Friday, January 29, 2010

Greater White-fronted Goose + Marsh Raptor Survey Results

Brian Johnson found a Greater White-fronted Goose at Tuckahoe WMA yesterday, on the middle impoundment. Tuckahoe is in northern Cape May County, and is well covered in Bill Boyle's book Birdfinding in New Jersey and Clay and Pat Suttons Birds and Birding in Cape May. With the cold snap (it feels like winter again in a big way!) it is possible that the impoundments will freeze again, and regardless goose flocks move around, so the upshot is check all the goose flocks you see!

Tuckahoe is one of the 15 sites surveyed during CMBO's Winter Marsh Raptor Survey. The first survey of 2010 was January 23, and results from that are now up on View from the Field.

Speaking of winter raptors, a couple of raptor events are coming up. The annual Cumberland County Eagle Festival will be February 6, featuring indoor exhibits and programs at the Mauricetown Fire Hall as well as eagle viewing sites with CMBO Interpretive Naturalists on hand with spotting scopes to point out eagles and other birds.

CMBO's Wintering Hawks, Eagles and Owls Workshop (follow the link and scroll down to view workshop details) February 13-15 will immerse participants in raptor-rich southern NJ over President's Weekend. Megan Crew will be leading this with me, and we'll try to track down good views of many species, including at least one nocturnal session for Eastern Screech-owl and other species.

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