The most exciting thing I spied at Cape May Point today were two spectacularly close to shore Parasitic Jaegers engaged in a bit of behaviour I’ve never seen before.

A feather-perfect light-morph adult, and a very dark juvenile were just over the wave line on the beach, and decided that giving a fish-laden Osprey hell for a bit was a good use of their time. The Jaegers were, as is their wont, unbelievable manouverable, and flew rings around the bunker-laden Osprey, who seemed like a huge, lumbering dolt by comparison. The Osprey had no intention of giving up the fish, and I can’t imagine the Jaegers seriously thought it might, but were just having a bit of fun quite literally ruffling its feathers.

I’ve never witnessed a Jaeger/Osprey interaction before, but, well, why shouldn’t they give it a try, and have a bit of excercise at the comparatively huge bird’s expense?

The harassing duo beat a line NE towards Second Avenue once they gave up the game, but a couple more were off-shore in the feeding flock of Larids, engaged in more typical activities at a more typical distance.

Caspian Terns were finally around the Point in good numbers, and adults, and strikingly marbled Juveniles were sitting on the beach at the Point, the Bunker Pond, and foraging over the ponds and surf. Caspian Terns know they’re cool. The fact that these magnificent animals are shot to “protect” salmon out west is just a bit more than criminal.

Black Terns, like the majority of Shorebirds, have flown the coop this week, and are decidedly scarce, I have only heard reports of one or two since the fronts of this past week. I myself have spied nary a one. Lesser Black-backed Gulls have also departed, the concentrations of none-breeders present since May, which peaked in late July, are no longer to be found on the beach at South Cape May. Least Terns are still hanging in as lone singletons or duos, but will soon be a memory of summer 08.

Otherwise there were a surprising number of song-birds (namely warblers) around, despite the nasty and strong south-easterly winds. Magnolia, BT-Blue, Yellow, Parula, Prairie etc. were all not hard to find, and I hear tell that A Yellow-bellied Flycatcher was at Higbee’s Beach.

In butterfly news, a Palamedes Swallowtail was found yesterday morning in the State Park, and was still present, just a bit further inland later that afternoon.

There were some birds to be had in Cape May today. However, perhaps the oddest “bird” of the day was a surprise Giant Swallowtail along the Plover Ponds and dune int he state Park. A southern species which overshoots, its chocolate background colour and the bold horizontal yellow bar across the upperwings showed very nicely.

Birdwise, a bit of spishing right by the car park at Hidden Valley early this morning quickly drew in a flock of no fewer than 48 Baltimore Orioles. Seeing that many orioles pour in to basically one cherry tree in droves was kind of something else.

Otherwise, given the relative paucity of Warblers, there were a surprising number of Red-eyed vireos just about everywhere. Even more surprising than that were the two Philly Vireos in the hedgerows at Hidden Valley. One was, typically, trailing a pod of Red-eyes as they worked their way north. The other, was all by its lonesome. Sweet-faced little things, Philly Vireos are an understatedly attractive bird we don’t get to see enough of. I do find it interesting that it often happens that they turn up on a bum wind.

There were plenty of sport-fishing boats just off the point today, and they, and the terns were apparently over a decent shoal of fish. While other more expected terns were well-represented in the swarm, there was a very nice concentration of 30 Black Terns in the mix. apparentyl as good as fish finders, one boat had ten alone around it, and another was being circled by 8. more than half were young of the year.

Other Black Terns were sitting on the beach, or the Bunker Pond.

Otherwise, a Common Nighthawk heading north at Higbee’s Beach was only the second I’ve seen this fall, and though unimpressive in numbers, there was a fine diverstiy of Warblers about, including Canada, Parula, Black-throated Blue, and dwindling numbers of the more summery migrants. And a white-eyed drake Shoveler was hanging out on the Bunker Pond with both teal and some Gadwall.

