Date: 6/27/26 2:48 pm From: Rob Blye <rwblye...> Subject: [de-birds] southern Sussex County
My wife and I usually take a walk to look and listen for birds, to get fresh air and some exercise. Today the air was fairly heavy with humidity but we did get in a mile of exercise.
Our bird of the day was a hooting great horned owl. It was hooting yesterday, too. Seems like an odd time of year for owl hooting.
Color was represented by blue grosbeak, American goldfinch, great crested flycatcher and northern cardinal.
Date: 6/26/26 4:16 pm From: Andrew Ednie <000006be14ba5998-dmarc-request...> Subject: [de-birds] RBA: Birdline Delaware, June 26th, 2026
RBA * Delaware * Statewide * June 26, 2026 * DEST 26.06.26
*Birds mentioned BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING DUCK Mute Swan Green-winged Teal Black Scoter Hooded Merganser Red-breasted Merganser Northern Bobwhite Wild Turkey Black-billed Cuckoo Chuck-Will’s-Widow Eastern Whip-poor-Will Virginia Rail Common Gallinule Sandhill Crane American Oystercatcher Black-necked Stilt American Avocet Black-bellied Plover American Golden Plover Semipalmated Plover Piping Plover Marbled Godwit Hudsonian Whimbrel Spotted Sandpiper Greater Yellowlegs Lesser Yellowlegs Short-billed Dowitcher Ruddy Turnstone Red Knot Dunlin Sanderling White-rumped Sandpiper Wilson’s Phalarope GULL-BILLED TERN Least Tern Common Tern Sandwich Tern Caspian Tern Royal Tern Black Skimmer Common Loon Wilson’s Storm-Petrel Brown Pelican Least Bittern Black-crowned Night Heron Yellow-Crowned Night Heron Little Blue Heron Tricolored Heron Western Cattle Egret Glossy Ibis White Ibis MISSISSIPPI KITE Northern Harrier Barred Owl Red-headed Woodpecker Peregrine Falcon Yellow-throated Vireo Cliff Swallow Grasshopper Sparrow Salt Marsh Sparrow Bobolink Eastern Meadowlark Louisiana Waterthrush Black and white Warbler Northern Parula Magnolia Warbler Prairie Warbler Summer Tanager Dickcissel
Hotline: Birdline Delaware Date: June 26, 2026 To Report: Andy Ednie 302-792-9591 (VOICE) Compiler: Andy Ednie (<ednieap...>) Coverage: Delaware, Delmarva Peninsula, nearby Delaware Valley, Southern New Jersey, Maryland
For 6-26-26, on Friday, June 26th this is Birdline Delaware from the Delaware Museum of Nature and Science in Greenville. The Birdline is sponsored by the Delaware Ornithological Society (DOS). Statements made on the Birdline do not necessarily reflect the views of the sponsors. This is Andy Ednie, glad to be with you. The unofficial Delaware Annual List remains at 309 species this week.
The AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN that showed up at Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge is still being seen today. Additionally, another AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN is now being seen at the Dike Trail in Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge. The Bombay Hook bird has lost its protuberance from the dorsal bill that was present when it first arrived. Several WILSON’S STORM-PETRELS were reported, including a single bird offshore during a fishing trip and two sightings in the Delaware Bay: from the duPont Nature Center at Mispillion Inlet and from Bennett’s Pier near Milford Neck Wildlife Area.
In northern Delaware, there was an influx of BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO records, with birds seen along the Pomeroy Trail just north of the 1st pedestrian bridge off Creek Road in White Clay Creek State Park and behind Hy-Point Dairy in First State National Historical Park off Beaver Dam Road. Another BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO was reported off Vance Neck Road north of Odessa. A pair of BOBOLINKS continues at Smith’s Mill Road aerodrome field in White Clay Creek State Park, including a female carrying food to feed young. This would be the first confirmed record of nest with young for the state. YELLOW-THROATED VIREO and LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH were seen along Creek Road. NORTHERN PARULA and PRAIRIE WARBLER were reported at First State near Ramsey Road.
The heronry census at Delaware City on Wednesday night found 9 YELLOW-CROWNED and 94 BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERONS along with MUTE SWANS on the Delaware River. Overall, there have been low numbers at the heronry this year, with a 75% decrease in WESTERN CATTLE EGRETS and a 90% decrease in GLOSSY IBIS. The only species that has shown a stable population was SNOWY EGRET. Thanks to Chris Benneett for supplying those numbers. HOODED and RED-BREASTED MERGANSER were seen at the Port Penn impoundments in Augustine Wildlife Area. LEAST BITTERN was seen at the Fire Truck Pond off N. Congress St. A SUMMER TANAGER was reported at Cedar Swamp Wildlife Area. DICKCISSELS, GRASSHOPPER SPARROW, and EASTERN MEADOWLARK continue at the Charles Price Park in Middletown.
