A Day Down the Jersey Shore

I have a number of pics to post so please be patient with me. ^_^ If any of my quesses on these birds are wrong I'd appreciate it if Resin can correct it at the end.

Our first stop was on the beach at Stone Harbor point. This little bird is so adorable you just want to scoop them up and take them home. Then run up and back to the waters edge getting little mini clam type things,their legs move so fast it's hysterical. There were lots of them around; I believe their Sanderlings.

2

Here's a Herring Gull with a crab.

It almost looks as if he's leary of me taking it from him,lol.

We left the beach and went over to the Wetlands Institute on Stone Harbor Blvd.

I believe this is a Great Cormorant.

He was doing all types of movements stretching, scratching etc.

This is a new bird for me.

Last one of him.

Here is a Forster's Tern.

I think these are Dunlins but I'm not positive. I had to shoot into the sun to get them.

The whole area on the one side was covered in these. This is just a small portion.

Next stop is Cape May Point State Park. Here's the Lighthouse.

There weren't many birds around but here are some Canada Geese.

A Snowy Egret

On the viewing platform (Hawk Watch) there were at least 50 people watching these Hawks.

I had to get on the trail to get some pics of them. I'm pretty sure I know what they are but I'll let Resin tell us.

Another one of them; there were quite a few around but they all looked like the same type to me.

There were so many Vutures around. I counted 15 in 1 group gliding in.

Okay that's it. The End. LOL.

I love your shore birds pelle! That sanderling is so cute...

Thanks Resin! I'll try to see if I can manage a better pic of the Dowitcher for you.

This is the big time of year for bird watchers in Cape May. Pete Dunne, Ken Kaufman and many more bird experts are taking people on all types of tours and giving lectures. Theres even early evening tours looking for Owls,Bats etc.
And by the way there were Butterflys swarming all over the place!!

Here are some of the programs.
http://www.birdcapemay.org/workshops.php

Here are the walks in October.
http://www.birdcapemay.org/programs.php

Thank you nanny!

Heres another pic.

Hope these help.

Can you tell what type of birds these are Resin?

Flock of Double-crested Cormorants

Resin

Thats what I thought. Here's the entire flock. Thank you very much.

That's a LOT of Cormorants! Great pics Pelle, I especially like the first one. Your camera did a great job on the shallow water and sand shots.

Thanks GP. I was on my knees in the wet sand getting pics of that cutie.

Pelle, thank you for sharing a wonderful day out. Great shots. I love the (Dunlins) - Yellow Legs in particular. And the Cooper's Hawk. And the Sanderlings.

Thank you Margaret! It was a beautiful day and I was happy to get 3 more birds on my list.

Beautiful shots! I especially loved the cormorant ones. Thanks for sharing your great day with us.

Susan

I happened to be at Cape May on Saturday, October 5th as well, and saw a bird that I did not recognize, and in trying to find out what it was discovered this blog and site.....You captured so many beautiful shots of the birds, unfortunately not the one that I saw, or at least not that I could recognize. It was mixed in with what I have always referred to as sea gulls (I'll date myself and say the ones that looked like Jonathan Livingston Seagull), as well as the ones that are not so clearly colored, but mottled. But the birds I am interested in identifying had bright orange beaks, were smaller then the JLS birds-but bigger then starlings or robins, and had black markings on the side of their heads-and possibly their wings-of course I don't have pictures because my camera was with my teenager back in central jersey-not on the beach where so many beautiful things were.....oh well can you help me out? Thanks in advance!

Hi chickey, Could it possibly be Black Skimmers? Here's a pic.

What neat looking birds!

Oh darn; Look what I missed at the Wetlands Institute in Stone Harbor.

http://home.comcast.net/~jklukens/GoodBirds2008/Pages/HudsonianGodwit10-0608.htm

awwww...

That's bad luck!! Always pays to ask other birders you meet "anything about?"!!

Resin

I don't understand.

Pelle, your shore bird photos are beautiful. As a child, we had a summer home in Sea Isle City (on Ocean Drive), and your photos brought back many happy memories. I remember spending many happy moments at the beaches watching the birds and collecting seashells--there were soooo many of them back then (1950s). We visited all the shore points including Stone Harbor frequently.

Thanks for sharing - I love the gulls. . . . Snug

Alright I see. At that time I was the only one there;on my way out a few groups were coming in.

Thanks Snug!