A Weekend at the Villas

Friends of ours have a second home in The Villas, a small town in Cape May County, New Jersey.

And Cape May is prime birding territory.

And May is prime birding time. Warbler migration time.

So when they asked if we wanted to come down for the weekend Patty said yes before they finished the question.

The weekend started in disappointing fashion. A DVOC bird banding trip to Rushton Farm in Pennsylvania, with Patty as leader, was rained out at the last minute. Fortunately we had spent the night at my sister's place, eleven minutes from Ruston Farm, rather than the two hours from our place. And thus we didn't need to wake up at o'dark-thirty to bethere on time. So after a cup of coffee we bid my sister and family adieu and headed off to rainy Cape May.

Carolina Wren

There were reports of a Snow Bunting at the Cape May Hawk Watch. A bird that breeds in the high arctic and has no business being in New Jersey in May. We went to look for it.

When we arrived it was still raining. So we stood under the hawk watch platform, along with a few other folks, in an attempt to stay dry. We did not see the snow bunting. Nor stay dry.

We did see a bunch of Mute Swans. And some swallows. And a few ducks and egrets.

After the rain let up and we had walked the trails at Cape May Point State Park, we headed over to the Villas. To an old golf course, Ponderlodge, which has been converted into a wildlife management area.

Red-bellied Turtle

Cox Hall Creek WMA to be specific.

Solitary Sandpiper

It is located just a few blocks from our friends' place.

Lessor Yellowlegs

There we ran into a group of birders from outside of Boston, down for a long birding weekend in Cape May and vicinity. It was their first visit to Cox Hall Creek and we were able to help get them oriented. And they in turn helped get us a nice variety of warblers.

Black and White Warbler

Later, after helping a fellow from Kansas lost on the trails unable to find his way back to his car, we looked for the reported Red-headed Woodpeckers. Again no luck. So we headed off for some pizza. After which a nightcap back at the house. And then off to dreamland.

The next morning we headed off to Higbee Beach WMA in Cape May. Hoping for more warblers.

Blue Grosbeak

We would be disappointed. Even the Bostonians couldn't help. It seems we were at the wrong end of the state. Sandy Hook National Recreation Area was the place to be that morning.

We did see Patty's favorite mammal, after cats that is.

Virginia Opossum 

We spent of few hours at Higbee, and saw some stuff. But nowhere near what we had hoped.

We then went back to the house and had a nice breakfast. And then a walk on the beach. It was a nice weekend despite the rain and the missed birds.

So until next time.

Laughing Gull

Bye!

Lost

The small bird in the center of the image below is a Whiskered Tern.

I saw it on a beach in Cape May, New Jersey on September 20, 2014.

It's relatively small, has a black cap, a reddish bill, and is overall grayish (bigafy the image to see it).

And it doesn't belong on this beach. In fact, it is only the third member of its species to be recorded in North America, the previous sightings being in 1993 and 1998 (both also in Cape May). It belongs in Eurasia. And that can be a problem.

If a bird is this far from home it may be because its internal "GPS" is broken. This is likely the case with birds that arrive here in New Jersey in the fall from western North America. Their internal compass may be 90° off, thus instead of flying south they fly east. And after passing through New Jersey they continue out to sea, thinking they are heading across the Gulf of Mexico when actually flying out over the Atlantic Ocean. The ending is generally not a happy one.

The situation with the tern may not be as dire. Terns are long distance fliers, Whiskered Terns migrate up to 5000 miles each year. Thus this one may return south and cross the Atlantic to Africa. No worse off than any of the many others who visit to Cape May each year.

" ... Like Something From a Scifi Movie ..."

That's how she described these creatures as she drew out a map for where we could find them. "They were on both sides of the trail" she told us, "they seem to prefer the smaller bayberry bushes."

So off we went to Cape May Point State Park.

And we found them, right where she said they would be.

My first view was looking down on it like this. Curious looking to say the least.

A bit easier to figure out what it is from the side.

Stinging Rose Caterpillar, Parsa indetermina, yellow morph.

And orange morph. Not your ordinary caterpillars.

With the bright colors they were easy to spot, assuming one knew where (and to) look form them.

And that's the key, knowing to look for them.

Amazingly, despite us both squatting and kneeling in the bayberry bushes right on the side of the trail, looking and photographing, not a single passerby inquired as to what we were doing. What we were seeing. How many times have I walked blindly by some amazing creature or phenomena, totally oblivious to wonders around me?

The world is a wondrous magical place. So get out and look around.

Snow Storm

The irruption of snowy owls continues this winter although eventually these magnificent creatures will head back north to stake out territories and breed. But we are enjoying it while it lasts. Case in point was this owl we saw at The Meadows in Cape May last Saturday.

The bird was on the dunes overlooking the Delaware Bay, big white blob easily spotted.

As we walked down the beach a small group assembled to view the bird, with a variety of optical equipment. Bins, scopes, cameras with lenses large and small.

For the most part the bird paid us no mind. Quietly sitting and looking about. But eventually it decided it had had enough of the paparazzi and headed off to town, landing on the roof of a distant building. We would later drive through town looking for the bird, to no avail.

