Come What May

There’s something to be said about Cape May, New Jersey. In fact, there is a LOT to be said about this geographic funnel that gathers up all the birds along the eastern seaboard of North America, and spits them out near the beach in Cape May. No matter where you look, there are birds, and lots of happy looking people dressed in khaki, wearing bins and carrying tripods with huge scopes attached to them.

It is renowned as one of “The Last Great Places” where the forces of nature are still in control, and both residents and visitors recognize that it is truly special. Once you go, you know.

This is my third trip here, and this time it was to be for one night...but, with the flick of a cape, one night turned into four...and just like that another great birding vacation unfolded

Cape May is unlike any place I’ve ever been before. People stand on the side of the curb, with binoculars up and butts sticking out into the road, and cars slow down so the driver can ask, “Got anything good?” and if the answer is interesting enough, he’ll pull over, grab the binoculars off the front seat, and get out of the car to see what’s up. (This has happened to me here. Seriously.)

There’s a sign hanging from the balcony of the motel that reads “Birders Welcome”. And we are.

But it doesn’t start with the friendly people who GET how important conservancy is to the total well being of the continent, nay, planet. It’s about the birds that are here in abundance. That you can’t help but see, and in seeing them, become engaged by them and watch in awe as they show us how to fly – figuratively speaking for the most part.

Did you know that there is a reason that mosquitoes are put on earth?  My friend the nuclear physicist tells me it’s to pollinate plants like blueberries.

 That’s one of the reasons, but yesterday I watched dragonflies zoom across the pond at the Cape May Observatory, hovering ever so briefly to nab a mosquito, then another, then another. Until, from behind, while the dragonfly was chowing down, a kestrel came zooming across the pond, grabbed it, and proceeded to eat lunch on the fly, so to speak.

A short time later we were driving along Sunset Blvd. and noticed a scuffle above the car. Slowing down and with heads stuck out the windows, we saw a Bald Eagle attack and harass an Osprey who was simply bringing home lunch- a nice little catch of the day to enjoy on the perch. The B. E. really didn’t care why or where the Osprey was headed.  He simply saw an opportunity to take something, rather than go fetch his own. And so he did because he can. He plunged at the Osprey, scaring the fish out of him, and with a few artful dodges, he had the Osprey on the defence. The big O dropped his fresh catch of the day in order to avoid a serious collision with a big flying bastard who could care less about how it might affect O’s welcome home tonight. B.E. caught the (truly) flying fish in his talon, and lumbered off. Big O headed back to the waters to begin all over again.

These lessons are brought to you by the birds:

Pay attention to details.  Stay alert. Cover all of your assets. If you want to feather your nest, keep it well hidden from the neighbours. Always have an escape plan. Corporate raiders don’t care. Some days you get lunch, some days you are lunch.

Between the Earth and the Sky

http://www.hawkmountain.org/

If you're a birder, with  capital 'B', then you will have heard of Hawk Mountain, Pennsylvania. Since 1932, it has been a sanctuary for birds and buteos and  buzzards and the humans who want to watch them.

It is an international birding hotspot, and people from all over the world

make special vacation plans so they can be here. 

Just like we did two weeks ago.

The first bird I saw was big. And goofy looking.

Oh. A guide to let us (and the 100's of others streaming to the park)

know that we had arrived. And park your car over there to the left, please.

Keeeekkkkkk!

If by chance you didn't actually know why you were here, the park is filled with reminders, and outdoor guides to let you know what you may be seeing.

And the excitement begins to build as you realize it is entirely possible that you may soon be eyeball to eyeball with a bald eagle. Or a hummingbird.

Just depends which way the wind blows.

So filled with energetic expectation you begin the trek to the top.

 A mere 1500 feet. Straight up, and sometimes down, over boulders.

Can I just say that this looks a lot easier than it actually is? Not so much the climb, but scrambling over and around the rocks was an exercise in ankular dexterity. And for god's sake, don't wear flip flops! ( No, I didn't.)

1450 feet later from this spot on the path, I spotted my first bird!

A Great Horned Owl. Just sitting there! Oh, wait...why is there a tail feather lofting in the breeze? And why so mangy looking? Ah ha!

It's a stuffy GHO. Truly.

I guess he's mounted here to let you know that you are indeed now here too. You're at the north summit, a remote corner of southeastern Pennsylvania, where you  can sit quietly and watch as hawks soar by, catching thermals alongside the mountain ridges and kettling before your eyes. A sight to behold.