And while Philadelphia and Red-eyed Vireos are heading south, some local White-eyes are still feeding young. Likewise, though bran and cinnamon coloured migrant juv Blue Grosbeaks are turning up, local adults are still singing, and newbie fledgling Indigo Buntings are still barely flying. And speaking of the nesting season-some fledgeling cowbirds are still being fed by hapless surrogate Cardinals and Carolina Wrens. Even as migrant gangs and flocks of Cowbirds (and other Icterids) are independent and heading south.

Swamp Darners figured prominently in the more interesting things I saw today.

First, was a a Swamp Darner at Higbee’s which caught, of all things, a cicada! The Cicada squealed the entire time, and proved a bit too heavy for the darner, who kept rying to lift it back up, and kept on getting dragged down by it. Finally I had to break the prime directive of nature show hosts, and I intervened by gently grabbing the Darner’s wing- which caused it to let go and fly off to roost and regain its strenth for a bit. The piteous, shrieking squeals of the gently herbivorous Cicada got the best of me, I’m afraid.

The second time a Swamp Darner caught my attention was when it was in the beak of an Adult Gull-billed Tern which was being followed by two begging fledglings over the Lighthouse Pond. I can’t help bu think that Gull-bills, which are not usually present on Cape Island all summer, but were this year, bred somewhere in the immediate vicinity.

A fourth, unaccompanied Gull-bill was in the meadows, as well.

Ahh, if only CMBO and any of its research associates actually worked with the birds around here, instead of using them for competitive nonsense…

Also, the first juv. Ring-billed Gull I’ve seen was today, which is a bit late, actually.

And I completely neglected to mention the three Great Blues which kettled up over the lighthouse last evening, and made a bee-line for Delaware. No doubt what they were up to there.

Likewise, the first Least Flycatcher I’ve seen was at Higbee’s yesterday.

Today was notable for two very nice concentrations of two of my favorite birds, namely Lesser Black-backed Gulls and Orchard Orioles.

Firstly there were 27 Lesser Black-backs on the Beach at South Cape May late this morning. It was kind of absurd- as one scanned up the surf, nearly every Gull in it was a Lesser Black-back, and then there were a couple roosting with the local loafing flock, too. All but 9 were first years.

The other thing I don’t see every day (so to speak), but did this morning, is a “cohesive” flock of 17 Orchard Orioles. Only three were adult males. They were just near the car-park at Hidden Valley, and were moving NW from the Winged Sumac to and along the hedgerow along New England Rd.

The really interesting thing about the Orchard Orioles was that I had just walked and sat for a good long time at Higbee’s and was thinking the whole time”-nope, all gone. Orchard Orioles gone. From now till they disappear entirely there will be only the migrants-and I’m not seein’ any.” Then boom, a whole flock was at Hidden Valley. I suppose if there is one bird that defines summer around here and defies the idea of fall, it is an Orchard Oriole. (Purple Martin might be in the running too…)

Otherwise there was a nice little push of Yellow Warblers and Gnaatcatchers today at Higbee’s Beach, in the neighborhood of 20 of each. Also initeresting was a small flock of Red-eyed Vireos- in addition to the still singing, territorial birds. A Whimbrel from the Dike was a nice Flyby, an adult Baltimore Oriole in the willows near the pond was good to see, as were a couple of migrant and a family of begging Prothonotaries.

A Surf Scoter continues around the Point, and a Hooded Merganser continues in the Meadows.

And curiously, I watched a Pair of Field Sparrows carrying nest material today, and couldn’t help noticing that they had become a bit more vocal all of a sudden.

I think the only thing that would’ve surprised me this morning more than the two Red Crossbills which flushed from the dune between St. Mary’s and St. Peter’s Jetties, would’ve been an Albatross, or Walter Cronkite, perhaps…the Russian judge has yet to weigh in…

Curiously, there was a report of Red Crossbill from the day before, from a place not all that far from here really. I don’t know what to make of it, myself; other than there were two Red Crossbills in the middle of Summer at Land’s end in NJ. Gotta hand it to the place, a White Ibis and Red Crossbills within days of each other.

Not a bad patch that.

Other than the Crossbills, I was shocked as hell to see juv Eastern Phoebe on the fence at the second Plover Pond this evening. Phoebes didn’t breed around here this year, and most years don’t, but I guess if Red Crossbills could be a quarter mile away, is a Phoebe in July really so odd?

