Back Bay Birding by Boat on the Osprey - Monday, May 17 2010

Dave Lord reports:

"The Back Bays of Cape May are alive with activity, as Monday morning's Back Bay Birding by Boat cruise on the Osprey could attest to. Great movements of Whimbrel were witnesed, as were the large pushes of Black-Bellied Plover, most of which were in their breeding plumes. Seaside Sparrows were had at a local colony, and many Oystercatchers were seen to do their courtship displays. In the afternoon, a Black Scoter was seen, along with a Black Skimmer. Multipule Yellow Crowned Night Herons were being very showy as well."

ocation: Cape May County Back Bay
Observation date: 5/17/10
Number of species: 34

Brant 235
American Black Duck 2
Mallard 8
Double-crested Cormorant 375
Great Egret 54
Snowy Egret 26
Tricolored Heron 1
Black-crowned Night-Heron 12
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron 1
Turkey Vulture 8
Osprey 19
Clapper Rail 7
Black-bellied Plover 175
Semipalmated Plover 6
American Oystercatcher 18
Spotted Sandpiper 9
Willet 23
Whimbrel 72
Ruddy Turnstone 9
Semipalmated Sandpiper 23
Least Sandpiper 4
Dunlin 156
Short-billed Dowitcher 80
Laughing Gull 375
Herring Gull 142
Great Black-backed Gull 9
Least Tern 3
Common Tern 50
Forster's Tern 115
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 1
Barn Swallow 10
Yellow Warbler 2
Common Yellowthroat 4
Song Sparrow 4