A summary of our last OLLI field trip on May 27, 2018

We had a great morning birding with so many special local birds cooperating and being viewed very well. Some immediate highlights that come to my mind are Grasshopper Sparrow and Eastern Meadowlark. I think most in the class got to see both birds through the scope. Both are declining due to habitat loss....grasslands....and Prime Hook NWR is doing a great job to maintain grassland habitat in the fields just before the Refuge Headquarters where we saw these two species.

Other highlights that pop into my mind were excellent views of Blue Grosbeak and Indigo Bunting. Both these birds favor edge habitat, which equals grasslands bordered by secondary growth and wooded areas.

In the shorebird category, we had our first views of Dunlin, now in breeding plumage with the reddish back and black bellies, along with Semi-palmated Sandpipers and Lesser Yellowlegs. Our best location for these was a flooded field just off Fowler Beach Rd. Other waterbird highlights were about 50 Black Skimmers and about a dozen Least Terns along Prime Hook Road just before Prime Hook Beach.

Among the woodland bird highlights were excellent views of Prothonotary Warbler and Ovenbird. Both of these were seen very well along Deep Branch Rd. Many also had good views of Scarlet Tanager and Eastern Towhee.

I plan to publish a cumulative class list after our last class, which is May 30, meeting at Prime Hook NWR at 8 am and then car pooling to the DuPont Nature Center at Mispillion River. If you wish to go directly to Mispillion, just send me an email. Our target birds are shorebirds feeding on Horseshoe Crab eggs, and of course our main target bird is the Red Knot........Best, Bill

Shorebirds and Horseshoe Crab Connection on DE Bay Beaches

This is a great video

Soon we will be able to experience this special event in 2017.

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.

OLLI Birding Field Trip Report for 9/9/15 at Prime Hook NWR

Some really good birds today, but boy was it hot and humid!!! My favorites today were the group of about 8 Wild Turkeys as we left the Headquarters area, the very close 10 or so Glossy Ibis along Prime Hook Road, and the distant 10 White Pelicans along the same stretch of road. We also saw as many Snowy and Great Egrets as I have seen recently. My estimate viewed from the Boardwalk trail was 1,200+ of the two combined.

Our shorebird count was good with Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs (the last being very distant), Spotted Sandpiper, Sanderling, Ruddy Turnstone, Semipalmated Plover and Black-bellied Plover.

Also excellent views of Caspian and Forster's Terns very successfully catching fish. My total species count was 36 species. And please remember that our goal is learning about the birds we encounter, and not recording a big list.

As I said, next week will be different. We will have a greater variety of terns and gulls, so if you are inclined to do homework, study Forster's vs. Common Terns, Caspian vs. Royal Terns, and Ring-billed vs. Herring vs. Great Black-backed Gulls.

Looking forward to seeing most of you next Wed at Cape Henlopen.

PS - To photographers in the class: If you get some good photos on our field trips, I am happy to post them on this blog site with credit to you. Scroll down to July 23, 2015 for some in-flight photos of the same White Pelicans we saw today.

OLLI Fall 2015 Birding Class Schedule

We will spend all our class time birding in the field. On any day when the weather does not permit a field trip, the class will be cancelled. 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. Also more detailed directions and trip info will be added as needed.

All classes will begin at 8:00 am at the meeting locations noted below. Also note that while some meeting locations are the same, the routes we take from them will be different, and will be based on what good birds are being found nearby. Be sure to bring binoculars. Also check the weather forecast and dress appropriately with a rain resistant windbreaker and footwear suitable for walking about one mile. Insect repellent, sunscreen, water and a snack are recommended. Classes will end by 11 am at the meeting location.

Sep 9 - Prime Hook NWR Headquarters (HQ).  Woodland migrants, wading birds and shorebirds. High tide 6:44 am.

Sep 16 - Cape Henlopen Nature Center (park sticker required). Shorebirds and early raptors.

High tide 11:12 am.

Sep 23 – Prime Hook NWR HQ. This is about the peak of fall migration, so today we will try to observe as many species as possible and give you a feel for what doing a “Big Day” is like.

Low tide 10:31 am.

Sep 30 - Cape Henlopen Nature Center. This is prime time for migrating falcons, and also excellent for shorebirds. We will look for shorebirds first, and falcons plus other raptors later.

High tide 10:54 am.

Oct 7 & 14 – NO CLASS

Oct 21 - Prime Hook NWR HQ. Today we have low tide at 9:03 am, so we will focus on shorebirds, terns and waders.

Oct 28 - Prime Hook HQ. This is a prime time for early waterfowl and migrant sparrows. High tide 9:43 am.