There was a noticeable increase in Swallows today- favoured wires on New England Rd. and Cape May Point were full of Trees and Barns, with a dair showing of Banks. Martins are spreading out, and it seems as though their numbers ahve thinned a bit.

Both Ocean Drive and Nummy’s Island were very fine places to look for shorebirds around high tidish today. Ditto for the MEadows and the State Park, though numbers there were fewer, and species composition just a bit different. (ie there were no Stilts or Pectorals in the saltmarsh, and the point was very much free of Western Willets, Black-bellied Plovers, etc. )

Semi-plovers have increased dramatically in the last few days-this is the first evening I have seen any in the surf at Cape May Point.

In addition to Swallows and shorebirds- there were a lot more Hummingbirds around today than there had been- and in particular this evening in the State Park and around the point. I saw around a dozen where I’ve been happy to see a couple.

Bobolinks continue to become more commonly encounteredand two fluched from some reeds in the park this evening were interesting cause the male was in nearly good breeding plumage-he had one spot of buffy on his chest, and a few pale feathers coming in elsewhere.

A Brown Pelican off the Point, and nearly, but not quite fledged Willets on Nummy’s and Ocean Drive were worth noting. Young of the year Least Terns are starting to turn up, though there are still downy young at South Cape May. (The number of first-years has increased a bit in the last few days, too- there has been an impressive concentration of Least Terns the last two days.

CJV

Where to start…?

There were impressive numbers of Shorebirds and such around Stone Harbor Pt.

I think I wound up with 26 piping Plovers all told, a flock of 19 were foraging on a receding tide near the tip of Stone Harbor Pt.

30 western Willets were roosting on the north end of Nummy’s Isl. and another 8 or so were in the surf.

Just about 1000 Sanderling seem to have arrived out of nowhere, and there were likewise more than a few (ie 35 at Higbee’s Beach, 40 at South Cape May)Sanderling around Cape May Point, where yesterday, numbers were unimpressive.

Peep were very well represented at Stone Harbor, too- there were just about 2000 of the smaller three.

15 Red Knot, some breeding plumaged, others first years were also there, as well as, lots and lots of Semipalmated Plovers, but not quite the numbers of either soon to be bourne by August yet to come…

Juvenile Laughing Gulls seem to be around in abundance-which is excellent to see, they have had bum years the last two at least. Interestingly, the very first juv. Laugher I’ve seen was at Cape Island, today too.

On the breeding larid note, there were just shy of 400 Royal Terns on Champagne Island, and at least 18 gingery downy babies are being “creched”. Very cool. There were also over 1500 Black Skimmers there, as well as two Sandwich Terns. A third Sandwich was at the pond at the base of the Point. The first juv/fledgeling Common Tern I’ve seen this year was also following the rents at Stone Harbor Pt. today.

Otherwise,

there were no fewer than 21 Lesser Black-backed Gulls on the beach in South Cape May this evening, and there were exceptional numbers of foaraging Larids in the rips. To the tune of more than a thousand Laughing Gulls, and nearly 200 Least Terns alone. 3 Black Terns, one in the Meadows, and two heading east with the other terns this evening were also very good to see.

There was also a noteworthy flock of nearly 40 Killdeer on recently tilled fields on Bayshore Rd.

2 Prothonotaries still begging, yet a bit yellower were in the wet woods at Higbee’s. Wonder if they are a family from that very spot, or one nearby?

4 Downy Gadwall are still accompanying their mother in the Meadows, though I’ve yet to see another brood.

Yellow-breasted Chats seem to be going through a second round of song-flights of late, and it seems like local Orchard Orioles have, well, gone south, so to say.

CJV

The most noteworthy bird I happened upon was again an Ibis at South Cape May, this time though, it was a White-faced.

The bird flew from the central pool and dropped down again in the western one. Otherwise there was a nice and steady push of Glossies overhead today.

