Thursday, May 22, 2008

CAPE MAY BIRDING HOTLINE- May 22, 2008

This is the Cape May Birding Hotline, a service of New Jersey Audubon Society's Cape May Bird Observatory. This week's message was prepared on Thursday, May 22, 2008. Highlights this week include sightings of SWALLOW-TAILED KITE, CURLEW SANDPIPER, SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER, WHITE-WINGED SCOTER, HORNED GREBE, BROWN PELICAN, MISSISSIPPI KITE, BLACK-NECKED STILT, WESTERN SANDPIPER, LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER, RED-NECKED PHALAROPE, LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, GLAUCOUS GULL, BLACK TERN, OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER, WILLOW FLYCATCHER, LEAST FLYCATCHER, TENNESSEE WARBLER, CAPE MAY WARBLER, BAY-BREASTED WARBLER, KENTUCKY WARBLER, and WILSON'S WARBLER.

CURLEW SANDPIPERS continue to be seen at Heislerville WMA in Cumberland County, with a remarkable FOUR there today (2 males and 2 females). An estimated 25,000 other shorebirds were there as well.

A SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER was seen flying in from Delaware Bay at Higbee Beach WMA on 5/18, but has not been seen since.

1 SWALLOW-TAILED KITE and 2 MISSISSIPPI KITES were seen briefly over Higbee Beach WMA on the morning of 5/22.

A BLACK-NECKED STILT was seen flying over several locations in Cape May Point on 5/17. No reports since.

A first-summer GLAUCOUS GULL continues to be seen along the north dike at Brig/Forsythe NWR, the latest report on 5/21.

A RED-NECKED PHALAROPE was seen from a boat in the Intracoastal Waterway between Cape May and Wildwood Crest on 5/16.

A very rare-in-spring LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER continued at Brig/Forsythe NWR this week. An equally rare-in-spring WESTERN SANDPIPER was observed at the Wetlands Institute along Stone Harbor Boulevard on 5/18.

OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHERS were recorded this week at Higbee Beach WMA on 5/18, and at the north end of Nummy Island on 5/21.

A lingering WHITE-WINGED SCOTER and a lingering HORNED GREBE were observed in the channel at the north of Nummy Island on 5/21. A BLACK TERN was observed at the South Cape May Meadows on 5/22. A BROWN PELICAN flew past Cape May Point on 5/16.

Migrants this week at Higbee Beach WMA included 2 LEAST FLYCATCHERS and 2 WILLOW FLYCATCHERS on 5/21, WILSON'S WARBLERS on 5/21 and 5/22, KENTUCKY WARBLER on 5/22, BAY-BREASTED and TENNESSEE WARBLERS on 5/16, and CAPE MAY WARBLER on 5/16 and 5/17. A CAPE MAY WARBLER was observed at Cape May Point State Park on 5/17.

2 first-summer LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS continue in Cape May Point, most often seen at the South Cape May Meadows/CMMBR.


ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Both CMBO Centers will be CLOSED on MONDAY, MAY 26 for Memorial Day.

CMBO is offering a special to new and upgraded membership renewals. Join CMBO for the first time or upgrade from Individual or Family to The Hundred and receive Charley Harper's Migration Mainline- Cape May lithograph poster, valued at $50. Call either CMBO center to ask an associate about joining today!

******CMBO Bookstore SPRING HOURS are as follows: Northwood Center on East Lake Drive in Cape May Point will be open 7 days a week, APRIL 1 - MAY 31, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Center for Research and Education on Rt. 47 in Goshen is open Tuesday - Sunday, 9:30- 4:30.******

The Cape May Birding Hotline is a service of the New Jersey Audubon Society's Cape May Bird Observatory and details sightings from Cape May, Cumberland, and Atlantic Counties. Updates are made weekly. Please report sightings of rare or unusual birds to CMBO at 609-884-2736. Sponsorship for this hotline comes from the support of CMBO members and business members, and should you not be a member, we cordially invite you to join. Individual membership is $39 per year; $49 for families. You can call either center to become a member or visit. Become a member in person and you'll receive a FREE gift (in addition to member discount in the stores).

Good Luck and Good Birding!

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