Nov 16, 2016 Fall Birding OLLI Field Trip to Indian River and more

This trip is a GO....and it should be good. Just today I was out on the Chesapeake Bay fishing and saw lots of good winter waterfowl and seabirds. A few nice examples were Long-tailed Duck, Horned Grebe, N. Gannet, and Common Loon.

So I look forward to seeing all who can make tomorrow's trip. The weather looks great, and I expect many good birds.

Bill & Sally

And my apologies to those who missed my last weeks blog post that that trip was cancelled due to a forecast of all morning rain and drizzle.....which did happen, but not as severe as forecast.

Tomorrows OLLI Field trip to Holt's Landing and the Delaware Botanic Gardens

6 am Wed: The forecast has deteriorated, so we are CANCELLING today's field trip. 
From NOAA: Showers, mainly after 8am. High near 59. Calm wind becoming west 5 to 8 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible. 

This decision is reinforced by the current radar image showing a large band of steady rain currently just west of the Chesapeake Bay and headed this way arriving between 8 and 9 am. Click Northeast Loop to see movement over the past hour.  http://radar.weather.gov/Conus/northeast.php

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From 5 pm Tue:
The weather does look a bit questionable, so please check back here after 6:00 am tomorrow to see if the class/field trip is still a go. If we just have to endure a few showers, we will do the class, BUT be sure to bring some water repellent clothing.

The NOAA forecast for Wed where we are going is:  
Showers, mainly after 11am. High near 60. Light west wind becoming northwest 5 to 10 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

With temps forecast to be warm, and winds light, a few showers should be no problem, BUT do check here just after 6 am in case there are any changes overnight.

Bill

Delaware Botanic Gardens, Nov 9, 2016

We have just recently worked out a plan to include birding at the Delaware Botanic Gardens, located just east of Dagsboro. Our visit will take place this coming Wed, Nov 9, AFTER we fist meet at Holt's Landing. The revised class description is:

Nov 9 – Holt’s Landing and the Delaware Botanic Gardens

Meet at Holt’s Landing at 8 am. See this link to Google Maps for directions 

https://goo.gl/maps/iqtX1XEfomk   We will bird Indian River Bay and adjacent woods for about 45 minutes and then depart for the Delaware Botanic Gardens (DBG),  which is about 15 minutes away just east of Dagsboro on Piney Neck Road.  At DBG, Gregg Tepper and Janet Point will give us a short presentation of what is planned, then we will bird the woods, fields and waterfront of this outstanding 37 acre property on Pepper Creek.

Susex Bird Club Check List for Prime Hook, Oct 30, 2016

About 20 members of the Sussex Bird Club visited Prime Hook NWR on Oct 30, 2016. Leaders were Bill Fintel and Rob Blye. The group observed 57 species, with some highlights being White-crowned and Saltmarsh Sparrow, Winter Wren, Tree Swallows, 9 species of shorebirds, several Bald Eagles, a late Osprey, and a Peregrine Falcon. The complete list can be accessed HERE.

OLLI Fall 2016 Birding Checklist - Update after 11/2/16 Class

The 11/2 class went to Gordon's Pond. We added 12 species to our cumulative class list for a current total of 51 species. Highlights were 4 juvenile White Ibis, Northern Shoveler, Royal Tern, Eastern Phoebe, Tree Swallow, and Swamp Sparrow. We also had distant views of a Northern Gannet, and a quick look at a Northern Harrier at the very end of the trip. Our next class begins at Holt's Landing State Park and then goes to the Delaware Botanic Gardens. See the 11/4/16 posting for details.

HERE is the link to the updated check list.

OLLI Fall 2016 Birding Schedule, Revised 11/4/16 to include Delaware Botannic Gardens

OLLI Fall 2016 Birding Schedule – Revised 10/21/16 and 11/4/16

Bill Fintel, cell 302-727-3273

Sally Fintel, cell 302-682-0300

Their home 302-645-5561

General – Wear comfortable walking shoes as we may walk on level ground up to 1.5 miles. Bring sun screen, insect repellent, a snack and something to drink. Also come prepared for windy cool weather and a shower. If significant rain is forecast the class will be cancelled. See http://billfintel.blogspot.com/ for any last minute notices. If the weather looks iffy, Bill will post the class status at the latest by 6 am on the day of the class.

