On Friday May 15th, 8 of us boarded a van and headed out to bird in the
Delmarva Peninsula. This area is made up Delaware, portions of Maryland and Virginia and is considered a premier location for birding. After picking up the van for our mode of transportation, I met the rest of the group around the corner from the Audubon office at 71 West 23rd street in Manhattan and then we were on our way. We drove for a few hours, making one stop for a bite and then it was onto our first stop which was Bombay Hook. Along the way we did see some species including Red-tailed Hawks and Turkey Vultures, but we were more focued on what Bombay Hook had to offer. On the drive to the BH visitor’s center we picked up our first Eastern Bluebird of the trip. Once we arrived at the center, some of us broke for lunch and others including myself went right into birding. It paid off for those of us
who skipped lunch as we picked up a Male and Female Blue Grosbeak, Indigo Buntings, Orchard Oriole as well as Yellow-billed Cuckoo. Later, as more of us walked around the visitor’s center, we found a Red Phase Eastern Screech Owl that had taken up residence in a Wood Duck nest box. We also had nice looks at a Field Sparrow more looks at the Indigo Buntings, Orchard Oriole and enjoyed the Purple Martins that were in abundance. Then it was off on the Auto loop. Our first stop on the loop was to observe a group of shorebirds that we espied from the van. Most of the peeps were Semipalmated Sandpipers with a few Least among the group and Semipalmated Plovers. A nice surprise that I found was a Solitary Sandpiper…a bird that was not even on our checklist. Further along the loop we had outstanding looks at a Marsh Wren who sung and posed for us. Also, at the same location we had very good looks at Great and Snowy Egrets and picked up a
Spotted Sandpiper. As we continued along the loop we picked up Black Necked Stilt, which was another good bird to have, but disappointingly we got no Avocets. After completing Bombay Hook, it was onto Little Creek Wildlife Area another Delaware hotspot for birding. This was one of my favorite spots as we saw a large number of Dunlins easily in the thousands along with Ruddy Turnstones, Semipalmated Sandpipers, Short-billed Dowitchers, Least Sandpipers and a few Red knots in between. The volume of shorebirds that close was very nice and while I have visited some other locations that give me easy access for shorebird photography, this was very special. I found a spot on the rocks and enjoyed looking at the birds and taking photos. In fact, I walked a bit away from the group; just, so I could have that moment to myself…it was that special. I was reluctant to leave that vision, but away we went further along Little
Creek for another bird, the Seaside Sparrow. Amazingly, this bird was easily enticed out into the open for good looks. After Little Creek, we headed to our hotel the Microtel Inns and Suites, in Salisbury. We checked in had dinner and then got some rest to prepare for the long day ahead. The next day could not come soon enough and I was up at 3:00 AM checking the time. We all met for breakfast around 6:30AM, which was at the Hotel and after making one stop for water and gas we headed out to our first birding site of the day in Whaleyville, the Pocomo swamp. As soon as we got out of the van at Whaleyville we were swarmed by giant sized mosquitoes and three of us including myself who had invested in bug jackets purchased at Bombay Hook, quickly donned them. We heard a White-eyed Vireo and then heard the Worm Eating Warbler, which was a target bird at that location. The first time we saw the Worm Eating Warbler not everyone had good looks and so we tried for it a few times,
until everyone had good looks. Another good bird that we located was a Prothonotary Warbler that seemed very vocal…it was thought that it was being vocal because we were near its nesting site. Another bird that we enjoyed looking at was the Acadian Flycatcher. On our way out of Pocomo swamp we stopped at an area that was reportedly good for Bobwhite and Prairie Warbler; neither of these birds showed up, however, we had excellent looks at a Male Blue Grosbeak and for bonus we twice had looks at a gorgeous Red-headed Woodpecker. After a lunch break, we headed to Assateague Island, and birded the north end. The first bird we got was the “Yellow Throated Warbler”; the looks we got were so great that one of the birders…I think it was Claude, indicated that binoculars were not necessary. Out on the boardwalk overlooking the marsh a few of us had a glimpse of a Clapper Rail, we also picked up A Great Blue Heron flying in and several Egrets.
Leaving that trail, we tried another area called Marsh Trail; here, we picked up Willets and I was the only in the group to see a hummingbird that zipped by right in front of my face. On the way out we observed the famous Assateague ponies hanging out along the beach. After a stop at the visitor center where some of us brought books and other stuff, we headed out to Nassawango Creek. Along the way, we stopped at an area that had numerous Bluebird boxes and observed several Eastern Bluebirds. Someone called out for a Meadow Lark, but we could not find it and that bird ended up not being reported on our list. At Nassawango, we had spectacular looks at Both Scarlet and Summer Tanagers almost in unison proving a rare comparison. We walked the trail in search of Swainson’s but we did not land any neither did we get any Pileated Woodpecker or the Brown-headed Nuthatch. We did hear several Prothonotary and had fleeting glimpses and heard quite a
few Louisiana Water thrushes. On our way out we had another Red-headed Woodpecker, making it two for the trip. The next day we got off to an early start and caught an early ferry to Cape May, NJ. The ferry ride was smooth and along the way we saw several immature Northern Gannets along with some Terns and other birds, but no Shearwater. Once we disembarked from the ferry we headed out to Reeds Beach; unfortunately, the weather took a turn for the worse and by the time we got to Reeds beach, there was a steady rainfall. This was disappointing to a few of us who had looked forward to birding and photographing shorebirds. Comforting ourselves that we had gotten two spectacular days of birding, we took an early lunch with the strategy that by the time we finished lunch the weather might get better. The plan worked perfectly and by the time we got to our next destination at Brigantine NJ, the weather had
cleared up. Once we got to Brigantine, we birded the woods trail and picked up several new warblers for the trip, including Chestnut-sided and Magnolia Warbler. From the trail, we then headed out to the auto loop. The loop turned in some really nice birds including a rare White faced Ibis. Other good birds included Whimbrel, Clapper Rail, Gull Billed Tern, Black Skimmer, Long and Short-billed Dowitchers, and Seaside and Salt-Marsh Sharp-tailed sparrows. We got back to the NYC around 7:50 and after dropping off the van and taking the train back to Queens, I got home a little after 9:00 PM tired, but very pleased with the trip. It was a good group of birders and I met some nice folks.
