Day 11 GOOD WARBLERS AND THOUSANDS MORE..

Day 11 Good warblers and thousands of shorebirds

A CAPE MAY MANSION

Yes it was finally the day when the warblers seemed to be moving into the area. But, let us start at the beginning of what was supposed to be a “sun in the morning and rain in the afternoon” day. It didn’t turn out that way as the sun shined most of the day.
Ruth wanted to get some of those good house pictures in Cape May so that is where we started. It allowed us a chance to walk about a bit and see some of the homes up close as well as look in windows of the stores as most all were still closed. Some built in the 1820’s. We noticed that many places in the off season open on Thur through Sunday. So traffic was almost nil. We could even pull up to the curb on these narrow streets and park. (See home pictures). All the parking was free today. They have those “one stop” parking meters where everyone puts their coins or credit card into the same meter and merely identify your parking spot number. It is a neat system.

EAST POINT LIGHTHOUSE NJ

The sun was still shining so we planned to visit two areas that were more than an hour’s drive from town. One was a State Park near the town of Woodbine called Bellefield. We headed there going up the Parkway but realized too late that exits on the southbound do not always match the exits on the north bound so we had to back track.(Ever done that?)
This was a huge State Park (thousands of acres) with hundreds of camping places although we saw no one camping at that time. There were some good possible birding areas with tall pitch pines and some brief undercover so we tried that first. Iy was terrific and Ruth spotted a Northern Waterthrush right of the bat. This led to some great warbler “ID ing” and we stayed there for about an hour checking them off one by one. The Worm Eating Warbler, Wood Thrush, Black and White Warbler and the Yellow Throated Warbler to mention some. It was exciting and worth the long drive.

THOUSANDS OF DUNLINS AND DOWITCHERS

Then it was time for lunch in the same place and we added an Eastern Phoebe .
Moving to the second spot we had hoped to try after lunch we found it just past the town of Heislerville near the Delaware Bay side of the peninsula at the estuary of the MauriceRiver an old oyster fishing center. This is an impoundment that has fresh water and lots of migrating birds. A few other birders were there waiting for some experts to lead them on a guided tour. We were on our own but did quite well. The main feature today was the 4,000-5,000 (numbers) flock of Dunlins and Dowitchers that habited the pond. They would take off all together sending their radar signals to each other so they knew when to turn and then in a big sweeping arc of a “shadow” come to rest on the shallow waters in the huge pond of 20 acres or so. We did also see about 30 Black Skimmers with their bright red beaks and black and white bodies. Gulls, and other shorebirds completed the rest of the species there. It was good birding.
The complete drive around the pond and the accompanying woods took about 1-2 hours. On the way out we stopped at the edge of the woods for sounds and saw a first for us. It was a Great Crested Flycatcher with its very bright yellow breast and rufous wings and sides . That was a treat!
Another lighthouse is near there so we visited the East Point Lighthouse, a smaller structure built in 1874. It fell into disuse when the oyster fishermen no longer used the Maurice River there, but was revitalized in 1954 as a navigational aid. (See pic).
On the way home we found out that this peninsula does have a problem. There was a large government building that was quite impressive and had a sign in the front saying, “MOSQUITO DEPARTMENT”. Should we be aware?
That was it for the day and tomorrow we head for Lewes, Delaware using the large Ferry on a 1 ½ hour ride . There should be some new birds on the Ocean to view. We will let you know.
See you in Delaware (Houston).

HORSESHOE CRAB EGGS

THE TUNDRA, THE TRAILER AT CAPE MAY APRIL 29, '09

Day 10 April 19 2009 Horseshoe Crab Eggs

More about the eggs later in the blog. But first it was the severe weather change that was in the news. From those 80's and 90’s earlier in the week this morning was a real turnabout. We woke to a 50 F temp with strong winds. But onward with the day!
The bird feeders at the trailer were attracting the Blue Jays, Titmouse and today the Red Bellied Woodpecker. (see) Of course there were squirrels.
Ruth wanted to “do” some stores that we had heard about, but inasmuch as we are not on summer schedule in these resort towns yet, they only open Thursday through Sunday and only after 10:00 Am. Today was not one of those. We did drive around town appreciating many of the large edifices that have been built here. Cape May is known for its large Federal, Colonial and especially Victorian houses scattered throughout the city. (See pic).
We did try to walk around a set of ponds near the shore, but after 30 minutes of 35 mph winds and open fields it was time to get to a warmer place. There were a few birds there, namely the hardy gulls and Egrets but most were “hunkered down”. We did manage to see a Parula in its brilliant yellow and blue/grays.

