Week 4 of the Cape May Songbird Stopover Project proved very eventful, with migration picking up in both numbers and diversity throughout the week. From Northern Waterthrush migration in full swing to a steady flow of season’s firsts, there was plenty to keep our banders on their toes.
A quick Sunday morning peek at our deployed transmitters proved worthwhile, with seven Northern Waterthrushes already en route to their wintering grounds in Central and South America. For one individual in coastal North Carolina, it took just one hour to fly 40 kilometers (24 miles) between its last two detection points. Incredible for a bird weighing just 17 grams! Multiple other individuals fitted with transmitters have also been detected foraging near the banding station. This information is quite useful, as it uncovers just how much time Northern Waterthrushes spend at stopover sites. Besides, who’d be in a rush to leave Cape May?
Sunday brought low numbers, but good diversity, including double-digit counts of American Redstarts, Common Yellowthroats, and Northern Waterthrushes. Not too shabby!
A warm, breezy Tuesday brought the highest numbers of the week, with 13 species passing through and 107 newly banded birds. The week continued to deliver, with a new season’s firsts making their way through the station nearly every day:
- Sunday – Cape May Warbler and Chipping Sparrow
- Tuesday – Northern House Wren
- Wednesday – Northern Parula, Clay-colored Sparrow, and Brown Thrasher
- Friday – Connecticut Warbler
- Saturday – Black-throated Blue Warbler and Sharp-shinned Hawks (2x)
Early Friday morning, radar forecasted notable songbird migration, and the banders were rewarded with 12 unique species passing through the station later that day. As the week progressed, the growing variety of species gave us another glimpse into the shifting diversity of migrants moving through Cape May.
Red-winged Blackbird photo by Vicki Morgan
Northern Parula photo by Lena Usyk
Magnolia Warbler photo by Lisa Viviano
Juvenile Sharp-shinned Hawk photo by Lisa Viviano
Adult Sharp-shinned Hawk photo by Vicki Morgan
Common Yellowthroat photo by Vicki Morgan
In non-birding news, our banders ran across an annual Dog Day Cicada and Common Green Darner snacking on a Spotted Lantern Fly. Thank you, aerial predator!
Dog Day Cicada photo by Lisa Viviano
Green Darner by Lisa Viviano
We ended the banding week with a bang: a Cooper’s Hawk on Saturday! Unfortunately, this bird managed to slip between our fingers, escaping detection by the USGS banding system. You win some, you lose some!
All bird capture, handling, and banding are authorized under appropriate USGS state and federal permits.
