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

Indian River Inlet Directions for Nov 18 Osher Birding Class

We will meet in the parking lot on the SOUTH side of the inlet closest to the ocean. This is a change from the initial class description which says the north side. However, in the last class, I believe the south side was described verbally, and that is where we usually meet.

To get to the south side meeting parking lot if you are coming from Rehoboth-Dewey, cross the IR bridge going south, take the first exit to the right, proceed back north and go under the bridge, then enter the first parking lot and go northeast toward the inlet and ocean corner of it

Coming from Bethany, exit just before the bridge and proceed to the northeast corner of the parking lot adjacent to the inlet and ocean. We will be parked there, and will begin birding from the south jetty that runs out into the ocean. Meeting time 8 am

Osher Nov 4 Field Trip meets at Herring Point parking lot at Cape Henlopen

If you are not familiar with Herring Point, just after you pass through the entry pay booths at Cape Henlopen, you make a gradual left turn, and then make a right with signage to Herring Point and Fort Miles. Drive as far as you can and then park in the large parking lot on the right. The weather tomorrow looks like another Indian Summer day, so come out and enjoy, before the arctic vortex takes yet another southward swing this winter.

And as a reminder, Janice Erich has invited us ALL to lunch at her and Rob's home in Cape Shores. She is prepared to serve carnivores, omnivores and herbivores. Hope you can attend.

And above, just a fun add-on pic of the Kalmar Nyckel at the Lewes Ferry Terminal Aug 2, 2015. Much to our surprise, Sally and I again saw the Kalmar Nyckel in Chestertown MD this past Friday, Oct 30. For details about this historic ship, click Captain Lauren Morgens. She and her husband Matt Sarver are both very active Delaware birders, so you may meet them while birding our great birding state...Delaware.

Oct 28 Osher Birding Field Trip - CANCELLED

Per the latest NOAA forecast, the probability of heavy rain tomorrow is 100%, accompanied by 18-20 mph winds, with gusts up to 30 mph, so our Osher birding field trip tomorrow is cancelled.

But do not despair, I will be helping lead a field trip at Prime Hook NWR on Thur, Oct 29 beginning at 8 am at the Refuge Headquarters (where we usually meet). This field trip is part of the Refuge's monthly birding field trip program, and so you are most welcome to participate, and I hope to see you there.

New birds this past week since returning from Utah have been a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker in our yard (listen for cat-like meows), plus Northern Gannets and many large scoter flocks headed south around Cape Henlopen point.

Below is the closest we came to Condors out west :)

Bill and Sally at Canyonlands National Park

OLLI Birding Class Oct 21 at Prime Hook

Our class is a GO for tomorrow. Sally and I are back from an awesome experience in the US Southwest, plus weather tomorrow looks good and birding should be excellent.

Below are 2 pics from Bryce National Park where we concluded our SW tour.