Cape May 10/26-10/29--Eurasian Wigeon, Crested Caracara, Pine Siskin, Eastern Meadowlark

Wilson's Snipe with Canada Goose

Shari & I spent a few days in Cape May, enjoying a few perfect weather days while we birded the usual hot spots on Cape Island (the area below the Cape May Canal which effectively turned the peninsula into an island during WWII).  

The first place to go in the fall in Cape May is the Hawkwatch Platform, famous for its migrating raptors, but apparently the winds have not been propitious--though even when they were, the day before we arrived, the hawkwatching and counting was slow. But on the 2nd day we went there we did get distant but distinct looks at the Crested Caracara that has been floating around the area for the last week or so. It was one of the two rarities that I saw reported in the county. The other was a Golden-crowned Sparrow up in Villas in the backyard of a well-known birder. You had to make an appointment to see the bird (assuming it showed up). I don't make appointments to see birds. 

Right before we saw the caracara, we had two fly by year birds--a buzzy Pine Siskin zipped by, and then, a few minutes later, an Eastern Meadowlark flew toward the dunes and the bunker. A lot of siskins have been reported this season, seemingly they're in irruption, but I've managed to avoid them all until yesterday. 

The day before that on the platform I was scanning the ducks in the pond and in among the 50 or so American Wigeons I picked out a Eurasian Wigeon in the scope. Where we live it would be a rarity. Down there in Cape May it doesn't even rate an "infrequently reported" dot on the eBird list. 

You'll notice that there are no pictures of these birds--the caracara was half a mile away, the siskin and the meadowlark were two-second appearances over the hawkwatch, and the wigeon was too distant on the pond for any photos. 

Yellow-rumped Warbler

For the two full days, one afternoon and one morning on the island/peninsula I had 66 species. Not a lot, but I'll take the 4 year-birds. As an aside, if you like Yellow-rumped Warblers, Cape May these last few days was Butterbutt Central. 

Species                First Sighting
Canada Goose   South Cape May Meadows
Mute Swan   Cape May Point SP
Wood Duck   Lily Lake
Gadwall   Cape May Point SP
Eurasian Wigeon   CMPSP Hawkwatch Platform
American Wigeon   Cape May Point SP
Mallard   South Cape May Meadows
American Black Duck   South Cape May Meadows
Northern Pintail   Cape May Point SP
Green-winged Teal   South Cape May Meadows
Ring-necked Duck   Lily Lake
Surf Scoter   Whilldin Ave. dune crossing
White-winged Scoter   Whilldin Ave. dune crossing
Black Scoter   Sunset Beach/Concrete Ship
Bufflehead   Cape May Point SP
Mourning Dove   Sandpiper Inn
American Coot   CMPSP Hawkwatch Platform
Wilson's Snipe   South Cape May Meadows
Lesser Yellowlegs   South Cape May Meadows
Greater Yellowlegs   South Cape May Meadows
Pectoral Sandpiper   South Cape May Meadows
Semipalmated Sandpiper   South Cape May Meadows
American Herring Gull   Cape May (city)
Great Black-backed Gull   Cape May (city)
Forster's Tern   Sunset Beach/Concrete Ship
Royal Tern   Sandpiper Inn
Pied-billed Grebe   Lily Lake
Northern Gannet   Whilldin Ave. dune crossing
Double-crested Cormorant   Sunset Beach/Concrete Ship
White Ibis   Cape May Point SP
Great Egret   South Cape May Meadows
Great Blue Heron   Sandpiper Inn
Black Vulture   Cape May Point SP
Turkey Vulture   South Cape May Meadows
Sharp-shinned Hawk   CMPSP Hawkwatch Platform
Cooper's Hawk   CMPSP Hawkwatch Platform
Red-tailed Hawk   CMPSP Hawkwatch Platform
Belted Kingfisher   South Cape May Meadows
Red-bellied Woodpecker   Cape May Point SP
Northern Flicker   South Cape May Meadows
Crested Caracara   CMPSP Hawkwatch Platform
Blue Jay   Cape May Point SP
American Crow   South Cape May Meadows
Common Raven   CMPSP Hawkwatch Platform
Carolina Chickadee   Sandpiper Inn
Tree Swallow   Sandpiper Inn
Ruby-crowned Kinglet   South Cape May Meadows
Northern House Wren   South Cape May Meadows
Carolina Wren   South Cape May Meadows
European Starling   Sandpiper Inn
Gray Catbird   Cape May Point SP
Northern Mockingbird   Sandpiper Inn
Hermit Thrush   South Cape May Meadows
American Robin   South Cape May Meadows
House Sparrow   Cape May (city)
House Finch   South Cape May Meadows
Pine Siskin   CMPSP Hawkwatch Platform
American Goldfinch   South Cape May Meadows
White-throated Sparrow   South Cape May Meadows
Song Sparrow   CMPSP Hawkwatch Platform
Swamp Sparrow   South Cape May Meadows
Eastern Towhee   South Cape May Meadows
Eastern Meadowlark   CMPSP Hawkwatch Platform
Common Grackle   South Cape May Meadows
Palm Warbler   South Cape May Meadows
Yellow-rumped Warbler   Cape May (city)
Northern Cardinal   South Cape May Meadows