But we had gotten very good looks at regular but usually rare visitor to these parts.

~~~~~~~~~

If you've not gone out to see one of these owls time may be running out as eventually they will head back north. The birds are easy to find and once they find a spot to their liking they tend to stay. And an owl may be nearer than you think. I've seen one not ten miles from my home, at the Philadelphia airport. To find an owl near you check out Project SNOWstorm, which is tracking the owls along the east coast of the US. Good luck and good birding if you decide to go.

Dove

The afore mentioned bird 353, white-winged dove.

I  woke Monday morning, expecting to take a leisurely drive down to Cape May to get Patty a white-winged dove for her big year contest. And then maybe see a snowy owl (we did), have a nice lunch, and then head home to relax.

Patty had other plans.

We drove down and as we rounded the corner to where the bird had been reported we saw several friends standing on the side of the road. "It's right there in the tree" they said. And it was. Another bird far form home, although in this case home is the American Southwest down through Central America.

And then it was off to find a rough-legged hawk, a whooper swan, and a cinnamon teal. All birds that were far from home. No lunch. In fact we didn't get home until dinner time. But we got all the birds.

Snowy

There has been an irruption of snowy owls this year, with birds being seen in places like North Carolina, Bermuda, and even Florida.

These are birds of the Arctic Tundra that occasionally wander as far south as New Jersey.

But this year there have been over two dozen birds spotted here in New Jersey. With ten (the previous record for the entire year was fifteen!) found in a single day on the souther end of Long Beach Island.

Crazy.

I finally ventured out to see one this past Monday as Patty and I traveled to Cape May as part of her Big Year. After she got bird number 353 (white winged dove) we walked up the street and over the dunes to the beach.

A small group with scopes was at the end of the wooden walkway. Watching a bird that was making itself at home on a beach far far from its species normal haunts in Northern Canada.

The prevailing thoughts are that this was a very good breeding year for snowy owls, with nests of up to eleven young. Once the birds have grown the parents send them on their way, forcing them to find their own territories. As the older birds have established territories, the younger birds are forces to travel far and wide to find a place of their own to spend the winter.

And thus the spectacle in New Jersey and all across the northeastern US. This is a once in a lifetime experience. So if you're in the neighborhood you really should go out to see one of these magnificent creatures. And take your kids, tell them your going to see Harry Potter's owl.

Good Birding!

Ambassadors

As part of Patty's Bob Billings Big Year quest, we often found ourselves in Cape May. And one such time coincided with the New Jersey Audubon Fall Cape May Weekend and The Bird Show. Where we got to see a number of friends.

And where we encountered several birds of prey.

Including this red-tailed hawk.

This long-eared owl.

And this eastern screech owl.

As you can see all three are sitting on gloved hands. They are all residents of Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge. Sadly, they are all permanent residents, having injuries or behaviors that preclude their being returned to the wild. So to earn their keep they travel to bird shows, green festivals, and other nature oriented events serving as ambassadors from their world to ours.

Most people would never have the opportunity to to be this close to one of these magnificent creatures. Mainly because the bird wouldn't hang around. But these three are old hands at this. And the crowd milling about at the Cape May Convention Center didn't faze them at all. For the time we were there they sat quietly and looked back at the people looking at them.

Most of the folks at the Bird Show were there because they cared about birds. So these three didn't gain many converts to the cause of protecting wildlife and wildlife habit that day. But as they travel about and people encounter them up close and personal as the cliche goes, they hopefully get a better appreciation for the fellow residents of our world.  And in turn will help make our world a better place for them and us.

Royalty

The text message was sort and to the point: Monarchs are roosting in Cape May.

It was migration season and we had been debating a trip to the Cape. The weather wan't great and it's a two hour trip.

But the text changed things.

And off we went.

After a brief stop at a magic tree full of warblers we found the roost.

There were thousands of butterflies.

Curious orange leaves on the pine trees.

All on their way to a place they've never been. A mountain top in Mexico. To spend the winter. And then start this incredible journey all over again.

The monarchs mate in spring and the first generation heads north to the US and Canada. But that first generation makes it just to the US border, where they mate and lay their eggs. The caterpillars, which feed exclusively on milkweed, eat and eat and eat, and then form a chrysalis. Out of which comes generation two which continues the journey north. Six generations later it is time to go back. These great great great great grand children return to that mountain in Mexico.

Absolutely incredible.

The journey is not without its dangers, which is why they are here. The butterflies need to cross the Delaware Bay, but the winds are against them. So they land. And wait. And more land. And more. And more. Until there is a quarter mile of monarchs.

Imagine what it must be like in Mexico with monarch from all across the US and Canada coming to roost.

Other dangers include severe weather, habit loss, and predators.

And tragically the roosting sites in Mexico are under increasing pressure from an growing yet very poor population, who see the trees as a resource to cut down. And not a home to a wondrous insect.

But it was easy to forget all that immersed in the spectacle around us.

I'm quite pleased we got that text.

Sunset

It's over.

Blue Flash

Not long before the images in the prior post I took these. The bit of blue at the top of the sun appear to me to be the elusive cloud top blue flash or blue rim. What do you think?

As always, click any image to bigafy it.