2 RED-TAILS, 205 AMERICAN KESTREL, 110 MERLIN,
and 6 PEREGRINE. Spend some time on the hawkwatch learning ID with
CMBO’s seasonal naturalists and fellow hawkwatchers. Also be sure to
attend one or several of the “Hawk ID Mini-Workshops,” offered each
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday through October 23 (except October 1-2)
from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Cape May Point State Park,
meeting in the classroom. Or dive in with both feet and attend one or
both of the CMBO Raptor Workshops taught by Pete Dunne and Pat Sutton
(mentioned above).
31 species of butterflies have been seen locally between September 9
– 22. BLACK SWALLOWTAILS and their caterpillars are still thick.
CLOUDLESS SULPHURS are still moving through in good numbers as they
wander north. GRAY & RED-BANDED HAIRSTREAKS are flying. WHITE M
HAIRSTREAKS were seen September 20 on Mountain Mint in CMBO’s Gardens
in Goshen, September 12 at Higbee Beach and in CMBO’s Gardens in
Goshen on Eupatorium in the meadow, and September 9 at Higbee Beach.
VARIEGATED FRITILLARY was seen September 22 in CMBO’s Gardens in
Goshen. Many VICEROYS were seen September 18 at the Rea Farm. PAINTED
LADIES are still thick and far more common than they’ve been for 10
years. RED-SPOTTED PURPLES were on fruit in CMBO’s Gardens in Goshen
on September 22. HACKBERRY EMPEROR were last reported September 9 at
Higbee Beach. TAWNY EMPERORS are still flying; 2 were at fruit in
West Cape May September 22. SACHEMS are the most common skipper
now . . . in fact the most common butterfly being seen. There is such
variation that many observers are easily confused. Mixed in though
have been seen quite a few other skippers: LEAST (9/9/05), ZABULON
(9/9/05), SILVER-SPOTTED (9/9/05), HORACE’S DUSKYWING (9/22 in Cape
May Point & at CMBO’s Gardens in Goshen), AARON’S SKIPPER (9/11 in
CMBO’s Gardens in Goshen), HAYHURST’S SCALLOPWING, CROSSLINE SKIPPER,
and SWARTHY SKIPPER (all seen 9/12/05 at CMBO’s Gardens in Goshen in
the back meadow), and immigrants! 24 species of butterflies were
tallied in Cape May Point on September 21, including 26 OCOLA
SKIPPERS, 3 LONG-TAILED SKIPPER, 1 COMMON CHECKERED SKIPPER, and 2
FIERY SKIPPERS. An OCOLA SKIPPER was in CMBO’s Gardens in Goshen on
September 22. SNOWBERRY CLEARWINGS are still flying (one of the
Hummingbird Moths).
Three great opportunities to learn butterflies include: “Butterfly &
Dragonfly Walk” with Louise Zemaitis every Sunday at 10 a.m.,
“Butterfly Walk at Cape May Point” with Pat Sutton every Wednesday at
10 a.m. (both the Sunday and Wednesday walk meet at Pavilion Circle
Gardens in Cape May Point), and “Butterfly Walk in the Goshen
Gardens” with Pat Sutton every Thursday at 10 a.m. (meeting at the
CMBO Center in Goshen, 600 Rt. 47 North). At the same location, learn
about wildlife gardening while helping Pat Sutton maintain the CMBO
Gardens in Goshen during a “Garden Maintenance Workshop” every Friday
morning (except September 9 & 16), from 9 a.m. till Noon. For
extensive information about gardening for hummingbirds, butterflies
and wildlife in general, visit the “World of Backyard Habitat” pages
on NJ Audubon’s website:
http://www.njaudubon.org/Education/BackyardHabitat/
MONARCH migration has been steady since mid-August, but the first
REALLY BIG flight of the year occurred September 22. CMBO’s Monarch
Migration Project tagged 500 on 9/22 and many more migrated through.
MONARCH numbers continue to swell! Every patch of Milkweed (whether
it is Swamp, Common, Orange, or Tropical Milkweed) still has eggs and
caterpillars on it, so the population is still growing. The CMBO
Gardens in Goshen easily have 20 or more Monarchs daily, including
both migrants and summer Monarchs (those that are still mating,
laying eggs on Milkweed, and dying).
CMBO’s “Monarch Tagging Demos” are offered every day of the week
except Tuesdays and Thursdays (weather permitting) at 2 p.m. at the
Cape May Point State Park in the picnic shelter next to the Hawk
Watch / Wildlife Viewing Platform. To learn of the history of the
Monarch migration through Cape May go to:
www.njaudubon.org – then click on “Research” and then on “Monarch
Monitoring Project.”
