Thursday, August 28, 2008

State Park highlights: Black Terns, Brown Pelican, a couple kestrels

This morning's Bird Walk for All People, with about 10 adults and more than that many children, enjoyed a Garter Snake (thanks to Richard Crossley, who put us on to it) and a bunch of nice birds. Tree Swallows swirled, and two Black Terns settled in on the Bunker Pond island. A Little Blue Heron foraged in the pond with Pectoral Sandpiper and the other usual shorebirds. Bert Hixon picked out a Brown Pelican passing offshore. A very cooperative Green Heron continues in the second plover pond. The full list is below.

Marc Breslow was on the hawk watch platform this morning and reported that 2 American Kestrels had passed. Our interpreters and hawk counter arrive in town today, in preparation for the offical hawk watch season which begins on Monday, September 1.


Location: Cape May Point SP
Observation date: 8/28/08
Notes: CMBO Bird Walk for All People.
Number of species: 44
Canada Goose 50
Mute Swan 6
Mallard 25
Blue-winged Teal 8
Brown Pelican 1
Double-crested Cormorant 1
Little Blue Heron 2
Green Heron 1
Glossy Ibis 1
Turkey Vulture 2
Osprey 5
Semipalmated Plover 10
Killdeer 2
Spotted Sandpiper 1
Greater Yellowlegs 1
Lesser Yellowlegs 5
Sanderling 10
Semipalmated Sandpiper 20
Least Sandpiper 5
Pectoral Sandpiper 2
Short-billed Dowitcher 2
Laughing Gull X
Ring-billed Gull 1
Herring Gull X
Lesser Black-backed Gull 2
Great Black-backed Gull X
Least Tern 10
Black Tern 2
Forster's Tern 20
Royal Tern 5
Black Skimmer 25
Rock Pigeon 4
Mourning Dove 5
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 5
Fish Crow 1
Purple Martin 5
Tree Swallow 150
Barn Swallow 25
Carolina Wren 5
Northern Mockingbird 1
Cedar Waxwing 1
Red-winged Blackbird 10
Brown-headed Cowbird 10
House Sparrow X

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