Oct 19 – Assawoman Wildlife Management Area (completed class)

We met at 8 am at the Ocean View Town Hall and Community Center and decided to go to Assawoman because of the favorable weather. We observed 34 species. The check list is available on Bill’s Blog (link above).

Oct 26 – James Farm and Assawoman Canal Trail

Meet at 8 am at the Ocean View Town Hall and Community Center. See the map on the back of an OLLI Catalog, or visit lifelonglearning.udel.edu/lewes/locations. From this location we will walk to the Assawoman Canal Trail and spend about an hour walking the trail. We will then drive to the James Farm. The James Farm has several trails through a mix of woods and fields, plus several overlooks on Indian River Bay.

Nov 2 – Gordon’s Pond (a part of Cape Henlopen State Park)

Meet at the main parking lot for Gordon’s Pond. This is accessed by going north through the town of Rehoboth Beach at the end of Ocean Drive.  See this link from Google maps  https://goo.gl/maps/y38z8QYaDEq  There is about a one mile long trail that borders the pond and ends at an elevated observation platform. The trail also passes through some unique maritime forest.

Nov 9 – Holt’s Landing and the Delaware Botanic Gardens

Meet at Holt’s Landing at 8 am. See this link to Google Maps for directions 

https://goo.gl/maps/iqtX1XEfomk   We will bird Indian River Bay and adjacent woods for about 45 minutes and then depart for the Delaware Botanic Gardens (DBG),  which is about 15 minutes away just east of Dagsboro on Piney Neck Road.  At DBG, Gregg Tepper and Janet Point will give us a short presentation of what is planned, then we will bird the woods, fields and waterfront of this outstanding 37 acre property on Pepper Creek.

Nov 16 – Indian River Inlet, Burton’s Island and Silver Lake in Rehoboth

Meet at Indian River Inlet parking lot just southeast of the inlet. Park as close to the inlet and the ocean as you can. This is one of my favorite destinations for winter birding, BUT it can be cold and windy so come dressed warmly. We will be looking for seaducks, loons and Gannets.

Tomorrow's Field Trip for OLLI

As per a recent email from Renee/Anna, please meet at the old Ocean View Town Hall and Community Center at 8 am.

AND as an update, we may not go to the James Farm....as we are looking at going to Assawoman Wildlife Management Area (WMA) because it has been dry recently, and the area can be closed after heavy rains.

So bottom line, we will work out the details at the old Ocean View Town Hall at 8 am Wed.

The weather looks good, waterfowl have arrived in good numbers, so it should be a good trip.

And do bring insect repellent, sun screen and water plus a snack.

Road Scholar Bird Checklist, Sep 27-30, 2016

The checklist can be accessed by clicking HERE. Note that there is a Magnifier button to enlarge the text located in the lower right hand corner. This check list also includes birds seen Friday with the group of 11 at Gordon's Pond.

Field trip locations and highlights are below:

Tuesday, 9/27 - Cape Henlopen State Park in the morning, a cruise south for about 3 miles on the Lewes Rehoboth Canal on the Cape Water Taxi in the afternoon. Weather cloudy with occasional drizzle. Highlights were both Yellow and Black-crowned Night Herons, and on the cruise, 10 Belted Kingfishers and many raptors, including 2 Adult Bald Eagles, a Merlin and a Kestrel.

Wednesday, 9/28 - Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge until after lunch, then Mispillion Inlet and Prime Hook Road in the afternoon. Windy, with one period of heavy rain. Highlights were 18 species of shorebirds including 3 Marbled Godwits and 1 American Golden Plover. Also several Bald Eagles and at least 2 Peregrines were seen.

Thursday, 9/29 - Indian River Inlet, Ocean off Rehoboth Beach, and the Ferry Terminal. Gale force winds all day with light to moderate rain in the morning, and heavy afternoon rain in the afternoon. We stayed indoors for programs during the afternoon. The only bird of note was an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull seen very well mixed in with a flock of Great Black-backed gulls for comparison.

Friday, 9/30 - Gordon's Pond Trail by foot. Windy but only a light drizzle in the first hour. New birds on Friday included Sanderling, Northern Bobwhite, Yellow-rumped Warbler and Indigo Bunting.

