Day Three
We started the day early - sunrise at Higbee Beach for morning flight. We were expecting to see an increase in bird migration after yesterday’s weather. We were not disappointed. Our first stop was the platform. I was the first to arrive, (aside for the official counters), moments later the platform was full of birders.
Why here? After migrating during the previous night passerines (songbirds) will come upon the southeastern tip of Cape May. In front of them they see water. Rather than continuing south across the open water during daylight which would cause them to be more vulnerable to raptors, they instead, turn west and then north following the Delaware Bay coastline. Many of these birds fly just above the tree tops. Higbee Beach Wildlife Management Area is a prime location to observe this.
The morning flight begins - flocks of Cedar Waxwings fly overhead (total official morning flight count was 101). Northern Flickers fly in - 3 at a time…6 at a time, more….. sometimes landing on a branch for a moment’s rest (total official morning flight count was 290). Sharp-shinned Hawks fly overhead, catching the wind currents and occasionally diving into the foliage (total official morning flight count was 23). Large flocks of Yellow-rumped Warlbers fly overhead - this is the bird of the morning (total official morning flight count was 5,783).
Weather - Clear, NNE winds 20mph, 53 ℉
The period of time for the official Audubon bird count is: 06:49am - 12:49pm - https://njaudubon.org/watch/morning-flight/
-Select the image to view the full photograph-
Audubon morning flight counters.
Next, about 7:45am we went over to the Higbee Beach meadow area to continue with the morning flight watch. I always like to spend at least part of morning count at this spot (too bad it can’t be 7:00am multiple times in a day). The birds will sometimes land in the nearby trees and shrubs. The Yellow-rumped Warblers were flying in, hundreds of them. The highlight was seeing the Clay-colored Sparrow, it is a rare specie in Maryland (I have only seen it once before).
After it quieted down (fewer birds were flying in), we took a walk along the meadow and also into some wooded areas, 1.67 miles. We continued to see many flickers , Blue Jays, Yellow-rumped Warblers and an occasional Sharp-shinned Hawk or Osprey overhead.
Our next birding spot was South Cape May Meadows. By this time the birding was not very good; none the less, it’s a nice walk.
Weather - Clear, 60F N winds 13mph
South Cape May Meadows
At this point some of the group went off to have lunch and some of us went to the Hawk Watch at Lighthouse Point State Park. I decided to walk the Monarch Trail which parallels Shallow Pond and Plover Pond 1 before turning into the marsh and wooded areas (about 1.06 miles).
I looked for the Eurasian Wigeon which has been here over the last few years, but I did not see it. Maybe it hasn't yet arrived.
Last birding spot for the day - I met up with some of the group at the Cape May Bird Observatory – Northwood Center. We watched a pair of Black-throated Blue Warblers feeding amongst the tree branches.
Long day of birding, about 9 hours and 3.7 miles. Time to go back to the hotel, look at some pictures and get ready for a nice dinner.
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