Date: 1/24/20 6:54 pm From: Andy Ednie, Claymont, DE. <000006be14ba5998-dmarc-request...> Subject: [de-birds] RBA: Birdline Dellaware, January 24th, 2020
RBA * Delaware * Statewide * January 24, 2020 * DEST 20.01.24
*Birds mentioned PINK-FOOTED GOOSE Ross’s Goose Cackling Goose Brant Tundra Swan Mute Swan Gadwall EURASIAN WIGEON American Wigeon Green-winged Teal Canvasback Ring-necked Duck Lesser Scaup HARLEQUIN DUCK Common Eider Black Scoter White-winged Scoter Surf Scoter Long-tailed Duck Bufflehead Common Goldeneye Common Merganser Hooded Merganser Red-breasted Merganser Ruddy Duck Wild Turkey Pied-billed Grebe Horned Grebe Sora Virginia Rail American Coot Sandhill Crane American Avocet Black-bellied Plover Killdeer Ruddy Turnstone Sanderling Dunlin Purple Sandpiper Willet Lesser Yellowlegs Forster’s Tern Black-headed Gull Bonaparte’s Gull Lesser Black-backed Gull GLAUCOUS GULL RAZORBILL Common Loon Red-throated Loon Great Cormorant American Bittern Great Egret Tricolored Heron Black-crowned Night Heron NORTHERN GOSHAWK ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK Barred Owl Short-eared Owl Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Harry Woodpecker Pileated Woodpecker Merlin Peregrine Falcon Eastern Phoebe ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER Common Raven Brown-headed Nuthatch Brown Thrasher Gray Catbird Snow Bunting American Tree Sparrow Chipping Sparrow LARK SPARROW White-crowned Sparrow Fox Sparrow Eastern Meadowlark Baltimore Oriole Orange-crowned Warbler Nashville Warbler Yellow-rumped Warbler Pine Warbler Prairie Warbler Palm Warbler Common Yellowthroat
Hotline: Birdline Delaware Date: January 24, 2019 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, January 24th, this is Birdline Delaware from the Delaware Museum of Natural History in Greenville. The unofficial Delaware Annual list for 2020 unofficial list is already at a whopping 178 species!
RAZORBILLS have been sighted along the Delaware Coast from Herring Point in Cape Henlopen State Park, south to Bethany Beach and Fenwick Island. The focal point of sightings has been at Indian River Inlet with a peak count of 4 RAZORBILLS seen off the jetty and in the inlet. Waterfowl reported included COMMON EIDER, LONG-TAILED DUCK, BUFFLEHEAD, RED-BREASTED MERGANSER, and all three species of SCOTER, WHITE-WINGED, BLACK, and SURF. A female HARLEQUIN DUCK was seen Tuesday and Wednesday. A first-year GLAUCOUS GULL was found today on the jetty. BONAPARTE’S and LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL were seen last weekend along with FORSTER’S TERN. Shorebirds seen included PURPLE SANDPIPER, RUDDY TURNSTONE, and SANDERLING. GREAT CORMORANT and NORTHERN GANNET were seen offshore.
An immature NORTHERN GOSHAWK was seen Wednesday flying out over the marsh at Burton’s Island, behind the North Marina. Waders seen there included TRICOLORED HERON, AMERICAN BITTERN, and BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON. An AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER was seen on Monday along with LESSER YELLOWLEGS. Waterfowl seen included BRANT, COMMON GOLDENEYE, BUFFLEHEAD, RED-BREASTED MERGANSER, and PIED-BILLED GREBE. A PALM WARBLER with YELLOW-RUMPED’S was seen in the cedar trees across from the overnight cabins at the North Marina.
An ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER was found today at the Marion Okie Nature Preserve on Long Neck near Millsboro. To reach the site take Route 24 to Route 5 and drive east. The parking lot for the preserve is on the right side of the road past Pot Nets Trailer Park and before you get to Massey’s Landing. This bird was first discovered last week, but had been a hiatus until today. A MERLIN was seen at the Okie Nature Preserve earlier this week.
PRAIRIE and PINE WARBLER was found at James Farm Preserve along Cedar Neck Road in Ocean View. The previous reported EURASIAN WIGEON continues to be seen at Assawoman Wildlife Area near Fenwick Island. Other waterfowl reported included MUTE SWAN, GADWALL, AMERICAN WIGEON, RING-NECKED DUCK, and HOODED MERGANSER. BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCH and COMMON YELLOWTHROAT were reported by the observation tower.
The previously reported PINK-FOOTED GOOSE was found again today among 100,000 SNOW GEESE at the intersection of Wells and Buttonwood Road, north of Fowlers Beach near Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge in Milton. 60 SNOW BUNTINGS were seen at Fowlers Beach along with IPSWICH SAVANNAH SPARROW and HORNED LARK. RUDDY TURNSTONE, SANDERLING, and DUNLIN were seen along the beach. 2 to 4 SHORT-EARED OWLS continue to be seen at Fowlers Beach Marsh. WILLET and 14 AMERICAN AVOCETS were seen at Prime Hook. WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS reported that Draper’s Road. A peak count of 64 WILD TURKEYS were found at Little Neck Wildlife Area off the Prime Hook Beach Road. PEREGRINE FALCON was seen at the Dupont Nature Center near Slaughters Beach. A LARK SPARROW was seen coming to a feeder near Argo’s Corner along Bucks Road last week, but not seen since. Several WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS at the feeder included a GAMBELL’S subspecies of WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW.
ROSS’S GOOSE was seen at Herring Point with a large flock of SNOW GEESE. There was a peak count of 9 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS on the beach. SURF SCOTER, RED-THROATED, and COMMON LOON were seen offshore. BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCH was reported at the Seaside Nature Center. The previous reported BLACK-HEADED GULL continues to be seen at the Wolfs Neck Sewage Treatment Plant near Midway. BONAPARTE’S GULL, LESSER SCAUP, and NORTHERN SHOVELER were seen on the treatment ponds. CANVASBACK continue be seen at Silver Lake in Rehoboth Beach, along with HOODED MERGANSER, RUDDY DUCK, and AMERICAN COOT. A pair of TREE SWALLOWS was seen flying over Silver Lake yesterday. Also reported has been a BALTIMORE ORIOLE and an ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER coming to feeders in Lewes.
A NASHVILLE WARBLER was reported along the Bennett’s Pier Road in Milford Neck Wildlife Area along with several YELLOW RUMPED’S and CEDAR WAXWING. This bird was seen in the junipers just before the bear right sign on the way to the beach. BLACKBELLIED PLOVER, SANDERLING and DUNLIN were seen at Bennett’s Pier Beach. WILD TURKEY and EASTERN MEADOWLARK were seen along the roadway. PEREGRINE FALCON, BLACK and SURF SCOTER were seen at Big Stone Beach. RING-NECKED DUCK, BUFFLEHEAD, and SHOVELER were found at Tubbs Mill Pond in Milford. A lone CANVASBACK was in the retention pond along Route 1 south of Frederica. YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER and PILEATED WOODPECKER were found at Killen’s Pond State Park. A MERLIN was seen along scrap Tavern Road near Frederica.