Total Species that I saw and recorded: 131- Acadian Flycatcher
- American Black Duck
- American Crow
- American Goldfinch
- American Oystercatcher
- American Redstart
- American Robin
- Bald Eagle
- Baltimore Oriole
- Barn Swallow
- Black Skimmer
- Black Vulture
- Black-and-white Warbler
- Black-belied Plover
- Black-capped Chickadee
- Black-crowned Night-Heron
- Black-necked Stilt
- Blackpoll Warbler
- Blue Grosbeak
- Blue Jay
- Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
- Blue-headed Vireo
- Blue-winged Teal
- Blue-winged Warbler
- Boat-tailed Grackle
- Brandt
- Brown Thrasher
- Brown-headed Cowbird
- Canada Goose
- Carolina Chickadee
- Carolina Wren
- Cedar Waxwing
- Chestnut-sided Warbler
- Chimney Swift
- Chipping Sparrow
- Clapper Rail
- Common Grackle
- Common Loon
- Common Tern
- Common Yellowthroat
- Double Crested Cormorant
- Downy Woodpecker
- Dunlin
- Eastern Bluebird
- Eastern Kingbird
- Eastern Phoebe
- Eastern Screech Owl
- Eastern Towhee
- Eastern Wood-Pewee
- European Starling
- Field Sparrow
- Fish Crow
- Forester’s Tern
- Glossy Ibis
- Gray Catbird
- Great Black-backed Gull
- Great Blue Heron
- Great Crested Flycatcher
- Great Egret
- Greater Yellowlegs
- Green-winged Teal
- Gull-billedTern
- Herring Gull
- House Finch
- House Sparrow
- House Wren
- Indigo Bunting
- Killdeer
- Laughing Gull
- Least Sandpiper
- Lesser Yellowlegs
- Long-billed Dowitcher
- Louisiana Waterthrush
- Magnolia Warbler
- Mallard
- Marsh Wren
- Mourning Dove
- Mute Swan
- Northern Cardinal
- Northern Flicker
- Northern Gannet
- Northern Mockingbird
- Northern Parula
- Orchard Oriole
- Osprey
- Ovenbird
- Peregrine Falcon
- Pine Warbler
- Prothonotary Warbler
- Purple Martin
- Red Knot
- Red-belied Woodpecker
- Red-eyed Vireo
- Red-headed Woodpecker
- Red-tailed Hawk
- Red-winged Blackbird
- Ring-billed Gull
- Ring-necked Pheasant
- Rock Pigeon
- Ruby-throated Hummingbird
- Ruddy Turnstone
- Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow
- Savannah Sparrow
- Scarlet Tanager
- Seaside Sparrow
- Semipalmated Plover
- Semipalmated Sandpiper
- Sharp-shinned Hawk
- Short-billed Dowitcher
- Snow Goose
- Snowy Egret
- Solitary Sandpiper
- Song Sparrow
- Spotted Sandpiper
- Summer Tanager
- Swamp Sparrow
- Tree Swallow
- Tricolored Heron
- Tufted Titmouse
- Turkey Vulture
- Whimbrel
- White-eyed Vireo
- White-faced Ibis
- Willet
- Wood Thrush
- Worm-eating Warbler
- Yellow Warbler
- Yellow-billed Cuckoo
- Yellow-rumped Warbler
- Yellow-throated Vireo
- Yellow-throated Warbler
Sticking to my local birding sites; today, I started the day by birding Forest Park. My first visit was at Stracker Pond around 7:50 am, where I picked up about 10 species including a very cooperative Green Heron. I spent a little longer there than expected, as I met a group that was on an Audubon/Urban Park Rangers bird walk. I stuck around and helped out a bit in pointing out a few birds and sharing views in my scope. After about an hour, the group left heading to the Water Hole another bird spot in the park; since the Waterhole, was in the plans for the day, I headed out there myself on my own. The Waterhole was very quiet, which I kind of expected. Activity around the water hole is dependent on water and with the hole pretty dried up there was not much happening. To help the water situation, many local birders have been carrying water in various containers and filling up a garbage pail cover, as well as a dripper. That works, but it does not bring in the numbers that a good rainfall would accomplish in filling the hole with water. Nevertheless, I picked up a few more species including a Northern Parula. I then headed out to Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. I was not keen on walking the trail because it was getting towards noon and I usually like to have covered that area much earlier. However, once there I continued on and found several additional species. My last stop was Big Egg Marsh and I did not do a good job calculating the tide as I hit the spot when the tide was receding and that was not good in terms of being able to see birds closer to the shore. It was not a bad day, and even though I did not bird the gardens nor the East Pond at JBWR, I still ended up with a total of 56 species.
Urban Park Rangers, 
Green Heron, 
birding, 
Big Egg Marsh, 
Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge
NYC Audubon
Birds
Fund Raising
Warblers
Horseshoe Crab
Silky Moth
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Scarlet Tanager