Nov 4 - Cape Henlopen Herring Point parking lot. We will bird the new trail to Rehoboth. This will involve the most walking of any field trip. Low tide 8:40 am.

Nov 11 – Veteran’s Day, OLLI Closed

Nov 18 – Indian River Inlet Marina on north side of Inlet (park sticker required). Our targets will be Gannets, scoters, loons and marsh birds. Note that it can be cold and windy at the inlet, so dress warmly with a good windbreaker. Low tide 6:40 am

OLLI Field Trip 5/20/14 to Prime Hook WMA and Road to PH Beach

Great weather, great bird songs, and very close shorebird sightings. Prime Hook Wildlife Management Area (WMA) had wonderful songs of at least 3 Wood Thrushes, many Red-eyed Vireos, Indigo Buntings and Blue Grosbeaks. The last 3 were also seen, as was a male American Redstart.

Shorebirds along Prime Hook Road and on Prime Hook Beach were all very cooperative providing great looks. I noted the following shorebirds today: Black-bellied Plover, Semipalmated Plover, Killdeer, Greater Yellowlegs, Ruddy Turnstone*, Sanderling*, Semipalmated Sandpiper*, Least Sandpiper*,  Dunlin*, and Short-billed Dowitcher. The ones with an * were observed very closely on PH beach. No Red Knots today, but probably next week at Mispillion.

PS - Woodland migrants are still coming through. We had 3 Blackpoll Warblers, an American Redstart, and a Magnolia Warbler all in our Bird Creek in the backyard this afternoon. Below pics were taken this afternoon. Your homework is to id the below birds.

5/29/13 Mispillion FT, and 2013 Spring Check List

Spawning Horseshoe Crabs, Red Knot, Dunlin and Semipalmated Sandpipers 

Bill Fintel Photo, click on photo to enlarge

Well it took some perseverance, but in the end, I believe everyone had good looks at Red Knots through one of the spotting scopes. Most of the time they were distant on the other side of the Mispillion River in front of the DuPont Nature Center, but periodically some did rest on an exposed bar about 1/2 way across the river, and thus twice as close. My estimate was that we could see at least 100 Red Knots from the deck of the nature center.

Other good birds we observed well were Clapper Rails, Seaside Sparrows, and Black Skimmers. My species count for the day was 47. A non-avian highlight was a female Diamond-backed Terrapin digging a hole to lay her eggs in the sand parking lot at Yerkes Road. In our presence, she seemed to think twice about the advisability of doing that at this location, and moved on. We all agreed, that was probably a good move.

My cumulative list for our eight birding classes this spring was a very respectable 135 species. You can find our class check list on Google Docs, as a pdf, or as an Excel file.

Red Knots and Horseshoe Crabs today!!!

We had a great last field trip to Mispillion Inlet and the DuPont Nature Center. There everyone got good looks at Red Knots, and just south of the inlet along Slaughter Beach, we all viewed of an awesome number of Horseshoe Crabs spawning.

Now for more good news from DNREC, between the U of DE College of Earth Ocean and the Environment, and DuPont, a synthetic bait has been developed for eel and conch fisherman to use, instead of using female Horseshoe Crabs (the best bait ever...until now).

Following is that story...and soon on future My Tern blog posts will be more details of birds we have seen, as well as a spring class summary list.

From: DNREC Press Releases List <michael.globetti@state.de.us>
Date: May 29, 2013 3:45:53 PM EDT
To: DNREC Press Releases <dnrec_press_releases@lists.state.de.us>
Subject: New artificial bait could reduce the number of horseshoe crabs used to catch eel and whelk


NEWS FROM THE DELAWARE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL and THE UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Teresa Messmore, University of Delaware, 302-757-2245, or Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902. Photos available.                                                             

New artificial bait could reduce number of horseshoe crabs
used to catch eel and whelk
 
LEWES (May 29, 2013) – A new alternative bait product that will help reduce the number of horseshoe crabs harvested from the Delaware Bay was introduced today. A team of University of Delaware researchers led by Dr. Nancy Targett, DuPont scientists, fisheries biologists, watermen and conservation groups were joined by DNREC Secretary Collin O’Mara to make the announcement this morning at UD’s Hugh R. Sharp Campus in Lewes.
 
For years, commercial eel and whelk fishers have dealt with a dilemma: They know the best bait to attract eel and whelk, locally known as conch, is a female horseshoe crab. However, harvest limits are in place to protect the Delaware Bay’s horseshoe crab population and the threatened migratory shorebirds that depend on their eggs as a food source. Commercial fishers have long worked within these limits, dividing each bait crab into pieces to bait multiple eel or whelk pots.
 