SHORT-EARED OWLS continue be seen at Port Mahon near Dover. NORTHERN GANNET was seen offshore. The previously reported ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK continues to be seen intermittently by the fishing pier. HORNED GREBE, AMERICAN COOT, HOODED and COMMON MERGANSER was seen at Little Creek Wildlife Area. An EASTERN PHOEBE was seen along the central tower road.
A flock of 40 AMERICAN AVOCETS continue to be seen at Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge near Smyrna. Waterfowl reported included TUNDRA SWAN, AMERICAN WIGEON, BUFFLEHEAD, RUDDY DUCK, COMMON and HOODED MERGANSER. An AMERICAN TREE SPARROW was found today along the Saltmarsh Boardwalk near Raymond Pool. BARRED OWL was found in Finis Woods along with YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER, HAIRY, and PILEATED WOODPECKER. BROWN THRASHER was seen behind Bear Swamp. KILLDEER and EASTERN MEADOWLARK were found along Whitehall Neck Road.
A SORA was calling at the Ashton Tract in Augustine Wildlife Area near Port Penn. Waterfowl reported included MUTE SWAN, GADWALL, COMMON MERGANSER, and PIED-BILLED GREBE. ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, GRAY CATBIRD, and FOX SPARROW were found in the woods. GREAT EGRET was reported at the Port Penn impoundments along Route 9. AMERICAN WIGEON, GREEN-WINGED TEAL, RING-NECKED DUCK, and AMERICAN COOT was found at Dragon Run marsh in Delaware City.
A COMMON RAVEN was reported in Newark at the intersection of S. College Ave. and I-95. COMMON MERGANSERS continue to be seen on Newark Reservoir. CHIPPING SPARROW was reported at Curtis Paper Mill Area in White Clay Creek State Park. BARRED OWL was heard calling along the red Clay Creek near Yorklyn.
Waterfowl on Hoopes Reservoir included RING-NECKED DUCK, BUFFLEHEAD, RUDDY DUCK, COMMON and HOODED MERGANSER. Harry’s Pond at the Brandywine Town center had RUDDY DUCK and HOODED MERGANSER. A YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER was found in the trees by the pond. A CACKLING GOOSE was found in Bellevue State Park by the track. YELLOW BELLIED SAPSUCKER was found by the tennis courts parking lot.
Thanks to all the people that make the Birdline possible, including Dave Fees, Josh Berman, Tim Carney, Chris Haddon, James Barry, Gina Sheridan, Denis Murphy, Pete Gibb, Rodney Murray, Curt Davis, Aaron Reb, Mike Moore, John Skibicki, Chris and Karen Bennett, Anthony Gonzon, Kitt Heckscher, Megan Kasprzak, Wayne Longbottom, John Long, Rich Clifton, Rob Blye, Ellen Jacobson, Sue Gruver, Sharon Lynn, Lynn Smith, Scott Northey, Amy and Jim White, Sally O’Byrne, Ryan Crane, Joe Swertinski and Joe Russell. Birdline needs your sightings. Please call your reports into 302-792-9591 or email <ednieap...> Until next week, this is Andy Ednie wishing you good birding!
Date: 1/24/20 2:42 pm From: Andy Ednie, Claymont, DE. <000006be14ba5998-dmarc-request...> Subject: [de-birds] Brandywine Creek Birdwalk Rescheduled
The monthly Saturday walk at Brandywine Creek State Park has been reschedule due to weather. We'll be conducting the walk on Sunday, January 26th, meet at the nature center off Addams Dam Road at 8 am.
Date: 1/14/20 7:10 am From: sally o'byrne <salobyrne...> Subject: [de-birds] Alapocas walk canceled
The DOS field trip to Alapocas scheduled for tomorrow morning (Jan 15) is canceled. Unfortunately, I twisted my knee last week and I’m a cripple at the moment. Wish I could do it!
Date: 1/12/20 7:43 pm From: Edward Crawford <coastalcoaster...> Subject: Re: [de-birds] Eagle show and more - lower, eastern Sussex County
Wild Turkey bourbon, I hope.
On Sun, Jan 12, 2020 at 6:32 PM Rob Blye <rwblye...> wrote:
> We had a full day of errands and activities including the Sussex Bird Club > meeting with a presentation on Purple Martins by Joel Martin (sic). We > probably broke an attendance record with more than 100 crowded into the > large meeting room at the Lewes Public Library. > > Carol and I were itching to get out in the sunny, warm, wind-less weather. > We choose to walk across the street to our HOA open space and watch the > sunset from the observation platform looking over Herring Creek and > adjacent Angola Neck Preserve saltmarsh. The trail to the platform is about > 0.15 miles through mature loblolly pine/ oak forest with a holly > understory. Salt water intrusion killed trees on the edge of the marsh and > it is a woodpecker haven. > Our first bird was a single hairy woodpecker quickly followed by a > red-headed woodpecker which was flagged as rare on eBird. Next came a > red-bellied woodpecker. I thought we were going to hit the trifecta when my > wife called out flicker but it turned out to be a second red-bellied. A > Carolina wren scolded us as we climbed the steps onto the platform. > We immediately scanned the copse of trees in the middle of the marsh that > has an eagle nest and many snags where eagles often roost. No eagles-but a > suspicious buteo that I think may have been a rough-legged hawk. The > distance (800 m = 0.5 mile) and presentation (looking at us) made > identification sketchy but it had a clear light belly with no breast band > typical of red-tailed hawk, I called it buteo spp on my eBird checklist. > Unfortunately, we missed the bird's exit, > As the light ended we kept adding birds to our list: many bufflehead, great > blue herons, several flocks of flyover snow geese, greater yellowlegs, > gulls and kingsfisher. Then two big gulls flying downstream towards the > nest site morphed into two adult bald eagles. The lead bird settled on one > of the snags and the smaller, second bird wiggled ever so briefly on her > then flew to an adjacent perch. My wife remarked that the eagles should at > least lay eggs this year. > > In the waning light a single, perhaps immature, eagle flew upstream and > after minutes settled into a roost in a pine about a mile away. Seconds > later a pair of eagles were silhouetted against the sky locking talons, > falling over each other in the air for several miles. One finally peeled > off to the southeast over the woods and the second bird roosted neat the > single eagle seen minutes earlier. > > The male eagle had left the roost site and we saw the female head towards > Burton Point where there is another copse of trees that serves as a roost. > > We headed home in the twilight and were treated to yet another red-headed > woodpecker in the same tree where they have nested in the past. > > We are now watching the Chiefs whup the Texans (??) and sipping bourbon in > moderation. > > *Rob* > > Robert W. Blye > 34603 Doe Run > Lewes DE 19958-3332 > 302 945-8618 > 610 213-2413 mobile > > List archives: https://lists.princeton.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=DE-BIRDS > List help: <DE-BIRDS-request...> >
-- Edward M. Crawford 22366 Bay Court Lewes, Delaware 19958
Date: 1/12/20 3:32 pm From: Rob Blye <rwblye...> Subject: [de-birds] Eagle show and more - lower, eastern Sussex County
We had a full day of errands and activities including the Sussex Bird Club meeting with a presentation on Purple Martins by Joel Martin (sic). We probably broke an attendance record with more than 100 crowded into the large meeting room at the Lewes Public Library.
