Date: 3/28/25 4:03 pm From: Andrew Ednie <000006be14ba5998-dmarc-request...> Subject: [de-birds] RBA: Birdline Delaware, March 28th, 2025
* Delaware * Statewide * March 28, 2025 * DEST 2025.03.28
*Birds mentioned Snow Goose Brant Mute Swan Tundra Swan BLACK SWAN (exotic) Blue-winged Teal American Wigeon Northern Pintail Canvasback Ring-necked Duck Greater Scaup Lesser Scaup Long-tailed Duck Common Eider Black Scoter Surf Scoter White-winged Scoter HARLEQUIN DUCK Common Goldeneye Common Merganser Hooded Merganser Red-breasted Merganser Ruddy Duck Sandhill Crane American Coot American Oystercatcher Black-bellied Plover American Golden Plover Piping Plover Ruddy Turnstone Long-billed Dowitcher Short-billed Dowitcher Wilson’s Snipe Least Sandpiper Western Sandpiper Pectoral Sandpiper Caspian Tern Bonaparte’s Gull Black-headed Gull Pied-billed Grebe Horned Grebe Red-necked Grebe Brown Pelican Great Cormorant Double-crested Cormorant Northern Gannet Snowy Egret Great Egret Little Blue Heron Tricolored Heron Western Cattle Egret Black-crowned Night Heron GREAT BLUE HERON (WHITE FORM) Glossy Ibis White Ibis Osprey Great Horned Owl Barred Owl Short-eared Owl Merlin Peregrine Falcon Eastern Phoebe Common Raven Purple Martin Northern Rough-winged Swallow Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Black-capped Chickadee Red-breasted Nuthatch Brown-headed Nuthatch Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Chipping Sparrow White-crowned Sparrow Fox Sparrow SPOTTED TOWHEE Baltimore Oriole Rusty Blackbird Boat-tailed Grackle Louisiana Waterthrush Orange-crowned Warbler Yellow-throated Warbler Pine Warbler Palm Warbler
Hotline: Birdline Delaware Date: March 28, 2025 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, March 28th, this is Birdline Delaware from the Delaware Museum of Nature and Science in Greenville. The Birdline is the rare bird alert (RBA) for The First State sponsored by the Delaware Ornithological Society. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of our sponsors. The unofficial Delaware State Year List increased to 203 species.
The highlight of the week was a GREAT WHITE HERON that came ashore just north of the hawk watch at Cape Henlopen State Park on Tuesday. This is the white color morph of the GREAT BLUE HERON that is found predominately along the Gulf Coast. There are 2 previous Delaware records of this form, from Woodland Beach in 2001 and Bethany Beach in 2009. The bird was observed flying towards shore and landed just after crossing the outer dunes but out of sight from the hawk watch. The combination of large size, white plumage, large mostly yellow bill with a dark culmen and yellowish-buff legs are diagnostic for that species.
Spring migrants are arriving! The first wave of warblers reported included a LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH in Georgetown on Saturday. Two LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSHES were seen Wednesday in White Clay Creek State Park just south of Wedgewood Road. YELLOW-THROATED WARBLERS were reported along Massey’s Church Road north of Smyrna and in the pines along the powerline cut off the Pickering Beach Road. This latter bird had the yellow lores of the southern loblolly race. BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHERS were reported at Redden State Forrest, Cape Henlopen State Park, Burton’s Island, and Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge. The first NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW was found at the Seaford Boat Ramp along the Nanticoke River. A BARN SWALLOW was seen at Indian River Inlet. PURPLE MARTINS were seen at colonies in Bombay Hook, Prime Hook, Cape Henlopen, and Goat Island Nature Area in Milford. OSPREY, EASTERN PHOEBE, TREE SWALLOW, CHIPPING SPARROW, and PINE WARBLER were seen in multiple locations.
The Pea Patch Island Heron count at Delaware City on Thursday evening found 16 LITTLE BLUE HERONS, 12 SNOWY EGRETS, 111 GREAT EGRETS 97 GREAT BLUE HERONS, 2 GLOSSY IBIS and the first WESTERN CATTLE EGRET of the year. Additionally, there was a high count of almost 600 DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS. The Heron Census is run on the last Wednesday night of the month though September. Another WESTERN CATTLE EGRET was seen today along Taylor’s Gut in Woodland Beach Wildlife Area. WHITE IBIS were seen at Burton’s Island in Delaware Seashore State Park, Gordon’s Pond, and Cape Henlopen Point. The first LITTLE BLUE HERON of the year was seen at Bombay Hook. A TRICOLORED HERON continues to be seen along the Dike Trail at Prime Hook headquarters.
A COMMON RAVEN had a nest with young on the water tower on the Star Campus of the University of Delaware off S. College Ave. WILSON’S SNIPE and a late FOX SPARROW was seen at the UD Ag Farm. RUSTY BLACKBIRDS were found at Phillips Park in Newark. An ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER continues to be seen at a suet feeder in Hockessin. BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE and a MERLIN were seen at Ashland Nature Center. GREAT HORNED OWL continues on nest behind the Brandywine Bible Chapel off Shipley Road. BARRED OWL was head calling at Starr Road across from the Walter Carpenter Recreational Area north of Newark.
