Birds Seen on 10-28-21 Prime Hook Field Trip

 Following is an eBird check list of the birds we saw, and the estimated numbers for each species.  We observed 35 species in 2.5 hrs, which is very respectable.  Note that some species were identified by call.  Note that generalized bird groups, like peep sp. and gull sp. are NOT counted in the total species count. 

Our primary birding location was the Boardwalk Trail.  We also birded one location along the Broadkill Beach Rd. Highlights were 3 Bald Eagles (2 adults and 1 juvenile), 2 Northern Harriers, 30 American Black Ducks, 18 Northern Pintail, 9 Greater Yellowlegs, 25 Forster's Terns, 1 Great Egret, and 18 Yellow-rumped Warblers.

Canada Goose	35
Mallard	7
American Black Duck	30
Northern Pintail	18
Mourning Dove	2
peep sp.	25
Greater Yellowlegs	9
Laughing Gull	15
Ring-billed Gull	8
Herring Gull	5
gull sp.	75
Forster's Tern	25
Double-crested Cormorant	75
Great Blue Heron	1
Great Egret	1
Turkey Vulture	20
Northern Harrier	2
Sharp-shinned Hawk	1
Bald Eagle	3
Belted Kingfisher	2
Red-bellied Woodpecker	2
Downy Woodpecker	4
Northern Flicker	5
American Crow	12
Carolina Chickadee	2
Tufted Titmouse	2
Tree Swallow	4
Carolina Wren	4
European Starling	60
Northern Mockingbird	3
American Robin	3
House Finch	1
White-throated Sparrow	8
Song Sparrow	2
Eastern Towhee	1
Red-winged Blackbird	30
Yellow-rumped Warbler	18

OLLI Field Trip at Prime Hook NWR

 To OLLI Fall Birding Class Members,

Today's field trip is a GO, so please meet at the Refuge Headquarters at 9 am.  It will be cool and breezy, so warm, windproof clothes are recommended.  Also, we have had a lot of recent rain, and the ground may be muddy in spots.  Our goals today will be to view shorebirds and waterfowl, plus explore the various good natural areas of Prime Hook, mostly by car.

Here is a link to a Prime Hook Refuge Map, which you may have to copy and paste in to your browser:
https://www.fws.gov/uploadedFiles/Region_5/NWRS/South_Zone/Coastal_Delaware_Complex/Prime_Hook/RefugeMap.pdf

Cape Henlopen Field Trip Summary

On Oct 21, 2021, we birded Cape Henlopen State Park (CHSP) from 10 to 11:30 am.  We began at the Nature Center, where we observed Red-breasted Nuthatch, Yellow-rumped Warbler, House Finch,  and Mourning Dove.  From there we went to the Point parking lot where we had several Turkey Vultures, and two Osprey diving for fish inside the point.  We also had close scope views of a cooperative Herring Gull.  From the Point parking lot we went to Herring Point overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and had good views of several Lesser Black-backed Gulls and could clearly see their yellow legs through the telescope.  We also observed a small flock of Sanderlings feeding on the waters edge.  Our total species count was 14 species.  A calm, warm day and a high tide, definitely kept the species number down.

As a reminder, we meet next Thur, Oct 28, at the Prime Hook NWR visitor center at 9 am.  By 6 am on the 28th, I will post on this blog if there are any changes to that due to bad weather.

Welcome to the Fall OLLI 2021 Birding Class

 This juvenile Eastern Screech Owl wants to welcome you to the fall OLLI Birding Class. 

OLLI Fall 2021 Birding Class Outline

OVERALL

We will focus on bird migration in the fall, bird identification, local birding hotspots, some travel birding hotspots, and we will visit up to 4 local hotspots.  The latter is of course weather dependent.

 

Since some of you may live closer to a field trip destination than to OLLI Lewes, we can plan to meet you at the field trip destination.  This will require some coordination in the class one week before the field trip, or via email.

 

For the field trips, be sure to bring binoculars, a field guide, insect repellent, water and a snack, water resistant wind breaker, and a DE park sticker/pass if you are driving into Cape Henlopen or Indian River Inlet State Parks.

 

WEATHER PLANNING

We will not do a field trip if the weather is rainy or stormy.  You can check our tentative weather plans at 6 am on the day of the field trip by logging in to: https://billfintel.blogspot.com/    If a field trip is cancelled due to weather, we will still do an indoor class of approximately 1 hour.

 

CLASS OUTLINE

Class 1 - The first hour will definitely be at OLLI Lewes.  This first hour will be an orientation and question/answer session re the next 4 classes.  Program options will be presented for class input, so programs for the next 4 classes are right now open pending your input.  The field trip this day will be to Cape Henlopen.

 

Class 2 - Field trip to Prime Hook NWR.  This is an excellent location for migrating shorebirds and waterfowl, both of which will be on the move.

 

Class 3 - Our field trip will include the Fintel’s yard, plantings, feeders and water features.  After that we will visit Oyster Rocks Road and the Lewes Great Marsh

 

Class 4 - Our field trip destination is Indian River Inlet and surrounding dune habitat.  If this and all previous field trips have been a “GO”, we will have a discussion on where you would like to go in Class 5.

 

Class 5 - Our field trip will be any previous location we got “weathered out of visiting”, OR the decision made in Class 4.