A survey of nesting CLIFF SWALLOWS in New Castle County found a total of 144 active nests and over 155 individual birds at 8 different locations. Locations were at Silver Run Bridge off Route 9, the North Appoquinimink Bridge and South Appoqinimink Bridges, Fleming’s Landing Bridge, Route 1 bridge northbound and also the southbound bridge south of Odessa, plus the Route 1 bridge at Duck Creek north of Smyrna, and the Smyrna Landing Bridge. There are also nesting CLIFF SWALLOWS at the Leipsic Bridge along Route 9. This has come a long way from the first colony of 9 nests found in 1993.
The first returning SPOTTED SANDPIPER and WILSON’S PHALAROPE of the summer were seen at Bombay Hook this week. Other shorebirds included AMERICAN AVOCET, BLACK-NECKED STILT, BLACK-BELLIED, SEMIPALMATED, and AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER, SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER, GREATER and LESSER YELLOWLEGS, DUNLIN and WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER. GULL-BILLED, CASPIAN and LEAST TERNS plus BLACK SKIMMER were reported at Leatherbury Flats. The first WHITE IBIS for the refuge this year was seen at Shearness Tower. Other waterbirds included SANDHILL CRANE, LEAST BITTERN, VIRGINIA RAIL, LITTLE BLUE HERON, GLOSSY IBIS, and BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON. WILD TURKEY were seen near the Visitor’s Center. GRASSHOPPER SPARROW was seen by Bear Swamp and SALT MARSH SPARROW was seen from the Boardwalk Trail
There were 3 BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING DUCKS seen at Wheatley’s Pond in Clayton. GULL-BILLED TERN was seen at the Main Tract at Little Creek Wildlife Area along with GREEN-WINGED TEAL, COMMON GALLINULE, AMERICAN AVOCET, BLACK-NECKED STILT and BLACK SKIMMER. BARRED OWL and SUMMER TANAGER was reported at Killen’s Pond. Both CHUCK-WILL’S-WIDOW and EASTERN WHIP-POOR-WILL were heard at dusk along the Big Stone Beach Road at Milford Neck Wildlife Area
AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER, BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, BLACK-NECKED STILT, and RUDDY TURNSTONE were seen at Mispillion Inlet from the duPont Nature Center. BROWN PELICAN, plus LEAST, CASPIAN and ROYAL TERNS were seen on the Back Beach. BOBOLINK and NORTHERN HARRIER were reported at Prime Hook. HUDSONIAN WHIMBREL and BLACK-NECKED STILT were seen at Oyster Rocks Road.
A flyby MARBLED GODWIT was seen from Herring Point in Cape Henlopen State Park. Shorebirds at Cape Henlopen Point included AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER, PIPING and BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, SANDERLING, RUDDY TURNSTONE, and RED KNOT along with BLACK SCOTER and COMMON LOON. SANDWICH TERN was seen along the Bayside Beach, along with BLACK SKIMMER, ROYAL, CASPIAN, LEAST, and the first nesting COMMON TERN in over 30 years. Thanks to Anthony Gonzon for that information. GULL-BILLED TERN and TRICOLORED HERON, plus 120 GLOSSY and 55 WHITE IBIS were reported at Gordon’s Pond. Another MAGNOLIA WARBLER was reported this week, this time along the north Gordon’s Pond Trail.
A MISSISSIPPI KITE was seen off US Route 113 south of Georgetown. A BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING DUCK was seen Tuesday at Baywood Greens on Long Neck. BLACK AND WHITE WARBLER was reported at Redden State Forest. RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS were seen at Angola Neck Preserve and Assawoman Wildlife Area. WILD TURKEY and a NORTHERN BOBWHITE was photographed at Mulberry Landing at this later location.
The PEREGRINE FALCONS have successfully raised three chicks at the nest box on the Brandywine Building in downtown Wilmington, but the young are still near the nest site. You can watch the nest box activity on the DOS Falcon cam found at: www.dosbirds.org/citizen-science/falcon-watch/.
Thanks to all the people that make the Birdline possible, including David Bridges, Aaron Reb, Will Brooks, Ann Kovolesky, Benjamin Leese, Bradley Bulk, Ian Young, Adam Balich, Erica Suppa, Marie St. Ledger, Pat Valdata, Martin Selzer, Lynn Jackson, Bert Filemyr, Mike Rosengarten, Jean-Marie Gauthier, Walt Blackwell, Barbara Conway, Kees de Mooy, Judith Picciotto, Randy Fisher, Ed Patten, David Thomas, Rod Murray, Chris Rankin, Carolyn Holland, Mary Braun, Karen Barker, Natalie Weber, Andy Jenkins, Sue Gruver, Rob Blye, Richard Julian, Alice Mohrman, Greg Gough, Chris and Karen Bennett, Frank Rohrbacher, Jim and Amy White, Carolyn D’Amico, Kim Stieninger, Judy Montgomery, John and Andy Dunn, Wendy Cesario, Joe Francis, Bruce Peterjohn, and Joe Swertinski. Special thanks to Joe Tricarico for list distribution to DOS members. Birdline needs your sightings. Please call your reports into 302-463-0113 or email <ednieap...> Until next week, this is Andy Ednie wishing you ! good birding!