Did I say alone? No?

Good, because that is one thing you won't be.

(And no, it isn't a Tilley Hat fashion show.)

It was such a surprise to see all of these people! Although in hindsight I can't imagine why, as they likely read the same birding publications that I do, and were just doing exactly what we were. Seeking Mecca!

So, what's a birder to do?  Enjoy the scenery...birders come in all shapes and sizes, and you may as well people watch while you're waiting

for a bird to fly past.

He was enjoying the cool mountain breezes as well.

Eventually, the birds drifted through. On bright, sunny days like the day of our visit, the traffic is slow. No imminent storm brewing,

no strong winds blowing...

just a nice day for a leisurely flight south.

This Bald Eagle -the fuzzy one that was pretty far way- was one of four that we saw, along with several Broadwings, Sharp Shins, Coopers, Merlins, and assorted other birds, including Chimney Swifts, a Hummingbird,

and some Cedar Waxwings.

Oh, and a Bronze Eagle. Best shot of the day!

 Hawk watching is a different kind of birding all together. Unlike warblers or shorebirds, that you seek out and generally find as you enter their habitat, with

hawks you sit and wait. And wait. And hope the wind picks up.

Would I go back? Depends which way the wind's blowing.

Was I happy we went?

Do birds have wings?

The Christmas Bird Count

The Christmas bird count was started in 1900 by the Audubon Society as an alternative to a disturbing tradition of a Christmas bird hunt with the aim of shooting as many birds as possible. Just because they could. The first count involved 27 people. This year the Audubon Society expects more than 50,000 people to take part in counting more than a million birds. The data collected during the count is vital for conservationists, as it provides a picture of the population of birds over time and space for the past 110 years. It helps develop strategies to protect birds and their habitat - and helps identify environmental issues with implications for people as well.

Apart from the scientific benefits, it is a lovely way to spend the day…wandering around a geographically defined area, and counting any bird you see. It means you drive very slowly, with the windows down listening for any birds; you walk quietly, pishing from time to time to draw small birds like nuthatches and chickadees out of the woods towards you to be counted; and you wait with anticipation hoping to see something spectacular and unexpected. Whether you do or not really doesn’t matter, because it’s the Christmas Bird Count,

and that’s what really matters.

This was my fifth year. When I left the house at 8:00 am, it was -19C and the snow crunched underfoot. My section is just a few kms from home, so within minutes I was making the turn onto Church Road and heading west towards the road to Chapeau. Within my section there are four main roads, and a few little lanes. There’s a lot of fields and farms and forest, and I have begun to know them all quite well. This year, as I drove towards the little farming cluster of homes on Lapierre Road, I suddenly remembered that the one large barn is a great resting place for lots of pigeons. Today was no exception. Rock Doves – 50.

And where there are pigeons, there are usually crows – check: American Crow -15.
From Lapierre Road over to Great Plains Road, where there’s a monster pig farming operation, I recalled being caught in a storm of Snowbuntings last year. Amazingly enough – there they were again, almost exactly where they were a year ago!

Snowbuntings – 200, check.

Up and down the roads, quietly and steadily watching. It was so cold that there weren’t very many birds about for most of the morning. Who can blame them? When it’s -19C forget flitting about! Stay warm! But the cold also meant that the sky was exceptionally blue, and there was hoar frost over the land that was the most amazing I’ve ever seen! Jack Frost indeed – he and his frigid friends had spent the night painting with their crystal brushes, and the results were no less than spectacular.

There’s one little side road, near the cemetery where last year I spotted a Bald Eagle. So, off I went. I parked to the side to adjust my boots which were too tight. As I bent over I heard the Ka Ka of a Common Raven, and looked up to see not one, but three drifting overhead -black shiny wedges against cerulean blue. But what was

that following closely behind? Immature Bald Eagle -1. Check!

Amazing -again, same place as last year.

There was magic in the air today.

By the time I was done – tired, hungry, getting chilled to the bone, my numbers were: 10 species, 360 birds. A bit higher than last year in fact. My numbers will be added to all the other counters numbers, and they will be sent to Audubon, and soon the grand totals will be in. Knowing that my 360 birds, my Bald Eagle, my Snowbuntings, will be part of the international tally is a small precious gift, from me, to me.

 I count. It counts.

Learn more about the Christmas Bird Count and the Audubon Society at: http://www.audubon.org/Bird/cbc/index.html