Birding Cape May Point - Friday, July 21st, 2017

Cape May Point State Park ponds are ideal for shorebird feeding right now, with lots of good, muddy edges just in time for hungry shorebird arrival. In  one area where these muddy edges are close to the trail, we had really good looks at a very handsome Pectoral Sandpiper, a first-of-season bird for most of us. The "pec" was feeding alongside a Least Sandpiper and a Lesser Yellowlegs so we had an excellent opportunity to compare these similar shorebirds. Indigo Buntings are still sitting up singing and a Prairie Warbler was so busy feeding in a cedar tree on the Yellow Trail, it paid little heed as we watched it moving among the branches. Leaders: Kathy Horn, Roger Horn, Michael McCabe, Karl Lukens, & Cindy Bamford.
Number of Taxa: 52

41 Mute Swan
42 Mallard
1 Great Blue Heron (Blue form)
2 Great Egret
5 Osprey (carolinensis)
7 American Oystercatcher
3 Killdeer
21 Least Sandpiper
1 Pectoral Sandpiper
1 Semipalmated Sandpiper
1 Solitary Sandpiper
1 Greater Yellowlegs
14 Lesser Yellowlegs
25 Laughing Gull
2 Herring Gull (American)
4 Great Black-backed Gull
1 Common Tern
25 Forster's Tern
1 Black Skimmer
5 Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)
7 Mourning Dove
1 Downy Woodpecker
2 Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)
1 Great Crested Flycatcher
3 Eastern Kingbird
2 Fish Crow
28 Purple Martin
9 Tree Swallow
2 Barn Swallow (American)
4 Carolina Chickadee
7 Carolina Wren
7 American Robin
1 Gray Catbird
4 Northern Mockingbird
4 European Starling
3 Cedar Waxwing
7 Common Yellowthroat (trichas Group)
1 Yellow Warbler
1 Prairie Warbler
1 Yellow-breasted Chat
1 Chipping Sparrow
1 Field Sparrow
1 Song Sparrow
5 Northern Cardinal
5 Indigo Bunting
15 Red-winged Blackbird (Red-winged)
1 Eastern Meadowlark (Eastern)
2 Common Grackle (Purple)
1 Brown-headed Cowbird
2 House Finch
6 American Goldfinch

Prairie Warbler [Photo by Roger Horn]

Pectoral Sandpiper [Photo by Roger Horn]

Garter Snake [Photo by Roger Horn]
Great Egret [Photo by Karl Lukens]

Bird Walk for All People - Thursday, July 20th, 2017

Leaders:  Warren Cairo, Chris Marks, & Mary Watkins.
41 species

Canada Goose  28
Mute Swan  12
Mallard (Northern)  26
Northern Bobwhite  3     Continuing birds calling
Wild Turkey  1
Brown Pelican  1
Great Egret  2
Black-crowned Night-Heron  2
Glossy Ibis  18
Osprey  3
American Oystercatcher  2
Killdeer  5
Least Sandpiper  10
Pectoral Sandpiper  1
Short-billed Dowitcher  1
Greater Yellowlegs  3
Lesser Yellowlegs  2
Laughing Gull  32
Great Black-backed Gull  6
Least Tern  4
Forster's Tern  32
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  7
Mourning Dove  4
Chimney Swift  1
Eastern Kingbird  1
Blue Jay  4
Purple Martin  60
Tree Swallow  6
Carolina Chickadee  2
Carolina Wren  2
American Robin  8
Northern Mockingbird  4
European Starling  8
Common Yellowthroat  4
Song Sparrow  1
Northern Cardinal  2
Indigo Bunting  3
Red-winged Blackbird  8
Common Grackle  4
American Goldfinch  6
House Sparrow  2

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)

Birding the Meadows - Monday, July 17th, 2017

A hazy, humid morning with some good birds. Shorebirds consisted of Least and Semipalmated Sandpipers, numerous Lesser Yellowlegs and two flyover Greater Yellowlegs, Short-billed Dowitchers, and a Solitary Sandpiper. On the beach we had the usual American Oystercatchers, two Royal Terns, and at least six Lesser Black-backed Gulls. Perched Common Yellowthroats, and an Indigo Bunting gave us good looks. Leaders: Pete Dunne, Chuck Slugg, Karl Lukens, Steve Weis, Mary Watkins, Pat Perkins, Barb Bassett, Janet Crawford, Bill Boyle, & Karen Thompson.
46 species

