Oct 3 Boating on the Broadkill Field Trip Report

 

Our field trip today was on Cape Water Taxi’s boat the Mummichog, with Captain Dave and Captain Ryan. We boarded at Fisherman’s wharf and slowly cruised up the canal to Roosevelt Inlet, and then went on up the Broadkill River to where Oyster Rocks Road meets the river and Prime Hook NWR begins. Raptors were the highlight of the trip, with an adult Bald Eagle flying right across the river right in front of our boat early on. Other raptors included several close Osprey, a perched and later hunting Red-tailed Hawk, a distant Northern Harrier, an American Kestrel, and a perched Peregrine Falcon that everyone saw with binoculars, and most people even got to view it through a spotting scope. Other birding highlights were about 6 Belted Kingfishers, probably a dozen or more Great Blue Herons, some quite close, a couple of distant Caspian Terns, and two Seaside Sparrows. A marsh plant called Salicornia was in full fall colors of a rich red, and High Tide bushes with their soft white flowers were in bloom along the banks. Fortunately the weather also cooperated, so our outing was a very enjoyable experience for all 17 participants.