The previously reported exotic BLACK SWAN continues to be seen on Canal Pond off Cox Neck Road with MUTE SWANS, LESSER SCAUP, RUDDY DUCK, HOODED MERGANSER, PIED-BIED GREBE, plus AMERICAN COOT. RING-NECKED DUCK, COMMON GOLDENEYE, and the first CASPIAN TERNS of the year were seen at Dragon Run along Cox Neck Road in Delaware City. SANDHILL CRANES were seen at Ashton Tract along with PALM WARBLER. PEREGRINE FALCON was seen at the Reedy Point Bridge. BLUE-WINGED TEAL, SNOWY EGRET, and CASPIAN TERN were seen on Thousand Acre Marsh.
Returning shorebirds in Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge included an AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER today along with AMERICAN AVOCET, LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER, and WILSON’S SNIPE. Waterfowl reported included TUNDRA and MUTE SWAN, SNOW GOOSE, AMERICAN WIGEON, RING-NECKED DUCK, COMMON and HOODED MERGANSER, RUDDY DUCK, PIED-BILLED and HORNED GREBE plus AMERICAN COOT. SANDHILL CRANES were seen at Bear Swamp and Raymond Pool.
A WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW continues coming to a feeder in Cheswold. BOAT-TAILED GRACKLE and NORTHERN GANNETS were seen at Port Mahon. A big raft of 135 AMERICAN COOTS were seen from the main tower in Little Creek Wildlife Area. AMERICAN AVOCETS were seen along the Bayshore at the Logan Tract of Ted Harvey Conservation Area. GREAT CORMORANT and GREATER SCAUP were seen offshore.
AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER, BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER and about 20 BONAPARTE’S GULLS were seen at Mispillion Inlet from the Dupont Nature Center. A SHORT-EARED OWL was seen at Fowlers Beach in Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge. HOODED and COMMON MERGANSER were seen at Fleetwood Pond. AMERICAN AVOCETS were seen from Broadkill Beach Road. A PECTORAL SANDPIPER continues at Oyster Rocks Road.
At Cape Henlopen State Park, the previously reported SPOTTED TOWHEE continues to be seen by the handicapped spaces in the Cape Henlopen Point parking lot. The RED-NECKED GREBE at the Harbor of Refuge Light was last seen on Saturday. AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER, PIPING PLOVER, RUDDY TURNSTONE, COMMON EIDER, and RED-BREASTED MERGANSER were seen at Cape Henlopen Point. RED-BREASTED and BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCHES were seen at the Seaside Nature Center. 3 BALTIMORE ORIOLES are coming to a feeder in Lewes.
Water levels are perfect for shorebirds at Gordon’s Pond including SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS, LEAST and WESTERN SANDPIPER, PIPING PLOVER and AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER. A single BLACK-HEADED GULL was with about 30 BONAPARTE’S GULLS. Waterfowl included a late NORTHERN PINTAIL and AMERICAN WIGEON. CANVASBACKS were still on Silver Lake in Rehoboth Beach.
BROWN PELICAN were seen along the coast from Cape Henlopen to Bethany Beach There was a high count of 10 BROWN PELICANS at Indian River Inlet on Saturday. Sea ducks at the Inlet included 4 HARLEQUIN DUCKS, BRANT, LONG-TAILED DUCK, plus SURF, BLACK and WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS. AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER was seen on the jetty and NORTHERN GANNETS and a single GREAT CORMORANT were seen offshore. BRANT, GREATER SCAUP and BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON were seen at Burton Island. BLUE-WINGED TEAL were seen at Assawoman Wildlife Area.
Just a reminder, state park entrance fees are in effect and the beaches at Cape Henlopen and Fowlers Beach are closed until next fall for beach nesters. The boardwalk along the North Gordon’s Pond Trail will be closed next week for repairs. Additionally, the draw bridge at North Slaughters Beach is closed for repairs. You cannot access Mispillion Inlet and the duPont Nature Center from South Slaughters Beach Road.
Thanks to the many people that make the Birdline possible including Lynn Kohler, Ilene Greenfield, Magill Weber, David Fees, Randy Fisher, Andrew Albright, John Wilson, Scott Bor, Thomas Roth, Lynn Jackson, Martin Selzer, Frank Rohrbacher, Ed Wrzesniewski, Chris Bennett, Anthony Gonzon, Greg Gough, Sue Gruver, Tom Stock, Lynn Gulla, Richard Jullian, Alice Mohrman, Rob and Carol Blye, Phil Misseldine, Carolyn Holland, Jim and Amy White, Rod Murray, Wendy Cesario, Laureen Eick-Benson, Kim Steininger, Judy Montgomery, Pete Zeigler, Megan Kasprzak, Scott Northey, John and Andy Dunn, Cameron Tescher, Will Krohn, John Skibicki, Joe Francis, Mike Moore, Joe Russell, Bruce Peterjohn, and Joe Swertinski. The Birdline needs your help. Please call your sightings into 302-792-9591 or email <ednieap...> Until next week, this is Andy Ednie wishing you good birding.
