Birds That Are Not Townsend's Warblers

Two mornings looking for - make that chasing - the Cape May, NJ Townsend's Warbler remind me why I don't chase birds, but there are consolations. The consolations I didn't get pictures of were many, most unusual of which was the Blackpoll Warbler along Harvard in Cape May Point. Blackpolls are unheard of in NJ in December, since they belong in the Amazon basin by now. Nor did the Orange-crowned Warblers cooperate, and the White-fronted Goose was too far away. But the King Eider was shootable, and so were a few common species that make fine Christmas eve presents.

 [Immature male King Eider off St. Mary's this morning. Click to enlarge all photos.]

 [Cape May point is riddled with Red-breasted Nuthatches.]

 [A skulky Hermit Thrush in Cape May Point State Park.]

[The Hermit Thrush's relative, so common but I really love them: American Robin.]

[I couldn't extract a Rough-legged Hawk from the vultures over Cape May, and it looks like the season will go roughleg-less there. Turkey Vultures with one Black Vulture, upper left.]

[The Christmas bird, Northern Cardinal. Merry Christmas all!]