FEEDING FRENZY AT REED'S BEACH
We revisited two places as they seemed to be the better of the units to find avian species. That was a revisit to Reed’s Beach where we had heard that the seagulls and sandpipers feast on the Horseshoe Crab eggs as they float on the high tide. It was true. After getting through the sand road (see previous day) we arrived there with no one in sight. It was true. Thousands of birds were feasting on the eggs, as far as the eye could see down the beach. That was a treat with Laughing Gulls as the dominant bird, but with White Rumped and Semi Palmated Sandpipers running along the beach, and the sea filled with Black Back Gulls and Little Gulls. Two Ruddy Turnstones flew out from the beach and we had not seen them yet. There were a few of the Little Gulls, and they stood out from the Laughing Gulls as they have no black heads. We lingered long even though the wind was still blowing hard. It was nature at its best.
Note that the Horseshoe Crab is the oldest continuous living creature on earth (that we know) and predates those dinosaurs by many millions of years. Good reason to keep them healthy, eh?
Then it was back to Nummy Island for one more try at finding the Whimbrel and lots of Black Brands. They were still there along with many other birds
Today was the best count day for us at 50 birds even. A Swamp Sparrow, and a Northern Harrier in flight added to that count, along with a Catbird and a White crowned Sparrow seen at the Bird Center of Cape May.
After a short rest and getting warm again, we ate dinner once more at “Erma’s Pizza and Deli” (did I spell that Irma before—sorry—). Ruth had a hamburger and I had a “Stromboli” of course. Excellent. We headed home and will look at a long trip tomorrow up north to a place called Heislerville WMA where the estuary allows many millions of birds to come in on high tide. It is a long drive but might be worth it. Stay tuned.

HORSESHOE CRAB SHELLS ON DELAWARE BAY (NJ)

MORE SUN AND HEAT - DAY 9

Blog Day 9 April 28, More Sun and Heat

It almost seems unfair but this part of NJ is setting heat records each of the past few days. Granted that Atlantic City had a high of only 88 F but it was a record for the day. On Wednesday the 29th things began to change as the leading edge of that cold front

REED'S BEACH SAND DRIFTS

chased away the Bermuda High that was influencing our days here. It was the second Bermuda High in two weeks. So the days out with the wildlife were good indeed.
Coastal winds really change the temperatures from one side of the NJ Peninsula (Cape May County) to the other. As an example it was 93 F on the leeside (west coast) of the wind on Tuesday , while facing the wind at the water’s edge on the east coast it was 78 F That might be a difference of just a few (5) miles.
So Tuesday we got in some good birding while the sun was still shining and the temps were in the 80’s. A stop at the USPS to get stamps and mail some cards started things off. I see postal rates on cards go up a penny on May 11, so when you travel this summer add another penny to the rate. Then it was to the Cape May –Lewes (DE) Ferry facility. Now when I say “Facility” you all say “WOW”. This was the best. Ruth and I have been in Ferry facilities in Michigan, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland, Labrador, Sydney and Caines Australia, Tobermory Ontario, Seattle WA, and Texas (Bolivar Peninsula and Aransas Pass), to mention most of them, and we have never seen a facility as clean, roomy, bright, cheery, or efficient as this one. The atrium is very spacious and light, there is a full service restaurant and cafeteria, with every dish you could imagine, a terrific gift shop, generous and well served ticket counters, and a second story lounge should one avail them selves of that. People would have no trouble returning to a facility like that. I’ll put a picture in when we depart the site.
Of course why did we go there on the third day of our six day stay here? It was to get our boarding in advance lest we miss arrangements. There was no hurry however, as there is little line at this time of the season. Actually I was the only one in the terminal at 9:00 Am that day. Sounds like that airport built for Senator? in some state recently where there were few customers in the multi million dollar facility? But this one gets busy with traffic soon for cross Delaware travelers.
Then we began in earnest the stops for the day. You see, Ruth and I seldom veer from the adventure of seeing the birds and animals in the wild. It is a special privilege we have been given and we are grateful for that time in our lives. We think of many of you on these days in the various spots that we visit. This day we split the time between the west coast (warmer) and the east (cooler) to both visit the Bay Shore on the Delaware Bay side (got your map out?) and the cooler Atlantic side. On the beaches on the west (less developed) there were a few shorebirds, but the biggest thrill came when we were eating lunch at the edge of a large salt marsh and a Clapper Rail just ambled across the road in front of us. Check one new addition this trip. The beaches along this side begin with well established homes, and further from Cape May they tend to become less refurbished and more original, “summery” cottages.