Carol and I were itching to get out in the sunny, warm, wind-less weather. We choose to walk across the street to our HOA open space and watch the sunset from the observation platform looking over Herring Creek and adjacent Angola Neck Preserve saltmarsh. The trail to the platform is about 0.15 miles through mature loblolly pine/ oak forest with a holly understory. Salt water intrusion killed trees on the edge of the marsh and it is a woodpecker haven. Our first bird was a single hairy woodpecker quickly followed by a red-headed woodpecker which was flagged as rare on eBird. Next came a red-bellied woodpecker. I thought we were going to hit the trifecta when my wife called out flicker but it turned out to be a second red-bellied. A Carolina wren scolded us as we climbed the steps onto the platform. We immediately scanned the copse of trees in the middle of the marsh that has an eagle nest and many snags where eagles often roost. No eagles-but a suspicious buteo that I think may have been a rough-legged hawk. The distance (800 m = 0.5 mile) and presentation (looking at us) made identification sketchy but it had a clear light belly with no breast band typical of red-tailed hawk, I called it buteo spp on my eBird checklist. Unfortunately, we missed the bird's exit, As the light ended we kept adding birds to our list: many bufflehead, great blue herons, several flocks of flyover snow geese, greater yellowlegs, gulls and kingsfisher. Then two big gulls flying downstream towards the nest site morphed into two adult bald eagles. The lead bird settled on one of the snags and the smaller, second bird wiggled ever so briefly on her then flew to an adjacent perch. My wife remarked that the eagles should at least lay eggs this year.
In the waning light a single, perhaps immature, eagle flew upstream and after minutes settled into a roost in a pine about a mile away. Seconds later a pair of eagles were silhouetted against the sky locking talons, falling over each other in the air for several miles. One finally peeled off to the southeast over the woods and the second bird roosted neat the single eagle seen minutes earlier.
The male eagle had left the roost site and we saw the female head towards Burton Point where there is another copse of trees that serves as a roost.
We headed home in the twilight and were treated to yet another red-headed woodpecker in the same tree where they have nested in the past.
We are now watching the Chiefs whup the Texans (??) and sipping bourbon in moderation.
*Rob*
Robert W. Blye 34603 Doe Run Lewes DE 19958-3332 302 945-8618 610 213-2413 mobile
Date: 1/12/20 7:21 am From: Frank Rohrbacher <0000007c6769d2e2-dmarc-request...> Subject: [de-birds] Results of 2020 DOS Headstart Field Trip
On January 11 at 7:30 AM, eight fearless birders met at the Park & Ride in Middletown and drove south to Cods/Thirteen Curves/Draper Roads with thoughts of 60,000 Snow Geese and one Pink-footed Goose on our minds. We arrive and there were absolutely no Snow Geese on the ground anywhere and the few that flying were heading due west. Possibly the high temperature (74 F high) or high winds (25-30 mph) was a factor in the geese usual protocol.
On to Cape Henlopen SP, where we had Brown-headed Nuthatch, at the feeder, and great looks at a male White-winged Scoter and a Horned Grebe at the point. At Silver Lake we added 200 Canvasbacks and Hooded Merganser. At the Burtons Island Causeway, we got Red-breasted Merganser, hundreds of Brant and two Black-crowned Night-Herons. At Indian River Inlet, we quickly found the Common Eider, and Mike Smith found a Razorbill. Both Surf and Black Scoters, Long-tailed Ducks, a large flock Bonaparte's Gulls, both loons and Northern Gannets but no Purple Sandpipers or Great Cormorants were present.
Then, we started north with renewed interest, in 60,000 Snow Geese and one Pink-footed Goose. Arriving at Draper Road, we faced 3000 Snow Geese, which we quickly determined had no unusual geese. When these geese headed north we decided to look for a dark phase Rough-legged Hawk reported at Fowler Beach. As we approached Fowlers Beach, we saw that the main flock of geese that we were looking for stream south along the beach and dropping into the bay. We hiked out to the the beach where the snows were the split into three large rafts. The closest was a group that was stretched south along Fowler Beach for about one quarter of a mile along the shore line and about a 100 feet deep. We walked the entire back and forth without seeing our target bird. We gave up with only one Black-bellied Plover and 5-6 Savannah Sparrows including one Ipswich Savannah Sparrow to add to the list..
We then went to Port Mahon Road where we stopped at the impoundment where duck hunters put their boats in, which is on the right, directly across from the oil storage tanks, to get out of the wind. As the dark descended, two different American Bitterns flew up and two Great Egrets flew to roost.
Frank RohrbacherWilmington, Delaware
Date: 1/10/20 6:52 pm From: Andy Ednie, Claymont, DE. <000006be14ba5998-dmarc-request...> Subject: [de-birds] RBA: Birdline Delaware, January 10th, 2020
RBA * Delaware * Statewide * January 10, 2020 * DEST 20.01. 0
*Birds mentioned PINK-FOOTED GOOSE Ross’s Goose Cackling Goose Brant Tundra Swan Mute Swan Wood Duck Gadwall EURASIAN WIGEON American Wigeon Green-winged Teal Canvasback Redhead Ring-necked Duck Lesser Scaup Common Eider Black Scoter White-winged Scoter Surf Scoter Long-tailed Duck Bufflehead Common Goldeneye Common Merganser Hooded Merganser Red-breasted Merganser Ruddy Duck Wild Turkey Pied-billed Grebe Horned Grebe Clapper Rail Virginia Rail American Coot Sandhill Crane American Avocet Black-bellied Plover Ruddy Turnstone Sanderling Dunlin Purple Sandpiper Long-billed Dowitcher Wilson’s Snipe American Woodcock Greater Yellowlegs Willet Lesser Yellowlegs Forster’s Tern Black-headed Gull Bonaparte’s Gull Lesser Black-backed Gull Iceland Gull RAZORBILL Red-throated Loon Great Cormorant American Bittern Great Egret Black-crowned Night Heron NORTHERN GOSHAWK Red-shouldered Hawk ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK Barred Owl Long-eared Owl Short-eared Owl Saw-whet Owl Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Pileated Woodpecker American Kestrel Merlin Peregrine Falcon Eastern Phoebe WESTERN KINGBIRD Common Raven Brown-headed Nuthatch House Wren Marsh Wren Sedge Wren Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Brown Thrasher Gray Catbird Snow Bunting American Tree Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Nelson’s Sparrow Saltmarsh Sparrow Vesper Sparrow White-crowned Sparrow Purple Finch Baltimore Oriole Orange-crowned Warbler Pine Warbler Common Yellowthroat DICKCISSEL
Hotline: Birdline Delaware Date: January 10, 2019 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, January 10th, this is Birdline Delaware from the Delaware Museum of Natural History in Greenville. The unofficial Delaware Annual list for 2020 unofficial list is already at a whopping 163 species.