The first baby Gadwall (4) I’ve see were with their mother in the central pool at the Meadows as well. It should also be mentioned that there are three or four unexpectedly late broods of newbie Mallards about.

There were also notably more Least Terns around today. eg, there were 60 just sitting on the newly exposed mudflats in the second plover pond at the state park, in addition to the usual number of nesting birds and foraging birds (including a couple of very sweet nestlings being fed).

Shorebirds continue to please, and are very easy to see in numbers around Cape May point.

CJV

While I really only gave it a quick turn today I managed to come up with a few sightings worth mentioning.

A Greater Shearwater which came in from the South was remarkable on two counts:

Firstly it is the first Greater Shearwater I’ve seen this summer; and secondly-

A dark Parasitic Jaeger quickly rose from the surface to harry the Shearwater for a very brief bit. It quickly ended, as the Shearwater gave a remarkably agile evasive manouvre, and then just high tailed it in the direction it had been headed to begin with. The Jaeger just settled back down on the water once it clearly passed out of grasp.

I don’t know which is more fortuitous, the mere presence of a Greater Shearwater, or the fact that the Shearwater randomly crossed the path of a roosting jaeger. If the Shearwater hadn’t passed that way, I never would’ve been able to see the Jaeger.

Two Gull-billed Terns which flew over Sunset Blvd just near Steven’s St., clearly intent on Pond Creek at low tide to hunt Fiddler Crabs, caused me to do a bit of “holistic birding”, and follow them. (In this case, “holistic” applies to Dirk Gently and his style of driving. For those not familiar with holistic detecting as per Douglas Adams, Dirk Gently, the holistic detective, just randomly followed the cars ahead of him,rather than get directions, reasoning that eventually, they would take you to where you wanted to go.

A Bobolink, a nice showing of Shorebirds, a juv Little Blue Heron, and a Gull-billed Tern just walking on the mudflats hunting Fiddler Crabs were what I found.

Now, the Little Blue was the second juvenile I’ve seen around the last couple of days, and among the shorebirds were at least five Spotted Sandpipers on the creek. Noteworthy among them was the first juvenile Spotted I’ve seen this fall.

There was also a very nice clock-wise movement of Swallows rounding the dune in the Sunser Beach neighborhood. Mainly Barn and Tree Swallows, it was the largest movement of Trees thus far. Probably cause Tree Swallows are so abundant, and migrate well into late fall, many do not realize that the bulk actuallly go through in late Summer- the flocks of October are a but a shadow of those of August.

The most interesting behavioural note, Shearwater and Jaeger interactions notwithstanding again goes to the Kleptoparasitism of a Common Tern in the Meadows.

This time, the Tern turned on a Kingfisher, and vainly tried to get the anxiously rattling thing to give up the fish. While most fish thievery is Larid on Larid, or Stercorarid on Larid at least I don’t know that I’ve ever seen a Common Tern try to rob a Kingfisher before.

Like the Gulls in Finding Nemo so very well illustrated, there must just be something of the “MINE!” inherent in the personality of Larids. Somebody’s got something they want, they just try to take it.

CJV

For some reason, the overture to Porgy and Bess (or more to the point-”Summertime”) just wouldn’t get out of my head today…perhaps cause it very much is “summertime, and the livin’ is easy”

That easy livin’ naturally spills over into the birding…

First off- there was an obvious movement of southbound swallows this morning, both at Cape May and Stone Harbor Points, respectively. St. Peter’s Jetty produced around fifty Barns, over thirty Trees, a dozen Banks and half a dozen Rough-wings, all of which whizzed past, heading in one direction with purpose while I was watching this morning. Likewise, Stone Harbor Point, just a bit later on, held around fifty Barns, and ten Banks, plenty of which were just sitting on the beach-fence, as proper migrant swallows should.

A Baltimore Oriole, likewise at the base of Stone Harbor Point was the most unexpected bird of the day, by a long shot. He circled wide and far out over the beach, before turning back to the brush, having given the water-crossing a second thought I suppose.

Two Sandwich Terns were a bit less unexpected on Champagne Island. One, though white-crowned, was still sporting a distinct peachy tinge to his underparts.