Date: 6/19/26 4:02 pm From: Andrew Ednie <000006be14ba5998-dmarc-request...> Subject: [de-birds] RBA: Birdline Delaware, June 19th, 2026
RBA * Delaware * Statewide * June 19, 2026 * DEST 26.06.19
*Birds mentioned Mute Swan Blue-winged Teal Black Scoter Northern Bobwhite Wild Turkey Chuck-Will’s-Widow Common Nighthawk Virginia Rail King Rail Common Gallinule Sandhill Crane American Oystercatcher Black-necked Stilt American Avocet Black-bellied Plover Semipalmated Plover Piping Plover Solitary Sandpiper Greater Yellowlegs Lesser Yellowlegs Short-billed Dowitcher Ruddy Turnstone Dunlin Sanderling Western Sandpiper White-rumped Sandpiper GULL-BILLED TERN Least Tern Common Tern Sandwich Tern Caspian Tern Royal Tern Black Skimmer Bonaparte’s Gull Common Loon Wilson’s Storm-Petrel Northern Gannet Brown Pelican Least Bittern Black-crowned Night Heron Yellow-Crowned Night Heron Tricolored Heron Glossy Ibis White Ibis Northern Harrier Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Red-headed Woodpecker Peregrine Falcon Willow Flycatcher Alder Flycatcher Eastern Warbling Vireo Brown-headed Nuthatch Grasshopper Sparrow Salt Marsh Sparrow Bobolink Eastern Meadowlark Louisiana Waterthrush Worm-eating Warbler Prothonotary Warbler Kentucky Warbler Black and white Warbler Northern Parula Magnolia Warbler Northern Yellow Warbler Yellow-throated Warbler Yellow-rumped Warbler Summer Tanager Dickcissel
Hotline: Birdline Delaware Date: June 19, 2026 To Report: Andy Ednie 302-792-9591 (VOICE) Compiler: Andy Ednie (<ednieap...>) Coverage: Delaware, Delmarva Peninsula, nearby Delaware Valley, Southern New Jersey, Maryland
Welcome to Summer! For Friday, Juneteenth this is Birdline Delaware from the Delaware Museum of Nature and Science in Greenville. The Birdline is sponsored by the Delaware Ornithological Society (DOS). Statements made on the Birdline do not necessarily reflect the views of the sponsors. This is Andy Ednie, glad to be with you. The unofficial Delaware Annual List increased to 309 species this week.
New this week is an AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN at Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge. This bird showed up on Monday and is still being seen today at Shearness Pool. Some lingering shorebirds included AMERICAN AVOCET, BLACK-NECKED STILT, BLACK-BELLIED and SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER, GREATER and LESSER YELLOWLEGS, WESTERN and WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER. GULL-BILLED, CASPIAN and LEAST TERNS plus BLACK SKIMMER and BONAPARTE’S GULL were reported at Leatherbury Flats. Waterbirds included MUTE SWAN. BLUE-WINGED TEAL, SANDHILL CRANE, LEAST BITTERN, GLOSSY IBIS, plus YELLOW-CROWNED and BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON. A KING RAIL was seen near Bear Swamp. WILD TURKEY and NORTHERN BOBWHITE were seen near the Visitor’s Center.
It’s been a strange year for some late lingering migrants. A female YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER was reported in Horseshoe Hills in Hockessin, a first June record per eBird and Birds of Delaware. This weekend, a YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER and SOLITARY SANDPIPER were seen at White Clay Creek State Park, both were only the second June records for the state. Downstate, a lingering breeding plumage MAGNOLIA WARBLER was photographed by the Observation Tower in Assawoman Wildlife Area.
In northern Delaware, as many as 7 BOBOLINKS (5 males and 2 females) continues at Smith’s Mill Road aerodrome field in White Clay Creek State Park. WILLOW FLYCATCHER was found at the University of Delaware Ag Farm. EASTERN WARBLING VIREO and NORTHERN YELLOW WARBLER were found at Ashland Nature Center. PROTHONOTARY WARBLER and NORTHERN PARULA were photographed in Brandywine Creek State Park.
