Patagonia Picnic Table Effect Comes to Cape May (Yet Again)

In 1971, the first U.S. record of a Back-capped Gnatcatcher was discovered at a picnic table at a roadside rest area in Patagonia, Arizona. Word got out and shortly thereafter a number of birders descended on the area to see this record bird. Not only did they relocate the gnatcatcher, but they also discovered the first U.S. record of a Yellow Grosbeak.

During a regularly scheduled Cape May Bird Observatory Friday evening walk at the South Cape May Meadows last summer, led by CMBO Associate Naturalist Karl Lukens and assisted by a number of other CMBO volunteers including myself, the Patagonia Picnic Table Effect, as the above became known, reoccurred; twice.

The first time began when this year’s CMBO Morning Flight Counter Tom Johnson told our group of a Sora a few yards ahead of us. We quickly moved up and shortly were entertained by a Sora that apparently had not read the part of the Rail Instruction Manuel about being secretive. Not only that, but this individual, who was jumping around and otherwise acting strangely, was then joined by another.

Many of our field trip participants had not seen a Sora before, or at least had not seen one well or in a long time, so we spent a good amount of time making sure everyone was able to get protracted spotting scope views of at least one of these birds. While this was happening, I started scanning the area and eventually came upon a duck half hidden in the vegetation. The vast majority of the ducks in this area were Mallards, in various forms of molt, but the bird I had just spotted looked different. All I could see of the bird was its chestnut lower chest and black on its belly and under its tail. I did not need to see more to know that this was one of the three Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks that had been found on July 18 by Kathy Horn. (Later a 4th one joined the group.)

Had we not spent so much time looking at the Sora, and had there not been so many of us searching the birds present, this rarity would almost certainly have been missed.

A little while later, we were on the beach checking out the America Oystercatcher, Least Tern, Ruddy Turnstone, Piping Plover, etc., when Chuck Slugg, also one of our leaders, called us back up the path. On the upper beach, amid all the Semipalmateds (Plovers and Sandpipers), were a pair of Yellow-headed Blackbirds. Again, had we not spent so much time checking out the other birds on the beach, and had there not been so many of us actively looking, we would almost certainly not have found these western wanderers.

The lesson to be learned from all this is that very often there are more good birds around, regardless of where you are, if you take the time to find them; and the more eyes looking the greater the likelihood of finding good birds.

NOTE: The images with this entry were not taken at the bird walk discussed above.