On Saturday, a WESTERN KINGBIRD was found in a cornfield near Killen’s Pond State Park. Directions for the site are: take Route 12, Midstate Road and turn at the sign for Killen’s Pond onto Scrap Tavern Rd., Drive past the intersection with Roseville Road and look for the pullout on the left-hand side by the pine trees. This bird was seen perched and feeding in the corn stubble on the east side of the road with several EASTERN BLUEBIRDS and a PINE WARBLER. A GREAT EGRET was seen at Tubbs Mill Pond near Milford
Several SEDGE and MARSH WRENS were found at Milford Neck Wildlife Area along Big Stone Beach Road at the wooden bridge and at the end of Bennett’s Pier Road. NELSON’S SPARROW and COMMON YELLOWTHROAT were also found on Bennett’s Pier Road BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER was seen along the beach. NORTHERN GANNET, HORNED GREBE, COMMON GOLDENEYE, SURF and BLACK SCOTER were seen offshore. A SAW-WHET OWL was calling in the Holly woods along Bennett’s Pier Road on Saturday morning. VIRGINIA RAIL, BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCH, and PINE WARBLER found along Big Stone Beach Road. SURF SCOTER, CANVASBACK, GOLDENEYE, TUNDRA SWAN, and HOODED MERGANSER were seen at the beach. CLAPPER RAIL and SHORT-EARED OWL were seen at the Milford Neck Dog Training Area. LONG-EARED OWL and DICKCISSEL were seen at the intersection of Scott’s Corner Road and Stratham Lane.
The previous reported WESTERN TANAGER is not been seen all week at Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge near Smyrna. AMERICAN AVOCETS, LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER, plus LESSER and GREATER YELLOWLEGS continue to be seen in the refuge. A LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was photographed at the saltmarsh. Waterfowl reported included TUNDRA SWAN, LESSER SCAUP, COMMON GOLDENEYE, and PIED-BILLED GREBE. Land birds seen included EASTERN PHOEBE, CHIPPING SPARROW, and EASTERN MEADOWLARK.
A light phase ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK continues to be seen at Port Mahon. Look for this bird perched in the trees near the fishing pier. SHORT-EARED OWL and AMERICAN BITTERN were also reported in the marsh. SURF SCOTER, LONG-TAILED DUCK, COMMON GOLDENEYE, and RED-THROATED LOON were seen offshore. AMERICAN COOT, WILD TURKEY, HOODED MERGANSER, and RUDDY DUCK seen at Little Creek Wildlife Area. BUFFLEHEAD, COMMON, and 15 HOODED MERGANSERS were seen at Silver Lake in Dover. CANVASBACK, RUDDY DUCK, HORNED GREBE, RED-THROATED LOON, and NORTHERN GANNET were reported off of Pickering Beach.
An immature ICELAND GULL was reported on Sunday at Augustine Beach near Port Penn along with RED-BREASTED MERGANSER, LESSER SCAUP, and SANDHILL CRANE. A group of 12 SANDHILL CRANES were videoed while calling at Augustine Creek along Route 9. SANDHILL CRANE, BARRED OWL, EASTERN PHOEBE, and HOUSE WREN were found at the of Delaware Wildlands off Bay View Road, unfortunately this is a private access area.
A NORTHERN GOSHAWK plus SANDHILL CRANE were reported at the Warren Tract in Augustine Wildlife Area along Port Penn Road. ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER was reported at the Ashton tract. Three PALM WARBLERS were reported at the Port Penn impoundments along with WILD TURKEY and GREAT EGRET.
A BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER was found with ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, GRAY CATBIRD and BROWN THRASHER along the dike of the Canal Pond off Cox Neck Road near Delaware City. Two dozen MUTE SWAN were seen on the pond. AMERICAN COOT, GADWALL, NORTHERN SHOVELER, and RING-NECKED DUCK were seen on Dragon Run. A CHIPPING SPARROW was seen at a feeder in Delaware City. MERLIN and PEREGRINE FALCON were seen at Fort Dupont State Park. BONAPARTE’S GULL was seen flying over the Delaware River from Veterans Park in Delaware City. A COMMON RAVEN was seen over house at St. George’s bridge flying towards Wrangell Hill Road.
A CACKLING GOOSE was found on the pond by the horse track at Bellevue State Park on Wednesday. GREAT CORMORANTS have been seen on the channel markers along the Delaware River from Fox Point State Park. Hoopes Reservoir near Greenville reported BUFFLEHEAD, RING-NECKED and RUDDY DUCK, HOODED and COMMON MERGANSER, plus PIED-BILLED GREBE. Harry’s Pond at Brandywine Town Center at RING-NECKED DUCK and HOODED MERGANSER. A GREEN-WINGED TEAL was seen at the Adams Dam Pond along Route 100. COMMON MERGANSERS were seen on Newark reservoir, along with a flock of 24 TUNDRA SWANS landed on the reservoir on Tuesday. RED-SHOULDERED HAWK was seen in the woods by the parking lot. A PURPLE FINCH was reported coming to a feeder off Barksdale Road in Newark.
Three PALM WARBLERS were found off Sharps Road on the Milford Christmas count on Saturday. There was an incredible number of PALM WARBLERS found in western Sussex County last week’ 23 PALMS plus 26 PINE WARBLERS were seen off of Old Sharptown Road, just south of Nanticoke Wildlife Area on January 2. Also reported was VESPER and CHIPPING SPARROW, YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER, AMERICAN KESTREL, and MERLIN. 30 PALM WARBLERS were found along or sees pond near Laurel. ANOTHER PALM WARBLER was found at Woodland Ferry. WILSON SNIPE, AMERICAN WOODCOCK and BARRED OWL were heard at Nanticoke wildlife area in the early morning. An EASTERN PHOEBE was seen near Trap Pond State Park.
NELSON’S and SALTMARSH SPARROW were found along Lighthouse Road at Slaughters Beach, along with CLAPPER RAIL. BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON was found by the pond opposite the Marvel Saltmarsh Preserve. SURF SCOTER, NORTHERN GANNET, and RED-THROATED LOON were seen at Mispillion Inlet. A big flock of 275 BOAT-TAILED GRACKLES were seen from the Dupont Nature Center.
There was a flock of over 100,000 SNOW GEESE along Thirteen Curves Rd. near Milton that included ROSS’S and a possible PINK-FOOTED GOOSE. SHORT-EARED OWL, SNOW BUNTING, and AMERICAN BITTERN were found at Fowlers Beach in Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge near Milton. A BALTIMORE ORIOLE was discovered in the woodlot prior to the marsh. WOOD DUCK and PILEATED WOODPECKER were found along Deep Branch Road. ORANGE-CROWNED and PALM WARBLER were found along the Broadkill Beach Road. BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCHES were reported at Turkle’s Pond. WILD TURKEY was seen along the Prime Hook entrance road. AMERICAN TREE SPARROW and VIRGINIA RAIL reported along the dike trail. A WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW was reported along cods Road.
Sixteen RAZORBILLS were reported on Saturday from Herring Point in Cape Henlopen State Park, along with BONAPARTE’S GULL and NORTHERN GANNET. A WILLET was seen walking down the beach. A PINE WARBLER was reported in the Herring Point parking area. LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was seen from the hawk watch. BRANT were reported at Cape Henlopen Point. BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCH and CEDAR WAXWING were seen at the Seaside Nature Center. GREAT EGRET, TUNDRA SWAN, and BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCH were reported at Gordon’s pond north of Rehoboth Beach. There was a peak count of 3 BLACK-HEADED GULL at Wolfe’s Point Water Treatment Plant near Midway. A peak count of 915 CANVASBACK were seen on Silver Lake along with two female REDHEAD plus HOODED MERGANSER.