They are active, but maintained as needed for summer residents only. There is a lot of sand along the roads (See above) and like some of our (MI) Parks have wind fences to keep the drifting down some (see picture). Cape May NW Refuge has four or five sections along this side of the peninsula and we visited three of them, walking the trails, still trying to find those elusive warblers among other specie. There were few. The best sightings of the day came when we shifted to the east side and viewed the salt flats north of North Wildwood on a section called Stony Point and also on Nummer’s Island. Here we were able to pull over to the side of the road and concentrate on the grasses and small water ponds. It was here, also, that we identified the Black Bellied Plover, many Yellow legs (G and Lesser), a Whimbrel, Wilson’s Snipe (there are such birds) and the Least sandpiper. Then some time along the east shore at Stony gave us an American Oystercatcher and some Caspian Terns feeding on the ponds away from the ocean.

HEREFORD HARBOR LIGHT (Cape May)

A last stop on Tuesday was the Lighthouse known as Hereford Harbor Light. This is the US Coast Guard station and (see) is a large brick building built much like the harbor lights at NYC (see www for pictures) . It appears the style is actually “castle like” in its structure including the apparent towers. The gardens here are especially manicured with the first yellow and red “peony “tulips we have seen. (double?).
Thus ended Tuesday except for learning to use the campgrounds “Linksys” rather than the very expensive “linkspot” (at $10, 00 / day!). I did finally master that.
Our campground even though filled with seasonal and full time trailers and homes is very quiet as weekenders are just beginning to filter in when we will be gone on Friday to the quiet shores of Delaware. This morning (Wed) our bird feeders that we have put up are attracting the Red Bellied Woodpeckers, Blue Jays, and Titmice. That is fun stuff from the kitchen window just 5 feet away!-

RED BELLIED WOODPECKER AT TRL.

Cape May All Day

CAPE MAY LIGHTHOUSE

BRANT GEESE

Day 8 the First Full Day at Cape May

It is a wonderful place and we are only talking about the birding facets of the area. Our first step was to begin to become familiar with the many roads and byways that are here. There are few that go in E-W, N-S true direction, so getting a good map (which we had) and orienting to them was important. Use the GPS you say? Well, if wildlife areas had addresses they would be on the GPS system, but they are not! Neither are many campgrounds, so for us it is not too practical. But… maps and local input are helpful.
We started at the Cape May Birding headquarters, a converted old home where the gift shop and the ‘cerebral’ part of this great birding center are located. It is not pretentious like some homes at the Cape. It was bustling with activity. They were already into registering people for a bird count called the World Series of Birding on May 9th. Registration of hundreds of people whose collected donation based on their count for that day will go into a fund to aid the birds. The same Marathon in Canada is called Baillee.
We took some suggestions for the staff and headed to a State Park that was on the Ocean and has a variety of habitats. We actually went back there a second time at lunchtime. Here is where the fall migration of raptors is seen and the counts during those days often reach thousands per specie in a day. That is some sight. There is a huge board walk and platform for the counters and watchers. It was not very crowded today. We saw some birds but not volumes.

SNOWY EGRET

A large double masted housihg for Purple Martins was a center piece filled with nesting Martins.
Actually there were few people over all the areas that we traversed. The weather was terrific, with full sun and at about 82 F with a slight SE breeze and it stayed like that all day... We then tried a coastal area that led us on a trail through the woods to the beach. This was strangely devoid of any birds at that time of the day (10:00AM) so maybe we will try that again earlier in the day.

