eBird Check Lists for May 22 Field Trip to Mispillion and nearby

Many thanks to Rob Blye for helping lead this field trip and for compiling 4 eBird check lists for the 4 locations we birded. Folling are links to these check lists in chronological order:

https://ebird.org/pa/view/checklist/S56614405

https://ebird.org/pa/view/checklist/S56614931

https://ebird.org/pa/view/checklist/S56620835

https://ebird.org/pa/view/checklist/S56657222

May 22, 2019 OLLI Field Trip to Mispillion

This was our last class field trip for spring 2019, and it was a good one. The highlight for me was a field with an estimated 2,500 Black-bellied Plover along Prime Hook Road. We also saw many shorebirds from the observation deck of the DuPont Nature Center at Mispillion Inlet. Unfortunately that consisted of only about 5 Red knots, that were also far away. Perhaps the main numbers have yet to arrive on their way north. Rob Blye's eBird check list links will be in the next post, and after that I will try to compile one class checklist for this spring.

On the visual side, Steve Walker again got some great bird pics from this past field trip.

May 14, 2019 Prime Hook Field Trip Highlights

Links to eBird check lists compiled by Rob Blye can be found below (in English):
https://ebird.org/pa/view/checklist/S56266009
https://ebird.org/pa/view/checklist/S56485175

We were very fortunate to get awesome views of a male Prothonotary Warbler from the Fleetwood Pond dock. Below are two pictures of it taken by class member Steve Walker.

The nickname for this bird is the Golden Swamp Warbler, because they are found almost exclusively in wooded swamps. Other warblers seen well were Northern Parula, Yellow, Blackpoll and Common Yellowthroat.

Our next and last field trip will be to Slaughter Beach and Mispillion Inlet, with target birds being shorebirds, including the endangered Red Knot. Meet at Prime Hook Visitor Center at 8:00 am to car pool up there. (Or meet at the DuPont Nature Center at Mispillion about 8:30 am.)

Questions about Fintel's Feeders and Water Features on 5/8/19 OLLI Class

Following are links to answers for questions raised in our class on 5/8/19. All links will take you to earlier posts on this blog.

Sources of the Wood Bark Suet Sandwich Woodpecker Feeder, plus Droll Yankee Domed Cage Feeder, and the Humzinger Hummingbird Feeder and Ant Trap,  plus the The recipe for the suet we use are all available at this LINK.

Details of our latest design for the Safe Haven Cage Feeder is available HERE

Avian Aquatics Misters and Drippers are available from Birds Choice via Amazon HERE

For details on Leaf Misting for warblers and hummingbirds click HERE 

As I mentioned in our 5/8/19 class, Avian Aquatics Bird-Creeks are no longer available, but if you search, you should still be able to find shallow water features with moving water, or you can be creative and make your own.

At this LINK you can see the amazing results of a simple shallow (1 to 2 inch deep) moving water feature on the Dry Tortugas. Even birds shown on branches were attracted to the water feature, and just waiting their turn.

OLLI Field Trip May 8

I just checked the weather forecast, and we are a GO with only a 30% chance of showers. For field trip details, see the below post Olli 2019 Spring Birding Class.

Check List of Birds for the May 1 Olli field trip to Cape Henlopen

This is actually a series of eBird check lists compiled by Rob Blye. Each check list is for a different but identifiable area at Cape Henlopen. Rob has even included the observed numbers for each species. Thanks very much to Rob and Carol for helping out on the May 1 field trip. To view each list, just click on the below links:

https://ebird.org/colombia/view/checklist/S55969886

https://ebird.org/colombia/view/checklist/S55969928

https://ebird.org/colombia/view/checklist/S55636137

RE tomorrow's field trip, there is a chance of showers in the morning, but as I see it right now, it should not be a problem to do what we have planned. I will definitely update this blog with the latest weather info and any plan changes at 6 am tomorrow.

Field Trip May 1, 2019

The field trip today is a GO. We may have some showers, but nothing major is forecast. Do wear a water repellent jacket.

