POOR MAN'S PELAGIC - March 25, 2017

Thirty participants turned out for a very rewarding Special Field Trip on the Cape May-Lewes Ferry. Ably led by Karen Johnson, Brian Johnson, Janet Crawford and Barb Bassett, there was lots to see and the weather was beautiful. There were many highlights, including hundreds of Black and Surf Scoters, lines of Northern Gannets passing, Red-throated Loons, Iceland Gull, American Oystercatchers, Purple Sandpipers, Peregrine Falcon, seals, dolphins, and more!!! A full list of the 36 species observed appears below.

For those looking to see more of the same, join the Springwatch counters at the Coral Ave. dune crossing in Cape May Point, every morning into May, follow the count at Trektellen.org, or sign up for the Cape May School of Birding Springwatch Workshop with Tom Reed on April 15 - Cape May School of Birding.

Black Scoters

Northern Gannets

Surf Scoter

Northern Gannets

Harbor Seal and Great Black-backed Gulls

Cape May Inversion

Field Trip Checklist:

Brant - 28

Mute Swan - 1

American Black Duck - 3

Surf Scoter - 500+

Black Scoter - 500+

Bufflehead - 9

Red-breasted Merganser - 1

Red-throated Loon - 50+

Common Loon - 3

Horned Grebe - 3

Northern Gannet - 100+

Double-crested Cormorant - 37

Great Blue Heron - 3

Great Egret - 1

Black Vulture - 1

Turkey Vulture - 26

Osprey - 1

Northern Harrier - 1

Bald Eagle - 2

American Oystercatcher - 2

Sanderling - 2

Purple Sandpiper - 2

Bonaparte's Gull - 9

Laughing Gull - 38

Ring-billed Gull - 3

Herring Gull - 250+

Iceland Gull - 1

Lesser Black-backed Gull - 1

Great Black-backed Gull - 35

Rock Pigeon - 17

Peregrine Falcon - 1

Fish Crow - 5

Tree Swallow - 2

Carolina Wren - 1

European Starling - 10

House Sparrow - 2