BirdCapeMay.org

From Dave Lord et. al.:

"The well attended Sunday Morning at Turkey Point began with a blustery 35 degree wind that made the bridge a bit cold. The usually productive road end was quiet, with only a few harriers and a Peregrine alone to brighten things up, so we all braved the rather mucky Bald Eagle Trail. A good thing too, because it yielded great looks at mature Bald Eagles, Green-Winged Teal, and Northern Pintails. We all enjoyed a look at a coyote den, and an Eastern Comma butterfly, one that overwinters as an adult, put in an appearance - the first butterfly of the season for many observers. Red-tailed Hawk copulation was observed at Beaver Dam, and we found an immature Golden Eagle fighting with a Bald. This was a different bird than the adult which has been seen. We finished up with a pre-breakfast Dark Morph Rough-Legged Hawk at Newport Landing. Dave Lord (Karen, Brian, Janet, Tony)"

Location: Glades Wildlife Refuge--Turkey Point
Observation date: 3/7/10
Notes: Sunday Morning Turkey Point Walk. Golden Eagle Immature with easily observable band about tail; different bird than two weeks ago which was adult. Rough-legged seen at Newport Landing.
Number of species: 30

Snow Goose 1100
Canada Goose 100
Mute Swan 3
American Wigeon 3
American Black Duck 35
Northern Pintail 5
Green-winged Teal 10
Bufflehead 90
Hooded Merganser 2
Wild Turkey 2
Great Blue Heron 3
Turkey Vulture 12
Bald Eagle 8
Northern Harrier 11
Red-tailed Hawk 2
Golden Eagle 1
Ring-billed Gull 5
Herring Gull 16
Red-bellied Woodpecker 2
Downy Woodpecker 2
Northern Flicker 1
Blue Jay 1
American Crow 3
Carolina Wren 2
American Robin 45
American Pipit 3
Yellow-rumped Warbler 8
White-throated Sparrow 11
Northern Cardinal 2
Red-winged Blackbird 40

Location: Newport Landing Road
Observation date: 3/7/10
Notes: Breakfast at Waterfront. Dark-Morph Rough-legged seen over Money Island.
Number of species: 6

Snow Goose 450
American Black Duck 3
Great Blue Heron 2
Bald Eagle 3
Northern Harrier 3
Rough-legged Hawk 1

DAve Lord et. al. report:
"Tonight's Woodcock Dance brought 17 people out to experince that wonderful herald of spring: displaying American Woodcocks. After an informative lecture and powerpoint put on by Karen Johnson and Janet Crawford, the group headed to Kimble's Beach Road where the woodcocks gave us a great show despite the winds. 7 Woodcocks were heard peenting, and three gave us very intimate views as they flew around. Karen Johnson, Janet Crawford, Chuck + Mary Jane Slugg, and Dave Lord led."

Location: Kimble's Beach
Observation date: 3/6/10
Number of species: 7
American Black Duck 3
American Woodcock 7
Mourning Dove 4
Great Horned Owl 2
American Robin 175
Eastern Towhee 1
Northern Cardinal 2

Karl Lukens et. al. report:

"CMBO Birding Cape May Point Walk. Good ducks, good raptors, good weather. The 2 drake Eurasian Wigeon and the drake Redhead were on Lighthouse Pond (east and west) this morning with many Am. Wigeon, Mallards, Shovelers, and a few Hooded Mergansers and Gadwall. The Black Scoters are close in around the point and giving their mournful call. Raptors were lead by 8 Red-tailed Hawks, a Red-shoulder, and a Sharp-shinned Hawk, with numerous Black and Turkey Vultures. Usual passerine subjects including good looks at Fox Sparrows. -Karl (Chuck, Mary Jane, Kathy, Roger, Steve, David, Tom)"

Location: Cape May Point
Observation date: 3/6/10
Notes: CMBO Trip-K,C&MJ,SW,DL,K&RH,T,+3.Clr,34,W10.
Number of species: 45

Canada Goose 8
Mute Swan 6
Tundra Swan 5
Gadwall 4
Eurasian Wigeon 2 drakes-Lighthouse Pond
American Wigeon 50
American Black Duck 2
Mallard 15
Northern Shoveler 12
Redhead 1 drake-Lighthouse Pond east
Ring-necked Duck 10
Black Scoter 50 close and calling
Long-tailed Duck 1
Hooded Merganser 3
Red-throated Loon 15
Black Vulture 20
Turkey Vulture 15
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1
Red-shouldered Hawk 1
Red-tailed Hawk 8
American Coot 20
Killdeer 1
Herring Gull 15
Rock Pigeon 10
Mourning Dove 15
Red-bellied Woodpecker 2
Blue Jay 5
American Crow 2
Carolina Chickadee 12
Tufted Titmouse 2
Carolina Wren 3
American Robin 5
Gray Catbird 1
Northern Mockingbird 2
European Starling 15
Yellow-rumped Warbler 5
Fox Sparrow 5
Song Sparrow 4
White-throated Sparrow 20
Dark-eyed Junco 2
Northern Cardinal 6
Red-winged Blackbird 5
Common Grackle 10
House Finch 6
House Sparrow 10

Karl Lukens et. al. report:

"First CMBO Winter Evening at the Meadows. Good ducks but short on passerines. Ended the walk with 6-8 Woodcock peenting and displaying at the parking lot. - Karl (Chuck, Mary Jane, David, Roger)"