RAZORBILL, HORNED GREBE, COMMON EIDER, LONGTAILED DUCK, and all three species of SCOTER, WHITE-WINGED, SURF, and BLACK SCOTER were seen at Indian River Inlet. A big flock of 146 BONAPARTE’S GULLS showed up at the Inlet this week along with 9 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS and FORSTER’S TERN. Shorebirds seen included PURPLE SANDPIPER, RUDDY TURNSTONE, and SANDERLING. A PALM WARBLER was found on Wednesday. BRANT, RED-BREASTED MERGANSER, and PIED-BILLED GREBE were seen at Burtons Island by the North Marina. BRANT and HORNED GREBE were also seen off Quillen’s Point along Cedar Neck from the VFW Hall.
EURASIAN WIGEON continues be reported at Assawoman Wildlife Area near Fenwick Island with AMERICAN WIGEON, GADWALL, LESSER SCAUP, HOODED MERGANSER, and MUTE SWAN. WOOD DUCK and PINE WARBLER were found near Harbison.
Thanks to all the people that make the Birdline possible, including Billy Weber, Dave Fees, Jim Lenhard, Bernie Foy, Gina Sheridan, John Janowski, Joe Francis, Pete Gibb, Dean Coffin, Kathy Shearer, Mike Bowen, Brian Henderson, Al Guarente, Rodney Murray, Curt Davis, Aaron Reb, Bert Filmyer, Mike Rosengarten, Kathie O’Neil, Joe Sebastiani, Mike Moore, John Skibicki, Chris and Karen Bennett, Anthony Gonzon, Kitt Heckscher, Megan Kasprzak, Wayne Longbottom, John Long, Rich Clifton, Jason Bojczyk, Rob Blye, Ellen Jacobson, Sue Gruver, Sharon Lynn, Lynn Smith, Scott Northey, Amy and Jim White, Sally O’Byrne, Mike Hudson, Holly Merker, Kim Steininger, Jeff Gordon, Ryan Crane, Joe Swertinski and Joe Russell. Birdline needs your sightings. Please call your reports into 302-792-9591 or email <ednieap...> Until next week, this is Andy Ednie wishing you good birding!
Any interest in joining together to search for and find the Pink-footed Goose being seen around Prime Hook? Pick a date, assign locations...Find the Goose!
Just kicking the tires to guage interest.
Christopher Rowe
PS - I'm the slub who never saw it 🤬
Date: 1/10/20 12:06 pm From: Rob Blye <rwblye...> Subject: [de-birds] Two January days in contrast
Thursday January 9th was the first field trip of the year for Sussex Bird Club. Twenty hardy souls met at Indian River Inlet about 8:30 AM where we found temperatures in the high 20s with bright sun and a steady 15-20 mph wind from the north. The even hardier birds were mostly hunkered down in the wind except for a good size flock of Bonaparte's gull. We observed the usual suspects but dipped on common loon and great cormorant. A peregrine put on a brief show chasing a flock of some 200 dunlin around. A single razorbill was seen by one experienced birder who arrived early.
The group then moved to observe the bay from the campground where we picked up a few waterfowl then off to Burton Island. It was mostly out of the wind, with red-breasted merganser and pied-bill grebe on the water and towhee, mockingbird and a ruby-crowned kinglet on the trail in addition to the ubiquitous myrtle warblers.
Silver Lake yielded the hoped for canvasbacks and a few other ducks while the STP at Wolfe Neck coughed up two black-headed gull. We ended the day with 51 species and avoided frost bite.
Contrast Thursday's weather with today; my wife and I hiked the Walking Dunes Trail at Cape Henlopen State Park in bright sun, low wind and temperatures in the high 50s and low 60s. Surprisingly few birds were observed but we did manage a few brown-headed nuthatches and a hermit thrush.
Sussex Bird Club will continue to offer biweekly field trips mostly on Thursday mornings and mostly in Sussex County. Check our website for schedule and updates. Field trips are free and open to the public.
*Rob*
Robert W. Blye 34603 Doe Run Lewes DE 19958-3332 302 945-8618 610 213-2413 mobile
Date: 1/10/20 7:31 am From: Frank Rohrbacher <0000007c6769d2e2-dmarc-request...> Subject: [de-birds] DOS Headstart Field Up-date
Hi all
On Saturday, January 11, I will be leading the DOS Headstart Field Trip. I plan to start at the Park&Ride at Rte 299&Rte 1 in Middletown, opposite Wawa at 7:30 AM. After meeting up with the group, I plan to drive to Draper Road/Cods/Thirteen Curves Roads in search of the with 60,000 Snow Geese which should mean we should arrive there between 8:30-8:45 AM to meet with the Sussex birders. If the flock is showing itself well, we will search for the Pink-footed Goose, Cackling Goose and Ross's Geese contained within. If, as often happens in the morning, the geese are off of Thirteen Curves Road or very far from the edge of the road, we will make a quick search, and move on to Cape Henlopen SP, Silver Lake and Indian River Inlet and return later in the day when the geese are more likely to be found close to the road
Ultimately, l would like to return to Port Mahon Road by about 3:30 PM to search for the the Rough-legged Hawk and Short-eared Owls.at Port Mahon Road.
Thanks.
Frank RohrbacherWilmington, Delaware
Date: 1/7/20 2:59 pm From: Frank Rohrbacher <0000007c6769d2e2-dmarc-request...> Subject: [de-birds] DOS Headstart Field Trip
Hi all
On Saturday, January 11, I will be leading the DOS Headstart Field Trip. I plan to start at the Park&Ride at Rte 299&Rte 1 in Middletown, opposite Wawa at 7:30 AM. I am still planning the trip but I will probably chase the Rough-legged at Port Mahon Road, then go to Cods Road to find the Pink-footed Goose and Ross's Goose that are being seen there with 60,000 Snow Geese. In addition, I'll stop at Cape Henlopen SP and Indian River Inlet. I''ll be scouting the area and will be changing the schedule to get the latest birds. I will put out a final itinerary on Friday afternoon, so those from Sussex County can meet up with us if they chose.
Thanks.
Frank RohrbacherWilmington, Delaware
Date: 1/6/20 2:51 pm From: Rob Davis <robsails...> Subject: Re: [de-birds] Abbott's Mill Bird Walk -Jan. 3, 2020
Hello Alice,
It was a great day and a great adventure. I appreciated the extra time you took to show me pictures and explain differences. I am looking forward to the next bird walk. Hopefully that will be soon. Thanks again!
Regards,
Rob
Sent from my Verizon LG Smartphone
------ Original message------
From: Alice Mohrman
Date: Fri, Jan 3, 2020 1:05 PM
To: <de-birds...>;
Cc:
Subject:[de-birds] Abbott's Mill Bird Walk -Jan. 3, 2020
Great pre Milford Xmas Count morning! Thanks to all birdwatchers ...Martha, John, Linda, Bob, Jim, Joel, Rob, Nancy and Teddie!