The recent smattering of southbound Shorebirds today became more of a steady trickle.

A Marbled Godwit in the Jenkins Sound neighbourhood (ie behind Nummy’s Island) was arriving perfectly on time, and a knock-out Stilt Sandpiper in full breeding plumage (auburn auriculars and all) quietly foraging in front of the observation platform at the Meadows was just about the same. Gorgeous bird.

A Whimbrel which flew in from the Ocean, made a left over the Ponds at South Cape May, and continued on due South was a fine addition to a walk down the beach there this evening, however the really newsworthy birds were the no fewer than 20 Lesser Black-backed Gulls. I think this must be some sort of local record at least.

Also noteworthy was a Wilson’s Storm Petrel off the Point this afternoon- first I’ve seen in weeks. Two Brown Pelicans were out in the Rips at Cape May, and six were loafing on the furthest sandbar from shore at Hereford Inlet.

On behavioural notes, a duel which caught my eye involved a Common Tern turned the tables on a Gull-bill yesterday at the Meadows. While Common Terns are known kleptoparasites themselves, the fact that the Common was doing the chasing wasn’t waht caught my attention-it was the fact that the Common was trying to steal a frog! As one may’ve surmised, the smaller tern was not successful, though he gave it a valiant effort.

And secondly, I watched for a long time today, a Black-crowned Night Heron in the pool at Nummy’s Island forage in what was a novel manner in my experience of the species. (my experience of the species, though not exhaustive, is substantial…)The heron stood motionless in the shadow of a tussock, leaning far forward, with his bill held open plunged at a 45 degree angle in the middle of an algae mat. He kept up like this for some time, occaisionally snapping his bill closed.

I imagine he was taking advantage of a high density of prey items, and not needing his eyes, was just oppurtunistically waiting for something to swim into his maw or relying on tactile senses. While Storks forage with open bills, and it is not uncommon to see Snowy Egrets pattering their bills on the surface, I have never seen a Black-crowne dNight Heron doing an Open-billed Stork impersonation before!

And finally, one brood of fledged Piping Plovers at the Meadows, and one at Stone Harbor Point are both beginning to look like proper juvenile shorebirds. One brood of three smaller hatchlings at South Cape May looks a little more than half-way to fledging.

CJV

The most welcome sighting I managed around Cape May today was my first Worm-eating Warbler of the fall at Higbee’s Beach.

It is worth mentioning that last year’s first was also at Higbee’s Beach, but was in fact a day earlier, being found on July 2!

This one was about half-way down the second field, in a spot overgrown with Grapes, foraging with a mixed flock of Chickadees, a Prairie and a Yellowthroat, along with three Gnacatchers. He occasionally gave a whisper song, and in all other respects his behaviour resembled a fall migrant, rather than a wandering bird looking for a territory- unlike the smattering of odd passerines found in the last week or so.

Interestingly, Gnatcatchers increased today. I have been seeing just one or two, but today wound up with five. I hesitate to call all of them local breeders, cause one at least was a long way from any spot which has held any thus far this breeding season.

While admiring the Worm-eating for a good long time, a southbound Bank Swallow zoomed past.

Shorebirds likewise are increasing daily. Where yesterday I saw 1 Greater Yellowlegs, 1 Semipalmated Sandpiper, one Least, and one Pectoral at the Meadows, today I managed 11 Lesser Yellowlegs, 1 Greater Yellowlegs, 3 Leasts, 1 Pectoral, and most surprisingly one Eastern Willet in the same place.

Great Blue Herons have also increased in the last few days, indicating they are also moving around a bit.

A pair of Gull-billed Terns continues at South Cape May and while this morning, small sqaudrons of Royal Terns were uncharacterstically hunting over the pools there doing their best to imitate Caspian Terns, this evening a legitimate Caspian Tern was working his way around the East Pool. Caspian Terns know they’re cool.

