Heading south we hit Red-headed woodpecker and hear a bonus Northern 
Bobwhite. Skipping Florence we head to birch creek where I can almost put 
all three: pied-billed grebe, coot and moorhen into the same scope view.  
Through Salem we go 1 hour ahead of schedule, so we can now afford to hit 
some areas a little harder.  Featherbed lane produces pectoral sandpiper, 
Bobolink, Meadowlark and we clean up on Spotted Sandpiper.  The Caspian 
Terns are over Mannington Marsh, the Barn Owls are chattering and the Summer 
Tanagers sing before we can even stop the car.

Cumberland County was our downfall last year, but because of intense 
scouting it would not repeat itself.  All of the summer breeders were found 
immediately and Bivalve was extra good to us.  We picked up Wilson’s 
Phalarope immediately and Northern Shoveler.  Red Knot and Green-winged teal 
took some work but were well received.  Peregrine was on the snag and we 
were off for Heislerville.  Black Skimmers didn’t even need a stop of the 
car.  I mentioned to look for Black-crowned night heron in the little 
rookery only to hear Andy say that both species were present!  We pull over 
and get both species and then I pick out a white-rumped Sandpiper in the 
small flock of peeps off the road.  The Blue-winged teal are cooperative but 
hard to see and now all that is left is Cape May County.

We pass the county line at 4:35 and the team is already pushing 190.  a 
quick stop at Beaver Swamp gets gull-billed tern and we are out 30 seconds 
after we arrived.  Down to the Goshen Center for our hummingbird nest and 
then over for Cattle egrets, which apparently have left after they cut the 
grass.  Down to Cape May where we stop at Poverty beach; Gannets, Royal, 
Common and Least terns are flying over the water.  Sanderlings and Piping 
Plovers are on the beach, wait we just hit 200!  Over the concrete ship for 
Great Cormorant and then on to Ocean Drive where we pick up singing 
Salt-marsh Sharptailed sparrow.  Then disaster strikes the bridge in up for 
a boat, so the team pulls underneath the bridge to look for who knows what.  
But some how we pick up Brant and Purple Sandpiper.  The Buffleheads are a 
no show after being so reliable in scouting, typical for a big day.  At 
Nummies Island we pick up Tri-colored Heron and Whimbrel then hit stone 
harbor for an unsuccessful sea watch and on our way back through Nummies we 
find Little Blue heron and Marbled Godwit.

Down to the Meadow for dusk we quickly pick up Gadwall and then suddenly 
Andy shouts out “is that a Great Horned Owl”; a half mile away, almost in 
the middle of West Cape May is a flying Great Horned owl.  This was 
indisputably the best pick of the day.  We pick up chucks and whips in the 
night and miss on black rail, around 10:30 we decide to head to the finish 
line with a respectable total of 211.  But wait the bird gods have been on 
our side all day why not one more stroke of luck.  As we are walking, more 
like dragging ourselves, from the parking lot to the main building at 11:30 
at night a nighthawk calls several times.  So ends our big day at 11:30 at 
night with 212 species, good enough to win the youth division and tie for 
3rd with Pete Dunne’s team in the overall competition.


Zach Baer
Centreville, MD


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