“Horseshoe crabs are an ecologically and economically important species in the Delaware Estuary, which hosts the largest concentrations of horseshoe crabs in the world,” said Governor Jack Markell. “This alternative bait is the result of a great partnership among academic researchers, scientists, government, a private corporation and the commercial fisheries industry. By working together, they have found a solution that has great economic and environmental benefits, both now and for the future of bait development.”
 
“Conserving and restoring horseshoe crab populations is critical to supporting Delaware’s shorebird migration and implementing the vision of the Delaware Bayshore Initiative,” said DNREC Secretary O’Mara. “By using this new bait developed by leading scientists at the University of Delaware in partnership with DNREC, watermen will be able to reduce the number of horseshoe crabs used to catch whelk and eel, enjoy more convenient bait storage, help conserve the horseshoe crab population, and support migratory birds that depend on horseshoe crab eggs for food. I applaud my predecessor, Secretary John Hughes, and Dean Nancy Targett for their vision to launch this innovative effort, which will provide a win-win for both the economy and the environment for years to come.”

The new bait came after years of research, which was spurred in part by a surprising fact: Eel and whelk do not typically feed on adult horseshoe crabs in their natural environment, yet they find them hard to resist in baited pots.
 
That disconnect intrigued Targett, director of Delaware Sea Grant, dean of UD’s College of Earth, Ocean, and Environment and an ecologist who studies the chemical cues that influence animal behavior in the sea. She and her research team set out to identify the mysterious “scent” that lures in eels – and come up with a bait alternative to horseshoe crabs, which have experienced population declines in recent decades.
 
After years of research, Targett and her colleagues have developed a recipe for just such an artificial attractor that could help reduce the number of horseshoe crabs commercial fishermen use. 

“Our hope is that this new bait will meet the fishing community’s needs and at the same time protect the horseshoe crab,” Targett said. “Delaware Sea Grant’s motto is ‘Science Serving the Delaware Coast,’ and we are grateful that so many partners shared in that spirit to move this project forward.” 

Horseshoe crabs – which are actually more closely related to spiders than crabs – feed upon marine worms and small shellfish, and are fed upon by the federally threatened loggerhead sea turtle and a number of shark species. Their outer shells often support a whole community of marine life, from bacteria to blue mussels. Horseshoe crab eggs are a key part of the seasonal diet of at least seven commercially and recreationally important fish species and a host of crabs and other invertebrates.
 
Each May and June, horseshoe crabs lay large numbers of these small green eggs on Delaware Bay beaches. Migratory shorebirds, such as the endangered red knot, arrive around the same time to feast on surplus eggs before continuing their long journey from South America to their Arctic breeding grounds. In about two weeks, the birds double their weight for the final non-stop leg of the trip.
 
As horseshoe crab populations dropped considerably in the 1990s, so did the numbers of red knots. With the horseshoe crab decline largely attributed to their increased demand as bait in the commercial whelk pot fishery, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) established a fisheries management plan with strict harvest quotas. Since the plan was adopted, increases have been noted in segments of the horseshoe crab population. Currently, the ASMFC plan allows for harvesting a limited number of male horseshoe crabs and no harvest of female crabs in Delaware.
 
With whelk as a popular seafood staple in Asia and an ingredient used domestically in chowders and fritters, demand for horseshoe crabs as bait continues to be high, particularly for female crabs, making an equally effective alternative appealing both economically and environmentally.
 
To reach the goal of finding an alternative bait, Targett partnered with DuPont scientists to analyze the horseshoe crab’s chemical makeup. They identified 100 compounds in tissue samples and were able to rule out some as key components in the scent that appeals so strongly to eel and whelk.
 
“We were pleased to provide the expertise of DuPont scientists, as well as business advice to make this project successful,” said Gary Spitzer, DuPont senior vice president of operations and engineering. “This is a great example of the way corporations, universities and governments can collaborate to promote sustainable solutions.”
 
Concurrent with the chemical approach, Targett’s lab developed artificial bait made from alginates (compounds found in brown seaweeds and kelp), a small amount of coarsely ground horseshoe crab and food-grade chemicals including baking soda and citric acid. When mixed together, these ingredients form a quick-set gelatin that keeps for up to four days. 

Compared with using half of a female horseshoe crab, which is the Delaware limit, the mixture was just as productive in catching eel using only one-eighth of a female. By substituting an invasive species, the Asian shore crab, the researchers cut that amount down to as little as one-sixteenth of a horseshoe crab. They tested catching whelk with the bait and found similarly successful results.
 
In addition, despite speculation that female horseshoe crabs were better baits than males, the scientists found that artificial baits composed of males or females were equally effective. The Delaware limit is one whole male per trap or pot.
 