An amazing dragonfly migration filled the skies over Cape May Point
on September 21, including many BLACK & CAROLINA SADDLEBAGS, and
WANDERING GLIDERS.
Female GARDEN SPIDERS in CMBO’s Gardens in Goshen are getting bigger
and bigger. One has already laid 2 egg cases which will winter over
and fill our gardens with next year’s Garden Spiders.
A RIVER OTTER was seen September 13 in Bunker Pond in front of the
Hawkwatch Platform at the Cape May Point State Park. These secretive
animals are rarely seen.
RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRDS largely cleared out in early September,
but 1-3 can be seen int CMBO’s Gardens in Goshen coming to blooming
Coral Honeysuckle, Cannas, Tropical Salvia, and the feeders. Even
though Ruby-throated Hummingbirds have thinned out don’t take your
feeders down. Rare western hummingbirds arrive once the Ruby-throats
have left. A feeder might alert you to its presence. So, continue to
clean and maintain Hummingbird feeders right through the fall. And
call us if you have a hummingbird in October, November, or December.
CMBO’s “Twilight Watch” on September 22 enjoyed one of the best
flights in several years. With The Meadows closed due to phragmites
spraying the group met at Mt. Vernon Avenue (near 2nd Avenue Jetty in
Cape May Point) and watched the clear sky lit up with the setting sun
as 12 AMERICAN BITTERN, 25 GREEN HERONS, over 50 BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT
HERONS, 30 GREAT EGRETS, and 3 GREAT BLUE HERONS migrated over
between 6:45 and 8 p.m. Prior to the heron and bittern show 100+
BLACK SKIMMERS entertained as they skimmed the water line and just
offshore coursing back and forth in front of the group. At least 200
BLACK SKIMMERS can be found during the day roosting on Cape May’s
beachfront in the vicinity of or north of 2nd Avenue Jetty. They
stage here every fall, numbers growing week-by-week. The “Twilight
Watch for Migrating Owls, Bats, and Herons” is offered every
Wednesday evening from 6 to 8 p.m. in September and 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
in October.
Big numbers of COMMON NIGHTHAWKS migrated over the evenings of
September 16-19. 12 over Reeds Beach September 19, 26 over Goshen
September 17, and 24 over Hidden Valley September 16.
An incredible flight of songbirds passed over the Higbee Dike on
September 21. The mix of warblers now is made up primarily of PARULA
WARBLERS, PALM WARBLERS, MAGNOLIA WARBLERS, and BLACK-THROATED BLUE
WARBLERS. Good landbirding was enjoyed around CMBO’s Northwood Center
through the rest of the day. The tangles and dense shrubs in the
vicinity of the misters and drippers and the bathing pond drew in fun
warblers through the day, including a female GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER.
Stone Harbor Point is a must see stop! It is loaded with shorebirds,
hunting falcons, and more! 15 BROWN PELICANS, 1 BRANT, 45 CASPIAN
TERNS, many, many, many FORSTERS TERNS, COMMON TERNS, and BLACK
SKIMMERS, 12 PIPING PLOVER, 75 W. SANDPIPERS, 3 DUNLIN, 6 MARBLED
GODWIT, and 40 RED KNOT were there on September 14. The “Stone Harbor
Point Walk” is offered every Tuesday evening at 5 p.m. until sunset
in September (4:30 p.m. in October) and meets in the parking lot at
the south end of Stone Harbor.
“Sunset Cruises for Fall Migrants” are another way to experience
shorebirds feeding and raptors hunting. There is still room:
September 24 (3-7 p.m.) and October 1 (2-6 p.m.). These trips explore
the back bays and tidal flats for shorebirds, waterbirds, raptors,
and more! Call 609-861-0700, x-11 for more information and to register!
“Back Bay Boat Cruises,” are offered every Sunday and Monday (10 a.m.
till 1 p.m.) and sponsored by CMBO. To register for the cruises call
“The Skimmer” at 609-884-3100.
The Cape May Bird Observatory offers an extensive series of regular
bird walks that require no pre-registration and many special field
trips and programs for which advanced registration is required. All
are detailed in the Kestrel Express. To receive a copy of the Fall
Kestrel Express (September through November) stop at either CMBO
Center, call the office during business hours at 609-861-0700, or go
to New Jersey Audubon's web site:
http://www.njaudubon.org/Calendar/calcmbo.html
This Cape May Natural History and Events Hotline is a service of the
Cape May Bird Observatory, which is a research, conservation, and
education unit of the New Jersey Audubon Society. Our aim is to
preserve and perpetuate the ornithological and natural history
significance of Cape May. Your membership supports these goals and
this hotline. We detail sightings from Cape May, Cumberland, and
Atlantic Counties. Updates are typically made on Thursdays. Please
report your natural history sightings to CMBO's Center in Goshen at
609-861-0700. Thanks for calling and ENJOY THE NATURAL WORLD!