Location: South Cape May Meadows
Observation date: 3/5/10
Notes: CMBO Trip-K,C&MJ,DL,RH,+7.PtlyCldy,42,W8.
Number of species: 23
Brant 1
Canada Goose 15
Mute Swan 15
American Wigeon 10
American Black Duck 2
Mallard 10
Northern Shoveler 2
Northern Pintail 8
Green-winged Teal 15
Black Scoter 20
Hooded Merganser 6
Great Blue Heron 1
Turkey Vulture 1
Bald Eagle 1 seen by Roger
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1
Sanderling 35
American Woodcock 8 end of walk. peenting, displaying.
Herring Gull 20
Mourning Dove 1
American Crow 1
Carolina Wren 1 heard
European Starling 5
Red-winged Blackbird 8

Dave lord et. al. report:

"With a hardly auspicious beginning, namely snow, the Turkey Point yielded great birds. Three Short-Eared Owls were seen flying around the Peregrine hacking tower, and the Peregrine even visited the tower when a Short-Eared was flying by. We had five Bald Eagles without leaving the road end, and two Red-Tailed Hakws were seen mixing it up with one Eagle that came too close. The Harriers put in a nice showing after last weeks sparser numbers, and the Snow Geese Movement was terrific. - Dave Lord."

Location: Glades Wildlife Refuge--Turkey Point
Observation date: 2/28/10
Notes: CMBO Sunday Morning at Turkey Point. Snow at the beginning of walk, rain afterward. Pleasant 40 degrees. Karen Johnson, Janet Crawford, Chuck Slugg, Mary Jane Slugg, Dave Lord were leaders.
Number of species: 35

Snow Goose 8500
Canada Goose 250
Mute Swan 6
American Black Duck 75
Northern Pintail 12
Green-winged Teal 18
Bufflehead 17
Common Merganser 8
Ruddy Duck 2
Great Blue Heron 8
Black Vulture 4
Turkey Vulture 3
Bald Eagle 9
Northern Harrier 19
Red-tailed Hawk 3
American Kestrel 1
Peregrine Falcon 1
Herring Gull 125
Great Black-backed Gull 4
Mourning Dove 6
Short-eared Owl 3
Red-bellied Woodpecker 2
Downy Woodpecker 3
Northern Flicker 2
Blue Jay 1
American Crow 12
Horned Lark 4
American Robin 55
Northern Mockingbird 2
European Starling X
Yellow-rumped Warbler 4
Dark-eyed Junco 6
Northern Cardinal 2
Red-winged Blackbird 64
Boat-tailed Grackle 5

Karl Lukens et. al. report:

"CMBO Birding Cape May Point Walk. Cloudy, Cold and windy but still good for ducks. Both drake Eurasian Wigeon were on Lighthouse Pond west as well as Am Wigeon, Gadwall, Shovelers, and Hooded Mergansers. Lily Lake had a number of Am Coots and Ring-necked Ducks. The Peregrine Falcon was on the water tower at the magnesite plant (scope view). Nice looks at Fox Sparrows. - Karl (Tom, Warren, David)"

Location: Cape May Point
Observation date: 2/27/10
Notes: CMBO Trip-K,WC,T,DL,+1.Cldy,32,WSW18.
Number of species: 41
Mute Swan 4
Gadwall 5
Eurasian Wigeon 2 drakes
American Wigeon 40
Mallard 20
Northern Shoveler 12
Ring-necked Duck 15
Black Scoter 30
Hooded Merganser 10
Black Vulture 1
Turkey Vulture 3
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1
Cooper's Hawk 1 /p
Red-shouldered Hawk 1 heard - seen by D Lord after walk
Peregrine Falcon 1 water tower mag. plant
American Coot 15
Killdeer 1 heard - 10 seen by KL after walk
Herring Gull 12
Great Black-backed Gull 2
Rock Pigeon 2
Mourning Dove 10
Red-bellied Woodpecker 3
Downy Woodpecker 1
Blue Jay 8
American Crow 10
Carolina Chickadee 4
Tufted Titmouse 1
American Robin 50
Gray Catbird 1 heard
Northern Mockingbird 1
European Starling 20
Yellow-rumped Warbler 5
Eastern Towhee 1 heard
Fox Sparrow 6
White-throated Sparrow 20
Dark-eyed Junco 1
Northern Cardinal 5
Red-winged Blackbird 5
Common Grackle 10
House Finch 12
House Sparrow 5

From Dave Lord et. al.:

"Turkey Point Participants enjoyed a lovely day in the provocative time of Late Winter. Natural wonders were all around, including a nest exchange between two Bald Eagles on a new nest toward Beaver Dam; Red-Winged Blackbirds singing their faces off; and a Golden Eagle that was seen pre-walk by a few, perched toward Fortescue Road. Karen Johnson, Janet Crawford, Karen Williams, Tony Klock, Steve Weiss and Dave Lord led."

Location: Glades Wildlife Refuge--Turkey Point
Observation date: 2/21/10
Notes: CMBO Sunday Morning Turkey Point Walk. Karen Johnson, Janet Crawford, Tony Klock, Karen Williams, Steve Weiss, Dave Lord were leaders. Golden Eagle seen pre-walk looking toward Fortescue.
Number of species: 29

Snow Goose 3500
Canada Goose 45
Mute Swan 3
American Black Duck 29
Bufflehead 16
Hooded Merganser 2
Common Merganser 4
Great Blue Heron 6
Turkey Vulture 22
Bald Eagle 11
Northern Harrier 8
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1
Golden Eagle 1
Ring-billed Gull 40
Herring Gull 45
Belted Kingfisher 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 2
American Crow 1
Carolina Chickadee 1
Hermit Thrush 1
American Robin 200
Gray Catbird 1
Brown Thrasher 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler 9
Song Sparrow 1
Red-winged Blackbird 46
Common Grackle 12