The bait research was funded by Delaware Sea Grant, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) and DuPont Chemicals & Fluoroproducts. A faculty member at the Delaware Biotechnology Institute participated in the early stages of the research. DNREC provided logistical assistance in obtaining horseshoe crab specimens and connecting researchers with fishers.
 
LaMonica Fine Foods in Millville, N.J., has started producing the bait commercially. Field tests in Delaware Bay with local whelk fishermen have been successful so far.
 
“The hallmark of this bait is that everyone wins,” said Jim Roussos of LaMonica Fine Foods LLC. “This is a major step in conserving the natural resource of horseshoe crabs. The conch and eel fishermen are relieved of the pressures of buying, storing and processing horseshoe crabs. The University of Delaware has proven once again that it is a vital, important and valuable institution not only to its students but to the public at large. And commercial fisheries win when we can be conservators of public resources while maintaining our historical way of life.”

To learn more about the project and download the recipe for personal use, visit www.deseagrant.org.
 
For more information about pre-made bait, call Michael LaVecchia at LaMonica Fine Foods at 856-825-8111, ext. 102.
 
Vol. 43, No. 220
-30-

OLLI 5/22/13 FT to Gordon's Pond

Blue Grosbeak, photo by Chuck Fullmer, Georgetown, DE

Almost everyone drove to our meeting point at the Gordon's Pond parking lot, except for 3 hardy soles who biked there from Lewes via the Breakwater-Junction trail. We all had good looks  at the many shorebirds in the shallow water of Gordon's Pond. These included Least and Semipalmated Sandpiper, Dunlin, Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs (mostly lesser), Semipalmated Plover, and Willet.

From a land bird perspective, we had excellent views of some very colorful birds, like Blue Grosbeak, Indigo Bunting, and Common Yellowthroat, plus a very unique year-round resident, the Brown-headed Nuthatch.

We concluded our field trip by checking out the Atlantic Ocean beach, where all saw distant Black-bellied Plover and American Oystercatcher. Our total species for this FT was 51.

Next week we will meet at Prime Hook to carpool to the DuPont Nature Center at Mispillion Inlet. There we should get good looks at spawning Horseshoe Crabs and shorebirds feeding on the eggs they lay. Shorebirds should include the endangered Red Knot.

PS - Chuck Fullmer, who took the above photo, is a good friend and member of the Sussex Bird Club. You can view his other bird photos at All Season Shooter.

Road Scholar FT to Cape Henlopen and Prime Hook 5/2/13

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 Piping Plovers at Cape Henlopen, Bill Fintel photo

On day three we started at Cape Henlopen State Park at the point which separates the Delaware Bay from the Atlantic Ocean. Our goal was to view Piping Plovers at low tide and we were rewarded with very good views of at least two individuals. We also had good looks at American Oystercatcher and Brant, and back at the Nature Center feeder, we saw both Brown-headed and Red-breasted Nuthatch.

From there we went to Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge where many enjoyed shopping in the Friends gift store for field guides and memorabilia. On the impoundments, the numbers of herons and egrets was very impressive, plus we also had very close looks at Dunlin, Osprey, and even a perched Black Vulture.

We went back to Cape Henlopen for lunch, and after lunch we were treated to gangbuster looks of a male Eastern Towhee right next to our bus. We concluded at Herring Point with terrific views of Prairie Warbler, and many people got close up views of a Field Sparrow.

Our tally for this day was 74 species. Weather again was cool and breezy, but mostly sunny.

Road Scholar FT to Mispillion and Bombay Hook 5/1/13

Dunlin and Black-necked Stilt, Bill Fintel photo

To begin the day we made a short stop at the Fintel’s backyard to hear about unique feeders and water features. There we also had good views of a calling Great Crested Flycatcher.

We then went to Evans Road at Slaughter Beach where we saw some reasonably close American Avocets. After that we stopped along the marsh just before the DuPont Nature Center at Mispillion, where we had amazingly good views of at least 5 Clapper Rails and a singing Seaside Sparrow.

Once at the Nature Center we saw many shorebirds, and after much searching found a single Red Knot which everyone viewed through a scope (there may have been 2 individuals). Other good birds observed there were a pair of American Oystercatchers and 3 Bald Eagles.

On the entrance road to Bombay Hook we had Horned Larks and an American Pipit in breeding (alternate) plumage. On the loop road around the impoundments we observed large numbers of shorebirds including Dunlin (above), Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, Black-bellied and Semipalmated Plover, Least Sandpiper, Willet, Short-billed Dowitcher and great looks at Black-necked Stilts (above). We concluded our visit with excellent views of about 20 Black-crowned Night-Herons at Bear Swamp, and 2 White-crowned Sparrows at the Nature Center.

Our total species count for the day was 80 species. Weather was cool, breezy, and sunny.