Cape May Trip report 2013-

We flew in to Newark ( again)  and drove down to the Cape. We went later this year to get a different mix of spp- more sparrows if possible. There were still a helluva lot of mozzies about ( even on drizzly days it was 63 degs) .

Morning flights at Higbee where migrants are watched heading North to get around Delaware bay and save a south west sea crossing still had numbers of warblers although our total trip list was only just 150  but did include some sea-watching on windy days and added some extra seabirds.

Days 1-6;

American Redstarts, Slate colored junco, Yellow bellied Sapsucker were stand out birds from the usual plethora of Flickers and Yellow rumped warblers. Also a stray American Avocet, 7 Stilt Sandpipers, 5 Pectoral Sandpipers and  a single Brown Creeper. Many Scoter passing- Surf and Black with RB mergs, Gannets and Arctic Skuas .  Odd good birds included American Golden Plover, Little Blue and Tri-colored Herons, a close Solitary Sandpiper and a fly-by Ruby throated Hummer .

Raptors included big No's of Peregrines (  70+ a day)  Ospreys every hour , Broad winged, Red tailed ( scarce) and Red Shouldered Hawks.  Sharp shinned and Cooper's Hawks were commonplace on passage. We missed a European Wigeon - YIPPEEE But found a Ring Necked Duck.

Days 7-8

After the wind shifted to a more migrant productive direction we had big No's of Flickers, Parulas, Ruby Crowned and Golden Crowned Kinglets, White Eyed Vireos, Swamp Sparrows, a single Lincolns Sparrow, Grey Cheeked Thrush, Towhees, Nashville Warbler, - found 10 spp of warbler around a small dried out pond right next to the car park - Birding Rule 1!

Following a small feeding flock along a suburban road in light drizzle  we  located 10 Parulas, 6 Blackpolls, 3 Black throated Greens, 2 Black Throated Blues, a Bay Breasted, 15 Yellow Rumpeds, 2 B&W,   3 Yellowthroats and 5 Magnolia Warblers in 40 mins.

Other nearby sites we visited gave us Scarlet Tanager, Pine Warbler,  Chipping Sparrow, Bluebird, and Horned Lark on the local  airport runway.

Days 9-10

Rain moved in on a NE wind but as well as warblers trapped by the circulating storm flow masses of Swamp and Savannah Sparrows arrived and Mrs S re-located a Bairds Sandpiper at the Cape May meadows  ; also present  a Greater Scaup, White Rumped Sandpiper, Pectoral,  Least,  Stilt and Western  Sandpiper and  Ruddy Duck .

On the last day Mrs S found our only Yellow Throated Vireo right outside the Cape May Observatory.

S

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