OLLI Class summary from 4-24-19 Field Trip to Prime Hook NWR

Great attendance, a fun and very attentive class, and many excellent birds. Below is a list of the birds we encountered, and if we only heard it, then followed by an "h". The list is in taxonomical order, and more on that in the next class. We recorded a total of 41 species which is good for only 2 hrs in the field before peak migration.


American Black Duck 
Green-winged Teal 
Snowy Egret 
Turkey Vulture
Osprey 
Bald Eagle
Killdeer 
Greater Yellowlegs
Lesser Yellowlegs 
Dunlin
Laughing Gull
Mourning Dove
Red-bellied Woodpecker  h
Pileated Woodpecker
Great Crested Flycatcher  h
White-eyed Vireo  h
Blue Jay
Purple Martin
Tree Swallow
Carolina Chickadee
Tufter Titmouse
Red-breasted Nuthatch  h
Carolina Wren
House Wren  h
American Robin
Gray Catbird
European Starling
Yellow-throated Warbler  h
Pine Warbler  h
Prothonotary Warbler  h
Ovebbird
Common Yellowthroat
Eastern Towhee  h
Chipping Sparrow
Field Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird  h
American Goldfinch

OLLI 2019 Spring Birding Class

We will spend as much time as possible birding in the field. On any day when the weather does not permit a field trip we will cancel the class. For the latest information on class status see Bill’s blog at http://billfintel.blogspot.com/ . This will be updated by 6 am on any field trip day with questionable weather.

All classes begin at 8 am and are on Wednesday EXCEPT FOR MAY 14 which is on Tuesday.  The meeting locations are noted below. Be sure to bring binoculars. Also check the weather forecast and dress appropriately with a rain resistant windbreaker and footwear suitable for walking no more than one mile. Insect repellent, sunscreen, water and a snack are recommended. Classes will end at the latest by 11 am.

Wed, April 24 - Prime Hook NWR Headquarters. We will bird all types of habitats, such as woodlands, fields, marshes, impoundments and bay beaches. Our target birds will be early shorebirds, and early woodland migrants. (Low tide 7:10 am)

Wed, May 1 - Cape Henlopen State Park Nature Center  (sticker required). Northbound raptor migration will be underway, some sea ducks should still be present and we will of course search for three resident specialties, the Piping Plover, American Oystercatcher and Brown-headed Nuthatch. (High tide 7:06 am)

Wed, May 8 – Fintel’s Yard plus Roosevelt Inlet. Meet at the Fintel’s home, 31395 Point Cir, Lewes, at 8 am for a guided tour of their birding habitats, feeders and water features. Roosevelt Inlet is about ½ mile from the Fred Thomas building in Lewes, and many good birds are usually present in the inlet, plus Canary Creek and adjacent marshes and scrub habitat. (Low tide 5:49 am). We are all invited to have lunch with Janice Erich and Rob Morgan at their home in Cape Shores after the class.

TUESDAY, May 14 – Prime Hook NWR. Meet at Prime Hook HQ at 8 am. This date is usually about the peak of spring migration. We will search the woodlands for tanagers, vireos, warblers and thrushes, all of which should be in good song. Our favorites include Scarlet Tanager, Yellow-throated Vireo, Blackburnian Warbler (beautiful but a difficult find) and our favorite local songster, the Wood Thrush.  (Hi tide 6:25 am)

Wed, May 22 - DuPont Nature Center at Mispillion Inlet. Meet at Prime Hook at 8:00 am for carpooling. We will proceed directly to the Dupont Nature Center, arriving about 8:30 am. This is our annual spring pilgrimage to witness Horseshoe Crabs spawning and the thousands of shorebirds that feed on their eggs. It is also the best time and place to see the endangered Red Knot. We will bird our way south, stopping along the way at good birding spots, such as the new DE Nature Society Marvel Saltmarsh Preserve. We will arrive back at Prime Hook Headquarters before 11 am. (Low tide 5:56 am)