Given that we, unfortunately, haven't had much in the way of rarity news to post to you all in quite some time, I thought I would at least send out the following:

Three Mississippi Kites have been present daily now since this past weekend in the North Cape May area. First found, I believe, by Bill Boyle/Karen Thompson, the birds are frequenting a large field on the north side, and a smaller field on the south side, of Tabernacle Road (Cape May County Route 647) just west of Shunpike Road. This area is just a little south of the Cape May County airport. These birds may well be the same ones that were present just slightly farther south well in to June...

A Ruff was found by Jim Dowdell at Brigantine (Forsythe) NWR on Tuesday, and it was still present today, Thursday. It is in the extreme northwest corner of the West Pool, just before you leave the dike. Also this week at Brig have been up to 11 American Avocets (one can also miss them completely). Near high tide is far better for shorebird numbers in the two pools than is low tide, and the north edges of the pools have generally been best.

The Black-bellied Whistling-Duck near Bethany Beach, southern Delaware, was still present at least as of late Tuesday. That bird, and the one-day wonder at Brigantine in late May, will provide good fodder for discussion over their origins, be they wild vagrants or escapes.