Cape May-Lewes (DE) Ferry

There are some 20-30 Birding hotspots to seek out and locate the birds so each day we will try to visit 4-5 if possible in the 6 days we have allotted to Cape May.
After lunch it was up along the East Coast (Atlantic shore) and a place called Shore Drive. There were some birds in the bays and ponds here, notable more Black Brant Geese, and a small flock of Buffleheads. Ruth has some good shots of the former. This road continued north to the “Wildwood” communities namely; Wildwood Crest, Wildwood and North Wildwood where the “Do Wop” decor caught on in the 1950’s. We saw some of that.
Then it was home for a brief time off, and then a pork loin on the grill, the rest of that 5 berry pie and a baked potato outside. It was great at 75 degrees listening to the birds in the close by trees.
We did a short tour of a nearby area called the Villas, that looked promising, but there were just local birds and nothing any different. Tomorrow we will explore some of those yet to be seen areas. It is still scheduled to be very fine weather (sunny and 75-85 F)

Day 6-7 Moving to Cape

Day 6-7 Moving to Cape May

The last day at Barnegat started with another chiropractor visit and it really helped Ruth
get that back and legs straightened out.
Before we headed for the “Dock” roads we travelled across the connecting bridge to Long Beach Island. It is one of those Barrier Island that house thousands of summer cottages. (Well there are some mansions, too.) At the north end (12 miles) from the bridge through solid housing, is the venerable old lighthouse "Old Barney” or the Barnegat Lighthouse. It stands majestically at 173 feet measured from the Fresnel lens on its top floor. This is a popular spot as it is accompanied by a huge beach, the only coastal forest in New Jersey (now 2 acres) and a wonderful, small but well kept museum, explaining the sands, ships and history of the area. On the way in to the light we had to detour a few times to bypass the 30 mile bike/run Biathlon that started and ended on the mainland. . We ate lunch there in the sunshine.
The rest of the day was spent in looking for more
The rest of the day was spent in looking for more “Dock” roads at the end of which was… of
course the end of the road and the Ocean. Some of
these yielded some birds but aside from the Purple Martins in many “P.M. housing colonies”
At the end of one “Dock” road we saw a huge structure that looked like a new business, restaurant or official government structure. The difference was that it was painted a burnt red. Now this building was fully 5,000 SF with at least three floors and had a particularly off shape to it with many angles and slants to the form of it.
Two men were eating lunch, one with a black beret. I suspected maybe it was an
artist’s gallery. Close! He was a retired architect from NYC who had a dream to build at the
end of one of the roads on the Ocean. Problem was he was using fiberglass as the outside
covering and the sun had begun to already wreak havoc on the material. He has hired an
“expert” from PA to bail him out and they were at lunch when we saw them.
He was born in Egypt and obtained his MA at the U of Michigan.
The last Dock Road, named Parker Run Dock Road had been renamed simply “Dock”
Road and we found that with some help, although it was less yielding of birds and we did not
linger long.
The final leg of the day was a return to Forsthye NWR to see if we could find the Eagles that were seen there earlier in the day. No luck on that. Although the wind had subsided some it was still at 20 mph, so birds did not venture out much. Ruth did get some Tern pictures.
The main businesses in this area, like many growing areas, are located not in the older
parts of town (there are no “malls” in the old sections) but near the Parkway which runs the
entire length of the NJ state. It has exits about every ten miles or so, and no facilities save the
ubiquitous service plazas which are located every 20 miles or so. There are no exits except at
those places. Being designed to traverse the Pine Barrens for the most part, it is a
good efficient system. The Parkway is parallel to the old State US #9 which also runs the
length of the state. “Old” US #9 where the town’s centers are located.
By the time we returned to the trailer that day, the temperature had reached 93 F and he
trailer, being closed up, was stifling. We opened it up and ran the fan a while to equalize
the heat. I think we got it to 83 by bed time.
By Sunday AM the temperature had already gotten above 65 F by 9 AM so we decided to get the laundry done on the way to the new site at Cape May (NJ). Wash $3.00 /load and dry $1.25 per load for 25 minutes It was just after 12:00 noon when we pulled out of the Laundromat and headed south to Seashore Camping just outside of Cape May. The drive on the Parkway was smooth, gas was $1.87 and the air was warm. There were many buses going to Atlantic City, probably to ride the roller coaster there? No? Oh, there’s a casino there Ruth tells me.
Actually when we arrived to set up camp, it was 93 F again, and eventually got to 95 F before the afternoon was over. Setting up camp this time included putting the flags out (2 US of A), placing the bird feeders where we could see them through the kitchen window, and rolling out our new awning for the first time (It still smelled of vinyl). Anyone remembers the reason we have a new awning (see last letters from the TX trip two springs ago.)?The rest of the afternoon was a relaxing time, watching some sports on TV, reading, and just enjoying the heat! Our choice for supper was pizza and we finally found Irma’s Pizza and Deli place and enjoyed the AC restaurant... We watched the “John and Abigail Adams” DVD and called it a day. Can you hear how quiet it is here? Tomorrow some warblers?