Abbott's Mill Nature Center, Sussex, Delaware, US Jan 3, 2020 10:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Protocol: Traveling
2.0 mile(s)
29 species (+1 other taxa)
Canada Goose 6
Tundra Swan 15
Gadwall 16
Hooded Merganser 8
Great Blue Heron 1
Black Vulture 3
Turkey Vulture 12
Red-shouldered Hawk 1
Buteo sp. 1
Belted Kingfisher 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 3
Downy Woodpecker 2
Northern Flicker 2
Blue Jay 5
Carolina Chickadee 2
Tufted Titmouse 2
Golden-crowned Kinglet 1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1
White-breasted Nuthatch 1
Brown Creeper 1
Carolina Wren 4
Northern Mockingbird 1
Eastern Bluebird 3
Hermit Thrush 1
American Robin 3
House Finch 2
Savannah Sparrow 1
Song Sparrow 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler 1
Northern Cardinal 6
Date: 1/3/20 4:36 pm From: Andy Ednie, Claymont, DE. <000006be14ba5998-dmarc-request...> Subject: [de-birds] RBA: Birdline Delaware, January 3rd, 2020
RBA * Delaware * Statewide * January 03, 2020 * DEST 20.01.03
*Birds mentioned PINK-FOOTED GOOSE Ross’s Goose Cackling Goose Brant Tundra Swan Mute Swan Wood Duck Blue-winged Teal Gadwall American Wigeon Green-winged Teal Canvasback Redhead Ring-necked Duck Greater Scaup Lesser Scaup Black Scoter White-winged Scoter Surf Scoter Long-tailed Duck Bufflehead Common Goldeneye Common Merganser Hooded Merganser Red-breasted Merganser Ruddy Duck Wild Turkey Pied-billed Grebe Horned Grebe Clapper Rail King Rail Virginia Rail Sora American Coot American Avocet Black-bellied Plover Semipalmated Plover Ruddy Turnstone Sanderling Dunlin Western Sandpiper Purple Sandpiper Long-billed Dowitcher Wilson’s Snipe American Woodcock Greater Yellowlegs Lesser Yellowlegs Forster’s Tern Black-headed Gull Bonaparte’s Gull Lesser Black-backed Gull RAZORBILL Common Loon Red-throated Loon Great Cormorant American Bittern Great Egret Tricolored Heron Black-crowned Night Heron Bald Eagle Red-shouldered Hawk ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK Barn Owl Barred Owl Short-eared Owl Saw-whet Owl Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Red-headed Woodpecker Pileated Woodpecker American Kestrel Merlin Peregrine Falcon Tree Swallow Red-breasted Nuthatch Brown-headed Nuthatch Winter Wren Marsh Wren Sedge Wren Ruby-crowned Kinglet Golden-crowned Kinglet Brown Thrasher Gray Catbird Snow Bunting Savannah Ipswich Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Seaside Sparrow White-crowned Sparrow Purple Finch YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD Baltimore Oriole Orange-crowned Warbler Pine Warbler Common Yellowthroat WESTERN TANAGER
Hotline: Birdline Delaware Date: January 03, 2019 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, January 3rd, this is Birdline Delaware from the Delaware Museum of Natural History in Greenville. The unofficial Delaware Annual list for 2019 peaked at 329 species. That’s two species more than the 10-year average! The 2020 unofficial list is already at 117 species.
A PINK-FOOTED GOOSE was found last week at Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge along Prime Hook Beach Road. That bird has subsequently been seen off Short’s Beach and among the 50,000 SNOW GEESE off Draper Road. Also reported in the flock have been ROSS’S and CACKLING GOOSE. These geese were also seen along with a raft of WOOD DUCK off Sylvian Acres Road, along the west side of Route 1 opposite Prime Hook. ROSS’S GOOSE was also seen off of Thirteen Curves Rd. along with AMERICAN PIPIT. Lots of shorebirds seen along Prime Hook Beach Road included SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, RUDDY TURNSTONE, WESTERN SANDPIPER, SANDERLING, DUNLIN, and WILSON SNIPE. WILLET, GREATER and LESSER YELLOWLEGS, and SEMIPALMATED PLOVER were seen along the Dike Trail at Prime Hook headquarters. AMERICAN WOODCOCK was reported along the entrance road. Three AMERICAN AVOCETS were seen at Fowlers Beach, along with BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER and RUDDY TURNSTONE.
SHORT-EARED OWLS continue to be seen at Fowler’s Beach. There was a peak count of 50 SNOW BUNTINGS along the beach. AMERICAN BITTERN was seen in the marsh. ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER and GRAY CATBIRD was reported by the entrance woods. Waterfowl reported included RED-THROATED LOON, HORNED GREBE, NORTHERN GANNET, SURF and BLACK SCOTER, LONG-TAILED DUCK, COMMON GOLDENEYE, and HOODED MERGANSER. BARRED OWL was heard calling along Little Neck Road. PINE WARBLER and WILD TURKEY were seen at Little Neck Wildlife Area. RED-HEADED WOODPECKER and BROWN THRASHER were reported at the intersection of Prime Hook Beach and Cods Road. Raptors reported at Prime Hook included PEREGRINE FALCON, MERLIN, and AMERICAN KESTREL.
RAZORBILL, BLACK-HEADED GULL, and WILLET were reported at Herring Point in Cape Henlopen State Park, along with 14 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS on the beach. IPSWICH SAVANNAH SPARROW was found along the dunes at Cape Henlopen Point. PINE WARBLER was found at Herring Point and Fort Miles. BRANT, RED-BREASTED MERGANSER, and COMMON GOLDENEYE were seen at The Point, along with PEREGRINE FALCON. An immature GREAT CORMORANT was photographed at the fishing pier. BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCH was seen coming to the feeders at the Seaside Nature Center. SEDGE WREN, VIRGINIA, and KING RAIL were heard calling from the Walking Dunes Nature Trail near the Saltmarsh Spur. In Lewes, a NELSON’S SPARROW was found along Canary Creek at the University of Delaware Marine labs. A big flock of 150 NORTHERN GANNETS was seen from the Cape May-Lewes ferry along with BLACK and SURF SCOTER, LONG-TAILED DUCK, RED-BREASTED MERGANSER, and 8 GREAT CORMORANTS sitting on the breakwater. BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCH was als! o found in the pines by the ferry terminal.
A peak count of 3 BLACK-HEADED GULLS was found at the Wolfs Neck Sewage Treatment Plant near Midway. Waterfowl on the settling ponds included GADWALL, NORTHERN SHOVELER, GREATER and LESSER SCAUP. A RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH was found in the pines and a single SNOW BUNTING was found out in the fields around the treatment plant. A peak count of 850 CANVASBACK were seen on Silver Lake along with 2 female REDHEAD and HOODED MERGANSER.
A RAZORBILL was seen yesterday off the north jetty at Indian River Inlet. NORTHERN GANNETS were seen flying offshore. Other waterfowl included COMMON EIDER, LONG-TAILED DUCK, BUFFLEHEAD, RED-THROATED and COMMON LOON, plus WHITE-WINGED, SURF, and BLACK SCOTER. GREAT CORMORANT was seen on the channel marker. RUDDY TURNSTONE, SANDERLING, and PURPLE SANDPIPER were seen on the jetty. FORSTER’S TERN, BONAPARTE’S and LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL were found along the Inlet. AMERICAN BITTERN and BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON were seen at the marsh behind the south campground. TREE SWALLOW, TRICOLORED HERON, PIED-BILLED GREBE, and PEREGRINE FALCON were reported at Burtons Island Causeway behind the North Marina. NELSON’S SPARROW was photographed at Savage’s Ditch in Delaware Seashore State Park. A large flock of BRANT was seen off of Quillen’s Point on Cedar Neck along with COMMON GOLDENEYE.
