Cape May 2010

Date: Oct. 2-3, 2010


Location: Cape May Birding Trip


Reported by: Joe Giunta


We started the trip at 9:30am on Saturday morning. Leaving from the Audubon Center on 23rd St. we took the van, making

one stop along the way, and arrived at the Cape May Point State Park at about 1pm. This is the location of the world famous

hawk watch. The weather conditions were good for a hawk flight. The first birds spotted were mature and immature Bald

Eagles. They were flying right over the platform. The hawks continued to come and we saw Merlins, Kestrels, Peregrines,

Sharp-shinned Hawks, Cooper’s Hawks and Red-tailed Hawks. We stayed on the platform for about an hour and a half.

Next we walked around the ponds that were just in front of the platforms picking up some ducks, Belted Kingfisher and

excellent views of a Marsh Hawk. We did an ocean view and we did see about four dolphins breaking water not too far out.


We left this venue and headed towards our motel, the Acacia. The motel was very pleasant and its location right on the

ocean made for a nice environment. We checked in and almost immediately left for our next venue which was the Wetlands

Institute at Shone Harbor. Here we saw some shorebirds and walked the boardwalk trail to its end seeing many egrets and

herons. The sun was starting to set and I want to get to Nummy Island. We left the Institute and drove about 10 minutes to

the free bridge entrance of Nummy Island. Here we witnessed about 50 Black-crowned and Yellow-crowned Night Herons

flying out from their day time roost. It was a very impressive sight. Dinner was next and we drove to the Lobster House

which was back near our motel.


The next morning we were on the beach at 6:30am for sunrise over the ocean. We were also looking for birds and did pick

up Sanderlings and Dunlin. After about one half hour we checked out of the hotel, picked up coffee and breakfast items and

headed towards the warbler platform of Higbee Field. The platform was very crowded with birders as we all anxiously

awaited a good morning flight. The warbler flight was sparse with only Yellow-rumps being seen. We left the tower and

walked the different fields searching for birds but not finding too many. We did see Red-eyed Vireo, Swamp Sparrow and

Kinglets. We left Higbee Field and headed towards the CMBO (Cape May Bird Observatory) visitors center/nature store.

Right outside of their building in some Cedar trees we found 5 warbler species including a beautiful adult male Cape May

warbler. There is nothing like seeing a Cape May warbler in Cape May. The bird was a ‘lifer’ for some in our group. After

picking up some information brochures and books we headed back to Cape May Point SP and the hawk watch. The

conditions were not as favorable as the previous day. We did see some hawks including one new one, Broad-winged Hawk,

for the trip. The weather started to turn against us with some rain drops beginning to fall. We left the tower and explored

the trails and ponds on the landward side the tower. We tested out our identification skills on some eclipse plumage Blue-

winged Teal and many American Wigeon.


We left Cape May Point SP, picked up some sandwiches and headed towards our last venue, Jakes Landing. This spot is

known for sparrows and rails. In the winter time it’s a great spot for owls, especially Short-eared Owls. We tried to call in

both the Seaside and Saltmarsh sparrows but all we got were two birds that popped up and then disappeared. All the time we

were looking for sparrows an adult male Northern Harrier flew over the marsh. We forced ourselves to leave this spot and

head back to the city. We exited the van at 23rd St, NYC, at about 7pm. A great trip had by all!


SPECIES SEEN ~ NYCA


Pied-billed Grebe

Double-crested Cormorant

Great Blue Heron

Great Egret

Tricolored Heron

Little Blue Heron

Snowy Egret

Green Heron

Black-crowned Night-Heron

Yellow-crowned Night-Heron

Mute Swan

Canada Goose

American Wigeon

Mallard

Blue-winged Teal

Northern Shoveler

Ruddy Duck

Turkey Vulture

Osprey

Bald Eagle

Northern Harrier

Sharp-shinned Hawk

Cooper's Hawk

Broad-winged Hawk

Red-tailed Hawk

American Kestrel

Merlin

Peregrine Falcon

Killdeer

Greater Yellowlegs

Willet

Sanderling

Dunlin

Ring-billed Gull

Great Black-backed Gull

Herring Gull

Laughing Gull

Royal Tern

Forster's Tern

Rock Pigeon

Mourning Dove

Belted Kingfisher

Downy Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Eastern Phoebe

Tree Swallow

Golden-crowned Kinglet

Carolina Wren

House Wren

Gray Catbird

Northern Mockingbird

Blue Jay

American Crow

Fish Crow

European Starling

Red-eyed Vireo

Northern Parula

Magnolia Warbler

Cape May Warbler

Black-throated Blue Warbler

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Palm Warbler

Blackpoll Warbler

Savannah Sparrow

Swamp Sparrow

White-throated Sparrow

Northern Cardinal

Red-winged Blackbird

Brown-headed Cowbird

House Sparrow


Species seen - 70

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