Day 5 Sunny All Day

Day 5 April 24, 2009 SUNNY ALL DAY

It was a completely sunny day all day, and with it came a swift wind that both made it feel cooler than 61 F and also kept the birds down in sheltered areas. So you know already that the count was down, although we did get to three units of the Forsythe NWR to explore and spend time in.
Our first goal in the morning was to get Ruth some time at a chiropractor to straighten out the kinks that had developed from the long ride over here. We did find one in Baragat and after our first bird exploration, stopped there for treatment.
As I indicated earlier, the units of this NWR are split in places by private holdings and towns so getting to them are rather circuitous, but they do offer a chance to see the towns and local flavor of the communities. The towns of Baragat, Manahawkin, Stafford, West Creek, Parker Cove and Tuckerton are all included in the Wildlife Reserve area. The roads are narrow and in many places lined with shops and small stores of all types. Our survey showed that chiropractors, lawyers, marine supplies, and dentists were the primary occupants. One shop we stopped at in the afternoon was a combination, seafood (fresh), sandwich, dinner, florist and bakery. Dan, the former mayor was running around like a one armed paper hanger. It was the sign, "Fresh Baked Pies” that was the magnet that brought us to a halt in the parking lot. Besides the five berry pie, we bought two ‘crab stuffed’ mushrooms for a side dish tomorrow night. The scallops looked the best although FRESH tuna, Atlantic salmon, shrimp and many kinds of clams were in season.
As is the case on these off the road trips, we missed seing the road for one of the units in the afternoon. Unfortunately we missed the road and that stop for birds, but fortunately we did see the sign for PIES, so it was not entirely in vain. (The pie is deeeelicious.)
As I indicated the bird count was down today, but we did add two new birds in the Nashville Warbler and the Spotted Towhee. We identified 29 species today.
Tonight at the campground the “weekenders” have come in, at least a few tent campers and a some pop ups that are nearby. It is still a very quiet place. This campground (perhaps the only one on our trip) has no sewer pipes and so uses what is called a “honey dipper” or “Honey wagon: to remove sewage water from the trailers. This is the first time we will have used that feature in all the traveling we have done. Usually we can go 4 days – 5 days before removing the sewage. When there is a sewer hook up at the site we will release the waste every two to three days. (I thought you would like to know that phase of camping in an RV.)
The only work I did on the trailer was to secure a longer bolt for the hitch as the Toyota hitch receptacle is much wider than our one on the Expedition and will not allow the “key” to be secured properly. I did find one that works with a snap lock today and it seems to do the job.
The sky again tonight is clear and crisp. I will take advantage of this “Bermuda High” to observe a few constellations and some Galaxies. Do you know how to find a Galaxy besides The Milky Way?
Next messages will be from Cape May where we will be from Sunday to Friday AM. There is no on site Wi-Fi here so we packed it into one night.
Thanks for following along.

Bridge to Nowhere Road

Osprey nesting platform at the Refuge

Atlantic City from the Refuge

Baby Canadian Goose chicks on the Refuge

Day 5 April 24, 2009 SUNNY ALL DAY

It was a completely sunny day all day, and with it came a swift wind that both made it feel cooler than 61 F and also kept the birds down in sheltered areas. So you know already that the count was down, although we did get to three units of the Forsythe NWR to explore and spend time in.
Our first goal in the morning was to get Ruth some time at a chiropractor to straighten out the kinks that had developed from the long ride over here. We did find one in Baragat and after our first bird exploration, stopped there for treatment.
As I indicated earlier, the units of this NWR are split in places by private holdings and towns so getting to them are rather circuitous, but they do offer a chance to see the towns and local flavor of the communities. The towns of Baragat, Manahawkin, Stafford, West Creek, Parker Cove and Tuckerton are all included in the Wildlife Reserve area. The roads are narrow and in many places lined with shops and small stores of all types. Our survey showed that chiropractors, lawyers, marine supplies, and dentists were the primary occupants. One shop we stopped at in the afternoon was a combination, seafood (fresh), sandwich, dinner, florist and bakery. Dan, the former mayor was running around like a one armed paper hanger. It was the sign, "Fresh Baked Pies” that was the magnet that brought us to a halt in the parking lot. Besides the five berry pie, we bought two ‘crab stuffed’ mushrooms for a side dish tomorrow night. The scallops looked the best although FRESH tuna, Atlantic salmon, shrimp and many kinds of clams were in season.

