[wisb] Trip report: Cape May, NJ, Ivory Gull.

From: Chris West <little_blue_birdie@xxxxxxx>
To: "[Wisb]" <wisbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Mon, 7 Dec 2009 00:00:20 -0600
Hi all, 
Seeing as it's a bit slow here, I thought I'd add a little spice to the day. :D 
 
I just got home (and literally just) from a totally insane, 2000 mile chase 
after the ghost of the arctic. Ivory Gull. 10 birders from WI, IL and MI left 
in two groups from MI and IL on Fri morning and evening respectively and met at 
sunrise on Saturday morning at Bree-Zee Lee marina in the fabled Cape May, NJ.  
The group was comprised of me, 3 of my young birder friends (Alison Vilag from 
Michigan and Ethan and Aaron Gyllenhall from Chicago) 3 other birders from 
Chicago, and the rest of Alison's family.  After a week's worth of planning 
(filled with both minor and major setbacks, everything had been arranged and 
set (mostly at the last minute as usual for birders).  I was with the group of 
6 that left from Chicago. After around 13 hours of driving (including the usual 
getting lost) we arrived shortly after sunrise and joined the group that was 
waiting for the gull.  Most mornings, the bird had shown up right at the crack 
of dawn. An hour after sunrise, people were getting worried. The fact that it 
was about 40 degrees and raining steadily didn't help.  After a short period of 
stressful waiting, around 8am, I spotted the bird winging it's way in from the 
east. Mass relief ensued (including a lady who told us that had driven a whole 
3 hours just to see this bird. When we told her we had driven 13 hours, she 
just stared at us, totally speechless). 2 hours later, after spectacular views 
of the IVORY GULL and about 1000 photos were taken of it, we decided to go see 
what else Cape May had to offer. Poverty Beach had a few Great Cormorants, 4 
Eurasian Wigeon at the Lighthouse ponds were highly cooperative, numerous 
Gannets off the point, 2 Common Eiders, Black Scoters, Long-tailed Ducks, 
Brant, Stone Harbor had around 40 something Am Oystercatchers, 1 Baird's 
Sandpiper, Dunlin, Sanderlings, Least Sandpiper, Ruddy Turnstone, ect. Wildwood 
had a flock of Boat-tailed Grackles, Avalon had Black Scoter, Common Eider, 
Brant, ect all in a small pool close to shore on the leeward side of the 
breakwater. 

Today, the Gyllenhalls and I drove back to Berrien Michigan to see the 
continuing Arctic Tern.  

In all, I added 4 lifers, 5 year birds this weekend.  The others all added at 
least 5 or 6 lifers. I know at least a couple got 7 lifers.  This was my 3rd 
trip to Cape May. For everyone else, this was their 1st trip.  The miserable 
weather cheated us out of several species including Ibis and Saltmarsh Sparrow 
but the Ivory Gull, Gannets and Eiders more than made up for it. 

I'll post a more detailed trip report later this week after I've caught up on 
sleep and uploaded my photos.  I'm currently going on around 18 or 20 hours of 
sleep in the last 72....... ugh....... So til next time, 


Happy Birding! --Chris W, Richland County 
http://swallowtailedkite.blogspot.com/ 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/swallowtailphoto

"The beauty and genius of a work of art may be reconceived, though its first 
material expression be destroyed; a vanished harmony may yet again inspire the 
composer; but when the last individual of a race of living things breathes no 
more, another heaven and another earth must pass before such a one can be 
again."

(From William Beebe's "The Bird: Its Form and Function," 1906)



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[wisb] Trip report: Cape May, NJ, Ivory Gull.

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