Canada Goose  100
Mute Swan  3
Gadwall  1
Mallard  20
Great Egret  2
Green Heron  3
Glossy Ibis  2
Osprey  5
Virginia Rail  2
Common Gallinule  1
American Oystercatcher  6
Sanderling  1
Least Sandpiper  10
Semipalmated Sandpiper  3
Short-billed Dowitcher  10
Solitary Sandpiper  1
Greater Yellowlegs  2
Lesser Yellowlegs  10
Laughing Gull  120
Ring-billed Gull  2
Herring Gull  1
Lesser Black-backed Gull  6
Great Black-backed Gull  10
Least Tern  3
Common Tern  1
Forster's Tern  5
Royal Tern  2
Mourning Dove  8
Ruby-throated Hummingbird  2
Northern Flicker  1
Fish Crow  1
Purple Martin  20
Barn Swallow  8
American Robin  1
Gray Catbird  1
Northern Mockingbird  1
Common Yellowthroat  6
Field Sparrow  3
Song Sparrow  1
Blue Grosbeak  1
Indigo Bunting  2
Red-winged Blackbird  10
Common Grackle  15
Brown-headed Cowbird  4
House Finch  3
American Goldfinch  3
House Sparrow  4

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)

Royal Terns [Photo by Karl Lukens]

Virginia Rail juvenile [Photo by Karl Lukens]

Birding Cape May Point - Friday, July 14th, 2017

Leaders: Barb Bassett, Karl Lukens, Kyle Chelius, Michael McCabe, & Cindy Bamford.
50 species (+1 other taxa)

Canada Goose  40
Mute Swan  25
Gadwall  6
Mallard  30
Northern Bobwhite  2     Continuing
Brown Pelican  21     Exact count, flying in V formation from Point towards Second Ave jetty
Great Blue Heron  1
Great Egret  8
Green Heron  2
Glossy Ibis  6
Osprey  6
American Oystercatcher  8
Killdeer  4
Whimbrel  1
Least Sandpiper  5
peep sp.  23     8-+15
Short-billed Dowitcher  14     8 + 6
Spotted Sandpiper  2
Lesser Yellowlegs  6
Laughing Gull  40
Great Black-backed Gull  4
Least Tern  2
Common Tern  1
Forster's Tern  5
Black Skimmer  1
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  7
Mourning Dove  9
Ruby-throated Hummingbird  1
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)  4
Willow Flycatcher  1
Northern Rough-winged Swallow  3
Purple Martin  50
Tree Swallow  20
Barn Swallow  10
Carolina Chickadee  1
House Wren  2
Carolina Wren  3
American Robin  20
Northern Mockingbird  4
Cedar Waxwing  1
Common Yellowthroat  6
Yellow-breasted Chat  1
Field Sparrow  1
Song Sparrow  1
Northern Cardinal  4
Indigo Bunting  3
Bobolink  2
Red-winged Blackbird  15
Common Grackle  10
Orchard Oriole  2
American Goldfinch  2

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)

Brown Pelicans [Photo by Karl Lukens]

Tree and Barn Swallows [Photo by Karl Lukens]

Bird Walk for All People - Thursday, July 13th, 2017

Leaders:  Chris Marks, Catherine Busch, & Mary Watkins
44 species

Canada Goose  26
Mute Swan  28
Mallard  18
Northern Bobwhite  2     Released birds foraging in park
Great Egret  6
White Ibis  1     Juvenile feeding with glossy ibis second plover pond
Glossy Ibis  18
Osprey  3
American Oystercatcher  4
Killdeer  2
Least Sandpiper  4
Short-billed Dowitcher  13
Spotted Sandpiper  2
Greater Yellowlegs  5
Laughing Gull  12
Great Black-backed Gull  2
Common Tern  1
Forster's Tern  32
Black Skimmer  2
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  5
Mourning Dove  2
Downy Woodpecker  1
Eastern Kingbird  1
Blue Jay  2
Fish Crow  3
Purple Martin  60
Tree Swallow  3
Barn Swallow  2
Carolina Chickadee  2
Carolina Wren  3
American Robin  2
Northern Mockingbird  2
European Starling  5
Cedar Waxwing  2
Common Yellowthroat  3
Yellow-breasted Chat  1
Field Sparrow  1
Song Sparrow  1
Northern Cardinal  2
Indigo Bunting  2     Heard
Red-winged Blackbird (Red-winged)  8
Common Grackle  6
American Goldfinch  2
House Sparrow  3

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)

Sunset Birding at the Meadows - Wednesday, July 12th, 2017

It was a good night for rare sightings at the Meadows. Cattle Egret - providing a nice size comparison close to the Snowy and Great Egrets,  groups of Great Blue Herons crossing overhead, the Virginia Rail out in the open after a few minutes of holding our breaths and watching the grasses move, the Common Gallinule, and finally the three young White Ibises, looking far more brown than white that were almost obscured by the fading light and surrounding Glossy Ibises. A good night, and a lucky group... Leaders: Kathy & Roger Horn.
53 species