One road called the "Bridge to Nowhere Rd., was so bad we travelled 4 miles on it, never seeing the end of it, as it was so filled wth potholes and puddles that after 30 minutes (4 miles) we turned around and returned to civilization. A man said it was only maintained during hunting season to get the hunters out to the salt flats. The bridge had been recently rebuiltto connect the marshes, but the local youths burned it down soon after.
As is the case on these off the road trips, we missed seing the road for one of the units in the afternoon. Unfortunately we missed the road and that stop for birds, but fortunately we did see the sign for PIES, so it was not entirely in vain. (The pie is deeeelicious.)
As I indicated the bird count was down today, but we did add two new birds in the Nashville Warbler and the Spotted Towhee. We identified 29 species today.
Tonight at the campground the “weekenders” have come in, at least a few tent campers and a some pop ups that are nearby. It is still a very quiet place. This campground (perhaps the only one on our trip) has no sewer pipes and so uses what is called a “honey dipper” or “Honey wagon: to remove sewage water from the trailers. This is the first time we will have used that feature in all the traveling we have done. Usually we can go 4 days – 5 days before removing the sewage. When there is a sewer hook up at the site we will release the waste every two to three days. (I thought you would like to know that phase of camping in an RV.)
The only work I did on the trailer was to secure a longer bolt for the hitch as the Toyota hitch receptacle is much wider than our one on the Expedition and will not allow the “key” to be secured properly. I did find one that works with a snap lock today and it seems to do the job.
The sky again tonight is clear and crisp. I will take advantage of this “Bermuda High” to observe a few constellations and some Galaxies. Do you know how to find a Galaxy besides The Milky Way?
Next messages will be from Cape May where we will be from Sunday to Friday AM. There is no on site Wi-Fi here so we packed it into one night.
Thanks for following along.

We Are on a Roll

Day 4 Serious Birding Begins

The rain has gone! There were thunder boomers in the night, but by the morning the south wind had pushed them away and the sun was out. It stayed out all day with intermittent clouds. The temps got up to the low 60’s but what awaits us on Friday looks even better with temps in the 80’s scheduled (if you can schedule that sort of thing!).
It was a leisurely start as we heard birds singing in the Campground and then knew it would be a better day. No fog this morning, just sunshine. No time was wasted to get to the southern most units of Forsythe NWR (25 miles from the campground) and a dike drive that is 8 miles around some of the 43,000 acres that comprise this Refuge. It was good ‘hunting’ for us as the bird count went up quickly and Ruth was able to get many good pictures much like the baby Canadian Geese that you see. (Picture # 1) They were near the edge of the road so were almost ‘too’ close. This refuge has some units that are maintained by water level adjustment seasonally. Most of the area is tidal and seeks its own level. We caught the outgoing tide at 10:00 Am, which is ideal for shore birds that need food from the mudflats. It is a vast area that stretches some 40 miles N to S on the eastern shore of NJ, with private land in between some units.
The Reserve was established in 1939 expressly to save the Brant Goose and the fast flying Black Duck. It did just that as they both are thriving once again. From the distance across immense salt flats and tidal grasses, the tall buildings of Atlantic City can be seen easily. Quite a contrast, but it is a working arrangement...(picture # 2.)
We did see 27 species during the 8 mile drive around in the Reserve. (Our total for the day was 44 species.) Some outstanding ones were : Snow Goose, Brant Goose, Horned Grebe, many Osprey with some on their nesting platforms coddling eggs. (See picture #3) There were Willets, Greater Black Backed Gulls, Caspian Tern, Yellow Rumped Warbler, some hermit Thrushes, and the Wood Duck. At the end of the 8 mile loop are 5,000 acres of woodland suited to the smaller birds especially the warblers. We spotted our first warbler there. Lunch was at the side of the road watching Ducks, Egrets and Common Terns all busily eating.
Highway US 9 (the only N S highway along the coast for many years) parallels the coast so we took that route back in the afternoon to see some of the other Forsythe units even though there was not much activity. (The true migration is a few days away and we expect that in Cape May we will see them coming through in great numbers.) Another factor that kept the bird count down today was the 35 MILE PER HOUR WIND that blew all day. It was brisk to say the least.
This area is packed with early American (pre) history including George Washington’s stay at Morristown during two separate winters in the 1770’s. . Can you name them? (See below) Much of the military supplies especially cannonballs and forged steel pieces were formed here in the first anthracite furnace in North America, (Didn’t know that, eh?)
Today outside the wildlife sanctuaries and the Pine Barrens, there are elaborate housing developments especially along the available coastal areas. A unique development is that malls and store buildings cannot be constructed on main thoroughfares and must be off set by at least one block from the main highways. Sometimes they are actually invisible when looking for a gas station sign or store name as there are restrictions on height in placing the signs somewhere around an 8 foot maximum. I liked that.
Before getting our first meal out on the trip, Ruth and I did some shopping at a complete store called “Genaurdi’s”. They had the most elaborate deli/bakery/cake/cheese/coffee sections I had ever seen. One section specialized in just chocolate and cakes. Yes there was lots of fresh seafood.
Our first meal out on the trip, was at Stafford Restaurant on NJ 72. Tremendous preparation of just “ordinary” east coast fare. Ruth describes the chicken tenders over pasta as the best meal eaten out she has ever had. It had a light, subtle, garlic (lemon) sauce, and included potato, soup and rolls. Jim had a seafood (shrimp, large scallops and dried tomotoes) penne plate with soup. The dessert was bread pudding for Ruth and tapioca for Jim which was included in the meal. Excellent, eh?
Tomorrow we will explore the northern units of the Forsythe NWR and some of the woodlands to see if the warblers are arriving. With the rising temps and less wind it should bring them out in greater numbers.
P.S. In the evening Jim took a stroll in the campground (always a good habit) and stopped near a puddle left over from the rains. Into it flew a Blue Winged Warbler some 15 feet away and splashed about not just once but a second time some moments later. Lots of yellow and two white wing bars! A great way to end the day! The stars are out under a cloudless sky.
ANSWER; The two winters G. Washington spent in Morristown were 1777 and 1779-80.