The previous reported EURASIAN WIGEON continues to be seen at Assawoman Wildlife Area near Fenwick Island. Eight BLUE-WINGED TEAL were seen on the pond along with MUTE SWAN, 440 GADWALL, 280 AMERICAN WIGEON, LESSER SCAUP, HOODED MERGANSER, and-PIED BILLED GREBE. A SORA was heard calling along with VIRGINIA RAIL. COMMON YELLOWTHROAT and BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCH were found in the refuge. A SAW-WHET OWL was reported at the Marion Okie Nature Preserve on Long Neck. CLAPPER RAIL, HOODED MERGANSER, and TUNDRA SWAN were reported at the Peninsula nature Center near Millsboro. A juvenile female BALTIMORE ORIOLE was seen coming to a feeder off White Neck Road near Holt’s Landing State Park.
The previous reported WESTERN TANAGER was reported today at the visitor center in Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge near Smyrna. This bird has been seen behind the picnic pavilion to the Viburnum Bush next to the bathrooms. Shorebirds continue be seen on Raymond Pool including AMERICAN AVOCET, LESSER AND GREATER YELLOWLEGS, DUNLIN, LONGBILLED DOWITCHER, AND WILSON SNIPE. An AMERICAN WOODCOCK reported at Finis Pool along with BARRED OWL. Waterfowl included 3 CANVASBACK on Tuesday along with TUNDRA SWAN, CACKLING GOOSE, WOOD DUCK, AMERICAN WIGEON, RING-NECKED DUCK, GREATER SCAUP, RUDDY DUCK, PIED-BILLED GREBE, plus COMMON and RED-BREASTED MERGANSER. VIRGINIA and CLAPPER RAIL were found along the Boardwalk Trail along with SEASIDE SPARROW, MARSH, and SEDGE WREN. Raptors reported included RED-SHOULDERED HAWK, BALD EAGLE, plus PEREGRINE, MERLIN, and KESTREL. BARN OWL was heard calling from the visitor center at dusk.
A late phase ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was seen along the Port Mahon Road, along with SHORT-EARED OWLS. Waterfowl at Port Mahon included COMMON GOLDENEYE and LONGTAILED DUCK. A peak count of 42 NORTHERN GANNETS were seen offshore over the Delaware Bay on Tuesday. COMMON YELLOWTHROAT was seen in the reeds along the roadside. GREAT EGRET was seen flying into the Little Creek impoundments. HOODED MERGANSER, RUDDY DUCK, and PIED-BILLED GREBE were seen at Little Creek Wildlife Area. A raft of CANVASBACK with a single REDHEAD was seen at Pickering Beach along with LESSER SCAUP, BUFFLEHEAD, and RUDDY DUCK. A RED-THROATED LOON was seen on the Delaware River off of Woodland Beach along with COMMON GOLDENEYE and GREATER SCAUP. HOODED and COMMON MERGANSER were seen on Silver Lake in Dover. RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET and WINTER WREN were seen in the park. AMERICAN PIPIT and PEREGRINE FALCON were seen in Frederica off of Johnnycake Landing Road.
A male YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD was found today along Stave’s Landing Road, in a flock of several hundred blackbirds. GADWALL, AMERICAN WIGEON, GREEN-WINGED TEAL, and RING-NECKED DUCK were seen at Hangman’s Creek along Route 9. WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS were found at Collins Beach in Cedar Swamp Wildlife Area. RED THROATED LOON and RED-BREASTED MERGANSER were seen at Augustine Beach near Port Penn. DUNLIN were seen on the breakwater from the parking lot. MUTE SWAN was reported at the Ashton Tract in Augustine Wildlife Area. RED-SHOULDERED HAWK and both RUBY-CROWNED and GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET were found in the woods. GREAT EGRET was reported at Thousand Acre Marsh south of Delaware city.
A PURPLE FINCH was seen Sunday at Ashland Nature Center. An AMERICAN KESTREL was reported at Coverdale Farms. CHIPPING SPARROW was found at Curtis Mill Park in White Clay Creek State Park in Newark. YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER and PILEATED WOODPECKER were reported at Hopkins Bridge. COMMON MERGANSER was reported at Newark reservoir. Waterfowl on Hoopes’s reservoir included RING-NECKED DUCK, BUFFLEHEAD, HOODED and COMMON MERGANSER, and RUDDY DUCK. HOODED MERGANSER was also seen at the Winterthur Ponds along Route 100 near Montchanin.
Thanks to all the people that make the Birdline possible, including Mike Smith, Alissa Kegelman, Mike Bowen, Leo Custer, Anthony VanSchoor, Brian Henderson, Al Guarente, Rodney Murray, Curt Davis, Aaron Reb, Bert Filmyer, Mike Rosengarten, Dave Belford, Kathie O’Neil, Katie Bird, Gary Griffith, Joe Sebastiani, Mike Moore, John Skibicki, Steve Graff, Chris and Karen Bennett, Anthony Gonzon, Kitt Heckscher, Megan Kasprzak, Wayne Longbottom, Rob Blye, Ellen Jacobson, Sue Gruver, Sharon Lynn, Lynn Smith, Scott Northey, Amy and Jim White, Sally O’Byrne, Jeff Gordon, Ryan Crane, Joe Swertinski and Joe Russell. Birdline needs your sightings. Please call your reports into 302-792-9591 or email <ednieap...> Until next week, this is Andy Ednie wishing you good birding!
Date: 1/3/20 4:51 am From: Billy Weber <robot.stories...> Subject: [de-birds] Assawoman, etc. - 1/2
Found 105 species around the state yesterday, mostly at Assawoman Wildlife Area, Indian River Inlet, and Bombay Hook NWR. I missed the Western Tanager at BH on my way into the refuge at 4pm, but was surprised to see it feeding in its favorite bush outside the bathrooms when I returned to the visitor center at 4:52. Nothing wrong with a bedtime snack! I dipped on the Port Mahon Rough-leg in the 3:00-3:30 range and also somehow missed Razorbill at the inlet in the morning, learning afterward that one had been close to the north jetty around that time. (Common Eider, Forster’s Tern, and Tree Swallow were consolation prizes.) My best birds besides the tanager were at Assawoman: a drake Eurasian Wigeon (reported on the CBC) halfway out the walk toward Strawberry Landing, an Orange-crowned Warbler pished in at the gate at the beginning of that road, and a Common Yellowthroat (different from the one photographed on the CBC) at Mulberry Landing. I did have 2-3 Black-headed Gulls a! t the Wolfe Neck sewage plant in Rehoboth, as well as the continuing immature Great Cormorant at the Cape Henlopen fishing pier. Notable flocks included 15 Killdeer at the junction of Double Bridges and Muddy Neck roads in South Bethany and a large congregation of Snow Geese resting on the ocean off Cape Henlopen’s Herring Point. (I initially thought these were gannets, and also temporarily mistook a distant Red-throated Loon for a Long-billed Murrelet, so I probably shouldn’t be allowed to bird in Delaware for a while.) Nighttime treats included a Barn Owl heard from the Bombay Hook gate, Barred Owl at Cedar Swamp Wildlife Area, and a Sora that uttered two “keek” series among the Virginia Rails on Cape Henlopen’s Walking Dunes Trail.