Canada Goose  55
Mute Swan  2
Gadwall  3
Mallard  68
Great Blue Heron (Blue form)  9
Great Egret  3
Snowy Egret  4
Cattle Egret  1
Green Heron  1
White Ibis  3     Young birds, larger than nearby glossy ibis,  brown back and chest, white edge at shoulder,  white underwing visible when stretching.
Glossy Ibis  15
Turkey Vulture  2
Osprey (carolinensis)  4
Virginia Rail  1
Common Gallinule  1
American Oystercatcher  6
Killdeer  1
Least Sandpiper  18
Short-billed Dowitcher  9
Spotted Sandpiper  6
Greater Yellowlegs  2
Lesser Yellowlegs  9
Laughing Gull  32
Herring Gull (American)  7
Lesser Black-backed Gull  1
Great Black-backed Gull  15
Least Tern  6
Forster's Tern  5
Royal Tern  4
Black Skimmer  1
Mourning Dove  4
Chimney Swift  7
Downy Woodpecker (Eastern)  1
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)  2
Eastern Kingbird  3
American Crow  1
Fish Crow  3
Barn Swallow (American)  4
Carolina Wren  3
American Robin  3
Gray Catbird  1
Northern Mockingbird  2
Cedar Waxwing  7
Common Yellowthroat  8
Field Sparrow  3
Song Sparrow  3
Eastern Towhee  1
Northern Cardinal  6
Indigo Bunting  2
Red-winged Blackbird (Red-winged)  17
Orchard Oriole  2
House Finch  1
House Sparrow  2

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)

Birding the Meadows - Monday, July 10th, 2017

A nice variety of birds were seen and heard this morning. We had singing and flyover Indigo Buntings, flyover Orchard Oriole and American Goldfinch. On the beach we had two Lesser Black-backed Gulls, and four American Oystercatchers. A few shorebirds are beginning to show up including Short-billed Dowitchers, a few least and Semipalmated Sandpipers, and about eight Lesser Yellowlegs. The highlight was a Virginia Rail in a fairly open area only 15-20 feet away. Leaders: Pete Dunne, Chuck Slugg, Karl Lukens, Steve Weis, Janet Crawford, Barb Bassett.
47 species

Canada Goose  60
Mallard  20
Great Egret  2
Snowy Egret  1
Cattle Egret  1
Green Heron  2
Glossy Ibis  1
Osprey  10
Red-tailed Hawk  1
Virginia Rail  2     1 seen, 1 heard
American Oystercatcher  4
Killdeer  1
Least Sandpiper  2
Semipalmated Sandpiper  1
Short-billed Dowitcher  7
Spotted Sandpiper  4
Lesser Yellowlegs  8
Laughing Gull  20
Ring-billed Gull  1
Herring Gull  3
Lesser Black-backed Gull  2
Great Black-backed Gull  10
Least Tern  2
Forster's Tern  10
Mourning Dove  10
Chimney Swift  1
Northern Flicker  2
American Kestrel  1
Blue Jay  1
Fish Crow  1
Purple Martin  15
Barn Swallow  5
American Robin  1
Gray Catbird  2
Northern Mockingbird  1
European Starling  15
Common Yellowthroat  6
Yellow Warbler  1
Yellow-breasted Chat  1
Field Sparrow  4
Song Sparrow  4
Indigo Bunting  6
Red-winged Blackbird  10
Common Grackle  10
Brown-headed Cowbird  5
Orchard Oriole  1
American Goldfinch  3
House Sparrow  5

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)

Common Yellowthroat [Photo by Karl Lukens]

Lesser Black-backed Gull and Herring Gull [Photo by Karl Lukens]

Virginia Rail [Photo by Karl Lukens]

Birding Cape May Point - Friday, July 7th, 2017

It's easy to see the season passing at Cape May Point. The breeders are on their territories and many of them are singing. The Common Yellowthroats, the Yellow-breasted Chats, Eastern Kingbirds, Indigo Buntings and Blue Grosbeak all gave their positions away before we could see them. Shorebirds are starting to arrive, moving south already after their short but intense breeding season in the far north; Short-billed Dowitchers and Least Sandpipers are again feeding along the muddy pond edges. It's a nice time to bird in Cape May, but when isn't? Leaders: Kathy Horn, Roger Horn, and Kyle Chelius.
51 species

