My Yard ~ Birds

 Today, was a fun day in the yard with returning White-throated & Song Sparrows and Dark-eyed Junco's.  There was also a new yard bird - Hermit Thrush which is yard bird #62.

Also, this month we've had 2 other new yard birds. First, several Yellow-rumped Warbler (#61) stopped by with lots of other birds last Friday plus on Sunday there was a Northern Harrier (#60) flyover.

Hermit Thrush Yard bird #62

Song Sparrow

White-throated Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Northern Harrier #60

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Fall in Cape May, NJ ~ Birds

 Fall in Cape May Point means migrating birds & butterflies. Here are some of the birds.

Osprey

Yellow-billed Cuckoo

Rusty Blackbird

Northern Harrier

Mute Swan

American Wigeon

Eastern Phoebe

Palm Warbler

Cape May Point Hawkwatch

Yesterday was an amazing day on the hawkwatch platform in the Point. The birds were flying fast and furiously. I arrived in the afternoon and the place was rocking. The Sharpies, Coop's, Broad-wing's Merlin and Kestrel's were abundant. I was there when the Eurasian-collared Dove came through not once but twice. There were warblers off the platform in the trees. A good number of Monarch were flying past the platform also. Total birds counted 4754 with 64 species.

Belted Kingfisher

Northern Pintails

Osprey

American Kestrel

Osprey

Red-tailed Hawk

Northern Harrier hunting over the marsh.

Cape May Point State Park ~ Birds

It's been a long while since I have been birding over at the State Park.  It was pretty quiet while I was there but I did manage to find a few ducks and other birds there.

Bald Eagle

Northern Harrier

Turkey Vulture

Bufflehead Ducks

Tundra Swan with Bufflehead Duck in the background

Northern Shovelers

Wood Duck 

Wood Duck followed by American Wigeon

Cove Pool ~ Northern Harrier

Today was the Christmas Bird Count in Cape May County.  I was asked to be a part so that I could count the Rufous Hummingbird that's been hanging out in my yard.  I spent several hours watching the birds here but the outdoors beckoned me.  I went over to Cove Pool where I was lucky enough to walk in while this Northern Harrier was gliding over the pool and fields looking for his next meal.  He was so close I could almost reach out and touch him.  It was a great day for him to glide around as the winds were about 18 MPH.