Fall Migration

I spent a very enjoyable sunny morning walking the trails at the Cape May Meadows Preserve in West Cape May, NJ. The tree swallows are in migration and it was just remarkable to see their synchronized murmuration. They roosted enmasse on the beach for a spell until that unfriendly male photographer spooked them and when they lifted and swooped, all I could do was watch and shoot in amazement. What a sight it was!

I watched a duck try to swallow a fish half his size; it was really amusing to watch his antics and I gave him props for his perserverance - he attempted to get it down his gullet for at least ten minutes!

I saw two snowy egrets and a pair of turkey vultures flying high overhead.
One egret continually dipped for small fish in the estuary and he graciously provided me with a slew of photographs of the glistening fish in his beak.

The butterflies are still around, I got chatting with a fellow from Stockton who spotted 17 species today, including a long tailed skipper! His group from South Jersey has a tally of 94 for the season and he was hoping to be the one to make it 95. Of course we exchanged info. I spotted a Eastern Tailed Blue, an Orange Sulphur, a Buckeye and a few Monarchs.

Afterward, I stopped at the Cape May Bird Observatory where I spotted a purple finch, a white breasted nuthatch, a few Chickdees and Northern Mockingbird, a female cardinal, the yellow rumped warblers, and a juvenile female yelllow bellied sapsucker that was banging away at a white birch tree.

I also stopped at the Lighthouse for the Hawk Watch but there were none to be seen, just ducks, swans and a lot of people with high powered binoculars.

I had a great day talking to everyone I met, one gentleman showed me his tiny yellow jumpting spider that was sleeping in a red flower. Amazing!

I'll try to post pictures to flickr later but the upload seems very slow here.

Can't wait to see what tomorrow brings!

*Flickr pictures are here!

* Link to the Audubon's check list for the day here!