- End Transcript
* New Jersey
* Cape May, Cumberland, Atlantic Counties
* NJNH0509.22
* September 22, 2005
- Birds Mentioned
American Bittern
American Kestrel
Bald Eagle
Black Skimmer
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Brant
Broad-winged Hawk
Brown Pelican
Caspian Tern
Common Nighthawk
Common Tern
Cooper's Hawk
Dunlin
Forster's Tern
Golden-winged Warbler
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Green Heron
Magnolia Warbler
Marbled Godwit
Merlin
Northern Harrier
Northern Parula
Osprey
Palm Warbler
Peregrine Falcon
Piping Plover
Red Knot
Red-tailed Hawk
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Western Sandpiper
- Butterflies Mentioned
Aaron's Skipper
Black Swallowtail
Cloudless Sulphur
Common Checkered Skipper
Crossline Skipper
Fiery Skipper
Hackberry Emperor
Hayhurst's Scallopwing
Horace's Duskywing
Long-tailed Skipper
Monarch
Ocola Skipper
Painted Lady
Red-banded Hairstreak
Red-spotted Purple
Sachem
Snowberry Clearwing
Swarthy Skipper
Tawny Emperor
Variegated Fritillary
Viceroy
White M Hairstreak
Zabulon Skipper
- Dragonflies Mentioned
Carolina Saddlebag
Wandering Glider
===========- 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 AND EVENTS HOTLINE, September 22, 2005
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, September 22. NJ
Audubon's three hotlines can be read in full on our website
(www.njaudubon.org), by clicking on "Sightings" (top of any page).
The trails at the Cape May Point State Park and The Meadows are
temporarily closed due to phragmites spraying. Otherwise the State
Park is OPEN and the Hawkwatch goes on from the platform. We will
keep you informed as we learn more. There are many other excellent
spots to enjoy the fall migration.
It is the peak of the fall migration! And CMBO’s sighting sheets are
lengthy for each and every day as observers share all their wonderful
sightings. Fifteen different weekly bird walks (requiring no
preregistration) are offered now, each at a different birding
hotspot! Be sure to go with “the experts” on one, several, or all of
these walks to learn the areas and savor the fall unfolding. For
details on each walk as well as CMBO’s many preregistration programs
go to:
http://www.njaudubon.org/Calendar/calcmbo.html
Some very special CMBO field trips still have room: “Giants Among Us:
Cape May County’s Biggest Trees” on October 8 (10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.),
“Birding Cumberland (with Pat and possibly Clay Sutton)” on October 9
(9 a.m. to 4 p.m.), “Great Egg Harbor River Cruise (with Pat and
possibly Clay Sutton & Karen Johnson)” on October 15 (11 a.m. to 4
p.m.), “All About Owls Workshop & Field Trip” on October 22 (1:30 to
6:30 p.m.), “Cape May NWR Field Trip: Delaware Bay Division” on
November 12 (8 to 11 a.m.). Call 609-861-0700, x-11 for more
information or to register.
Several GREAT workshops are coming up. October 1 & 2, “Advanced
Birding By Ear” will be taught by Michael O’Brien, coauthor of the
multimedia CD-Rom, “Flight Calls of Migratory Birds.” Pete Dunne and
Pat Sutton will teach 2 raptor workshops: (1) “Raptors I: Falcons,
Accipiters, Osprey” on September 24 & 25, (2) Raptors II: Buteos,
Eagles, and Great Diversity” on October 26-27. “Waterfowl” with
Michael O’Brien & Louise Zemaitis on November 25 & 26. CMBO’s 2005
Workshops are ideal ways to learn. To register call 609-861-0700. For
more information go to: http://www.njaudubon.org/Calendar/
Cmboworks05.html
Over 5,000 raptors have been counted at the Cape May Hawkwatch since
September 1. On September 21 twelve species were tallied including 50
OSPREY, 6 BALD EAGLES, 20 N. HARRIER, 136 SHARP-SHINS, 54 COOPER’S
HAWKS, 23 BROAD-WINGS, 2 RED-TAILS, 205 AMERICAN KESTREL, 110 MERLIN,
and 6 PEREGRINE. Spend some time on the hawkwatch learning ID with
CMBO’s seasonal naturalists and fellow hawkwatchers. Also be sure to
attend one or several of the “Hawk ID Mini-Workshops,” offered each
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday through October 23 (except October 1-2)
from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Cape May Point State Park,
meeting in the classroom. Or dive in with both feet and attend one or
both of the CMBO Raptor Workshops taught by Pete Dunne and Pat Sutton
(mentioned above).
