Cape May meets with approval
Great birds and warm welcome. We left New York after a short night, they’re three hours ahead of the west coast. Driving out from JFK airport was easier than we had imagined and we made good time down to Cape May, New Jersey. Not wishing to push our luck again, we checked into our motel, the Hy-Land Motor Inn (www.hylandmotorinn.com), our home for the next four nights (four nights in one place, what luxury!) to offload all our luggage from the car before heading down to the Cape May Bird Observatory to say hello to the folks there and to orientate ourselves. Despite our turning up at what must be their busiest week of the year, that of the World Series of Birding, Sheila Lego, the Marketing Director of the New Jersey Audubon Society and Cape May Bird Observatory and one of the organisers of the World Series, was extremely welcoming and helpful and with the team at the Northwood Centre she plied us with information, maps, advice and a little bit of history about the World Series itself. Two members of one of the 120 birding teams taking part were also here having a break from a scouting mission ahead of the big day on Saturday.Having been incredibly impressed with the set-up here at Cape May, we set off to see some of its birds before the daylight ran out. A quick visit to the Hidden Valley, an area of woodland and grassland, within minutes gave us our first new bird, a spectacular male Black-throated Blue Warbler. This gem of a bird showed off right in front of us at eye level, what a great introduction to Cape May birding! Not so flashy but still new for the year was a Black Duck lurking on a small pool beneath overhanging trees. Other migrants included Great Crested Flycatcher, White-eyed Vireo and Common Yellowthroat.Moving on we headed down to the coast near the lighthouse and took a walk along the beach checking the stone piers for any bird life. Terns were numerous with Least, Common, Forster’s and Royal Terns all present. Scanning offshore produced another new bird for the year in the shape of two Arctic Skuas (Jaegers) powering by. Later either the same two or another pair were harassing terns offshore. We then noticed a large brown duck riding the surf, a female Common Eider, another new bird for our list. Just time for one more addition, a small gang of Fish Crows were seen in roadside trees giving their distinctive nasal ‘cah’ call.With our appetite well and truly whetted, we can’t wait for a full day at the Cape tomorrow.
Bird species list: 2178
Posted 8.30pm, 7th May, Cape May, New JerseyPS Check back for additional Canadian photographs posted today