The 1998 season marked the sixth year for CMBO's full-time seabird migration study at Avalon in Cape May County. The Avalon Sea Watch, a count of migrating seabirds, is conducted from an observation point overlooking the ocean at the north end of Avalon at 7th Street. This site was chosen because the northern tip of Avalon juts a mile farther out into the ocean than the coastline to the north. And so, southbound seabirds that are following the coastline pass very close to this beachfront. Birds are counted seven days per week, from dawn to dusk, from September 22 to December 15.

The migration of seabirds along the coast of New Jersey is spectacular, and over one million seabirds pass the Avalon Sea Watch from August through January of any year. As amazing as those numbers are, the bulk of this flight is extremely contracted. Two years ago in 1997, 70 percent (552,000) of all the migrant seabirds recorded passed in five weeks (from October 7 to November 13). 1998 totals for all key species were not yet available for this publication, but will be shared with members in future publications.

One can hardly imagine a better team than we had this year: Bill Seng, Fred Mears, Dave Ward and Gail Dwyer. The "BIG" event at the sea watch this year was 43 Franklin's Gulls seen in mid-November. Until that point, there had only been 12 accepted records of the species in the state! A preliminary analysis of the count at the sea watch brought us to 893,982 seabirds passing, and 1,228 visitors stopping in to enjoy the flight. Leica Sports Optics joined us as supporters of the Avalon Sea Watch in 1998.

--Joan Walsh, Director of Research

4 Common Eider (11/29), 1 King Eider (11/26), 1 Iceland Gull (11/26), 6436 Red-throated Loon (11/29), Parasitic Jaeger, 1 Pomarine Jaeger (10/7), 2 Red-necked Grebe (1 on 10/23 and 1 on 11/29), 1 Razorbill (10/27), and 2 Short-eared Owls (1 on 10/23 and 1 on 10/24).

Avalon Sea Watch 1996 - Totals as of 12/15/96

Additional Noteworthy Seabird Sightings: 1 Northern Fulmar (9/22); 31 Cory's Shearwaters (5 in June and 26 in July); 2 Audubon's Shearwaters (7/23); 101 Wilson's Storm-Petrel (1 in June and 100 in July); 4 American White Pelican (1 on 10/5 and 4 on 11/3); 1 White Ibis (9/23); 1 Harlequin Duck (11/7); 2 Sandhill Cranes (10/26); 1 Franklin's Gull (11/2); 3 Little Gulls (11/17 and 2 on 11/26); 2 Black-headed Gull (11/14 and 11/26); 1 Iceland Gull (12/14); 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull (10/20); 1 Glaucous Gull (11/28); 4 Sandwich Terns (7/25, 8/11, 9/12 and 10/2); 7 roseate Terns (5 in July including 4 on 7/22, 2 on 8/5); 1 Sooty Tern (9/7), 1 Dovekie (12/1); unid. Murre (11/7); and 1 Black Guillemot (11/25).

Other Sightings of Note: 2 Ruddy Shelducks (11/13); 8 Bald Eagles (1 on 10/4, 1 on 10/10, 4 on 10/11, 1 on 10/21, and 1 on 11/12); 3 American Golden Plover (10/9, 10/18, 10/19); 1 Hudsonian Godwit (10/10); 2 Marbled Godwits (9/16), and 1 Short-eared Owl (11/1).

Avalon Sea Watch 1995

Additional seabird sightings: 16 Cory's, 2 sooty, and 1 Audubon's shearwater, 459 Wilson's storm-petrel, 1 Leach's storm-petrel, 1 Ross' goose, 1 black brant (10/26), 1 long-tailed jaeger (10/20), 1 California gull (10/29), 3 lesser bl.-backed gulls, 1 Franklin's gull (10/15), 4 sandwich terns, 4 roseate terns, 1 arctic tern (10/20), 2 dovekie (11/17 & 11/18), and 1 Atlantic puffin (11/27).

Other Sightings: 1,048 monarchs, 14 short-eared owls (1 in Oct., 13 in Nov.)