31 species of butterflies have been seen locally between September 9
– 22. BLACK SWALLOWTAILS and their caterpillars are still thick.
CLOUDLESS SULPHURS are still moving through in good numbers as they
wander north. GRAY & RED-BANDED HAIRSTREAKS are flying. WHITE M
HAIRSTREAKS were seen September 20 on Mountain Mint in CMBO’s Gardens
in Goshen, September 12 at Higbee Beach and in CMBO’s Gardens in
Goshen on Eupatorium in the meadow, and September 9 at Higbee Beach.
VARIEGATED FRITILLARY was seen September 22 in CMBO’s Gardens in
Goshen. Many VICEROYS were seen September 18 at the Rea Farm. PAINTED
LADIES are still thick and far more common than they’ve been for 10
years. RED-SPOTTED PURPLES were on fruit in CMBO’s Gardens in Goshen
on September 22. HACKBERRY EMPEROR were last reported September 9 at
Higbee Beach. TAWNY EMPERORS are still flying; 2 were at fruit in
West Cape May September 22. SACHEMS are the most common skipper
now . . . in fact the most common butterfly being seen. There is such
variation that many observers are easily confused. Mixed in though
have been seen quite a few other skippers: LEAST (9/9/05), ZABULON
(9/9/05), SILVER-SPOTTED (9/9/05), HORACE’S DUSKYWING (9/22 in Cape
May Point & at CMBO’s Gardens in Goshen), AARON’S SKIPPER (9/11 in
CMBO’s Gardens in Goshen), HAYHURST’S SCALLOPWING, CROSSLINE SKIPPER,
and SWARTHY SKIPPER (all seen 9/12/05 at CMBO’s Gardens in Goshen in
the back meadow), and immigrants! 24 species of butterflies were
tallied in Cape May Point on September 21, including 26 OCOLA
SKIPPERS, 3 LONG-TAILED SKIPPER, 1 COMMON CHECKERED SKIPPER, and 2
FIERY SKIPPERS. An OCOLA SKIPPER was in CMBO’s Gardens in Goshen on
September 22. SNOWBERRY CLEARWINGS are still flying (one of the
Hummingbird Moths).
Three great opportunities to learn butterflies include: “Butterfly &
Dragonfly Walk” with Louise Zemaitis every Sunday at 10 a.m.,
“Butterfly Walk at Cape May Point” with Pat Sutton every Wednesday at
10 a.m. (both the Sunday and Wednesday walk meet at Pavilion Circle
Gardens in Cape May Point), and “Butterfly Walk in the Goshen
Gardens” with Pat Sutton every Thursday at 10 a.m. (meeting at the
CMBO Center in Goshen, 600 Rt. 47 North). At the same location, learn
about wildlife gardening while helping Pat Sutton maintain the CMBO
Gardens in Goshen during a “Garden Maintenance Workshop” every Friday
morning (except September 9 & 16), from 9 a.m. till Noon. For
extensive information about gardening for hummingbirds, butterflies
and wildlife in general, visit the “World of Backyard Habitat” pages
on NJ Audubon’s website:
http://www.njaudubon.org/Education/BackyardHabitat/
MONARCH migration has been steady since mid-August, but the first
REALLY BIG flight of the year occurred September 22. CMBO’s Monarch
Migration Project tagged 500 on 9/22 and many more migrated through.
MONARCH numbers continue to swell! Every patch of Milkweed (whether
it is Swamp, Common, Orange, or Tropical Milkweed) still has eggs and
caterpillars on it, so the population is still growing. The CMBO
Gardens in Goshen easily have 20 or more Monarchs daily, including
both migrants and summer Monarchs (those that are still mating,
laying eggs on Milkweed, and dying).
CMBO’s “Monarch Tagging Demos” are offered every day of the week
except Tuesdays and Thursdays (weather permitting) at 2 p.m. at the
Cape May Point State Park in the picnic shelter next to the Hawk
Watch / Wildlife Viewing Platform. To learn of the history of the
Monarch migration through Cape May go to:
www.njaudubon.org – then click on “Research” and then on “Monarch
Monitoring Project.”
An amazing dragonfly migration filled the skies over Cape May Point
on September 21, including many BLACK & CAROLINA SADDLEBAGS, and
WANDERING GLIDERS.
Female GARDEN SPIDERS in CMBO’s Gardens in Goshen are getting bigger
and bigger. One has already laid 2 egg cases which will winter over
and fill our gardens with next year’s Garden Spiders.