Day 3 Scoping the Refuge

(Day 3) Arriving at the Atlantic Ocean

Today, Wednesday, the rains came later in the day. We said ‘adieu’ to the Leheigh Valley and moved out as the fog lifted. This gave us a chance to deliver the bells to the Malmart factory in Plumsteadville PA. To get there is not a direct route and if you have driven on these “colonial” roads in eastern PA, you know what I mean. Narrow, winding, bumpy but visually beautiful especially this week as the major flowering trees were in bloom, That includes the cherries, plums, magnolias, service berry, dogwoods, as well as the forsythia, and azaleas. It was a colorful landscape. Some of the roads actually meet themselves coming around in full circle. “You’ve gotta buy a program” (a map) Along the way we reminisced about seeing again as we drove by, the wonderful home of Henry C. Mercer the “tile king” in his day. (Look that one up on the net.) It is the present home of the Moravian Pottery and Tile Works. The entire inside of the home is tiled in ways never imagined.
The bells did arrive in the morning, however, and we were greeted by the staff, warmly, and their “mailing room “crew of Ken and his sidekick, who ounted the bell cases, and then gave us a receipt. On our return we will ask for a “tour” and take pictures. Every bell choir should see where their bells come from and how they are made, in part, at any rate.
Ruth is a terrific navigator and even though we did not “get lost”, and did not have to retrace our route at any time, there were times , especially as we approached Trenton NJ, that we did not know just where we were. The AAA maps we use do not have great township details, and thinking ahead one should bring local maps just to be sure especially if you spend any time in one place.
. Having disposed of the bells we continued south on PA 616 and then wound our way back and forth until we spotted US! Which goes across the Delaware River. There was a problem, however, as there is a big sign saying “NO PROPANE TANKS IN TUNNEL”. Yikes, and here comes the tunnel. We exited right down onto a surface road hoping there was another way to get across the river. I did not see the boats of George Washington’s crossing from there, or they could have helped. (They are up stream a bit). We saw a sign saying “New bridge crossing” and followed along. Low and behold there was a “new” bridge the style I had never seen before. It was like a tunnel just above the water, but with one side open so that light could get through to the street surface. The entire rest of the bridge was like a tunnel. It was very unique and beautiful. Then we were “home free” as we could take US 1 to the NJ Parkway and get to where the campground was for the week.
When we arrived it was pouring rain so we had to set up the trailer in the rain. I always think that it is worthwhile practice, as then we appreciate the sunny set ups so much more. This site was not muddy, but had just been filled with a sort of wood chips or shredded bark. As it was a bit soft I kept it in 4WD until we had it placed.
We are in the New Jersey Pine Barrens. I’ll bet you were not aware that they had any? From the NJ Turnpike (nearer the Delaware River) to the NJ Parkway (closer to the coast) lie the Pine Barrens. During the Revolutionary War the locals mined iron to make cannonballs for the Revolution. Today 24% of NJ agricultural income comes from the Barrens. The aquifer under the surface there holds 17 trillion gallons of water to aid plants and wild life. The cranberry bogs and blueberry farms are prolific. After all, the “Garden State” is aptly named.
Nearby is Menlo Park, where Thomas Edison spent some 10 years inventing things we still use today. The incandescent light is still used but on the way out!
In the afternoon Ruth and I took a brief excursion to see the NWR that we will visit here the next few days, The Edwin Forsythe N W Refuge covers most of the tidal lands of the Atlantic coast of New Jersey. It is divided into 5-6 units each some 10,000 acres in size. We expect we will see more than the Arctic Tern, White Ibis and Great Blue Heron that we saw in those brief moments today. Actually, in the parking lot in south Trenton, we saw our first sea birds; the Herring Gull and the Laughing Gull with its black head, on top of light poles in a parking area. It was doing its laughing call which sounds like “kiiwa” repeated over many times.
As I close it is still trying to rain a bit and there are puddles everywhere, but the prospects for the weekend are upscale weather wise. We shall see.! Thanks for “tuning in”.

