A brief note: Brigantine NWR will be closed every Wednesday in September and October; in September to allow hunting of local Canada Geese, and in October to hunt Snow Geese.

A FRIGATEBIRD was reported from the area of Poverty Beach at the east end of Cape May late in the day on September, 24, but there were no follow up sightings at the time of this tape.

Two male EURASIAN WIGEON are now being seen in Bunker Pond in front of the hawk watch in the Cape May Point State Park.

Passerine migration this week included the following highlights: CONNECTICUT WARBLERS were reported from Hidden Valley on the 18th, and from Higbee Beach on the 19th and 20th. A PROTHONOTARY WARBLER was a Higbee Beach on the 20th. A RED-HEADED WOODPECKER was in Town Bank on the 20th . On the 23rd about 1,000 NORTHERN FLICKERS were seen headed north at Villas, 2 AMERICAN PIPITS were over the Hawkwatch, 2 late PURPLE MARTINS were at Higbees, and a RED-HEADED WOODPECKER was at Cape May Point. New arrivals this week included GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET, YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER, WHITE-THROATED SPARROW, and JUNCO.

Highlights from the Cape May Hawkwatch included an excellent movement of 263 MERLINS on September 18, and over 1,000 SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS on the 20th. The hawk watch is manned this year by counters Pete Gustas and Vince Elia, with education interns, Cameron Cox and Jim Tietz.

The Avalon Seawatch got under way on September 22. This years counters are Bill Seng, Fred Mears and Scott Barnes. The Seawatch interns are Jim Tietz and Gail Dwyer.

Local nature Notes follow: An excellent influx of Monarch Butterflies occurred on September 23, behind the cold front. Monarch show up in numbers at Cape May on the same conditions as do birds, strong northerly or northwesterly winds. Our monarch intern, Larissa Smith, continues hard at work counting and tagging monarchs. Late season southern wanderers continue to be seen around Cape May Point. Long-tailed Skipper was on Cape May Point on September 20, while Little Yellows were seen on the Point on the 19th and 24th. The flight of Cloudless Skippers continues. With so many sulphurs moving through, many are laying eggs. Check patches of Partridge Pea to find their beautiful green and yellow caterpillar.

The Cape May Bird Observatory has daily walks, requiring no preregistration, and many special field trips and programs that do. To receive a copy of our Program Schedule, stop our centers, or call 609-861-0700, or go to New Jersey Audubon's WEB SITE at http://www.njaudubon.org

The Cape May Bird Observatory is a research and education unit of the New Jersey Audubon Society. Our aim is to perpetuate and preserve the ornithological significance of Cape May. Your membership supports these goals and this hotline. For more information call 609-861-0700 or send a request for information to CMBO, 600 Route 47 North, Cape May Court House, NJ 08210. Don't hesitate to visit our two centers of activity. CMBO's Center for Research & Education is located at 600 Route 47 North in Goshen. CMBO's Northwood Center is located at 701 East Lake Drive in Cape May Point. Both centers feature gardens, feeding stations, nature & book stores, and birding information. The Center in Goshen also has a wildlife art gallery, featuring artists, photographer, and carvers. Each Center is OPEN DAILY 10-5.

The Cape May Birding Hotline is a service of New Jersey Audubon's Cape May Bird Observatory and details sightings from Cape May, Cumberland, and Atlantic Counties and near shore waters. Updates are made on Thursday evenings, more often if warranted. Please report sightings of rare or unusual birds to CMBO at 609-884-2736. Thanks for calling and GOOD BIRDING!