A RIVER OTTER was seen September 13 in Bunker Pond in front of the
Hawkwatch Platform at the Cape May Point State Park. These secretive
animals are rarely seen.
RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRDS largely cleared out in early September,
but 1-3 can be seen int CMBO’s Gardens in Goshen coming to blooming
Coral Honeysuckle, Cannas, Tropical Salvia, and the feeders. Even
though Ruby-throated Hummingbirds have thinned out don’t take your
feeders down. Rare western hummingbirds arrive once the Ruby-throats
have left. A feeder might alert you to its presence. So, continue to
clean and maintain Hummingbird feeders right through the fall. And
call us if you have a hummingbird in October, November, or December.
CMBO’s “Twilight Watch” on September 22 enjoyed one of the best
flights in several years. With The Meadows closed due to phragmites
spraying the group met at Mt. Vernon Avenue (near 2nd Avenue Jetty in
Cape May Point) and watched the clear sky lit up with the setting sun
as 12 AMERICAN BITTERN, 25 GREEN HERONS, over 50 BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT
HERONS, 30 GREAT EGRETS, and 3 GREAT BLUE HERONS migrated over
between 6:45 and 8 p.m. Prior to the heron and bittern show 100+
BLACK SKIMMERS entertained as they skimmed the water line and just
offshore coursing back and forth in front of the group. At least 200
BLACK SKIMMERS can be found during the day roosting on Cape May’s
beachfront in the vicinity of or north of 2nd Avenue Jetty. They
stage here every fall, numbers growing week-by-week. The “Twilight
Watch for Migrating Owls, Bats, and Herons” is offered every
Wednesday evening from 6 to 8 p.m. in September and 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
in October.
Big numbers of COMMON NIGHTHAWKS migrated over the evenings of
September 16-19. 12 over Reeds Beach September 19, 26 over Goshen
September 17, and 24 over Hidden Valley September 16.
An incredible flight of songbirds passed over the Higbee Dike on
September 21. The mix of warblers now is made up primarily of PARULA
WARBLERS, PALM WARBLERS, MAGNOLIA WARBLERS, and BLACK-THROATED BLUE
WARBLERS. Good landbirding was enjoyed around CMBO’s Northwood Center
through the rest of the day. The tangles and dense shrubs in the
vicinity of the misters and drippers and the bathing pond drew in fun
warblers through the day, including a female GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER.
Stone Harbor Point is a must see stop! It is loaded with shorebirds,
hunting falcons, and more! 15 BROWN PELICANS, 1 BRANT, 45 CASPIAN
TERNS, many, many, many FORSTERS TERNS, COMMON TERNS, and BLACK
SKIMMERS, 12 PIPING PLOVER, 75 W. SANDPIPERS, 3 DUNLIN, 6 MARBLED
GODWIT, and 40 RED KNOT were there on September 14. The “Stone Harbor
Point Walk” is offered every Tuesday evening at 5 p.m. until sunset
in September (4:30 p.m. in October) and meets in the parking lot at
the south end of Stone Harbor.
“Sunset Cruises for Fall Migrants” are another way to experience
shorebirds feeding and raptors hunting. There is still room:
September 24 (3-7 p.m.) and October 1 (2-6 p.m.). These trips explore
the back bays and tidal flats for shorebirds, waterbirds, raptors,
and more! Call 609-861-0700, x-11 for more information and to register!
“Back Bay Boat Cruises,” are offered every Sunday and Monday (10 a.m.
till 1 p.m.) and sponsored by CMBO. To register for the cruises call
“The Skimmer” at 609-884-3100.
The Cape May Bird Observatory offers an extensive series of regular
bird walks that require no pre-registration and many special field
trips and programs for which advanced registration is required. All
are detailed in the Kestrel Express. To receive a copy of the Fall
Kestrel Express (September through November) stop at either CMBO
Center, call the office during business hours at 609-861-0700, or go
to New Jersey Audubon's web site:
http://www.njaudubon.org/Calendar/calcmbo.html
This Cape May Natural History and Events Hotline is a service of the
Cape May Bird Observatory, which is a research, conservation, and
education unit of the New Jersey Audubon Society. Our aim is to
preserve and perpetuate the ornithological and natural history
significance of Cape May. Your membership supports these goals and
this hotline. We detail sightings from Cape May, Cumberland, and
Atlantic Counties. Updates are typically made on Thursdays. Please
report your natural history sightings to CMBO's Center in Goshen at
609-861-0700. Thanks for calling and ENJOY THE NATURAL WORLD!
- End Transcript