SANDHILL CRANE were seen at the Ashton Tract in Augustine Wildlife Area. LEAST BITTERN, GLOSSY IBIS and LITTLE BLUE HERON were found at the Port Penn Tract. A KENTUCKY WARBLER was reported at the Tybout’s Tract in Blackbird State Forest. DICKCISSELS and EASTERN MEADOWLARK continue at the Charles Price Park in Middletown. A NORTHERN HARRIER was seen over the Back Creek Golf Course north of Middletown. PEREGRINE FALCON was heard calling from the Railroad Bridge at Summitt Marina.
The Main Tract at Little Creek Wildlife Area had a slew of marsh birds, including VIRGINIA RAIL, COMMON GALLINULE, and GULL-BILLED TERN. There were 32 AMERICAN AVOCET, plus BLACK-NECKED STILT, and BLACK SKIMMER at the Mahon Impoundment in Little Creek. GRASSHOPPER SPARROW was seen at Bergold Road south of Dover. BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCH continues along the Big Stone Beach Road in Milford Neck Wildlife Area.
A SALT MARSH SPARROW Survey done this year found them at the Boardwalk Trail in Bombay Hook, Port Mahon, both North and South Bowers Beach, Slaughters Beach, and Oyster Rocks Road in Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge. AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER, BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, DUNLIN, and WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER were seen at Mispillion Inlet from the duPont Nature Center. BROWN PELICAN, plus LEAST, CASPIAN and ROYAL TERNS were seen on the Back Beach. BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON was seen at the Marvel Salt Marsh Preserve in Slaughters Beach.
WILSON’S STORM-PETREL was seen from Herring Point in Cape Henlopen State Park along with BLACK SCOTER. Shorebirds at Cape Henlopen Point included AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER, PIPING and BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, SANDERLING, RUDDY TURNSTONE, and BONAPARTE’S GULL. WILD TURKEY was seen at the Walking Dunes. GULL-BILLED and SANDWICH TERN, plus TRICOLORED HERON and WHITE IBIS were reported at Gordon’s Pond. An ALDER FLYCATCHER was reported along the north Gordon’s Pond Trail. YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT HERON was reported at Canary Creek near the University of Delaware’s Marine School. WILSON’S STORM-PETREL was also reported from the Cape May-Lewes Ferry. Goatsuckers reported included COMMON NIGHTHAWK and CHUCK-WILL’S-WIDOW at Cape Henlopen.
COMMON LOON and NORTHERN GANNET were reported at Fenwick Island State Park. RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS were seen at Peninsula Golf Course on Long Neck, Angola Neck Preserver, and Assawoman Wildlife Area. PROTHONTARY WARBLER and LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH were found at Trap Pond State Park. SUMMER TANAGER plus KENTUCKY, YELLOW-THROATED, WORM-EATING, and BLACK AND WHITE WARBLER was reported in Redden State Forest.
Project Fledgling Watch is over! The PEREGRINE FALCONS have successfully raised three chicks at the nest box on the Brandywine Building in downtown Wilmington. The chicks, named Pink, Green and Yellow have left the nest and you can watch the nest box activity on the DOS Falcon cam found at: www.dosbirds.org/citizen-science/falcon-watch/.
Thanks to all the people that make the Birdline possible, including Carlos Alejandro, Laureen Eick-Benson, Jean-Marie Gauthier, Walt Blackwell, Will Krohn, Rich Ehrlick, Jim Leckrone, Barbara Conway, Mark Wulfe, Jeremy Bird, Henry Holden, Kees de Mooy, Kiare Hughes, Judith Picciotto, Randy Fisher, Laura Wolf, Sam VanHorne, Finn Ward, Kelly Faber, Linga Houghton, Bob Suter, Andrew Jones, Eric Hartshaw, Kevin Bronson, Kevin Lutz, Larry Drexler, Ed Patten, David Thomas, Rod Murray, Chris Rankin, Carolyn Holland, Mary Braun, Sue Gruver, Rob Blye, Richard Julian, Alice Mohrman, Troy Julian, Greg Gough, John Carter, Chris and Karen Bennett, Frank Rohrbacher, Jim and Amy White, Kim Steininger, Judy Montgomery, Holly Merker, John and Andy Dunn, Wendy Cesario, Joe Francis, Bruce Peterjohn, and Joe Swertinski. Special thanks to Joe Tricarico for list distribution to DOS members. Birdline needs your sightings. Please call your reports into 302-463-0113 or email <ednieap...> Unt! il next week, this is Andy Ednie wishing you good birding!
