Part 2

Some more MainePhotos.

Vegetation sampling done, August rolled around and the summer doldrums started to fade as migration picked up. On the 18th, my brother Matt and I took a Pelagic out of Lewes, Deleware with Paul Guris. Several other NJ birders were on the trip like Tom Johnson, Doug Gochfeld and a few others. While nothing incredibly rare showed up (like the sought after White-faced Storm Petrel), I did manage to see two of my nemesis Pomarine Jaegers, my only lifer of the year. Matt picked up several lifers, as we saw decent numbers of Cory's, Audubon's and Greater Shearwaters, Wilson's and CORRECTION: there was only 1 Band-rumped Storm Petrels and NO BLACK-CAPPED PETRELS on this trip. I has mistakenly confused my notes while posting this in the wee hours of the morning. The actual, complete trip list from this Paulagic can be found here: http://www.paulagics.com/site/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=85&Itemid=111 SORRY FOR ANY CONFUSION, And thanks to whomever pointed this out.

We ended the summer with a trip to Brigantine (Edwin B. Forsythe NWR), where migration was just beginning to pick up. Shorebirds were plentiful, mostly Lesser and Greater Ye

llowlegs, Least and Semipalmated Sandpipers and a few White-rumped Sandpipers mixed in. Other species included Forster's Terns, Black Skimmers, American Oystercatchers and Seaside Sparrows. It was hot and muggy, but an enjoyable trip none-the-less. Mark Boyd and Chris Hougelsson (sp?) joined Matt and I on the trip. We totaled 50+ species in two trips around the wildlife drive. Fall migration was just around the corner, and soon we'd be hawkwatching along the Kittatinny Ridge. Summer was fading fast, and we could tell that soon the colorful and sweet-sounding summer species would soon be passing through on their way south. Right now, surrounded by White-throated Sparrows and Dark-eyed Juncos, I have a greater appreciation for those Scarlet Tanagres, Grey Catbirds and B

altimore Orioles that were here just a few months ago.

Still, I can feel the seasons changing. Soon the skunk cabbage will appear, the wo

odcock will be displaying, the Spring Peepers will be calling and the spotted salamanders will emerge on the spring equinox to breed in the vernal pools at Bear Swamp. The blackbird flocks will be arriving, as the Snow Geese leave the valley and congregate at Middle Creek by the hundreds of thousands with several other waterfowl species before heading north to the tundra. Just the other day at the swamp, I heard the resident Barred Owl pair getting fired up, and they too will soon be breeding and laying eggs so that I may

find their fluffy nestlings this May. If it weren't for these summer thoughts, the winter would pass by much slower. Spring is right around the corner...