Canada Goose  48
Mute Swan  14
Mallard  25
Northern Bobwhite  2     Continuing, believed to be from Coast Guard facility release.
Great Blue Heron (Blue form)  1
Great Egret  5
Snowy Egret  2
Glossy Ibis  8
Black Vulture  1
Turkey Vulture  2
Osprey (carolinensis)  3
Red-tailed Hawk  1
American Oystercatcher  2
Killdeer  7
Least Sandpiper  3
Short-billed Dowitcher  3
Spotted Sandpiper  1
Laughing Gull  14
Herring Gull (American)  3
Great Black-backed Gull  1
Forster's Tern  13
Black Skimmer  1
Mourning Dove  7
Chimney Swift  1
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)  1
Eastern Kingbird  4
Fish Crow  2
Purple Martin  15
Tree Swallow  5
Barn Swallow (American)  2
Carolina Chickadee  2
Tufted Titmouse  2
Carolina Wren  8
American Robin  3
Gray Catbird  3
Northern Mockingbird  3
European Starling  5
Cedar Waxwing  3
Common Yellowthroat  8
Yellow-breasted Chat  3
Field Sparrow  2
Song Sparrow  2
Northern Cardinal  6
Blue Grosbeak  1
Indigo Bunting  4
Red-winged Blackbird (Red-winged)  16
Common Grackle (Purple)  2
Brown-headed Cowbird  2
House Finch  1
American Goldfinch  3
House Sparrow  2

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)

Great Egret [Photo by Kyle Chelius]

Northern Bobwhite [Photo by Kyle Chelius]

Bird Walk for All People - Thursday, July 6th, 2017

Leaders:  Chris Marks, Catherine Busch, & Mary Watkins.
43 species

Canada Goose  45
Mute Swan  26
Mallard (Northern)  24
Black Scoter  1
Great Egret  2
Glossy Ibis  2
Osprey  2
American Oystercatcher  2
Killdeer  6
Least Sandpiper  3
Spotted Sandpiper  2
Laughing Gull  18
Herring Gull  3
Forster's Tern  8
Black Skimmer  3
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  4
Mourning Dove  6
Chimney Swift  2
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)  1
Eastern Phoebe  1
Blue Jay  1
American Crow  3
Fish Crow  4
Purple Martin  40
Tree Swallow  6
Barn Swallow  1
Carolina Chickadee  2
Carolina Wren  3
American Robin  8
Gray Catbird  2
Northern Mockingbird  3
European Starling  12
Common Yellowthroat  3
Pine Warbler  2
Field Sparrow  2
Song Sparrow  1
Northern Cardinal  2
Red-winged Blackbird (Red-winged)  28
Common Grackle  3
Brown-headed Cowbird  6
Orchard Oriole  1
American Goldfinch  2
House Sparrow  2

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)

Birding the Meadows - Monday, July 3rd, 2017

Good scope views of Common Yellowthroat, and adult male Orchard Oriole. Also brief views of Indigo Bunting, Field Sparrow, and Song Sparrow. Up to eight American Oystercatchers on the beach with the usual gulls. Numerous Osprey overhead and two young in the nest. About eleven flyover Glossy Ibis. Leaders: Bill Boyle, Karen Thompson, Chuck Slugg, Karl Lukens, Steve Weis, Pat Perkins, & Mary Watkins.
38 species

Canada Goose  100
Mute Swan  1
Gadwall  5
Mallard  18
Brown Pelican  3
Great Egret  3
Snowy Egret  3
Green Heron  1
Black-crowned Night-Heron  1
Glossy Ibis  11
Turkey Vulture  3
Osprey  9     2 young in nest
American Oystercatcher  8
Killdeer  1
Least Sandpiper  6
Lesser Yellowlegs  1
Laughing Gull  25
Great Black-backed Gull  15
Forster's Tern  8
Mourning Dove  10
Chimney Swift  2
Eastern Kingbird  2
Purple Martin  20
Tree Swallow  1
Barn Swallow  8
Northern Mockingbird  1
Common Yellowthroat  4
Prairie Warbler  1
Field Sparrow  3
Song Sparrow  3
Northern Cardinal  1
Indigo Bunting  2
Red-winged Blackbird  20
Common Grackle  3
Brown-headed Cowbird  3
Orchard Oriole  1
American Goldfinch  2
House Sparrow  3

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)

Osprey with young [Photo by Karl Lukens]

Bird Walk for All People - Thursday, June 29th, 2017

Leaders:  Chris Marks, Shaun Bamford, and Mary Watkins.
34 species

Canada Goose  4
Mute Swan  16
Mallard  14
Great Egret  2
Glossy Ibis  3
Osprey  4
American Oystercatcher  5
Killdeer  5
Willet (Eastern)  3
Laughing Gull  16
Herring Gull  1
Great Black-backed Gull  2
Forster's Tern  5
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  2
Mourning Dove  4
Eastern Kingbird  2
Fish Crow  6
Purple Martin  30
Tree Swallow  2
Barn Swallow  1
Carolina Wren  3
Northern Mockingbird  3
European Starling  12
Common Yellowthroat  3
Field Sparrow  1
Song Sparrow  3
Northern Cardinal  2
Blue Grosbeak  1
Indigo Bunting  2
Red-winged Blackbird (Red-winged)  12
Common Grackle  6
Brown-headed Cowbird  4
House Finch  4
House Sparrow  5

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)