AOU Field Trip to Delaware

Along Port Mahon Road, we had inquisitive Seaside and Swamp Sparrows perching on the phragmites on one side of the road, and amongst the narrow stretch of pebble beach Ruddy Turnstones and molting adult Sanderlings blended in (above) perfectly.

Royal and Forster’s Terns perched on the wooden pilings and could be seen flying up and down the shoreline, where the incoming tide pushed loafing Laughing and Great Black-backed Gulls (above) closer towards us. Osprey’s and Double-crested Cormorants were a common sight and the first of two Northern Harriers for the day quartered over the salt marsh.

At Bombay Hook (above) we got familiar with many Short-billed Dowitchers, Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs. Amongst them we found two Hudsonian Godwits in various stages of molt, both still having some of the brick red coloration on the belly. We also studied the small peeps, Semipalmated and Least Sandpiper and found a dozen Westerns amongst them. The slightly larger shorebirds included Stilt and Pectoral Sandpipers as well as a couple of Dunlin. Egrets were plentiful, as were American Avocets and Glossy Ibis and we had one Green Heron.

Along the wildlife drive at Shearness a pair of Blue Grosbeaks wanted a great deal of attention and kept singing and perching between us and the impoundment as we were scanning. A Marsh Wren showed well and a Clapper Rail was seen flying across the bay into the salt marsh. Our only American Black Ducks were also in the bay along with Mallards, while Green-winged Teal and Wood Ducks were in the impoundments along with the lingering Snow Goose. Along the entrance road we saw Cedar Waxwings, Eastern Kingbirds and Indigo Buntings and a little further north we had Eastern Phoebe, Chipping Sparrow and Eastern Bluebird.

Birds were not the only fauna we watched today. There were many butterflies including Orange Sulphurs, Cabbage Whites, Monarchs, Black Swallowtails and Red Admiral. A few heads belonging to Diamondback Terrapins poked out of the water and a slider species was far more obliging. Other than a Gray Squirrel the only mammal we had was a Red Fox (above), which seem to be very common in the refuge.

The water levels were being raised at Taylor’s Gut, which can be excellent for shorebirds, but that limited the species to terns, ducks and a juvenile Peregrine (above) that zipped through just above the water, scaring the living daylights out of a Ring-billed Gull.

With the surrounding skies darkening around us, we made a stop at the bridge over the Appoquinkmink River which produced Cliff Swallow, as well as Bank Swallow and our only Chimney Swift. Could we fit in Thousand Acre Marsh before the storm would hit us? Yes, just! Three Bald Eagles caused a great deal of commotion amongst the shorebirds, Little Blue Herons, Glossy Ibis and roosting Caspian Terns (above). We certainly had an enjoyable day, even though it was hot and humid by mid afternoon, ending with a total of 85 species.