Date: 6/12/26 5:42 pm From: Andrew Ednie <000006be14ba5998-dmarc-request...> Subject: [de-birds] RBA: Birdline Delaware, June 12th, 2026
RBA * Delaware * Statewide * June 12, 2026 * DEST 26.06.12
*Birds mentioned BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLNG DUCK Mute Swan Green-winged Teal Ring-necked Duck Black Scoter Northern Bobwhite Wild Turkey Black-billed Cuckoo Eastern Whip-poor-will Chuck-Will’s-Widow Common Nighthawk Virginia Rail Sora King Rail Common Gallinule American Coot Sandhill Crane American Oystercatcher Black-necked Stilt American Avocet Black-bellied Plover Semipalmated Plover Piping Plover Spotted Sandpiper Short-billed Dowitcher Ruddy Turnstone Red Knot Dunlin White-rumped Sandpiper Pectoral Sandpiper GULL-BILLED TERN Least Tern Common Tern ROSEATE TERN Sandwich Tern Caspian Tern Royal Tern Black Skimmer Bonaparte’s Gull Common Loon Wilson’s Storm-Petrel Northern Gannet Brown Pelican Least Bittern Black-crowned Night Heron Yellow-Crowned Night Heron Tricolored Heron Western Cattle Egret Glossy Ibis White Ibis Northern Harrier Barn Owl Barred Owl Red-headed Woodpecker American Kestrel Peregrine Falcon Willow Flycatcher Alder Flycatcher Eastern Warbling Vireo Yellow-throated Vireo Bank Swallow Cliff Swallow Brown-headed Nuthatch Grasshopper Sparrow Savannah Sparrow Salt Marsh Sparrow Seaside Sparrow White-throated Sparrow Bobolink Eastern Meadowlark Louisiana Waterthrush Worm-eating Warbler Prothonotary Warbler Kentucky Warbler Black and white Warbler Northern Parula Magnolia Warbler Northern Yellow Warbler Yellow-throated Warbler Wilson’s Warbler Summer Tanager Dickcissel
Hotline: Birdline Delaware Date: June 12, 2026 To Report: Andy Ednie 302-792-9591 (VOICE) Compiler: Andy Ednie (<ednieap...>) Coverage: Delaware, Delmarva Peninsula, nearby Delaware Valley, Southern New Jersey, Maryland
For Friday, June 12th this is Birdline Delaware from the Delaware Museum of Nature and Science in Greenville. The Birdline is sponsored by the Delaware Ornithological Society (DOS). Statements made on the Birdline do not necessarily reflect the views of the sponsors. This is Andy Ednie, glad to be with you. The unofficial Delaware Annual List increased to 308 species this week.
New this week was ROSEATE and SANDWICH TERNS, along with LEAST, COMMON, ROYAL TERNS and BLACK SKIMMER at Cape Henlopen State Park. There were also lingering COMMON LOON, NORTHERN GANNET, and BLACK SCOTER. Shorebirds at Cape Henlopen Point included AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER, PIPING and BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, RED KNOT, RUDDY TURNSTONE, SPOTTED SANDPIPER, DUNLIN and BONAPARTE’S GULL. WILD TURKEY was seen at the hawk watch. BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO, NORTHERN HARRIER, TRICOLORED HERON and WHITE IBIS were reported at Gordon’s Pond. SALT MARSH SPARROW was seen in the marsh behind the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal. A drake RING-NECKED DUCK was found in a retention pond behind the Monroe Ave Ponds off Freeman’s Highway. YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT HERON was reported at Canary Creek near the University of Delaware’s Marine School. WILSON’S STORM-PETREL was reported from the Cape May-Lewes Ferry.
AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER, BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER and WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER were seen at Mispillion Inlet from the duPont Nature Center. BROWN PELICAN, plus LEAST, CASPIAN and ROYAL TERNS were seen on the Back Beach. A high count of 7 SALT MARSH and 40 SEASIDE SPARROWS were reported at the Marvel Salt Marsh Preserve. Another high count was 15 PIPING PLOVERS at Fowlers Beach in Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge by observers that had permission due to restricted access. A WHITE-THROATED SPARROW continues to be seen along the Dike Trail at Prime Hook. BLACK-NECKED STILT and WHITE IBIS were reported in Broadkill Marsh. WILLOW FLYCATCHER and YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER were found along Oyster Rocks Road.
RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS were seen at Peninsula Golf Course on Long Neck, Great Cypress Swamp, and Assawoman Canal Trail in Bethany Beach. KING RAIL was also reported from the Great Cypress Swamp. A lingering MAGNOLIA WARBLER was found in Holts Landing State Park. BLACK AND WHITE WARBLER was found at Trap Pond State Park. KENTUCKY WARBLER was reported in Redden State Forest. Goatsuckers reported included COMMON NIGHTHAWK at Cape Henlopen, CHUCK-WILL’S-WIDOW at Assawoman, and EASTERN WHIP-POOR-WILL at Broadkill Beach.
BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCH continues along the Big Stone Beach Road in Milford neck Wildlife Area. BANK SWALLOWS were seen at Pioneer Dredge Ponds south of Dover. The main Tract at Little Creek Wildlife Area had a slew of marsh birds, including VIRGINIA RAIL, SORA, COMMON GALLINULE, AMERICAN COOT, and PIED-BILLED GREBE. A lingering PECTORAL SANDPIPER was reported, along with Black SKIMMER, CASPIAN and GULL-BILLED TERN. AMERICAN AVOCET, BLACK SKIMMER and CASPIAN TERNS were seen at the Mahon Impoundment in Little Creek. A BROWN PELICAN was seen at Port Mahon. BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING DUCKS were reported at Radly Road retention pond behind Garrison Lake south of Smyrna. SUMMER TANAGER, WORN-EATING and KENTUCKY WARBLER were found at the Norman Wilder Wildlife Area near Felton.
GULL-BILLED, CASPIAN and LEAST TERNS plus BLACK SKIMMER were reported at Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge. Some lingering shorebirds included AMERICAN AVOCET, BLACK-NECKED STILT, BLACK-BELLIED and SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER, GREATER and LESSER YELLOWLEGS, DUNLIN and WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER. Waterbirds included MUTE SWAN. GREEN-WINGED TEAL, SANDHILL CRANE, LEAST BITTERN, WESTERN CATTLE EGRET, GLOSSY IBIS, plus YELLOW-CROWNED and BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON. A late WILSON’S WARBLER was reported from the Raymond Tower Trail. ALDER FLYCATCHER was reported by the Parson Point Trail, PROTHONOTARY WARBLER was found near Finis Pool, and a CLIFF SWALLOW was seen flying over Shearness Pool. BARN and BARRED OWLS were reported in the evening at the refuge.
COMMON GALLINULE, TRICOLORED HERON and SANDHILL CRANE were seen at the Ashton Tract in Augustine Wildlife Area. LEAST BITTERN was found at Thousand Acre Marsh. SEASIDE SPARROWS continue at the end of Stave’s Land Road near Odessa. SUMMER TANAGER, YELLOW-THROATED VIREO and WORM-EATING WARBLER were reported at the Naudain Tract in Blackbird State Forest. A KENTUCKY WARBLER was reported at the Oak Hill Tract in Blackbird. As many as 5 DICKCISSELS have been reported at the Charles Price Park in Middletown, along with BOBOLINK, EASTERN MEADOWLARK, SAVANNAH and GRASSHOPPER SPARROW. An AMERICAN KESTREL was seen nearby at Levels Road. NORTHERN BOBWHITE continues at Cedar Swamp Wildlife Area.
In northern Delaware, LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH continues in White Clay Creek State Park. BARRED OWL was photographed at William Redd Park in Newark. Eastern Warbling Vireo and Northern Yellow Warbler were found at Ashland Nature Center. NORTHERN PARULA was found at Brandywine Creek State Park and at First State National Historical Park near Smith’s Bridge. WARBLING and YELLOW-THROATED VIREOS were also reported at the latter location.
Project Fledgling Watch is now underway! The PEREGRINE FALCONS are raising three chicks at the nest box on the Brandywine Building in downtown Wilmington. The chicks, named Pink, Green and Yellow have left the nest and so far, there has been three rescues with the young returned to the roof of the Brandywine Building. One chick, Green disappeared for 24-fours but reappeared today. You can watch the nest box activity on the DOS Falcon cam found at: www.dosbirds.org/citizen-science/falcon-watch.
Thanks to all the people that make the Birdline possible, including Alex Ewing, Cole Tiemann, Susan Russo, Kelly White, Jonathan Nikkila, Judith Picciotto, Koal Law, Wayne Longbottom, Vivian Gray, Randy Fisher, Laura Wolf, Sam VanHorne, Finn Ward, Sam VanHorne, Ed Patten, David Thomas, Rod Murray, Chris Rankin, Carter Chambers, Jim Austin-Cole, Carolyn Holland, Mary Braun, Sue Gruver, Rob Blye, Richard Julian, Alice Mohrman, Greg Gough, Debbie Blair, John Carter, Chris and Karen Bennett, Frank Rohrbacher, Hank Davis, Jim White, Ryleigh Sweet, Kim Steininger, Judy Montgomery, John and Andy Dunn, Wendy Cesario, Joe Francis, Bruce Peterjohn, and Joe Swertinski. Special thanks to Joe Tricarico for list distribution to DOS members. Birdline needs your sightings. Please call your reports into 302-463-0113 or email <ednieap...> Until next week, this is Andy Ednie wishing you good birding!