Glossy Ibis continue to move around as well, and the first juveniles that I’ve noticed have begun to turn up in the small flocks. Yesterday there was a strangely aberrant juv. Glossy Ibis who had a white, strap-like patch on his crown, (kind of like a negative of the black forehead markings on many banded plovers) and a rather large white patch going down his neck. I have not seen it since, but he should be easy to relocate, should he stick around a bit. Though there were fewer Ibis around today than yesterday.

At least one of the baby Cooper’s Hawks from the State Park is now a proper fledge, and has gone rather far away from the nest, much to the delight of mobbing passerines in the neighbourhood. It is also worth noting that the parents can still be seen hunting well after 8 P.M. Bet they’re wishing for shorter days and young who can feed themselves about now!

Otherwise, the Hooded Merg, and the Ruddy Duck both continue at the Meadows and the Sate Park, respectively. There is also a Brant hanging out at Stone Harbor, and yesterday there were already 6 Western Willets on the Mussel beds there, nearly equaling the number to their remaining Eastern chums.

CJV

keep looking »

Recently Written

• Excellent Bayshore Birding: Lots of Shorebirds, Gulls, Silly numbers of Turkeys, and a Vesper Sparrow
• Dolphins, a Brown Pelican, A Cape Island Yellow-throated Warbler and a nice little “fall” around the point in the mist
• Some Eagle notes, etc.
• LAGU in Cape May, and a few other early spring notes
• After the snow in Cape May
• Lots and lots of ducks around Cape May
• Flowering Maples
• News and Notes from Cape May; Black-headed Gull, White-winged Crossbills, continuing Eurasian Wigeon, etc.
• Some nice looks at Short-eared Owls, etc.
• A seal, a balmy day, and the colour of a randy Mallards feet

Categories

• Beach Nesters
• behaviour
• birding norms
• Black Skimmers
• Breeding Birds
• Butterflies
• Champagne Island
• conservation
• Fall Migration
• Fish Crows
• Gulls
• Hawks
• Herons
• Herps
• ID
• Jaegers
• Mammals
• Not-birds
• Owls
• Piping Plovers
• raptors
• Rarities
• Royal Terns
• Rusty Blackbirds
• Seawatching
• Shorebirds
• Spring Migration
• Terns
• Uncategorized
• Warblers
• Waterfowl
• Winter Birds

Archives

• April 2009
• March 2009
• February 2009
• January 2009
• December 2008
• November 2008
• October 2008
• September 2008
• August 2008
• July 2008
• June 2008
• May 2008
• April 2008

Blogroll

• ABA “Peeps” - excellent birding updates from the American Birding Association
• American Bird Conservancy - dedicated to bird conservation
• American Museum of Natural History - specimen-based evolutionary, & biological research at its finest
• American Ornithologists Union
• Art & Science Collaborations, Inc. (ASCI) - Collaborations in…you guessed it!
• Ben Johnson Art - some fine photo-realism from a local artist
• Bent’s Life Histories-familiar birds - an edited and synoptic version of Bent’s volumes, an invaluable resource nevertheless
• Bill Hubick Photography - exceptional photos and website from a fine fellow
• Birdlife International - world bird conservation at large
• Conserve Wildlife Foundation of NJ - people who actually work hard on conservation in NJ
• ebird
• Huffington Post - commentary by reasonable Americans
• New Jersey birding - Birding in NJ
• Pioneer Birding - excelent blog from the commonwealth and beyond
• Point Reyes Bird Observatory Conservation Science - a legitimate Bird Observatory
• Portland Bird Observatory and Field Centre - another legitimate Bird Observatory
• Punkbirder-the unsound approach - We need a lot more “punk-birding” here in the States
• Save the Albatross - if 100,000 people were slaughtered per year, we’d call it genocide…
• Shorebirder - nice blog from CT
• Sibley Guides Notebook - better than the artwork even
• Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center - Dedicated to research for migratory birds
• Surfbirds - world birding news
• The Nietzsche Family Circus - “Beyond Good & Evil”-just hilarious juxtapositions
• The Onion - America’s “finest” news source-brilliant satire
• The Story of Stuff - will make you never want to shop again…

Admin

• Login
• Wordpress
• XHTML

Search