SBC Assawoman Field Trip, 9-20-16, Plans re Weather

UPDATE TUE at 5:45 am:

The field trip is a GO. Looks like we will have some showers, but no persistent heavy rain.  So if you decide to join in, be prepared for showers......And we should never be far from the cars.

Meeting time and place: 8 am at the ocean front parking lot on the south side of Indian River Inlet.

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MON about 5 pm: Our Sussex Bird Club field trip to Assawoman Wildlife Management Area is a go IF only showers are forecast (as they are right now). If today's heavy rain continues, and is forecast for Tuesday morning as well, the trip will be cancelled.

So check this blog after 6 am tomorrow (Tuesday) for the final assessment of whether the field trip is a GO or a NO GO.

My latest NOAA forecast for Assawoman is:

Tuesday

A chance of showers. Cloudy, with a high near 78. East wind 6 to 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

New Zealand SBC program 10-9-16

New Zealand, Mythical Land in the Southern Hemisphere

October 9, 2016

Bill and Sally Fintel

No-where else I know of can one find snow capped alps, Kiwis, Albatross in abundance, some of the largest Sperm Whales in the world, and some of the friendliest people in the world. Plus lets not forget superb wines and terrific fishing. Yes, Sally and I are considering retiring there.

This presentation will highlight our visit to New Zealand in March 2016 accompanied by 3 very close friends. Photography will be the main emphasis, but some of the history and uniqueness of New Zealand will also be covered. For instance, the largest raptor that ever lived, lived in New Zealand, and fed on the tallest bird that ever lived, the Moa.  New Zealand was part of the southern hemisphere super continent Gondwana and separated from it early in the evolution of life on Earth, so it became a truly unique island in terms of species that evolved on it…..like Kiwis.

Founders of the Sussex Bird Club

This title may become a series, but for now, I just want to honor Alex Summers. He called me back in about 1980, and said "Hey why don't we do a Christmas Bird Count here in the Seaford area?" So we did...unofficially in 1981, and it became part of the Audubon Christmas Bird Counts in 1982 until present. And the Sussex Bird Club was formed in 1982, with first President Bill Fintel.

But now back to the inspirational Alex Summers. He was an expert birder and also a Hosta expert supreme. He passed on over a decade ago, but his many friends and close family have maintained a wonderful web site in his memory. You can view it here at Honeysong Farm.

I have just lost a very close fishing friend, and realize that after 70, our years are limited, but still to be enjoyed, and shared with others as best we can. Below is a relational memory of Alex, Sally and me.

Osher Lewes-Rehoboth Canal Cruise May 25, 2016

We have a full boat, and the weather forecast is excellent!!!

The Cape Water Taxi leaves from a dock on the west end of the Fisherman's Wharf complex. Parking very close to the dock is limited, but there should be ample parking fairly close.

The boat is covered, but sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat are still recommended. It is also suggested that you bring a beverage, a snack, and binoculars (if you have them).

Below is a pic from our last  cruise that went up the Broadkill River in 2012. This year's cruise will be on a larger vessel, The Discovery, and it does have a restroom.

We are looking forward to a fun and relaxing cruise with all.

Best,
Bill and Sally

Shorebirds Observed on May 18 Osher Field Trip to Mispillion Inlet

Our group of twelve today observed our target bird, the Red Knot, as well as 10 other species of shorebirds, plus delightful views of a Clapper Rail and singing Seaside Sparrow. The shorebirds we observed (in taxonomic order) included: Black-bellied Plover, Killdeer, American Oystercatcher, Spotted Sandpiper, Willet, Ruddy Turnstone, Red Knot, Sanderling, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Dunlin and Short-billed Dowithcher.

If you add to this the 7 species of shorebirds we saw on other Osher field trips this spring, we had a very respectable total of 18 species of shorebirds for our spring class. The additional 7 species includes: Semipalmated Plover, Piping Plover, Black-necked Stilt, American Avocet, Greater Yellowlegs, Lesser Yellowlegs, and Least Sandpiper.

6 am UPDATE - Wed, May 11 Osher Field Trip

We are a GO.....Radar shows most of the short term rain will be south of us, and the next rain to approach the Milton area, where we will be, is about 5 hours away. Take a look at the Sterling radar loop  from 5:45 am (and refresh for latest loop). Showers are possible, so bring light rain gear, and as I said, we can do a lot from the cars........and we will have a walkie talkie for each car.  Meeting time and location: Prime Hook HQ parking lot at 8 am.