Into Pennsylvania

The day through Ohio (Monday) was quite rainy in some places and very rainy in other. Not much chance to see wildlife, except for a token hawk (wet as it was) and a few deer. The flat farmland was a great contrast to the hills which were to come in PA.
The campground we had planned to stay in was so wet and muddy when we got there, that we decided , as it was only 3:00 Pm, to move down the road another hour. We did just that after putting the vehicle in 4WD and easing back out the way we came in.
That meant we did stop in Mercer PA just over the border from OH. It was a very quiet campground with many empty seasonal campers. So it was a quiet night with only the rain to pitter patter on the roof.A good lullaby that was.
The morning dawned bright , sunny and although at 39F it was a bright , hopeful morning. (Aren't they all?). Now we began to see the beautiful rolling "mountains of the National Forest and the great millions of acres of forests that northern PA has to offer. At one rest stop about 1/2 way across the I-80 corridor, it described a 147 mile loop road on which you can observe the rejuvenated Elk herd in various spots. That herd was reestablished after, in the mid 1800's it was decimated . In the 1950's they brought a herd from Colorado and its now numbering in the 600 +.
There were more birds today and we ended the day with a sighting of both a Belted Kingfisher and an Eastern Phoebe with its tail flipping constantly. (An earmark of this specie.) More hawks and lots of crows and Vulture seen along the way.
The sky was mostly blue today and those drifting cumulus clouds made a pretty sight. The campground just a few miles from New Tripoli in the Leheigh Valley a short distance from the NJ border. When we head for Plumsteadville to drop off the church handbells tomorrow, we will be only 25 miles from NJ.
The campgrounds are in the "waking up" stage for the spring, with lots of work being done, pools getting fresh water and new swing sets installed. It is a buzz of activity before the rush comes after Memorial Day weekend.

This evening, after the fine weather day we did have a few small, short duration thunderstorms roll through. I understand that in MI there was snow above and in the UP.

That's it from this one and after we get settled in NJ at Barnegat I will add some impressions of the miles around Philadelphia to the Atlantic Coast. The hardest part will be getting to Plumsteadville without any wrong turns. This are 17th century road paths for the most part.

See you then and thanks for reading.

Hi fans,

Jim and Ruth are off again.

This time to the East Coast of the USA. We are taking the church handbells to Pennsylvania to be refurbished and then visiting some 30 N W Refuges along the way . This will include but not be limited to Cape May NJ, the Delmarva Peninsula, Delaware Bay, Cape Hatteras NC and many points in between. We should be along the east coast about the beginning of the warbler and songbird migration time (April 20-mid May)

So stay tuned, and check in on us every once in a while for some of the adventures in the Bays and Inlets of the Atlantic Coast. Take a ferry ride with us too as we cross to the mainland a few times or visit Kitty Hawk.

We will end up going back to get the bells in PA, and travel part of the Blue Ridge Parkway to get there.

Add a note or a question if needed.

See ya soon,-- Jim and Ruth