Date: 6/5/26 4:35 pm From: Andrew Ednie <000006be14ba5998-dmarc-request...> Subject: [de-birds] RBA: Birdline Delaware, June 5th, 2026
RBA * Delaware * Statewide * June 5, 2026 * DEST 26.06.05
*Birds mentioned BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLNG DUCK Green-winged Teal Black Scoter Surf Scoter Common Merganser Wild Turkey Eastern Whip-poor-will Chuck-Will’s-Widow Common Nighthawk King Rail Common Gallinule Sandhill Crane American Oystercatcher Black-necked Stilt American Avocet Black-bellied Plover Semipalmated Plover Piping Plover Spotted Sandpiper Short-billed Dowitcher Ruddy Turnstone Red Knot Dunlin Sanderling White-rumped Sandpiper WILSON’S PHALAROPE Least Tern Common Tern Caspian Tern Royal Tern Black Skimmer Bonaparte’s Gull Iceland Gull Common Loon Wilson’s Storm-Petrel Brown Pelican Least Bittern Black-crowned Night Heron Yellow-Crowned Night Heron Tricolored Heron Western Cattle Egret Little Blue Heron Glossy Ibis White Ibis Northern Harrier Red-headed Woodpecker Peregrine Falcon Willow Flycatcher Alder Flycatcher Warbling Vireo Yellow-throated Vireo Cliff Swallow Brown-headed Nuthatch Grasshopper Sparrow Savannah Sparrow Salt Marsh Sparrow Nelson’s Sparrow Seaside Sparrow White-throated Sparrow Bobolink Eastern Meadowlark Louisiana Waterthrush Worm-eating Warbler Prothonotary Warbler Kentucky Warbler MOURNING WARBLER American Redstart Black and white Warbler Northern Parula Northern Yellow Warbler Blackpoll Warbler Wilson’s Warbler Summer Tanager Dickcissel
Hotline: Birdline Delaware Date: June 5, 2026 To Report: Andy Ednie 302-792-9591 (VOICE) Compiler: Andy Ednie (<ednieap...>) Coverage: Delaware, Delmarva Peninsula, nearby Delaware Valley, Southern New Jersey, Maryland
For Friday, June 5th this is Birdline Delaware from the Delaware Museum of Nature and Science in Greenville. The Birdline is sponsored by the Delaware Ornithological Society (DOS). Statements made on the Birdline do not necessarily reflect the views of the sponsors. This is Andy Ednie, glad to be with you. The unofficial Delaware Annual List remained at 308 species this week.
The last gasp of spring migration moved through on Monday with a MOURNING WARBLER reported at the Hopkins Nature Center in White Clay Creek State Park, along with NORTHERN PARULA, AMERICAN REDSTART and NORTHERN YELLOW WARBLER. BOBOLINKS are still on territory at Smith’s Mill Road aerodrome field. WILD TURKEY was photographed at Carpenter Recreational Area. SPOTTED SANDPIPER and WARBLING VIREO were found at Carousel Farms County Park. KENTUCKY and PROTHONOTARY WARBLER continues to sing on territory at Brandywine Creek State Park. A LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH was reported at Winterthur Museum and Gardens. A drake COMMON MERGANSER was photographed at Brandywine Park in Wilmington. A female COMMON MERGANSER with 6 young was seen on the Red Clay Creek at Auburn Valley State Park.
Shorebirds are still on the move. A flight of 1000 RED KNOT with many other sandpipers were seen dropping onto the tarmac at Wilmington Airport on Monday evening. Three WILSON’S PHALAROPE were found at Thousand Acre Marsh at the south end of the Reedy Point Bridge, along with DUNLIN, SEMIPALMATED PLOVER and WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER. LEAST BITTERN, GLOSSY IBIS, LITTLE BLUE HERON, SANDHILL CRANE and PEREGRINE FALCON were also reported. An ALDER FLYCATCHER was reported singing at the Ashton Tract in Augustine Wildlife Area. LEAST BITTERN and COMMON GALLINULE were found at the Port Penn Tract.
CLIFF SWALLOWS continue at the Appoquinmink Creek Bridge and Flemming Landing Bridge along Route 9. SEASIDE SPARROW, LEAST BITTERN, and WILLOW FLYCATCHER were reported at Stave’s Landing. Multiple singing DICKCISSELS continues at Charles Price Park in Middletown this week along with EASTERN MEADOWLARK, SAVANNAH and GRASSHOPPER SPARROW. SUMMER TANAGER, YELLOW-THROATED VIREO, and PROTHONOTARY WARBLER were reported at the Naudain Tract in Blackbird State Forest.
A lingering NELSON’S SPARROW was reported singing at Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge. Shorebirds at the refuge included BLACK-NECKED STILT, AMERICAN AVOCET, BLACK-BELLIED and SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, WILLET, SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER, DUNLIN, and WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER. BLACK SKIMMER, LEAST and CASPIAN TERNS were seen on Leatherbury Flats. GREEN-WINGED TEAL, SANDHILL CRANE, LEAST BITTERN, TRICOLORED HERON, and BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERONS were found in the refuge. Late warblers at the refuge included REDSTART, BLACKPOLL, and a WILSON’S WARBLER along with YELLOW-THROATED VIREO.
BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING DUCKS continue to be seen near Lake Como in Smyrna. NORTHERN HARRIER, SEASIDE, and SALTMARSH SPARROWS were found at Port Mahon. BLACK SCOTER was seen at Bennett’s Pier. BROWN CREEPER was found at Killen’s Pond State Park. SUMMER TANAGER, WORM-EATING and KENTUCKY WARBLER were found at the Norman Wilder Wildlife Area west of Felton.
There were high counts of 800 RUDDY TURNSTONES and 35 RED KNOTS at Mispillion Harbor from the duPont Nature Center this week, along with AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER, BLACK-NECKED STILT, BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER and SANDERLING. A flock of BLACK SKIMMER and LEAST TERNs were seen on the Back Beach. An immature SURF SCOTER was seen on the beach at Evans Ave in Slaughters Beach. YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT HERON continues to be seen at the Marvel Salt Marsh Preserve. A lingering WHITE-THROATED SPARROW was photographed along the Dike Trail in Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge. BLACK-BELLIED and SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, plus BLACK SKIMMER and LEAST TERN were seen on the mudflats. BLACK-NECKED STILT, AMERICAN AVOCET, SPOTTED and WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER were seen at Oyster Rocks Road, along with SALT MARSH SPARROW.
An immature ICELAND GULL was seen at Cape Henlopen Point on Monday, along with AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER, PIPING PLOVER, RUDDY TURNSTONE, RED KNOT, SANDERLING and WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER. BLACK SKIMMER, LEAST, COMMON and ROYAL TERNS were seen on the bayside beach at Cape Henlopen State Park. BLACK SCOTER, COMMON LOON and BROWN PELICAN were seen offshore. BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCH was seen at the Seaside Nature Center and WORM-EATING WARBLER was found at the Biden Center. A WILSON’S PHALAROPE was photographed at Gordon’s Pond, along with BLACK-NECKED STILT, BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, and BONAPARTE’S GULL. WESTERN CATTLE EGRET, GLOSSY and WHITE IBIS were seen flying over the pond. ALDER FLYCATCHER was found today along the North Gordon’s Pond Trail. WILSON’S STORM-PETREL was seen from the Cape May – Lewes ferry.
TRICOLORED HERON and WHITE IBIS were seen at Burton’s Island in Delaware Seashore State Park. A KING RAIL continues to be found at Assawoman Wildlife Area. A RED-HEADED WOODPECKER was reported along the Big Stone Beach Road in Milford Neck Wildlife Area. Another pair of RED-HEADS are visiting a feeder on Angola Neck near Rehoboth Beach to take suet to feed young nearby. In total, there were 5 reports of RED-HEADED WOODPECKER in lower Delaware this week, from Harbison, Bethany Beach and Assawoman. Either this species is expanding in the state, or there’s more people out there looking for them. BLACK AND WHITE, WORM-EATING and KENTUCKY WARBLERS were reported at Redden State Forest.
COMMON NIGTHHAWKS were seen at Cape Henlopen. An EASTERN WHIPPOORWILL continues to be heard at Broadkill Beach. CHUCK-WILL’S-WIDOW were found at Cape Henlopen and Bethany Beach.
The PEREGRINE FALCONS continue to raise three chicks at the nest box on the Brandywine Building in downtown Wilmington. You can watch the nest box activity on the DOS Falcon cam found at: www.dosbirds.org/citizen-science/falcon-watch/, Fledgling Watch should begin from mid-June into July. Sign up now to help the babies!
Thanks to all the people that make the Birdline possible, including Brooke Cherry, Finn Ward, Gary Griffith, Tracee Fugate, Jeff Katem, Rachel Barham, Walt Blackwell, Steve Cottrell, Nate Hughes, Keely Milbourne, Chris Machulski, Frank Lenik, Sam VanHorne, Ed Patten, David Thomas, Martin Selzer, Lynn Jackson, Kassy Mattingly, Jean-Marie Gauthier, Rod Murray, Chris Rankin, Carolyn Holland, Mary Braun, Sue Gruver, Rob Blye, Richard Julian, Alice Mohrman, Wil Martens, John Cater, Bodo Stern, Andrew Albright, Terri Cuthriell, Guy Grisham, Chris and Karen Bennett, Aaron Coolman, Melissa Lafferty, Kris Benarcik, Frank Rohrbacher, Jim White, Kim Stieninger, Judy Montgomery, Paul Beckman, John and Andy Dunn, Wendy Cesario, Joe Francis, Ian Stewart, Mike Moore, Bruce Peterjohn, and Joe Swertinski. Special thanks to Joe Tricarico for list distribution to DOS members. Birdline needs your sightings. Please call your reports into 302-463-0113 or email <ednieap...> Until next wee! k, this is Andy Ednie wishing you good birding!