Tue 5 pm: My latest analysis of the NOAA forecast for tomorrow morning indicates our Osher field trip should be a "go"............BUT as you know, the weather has zero allegiance to NOAA forecasts. So please check this blog just after 6 am tomorrow, in case there is a major change in the forecast during our planned field trip from 8 to 11 am.

And for a few more details on where we plan to go....We plan to take you to new good birding areas that are not well known. We can do a great deal of this in cars without rain creating a problem. Three areas we will definitely visit include The Nature Conservancy's 2 preserves of McCabe and Ponder's, plus the Delaware Wildlife Management Area on Little Neck Rd just off Prime Hook Rd. All 3 are great woodland habitats, and woodland migrants are now coming through in excellent numbers.

GOP Politics...by the Birds

As usual....BUT this is a birding blog. So catch the warblers as they arrive in the next 2 weeks.

"The Messenger", a film about the increasing perils migrant birds face

The Rehoboth Beach Film Society (RBFS) will be screening this documentary Friday, 4/22, at their new location at  Cinema Art Theater, 17701 Dartmouth Drive, #2, Dartmouth Plaza, Lewes (behind Wawa.)

The following quote is from Denise Hoban of RBFS. She has asked Sally and I to make our Osher Birding Class aware of this very informative film about the plight of migrant songbirds.

"It’s a spectacular film with wonderful aerial footage that takes viewers from locations in the Boreal Forest to the streets of NYC  and shows how the problems facing birds pose implications for planet earth.  The Messenger is being shown in collaboration with the Delmarva  Birding Weekend and the Delmarva Birding organizer, Jim Rapp will be present to lead a post film discussion."

Official Trailer of The Messenger

Osher Spring 2016 Field Birding Schedule

Our first class will meet at Cape Henlopen at the Point parking lot. Our target species for this class is the endangered Piping Plover. Checking the Point out this morning, Sally and I had 4 Piping Plovers. The below pic is from a couple years ago at Cape Henlopen.

Osher 2016 Spring Field Birding

Meeting time for all Classes is 8 am at the designated location. We will not have a class if major bad weather, like heavy rain, is forecast. If the weather looks questionable, check Bill’s blog, http://billfintel.blogspot.com/ for last minute go-no go decisions. He will post a decision at the latest by 6 am on the day of a class. Also be sure to dress appropriately, as it can be windy and cool along the coast, plus a few showers will not deter us.

April 13 -  Meet at Cape Henlopen Point parking lot. This is the lot farthest north on the ocean and Bay. Our goal will be to find and observe Piping Plover, N. Gannets, Scoters, Loons, and migrating raptors. Inland we will search for Brown-headed Nuthatch, Pine Warbler and other woodland birds. Park entrance fee required. Low tide 8:29 am.

April 20 –   Location TBD - Check Bill’s Blog, http://billfintel.blogspot.com/  by noon April 19 to see where we are meeting, where we will bird, and what we hope to see. The locations we visit will be based on our scouting, plus the most recent birding reports from Delaware Birds and other local sources. Hi tide 8:29 am.

April 27 – Meet at Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge Headquarters just off of Route 16. We will spend the morning exploring the Refuge for both woodland migrants and shorebirds. Low tide 6:44 am

May 4 – No Class

May 11 - Meet at Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge Headquarters. Today we will bird some on the Refuge, and some on little used back roads. This will probably include exploring the Nature Conservancy’s McCabe Preserve near Milton. Our primary targets will be woodland migrants, such as Scarlet Tanager, Wood Thrush, Prothonotary Warbler, etc. Low tide 7:07 am.

May 18 – Meet at Prime Hook NWR Headquarters. From there we will car pool directly to the DuPont Nature Center at Mispillion. Our primary target bird will be the Red Knot, but many other shorebirds should be evident, such as the colorful American Oystercatchers and Ruddy Turnstones. From Mispillion we will slowly bird our way south to arrive back at Prime Hook Headquarters by 11 am. Hi tide 7:12 am.

New Zealand Hi-lights

New Zealand is an awesome country, with the friendliest and most helpful people we have ever met in one country. So no more words from me, just check out the scenery and New Zealanders.

