Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Sunday birding in Cape May

Once the sun came out, the Cape came alive with migrating birds. Sunday morning, we all got up super early and went to Higbee Beach, which was just crawling with songbirds and hawks. That’s where we stood in the same spot for almost a half hour watching dozens of birds flit around, including this cooperative palm warbler:


Walking back to the cars, I saw this bumper sticker:

After that, we went back to the hawk platform at Cape May Point and saw some freshly banded sharpies, a kestrel, and a red-tailed hawk. It was awe-inspiring to see these great hunters up close! They were all so beautiful and powerful. Sadly, I didn’t get any good photos, but Susan and Laura did so check out their posts.

After that, we walked through the marshes on their very nice boardwalk, and I remembered the last time I’d been there: with Kat in February, when it was FREEZING.

Look at this beautiful mockingbird; he was as interested in us as we were in him:
His expression reminds me of this lolcat.

Northern shovellers, way in the distance:
Even from all the way across the pond (not that pond), I could see their huge bills—like Daffy Duck’s bill.

Also got a lifer in the butterfly category, a buckeye:
As I said in my previous post, I didn’t get many pictures on Sunday because I was having battery trouble the whole time, despite having bought new rechargeable batteries on my way to the Cape. I hope they just need a little seasoning and will soon hold a charge longer than ten minutes.

After this we went for lunch and then took Birdchick and Jay from birdjam to the 2nd Avenue jetties, where we saw terns, gulls, and black skimmers. (by now the batts were dead, so no photos) I helped a really nice Canadian woman by IDing the shorebirds for her, confessing that I only knew them all because Birdchick and Laura had already IDd them.

I stood there for a while, watching the ocean waves and wishing Kat had been there with me to see the beach. She and I both love the ocean and hope to move closer to it when she’s done with her PhD (only a year and half to go!). Then, after saying my goodbyes, I got in the car and drove home. What a melancholy experience that was!

I can’t wait to get out in the field again; I’ll probably go on a field trip this weekend to Bald Eagle State Park, where I’ve been only once before. I feel like I’m a better birder now, having seen so many shorebirds and marshbirds in New Jersey. I have a certain confidence that wasn't necessarily there before, along with even more fervor for getting out into the field. All this leaves me wondering: Am I still a beginner? I hope so.

I might just see a few more lifers out there, as the field trip leader (from the State College Birding Club) says we might see some more peeps, some red-shouldered hawks, and maybe some ducks that I haven’t yet seen.

I have a ton of calculus homework to do tonight, but tomorrow night I'm going to start reading Kingbird Highway. I'm really looking forward to reading about what makes a birder "extreme."

10 comments:

Amy said...

Delia, I've been birding for nine years and still consider myself a beginner. There is So Much to learn!

dguzman said...

You're so right, Amy--yay! I'll be a beginner forever!

Fran said...

Thank you so much for sharing so much about this great trip Delia!

dguzman said...

Thanks for caring enough to read about it, Fran.

Fran said...

Life is very short and has so many hard spots. But when we find our passions... politics, blogging, birding, music, whatever and pursue them, that is just great.

So I love to watch someones passion unfurl on the topic that they love!

It is a pleasure to be here, I can promise you.

GETkristiLOVE said...

I'm digging all these birdie pictures. I once spent 23 days on Denali and the only wildlife I saw was a Wilson's pileated warbler (I took his picture and had to look it up when I got home.) He looked pretty close to the one you have here.

Larry said...

I've yet to see a Northern Shoveler.-I don't think it will take you long to read Kingbird Highway.-cool book.-sounds like you had a great time!

Susan Gets Native said...

That pic of the mockingbird belongs on a magazine cover. Seriously.
Amy?

dguzman said...

Thanks, Fran and Kristi!

Susan--ya think? Maybe I'll send it to Amy.

Mary said...

Delia,

You add so much to your experience - not just photos of birds and nature, but your feeling about it all. That's what I enjoy the most. Melancholy, surprise, glee...you write so well.

Get cracking on the calculus. I am SO not a math person - I admire you.