Higbee Walk Results, Notes from Around the County

Higbee Beach highlights this morning were two singing Winter Wrens in the woods east of the second field, at least a dozen Blue-Gray Gnatcatchers, 3 Rusty Blackbirds back by the pond, 6 Common Loons overhead, and two Sharp-shinned Hawks. I clicked Carolina Wrens today, and came up with 22. The full list is at the bottom of this post.

Yesterday's Belleplain walk had some excitement: "CMBO Walk at Belleplain. Nice morning with temps ranging from 31 to 60 degrees. Got the usual suspects for early in the season, i.e., Pine and Yellow-throated Warblers, a 1st spring female Hooded Warbler which was an interesting ID, and Louisiana Waterthrush. An interesting highlight occurred while watching a grassy plot with Robins and Chipping Sparrows. An adult Cooper's Hawk flashed in and grabbed a robin and then flew off to enjoy his prey. Turkey(s) were seen in three different areas. - Karl, Jim, Tom, Patty, Bert"

A Whip-poor-will was calling at Jake's Landing on Wednesday, according to Karen Johnson, and Marleen Murgitroyde reports there was another at Hidden Valley this morning. Two Short-eared Owl's remain at Jake's Landing. And the two Snow Geese lingering with Canadas along Steven's Street near the Beanery in Cape May seem poised to be the ones checked off in the coming World Series of Birding, which is May 9.

[Merlin, Villas WMA on Thursday, photo by Kevin P.Inman.]

[Northern Gannets streaming past Avalon on Thursday. . .left to right means headed south, obviously not birds ready to head for their nesting colonies yet. Photo by Kevin P. Inman.]

Location: Higbee Beach
Observation date: 4/10/09
Notes: CMBO Friday Higbee Walk
Number of species: 42
Canada Goose 5
Mallard 2
Common Loon 6
Double-crested Cormorant 110
Great Blue Heron 2
Snowy Egret 1
Osprey 2
Sharp-shinned Hawk 2
Greater Yellowlegs 1
Laughing Gull 25
Herring Gull 2
Forster's Tern 1
Mourning Dove 20
Red-bellied Woodpecker 5
Downy Woodpecker 8
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 3
Eastern Phoebe 1
Blue Jay 5
American Crow 10
Fish Crow 2
Tree Swallow 2
Carolina Chickadee 15
Tufted Titmouse 5
Carolina Wren 22 actual count with clicker
Winter Wren 2 singing
Golden-crowned Kinglet 2
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 12
Hermit Thrush 2
American Robin X
Gray Catbird 1
Brown Thrasher 6
Yellow-rumped Warbler 20
Eastern Towhee 8
Field Sparrow 8
Song Sparrow 5
White-throated Sparrow 25
Northern Cardinal 10
Red-winged Blackbird X
Rusty Blackbird 3
Common Grackle X
Brown-headed Cowbird 20
American Goldfinch 1