Photo captions from top to bottom:
1 - 2 Wandering Albatross and 2 wandering Delawareans
2 - 6 lb Rainbow Trout caught by Bill, with Sally's moral support & yes it was carefully released
3 - Fishing guide Simon, with Bill and Sally overlooking Queenstown, NZ
4 - Tail of a very large Sperm Whale as it sounded off Kaikoura, NZ

First Ruby-throated Hummingbird in our yard in 2016

Sally had just put the feeders back up this morning (4/7/16). Less than an hour later she spotted a hummingbird at her feeder. A few hours later I spotted, I presume the same one, then late this afternoon I got the above photo, I presume of the same male Ruby-throated Hummingbird.....and note that in some lighting situations, the throat can look very black, as in my photo, but in earlier lighting, the throat had been Ruby red. This phenomena is known as spectral coloration, and is exhibited by many birds, especially hummingbirds.

Snowy Owl at Dover AMC Museum

Peter Zoll took these photos today. They are distant photos, but are certainly of a Snowy Owl (or decoy) who can move his head from side to side. Anyone have any more info?

Bill's Top 12 Birding Tips

These tips are primarily for someone getting started birding, but even if you consider yourself an experienced birder, you may find some useful advice. For instance, with winter storm Jonas approaching our region, attention to feeding birds is something your backyard birds will benefit from, and you too should get many good visual rewards.

So please, scan through this list compiled and condensed from from 40+ years of birding.......
by me and my birding spouse, Sally.


Bill’s Top 12 Birding Tips

1. Go birding with groups led by an experienced birder 
- he/she will know what species to expect
- he’ll know the key field marks and help you hone in on them
- he’ll know the bird songs and help you learn them
- and he’ll have a spotting scope

2. Buy the best optics you can comfortably afford
- many good brands: Nikon, Swarovski, Swift, Leica, Zeiss
- avoid compact, zoom and high power binoculars
- magnification 7 to 10x, objective lens 30 to 50 mm
- mid range and my choice is 8.5x42
- try binoculars first, especially if you wear glasses
- when it comes time to purchase a spotting scope, you’ll know

3. Purchase at least one good field guide
- Sibley, Kaufman, National Geographic, Peterson
- better yet, with 2 different field guides, you can cross check what they say
- some come with an Eastern edition which narrows options

4. Learn the common resident birds “like the back of your hand”
- when new species arrive during migration, you’ll know you have somebody new
- learn the songs of the most common birds

5. Use and trust published literature, such as 
- range maps, birds do get out of their normal ranges, BUT this is rare
- check-list abundance is quite useful and accurate
- if the check list says your ID is a rare species, you may wish to recheck your ID

6. Bird year round
- 85% of DE birds are migrants, which means only 15% do NOT migrate
- when possible spend extra time birding during migration, which is:
- spring: April-May, with peak the first 2 weeks in May
- fall: Sept-October-November, with peak the last 2 weeks of Sept

7. Learn habitat preferences of the birds you seek
- most warblers don’t hang out on the beaches
- most shorebirds don’t hang out in the woods
- “waders” do like to wade in shallow water impoundments

8. If you can, provide food, water, plantings and bird houses for birds in your yard
- observing birds in your yard helps hone expertise
- it can also provide a great deal of pleasure
- and it can help the birds as well

9. Use the Internet as a resource
- SussexBirdClub.com
- go to SBC Links page for lots of additional information on the internet
- consider DE-Birds to be notified of rare and noteworthy bird sightings 
- Also Google a bird’s name, or Google-Image a bird’s picture
- also use Google maps to get details on a possible birding location

10. Visit the top nearby birding locations as often as you can
- Prime Hook NWR
- Cape Henlopen State Park
- Mispillion, DuPont Nature Center (especially May)
- Trap Pond State Park
- Bombay Hook NWR
- Indian River Inlet (especially winter)
- Cape May/Lewes Ferry

11.Travel and Bird
- new habitat means new birds
- definitely research where you plan to travel
- there are many very nice lodges which cater to birders as well as the general public

12. Enjoy what you see! 
- yes, Cardinals are beautiful, as is the Scarlet Tanager
- common birds sometimes do uncommon things
- and toucans are really cool as well
- enjoying the birds is why you go birding