Date: 1/1/20 9:46 am From: Dick Plambeck <0000069bd5400b67-dmarc-request...> Subject: Re: [de-birds] Western Tanager: no joy
Sorry you missed it.She showed up about 3:00.
Put some pics up one eBird.
Dick Plambeck
Sent from AOL Mobile Mail
Get the new AOL app: mail.mobile.aol.com
On Tuesday, December 31, 2019 Pat <pvaldata1...> wrote:
No tanager at Bombay Hook today. People were looking by 8 a.m. I gave up at 1:30. Pat ValdataCrisfield, MDSent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone
-------- Original message --------From: Amy White <amywwhite...> Date: 12/25/19 4:15 PM (GMT-05:00) To: <de-birds...> Subject: [de-birds] Western Tanager continuing today at Bombay Hook We watched the Western Tanager today at 3:30 for about 30 minutes and it was still there when we left the site. In bushes next to Visitor Center door at Bombay Hook NWR. Female type coloration. Continuing bird as seen by many others starting yesterday morning. Amy, Jim, James, and Greg WhiteSent from my iPhoneList archives: https://lists.princeton.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=DE-BIRDSList help: <DE-BIRDS-request...>
Date: 12/31/19 10:34 am From: Pat <pvaldata1...> Subject: Re: [de-birds] Western Tanager: no joy
No tanager at Bombay Hook today. People were looking by 8 a.m. I gave up at 1:30. Pat ValdataCrisfield, MDSent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone -------- Original message --------From: Amy White <amywwhite...> Date: 12/25/19 4:15 PM (GMT-05:00) To: <de-birds...> Subject: [de-birds] Western Tanager continuing today at Bombay Hook We watched the Western Tanager today at 3:30 for about 30 minutes and it was still there when we left the site. In bushes next to Visitor Center door at Bombay Hook NWR. Female type coloration. Continuing bird as seen by many others starting yesterday morning. Amy, Jim, James, and Greg WhiteSent from my iPhoneList archives: https://lists.princeton.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=DE-BIRDSList help: <DE-BIRDS-request...>
Date: 12/30/19 2:28 pm From: Alice Mohrman <alice...> Subject: [de-birds] Abbott's Mill Bird Walk on Friday, Jan. 3 at 10:00 am
Join the first Abbott's Mill FREE Bird Walk of 2020 on Friday, Jan. 3. Meet at 10:000 am at Abbott's Mill Nature Center at 15411 Abbotts Pond Road, Milford, 19963. Walk is approximately 2 hours. We will scout the pond for ducks, fields for sparrows and wetlands for owls and everything in between! Binoculars are available for borrow. Novice to expert welcome! Dress for unpredictable weather. For more information contact (302) 422-0847.
Date: 12/29/19 10:55 am From: sheilaannand . <sheila.annand...> Subject: Re: [de-birds] de-birds Digest - 27 Dec 2019 to 28 Dec 2019 (#2019-233)
Here’s the weekly report
All three scoters are listed but the local details are in the text below
On Sun, Dec 29, 2019 at 12:01 AM de-birds automatic digest system <
<LISTSERV...> wrote:
> There is 1 message totaling 126 lines in this issue.
>
> Topics of the day:
>
> 1. RBA: Birdline Delaware, December 27th, 2019
>
> List archives: https://lists.princeton.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=DE-BIRDS > List help: <DE-BIRDS-request...>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Date: Sat, 28 Dec 2019 15:04:16 +0000
> From: "Andy Ednie, Claymont, DE." <ednieap...>
> Subject: RBA: Birdline Delaware, December 27th, 2019
>
> RBA
> * Delaware
> * Statewide
> * December 27, 2019
> * DEST 1912.20
>
> *Birds mentioned
> Ross’s Goose
> Cackling Goose
> Brant
> Tundra Swan
> Mute Swan
> Wood Duck
> Gadwall
> American Wigeon
> Green-winged Teal
> Canvasback
> Ring-necked Duck
> Greater Scaup
> Lesser Scaup
> Black Scoter
> White-winged Scoter
> Surf Scoter
> Long-tailed Duck
> Bufflehead
> Common Goldeneye
> Common Merganser
> Hooded Merganser
> Red-breasted Merganser
> Ruddy Duck
> Pied-billed Grebe
> Clapper Rail
> American Coot
> American Avocet
> Black-bellied Plover
> Semipalmated Plover
> Killdeer
> Ruddy Turnstone
> Sanderling
> Dunlin
> Purple Sandpiper
> Long-billed Dowitcher
> Wilson’s Snipe
> Greater Yellowlegs
> Lesser Yellowlegs
> Forster’s Tern
> Lesser Black-backed Gull
> Red-throated Loon
> Great Cormorant
> AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN
> American Bittern
> Great Egret
> Black-crowned Night Heron
> Bald Eagle
> Barn Owl
> Barred Owl
> Short-eared Owl
> Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
> Pileated Woodpecker
> American Kestrel
> Common Raven
> Tree Swallow
> Brown-headed Nuthatch
> Marsh Wren
> Gray Catbird
> Snow Bunting
> Lapland Longspur
> EVENING GROSBEAK
> American Tree Sparrow
> Savannah Ipswich Sparrow
> Fox Sparrow
> Eastern Meadowlark
> Rusty Blackbird
> Boat-tailed Grackle
> Orange-crowned Warbler
> WESTERN TANAGER
>
> Hotline: Birdline Delaware
> Date: December 27, 2019
> 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, December 27th, the last Birdline of the year, this is Birdline
> Delaware from the Delaware Museum of Natural History in Greenville. Merry
> Christmas and Happy Holidays everybody! The unofficial Delaware Annual list
> increased to 328 species this week.
>
> Holiday plans were put on hold for a female WESTERN TANAGER found next to
> the visitor center at Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge near Smyrna.
> This bird was found on Christmas Eve Day coming to the berry bushes next to
> bathrooms at the headquarters and has been present daily. Look for the
> yellow-breasted, greenish-back bird with yellow orange bill and yellow wing
> bars feeding with NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD and HOUSE SPARROWS. There’s been a
> rash of WESTERN TANAGER sightings along the East Coast this month, with
> birds reported in Cape May, Sandy Hook, Long Island, New Hampshire,
> Connecticut and Massachusetts.
>
> Birders looking for the TANAGER have found other good birds at the refuge
> including AMERICAN AVOCET, LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER, and both GREATER and
> LESSER YELLOWLEGS. A CLAPPER RAIL was reported calling at Bear Swamp. MARSH
> WREN was found by Raymond Pool. Waterfowl seen included TUNDRA SWAN,
> CACKLING GOOSE, AMERICAN WIGEON, BUFFLEHEAD, AMERICAN COOT, plus HOODED and
> COMMON MERGANSER. EASTERN MEADOWLARK and HORNED LARK were reported along
> Whitehall Neck Road.
>
> AMERICAN COOT and BUFFLEHEAD were found at Taylor’s Gut in Woodland Beach
> Wildlife Area. BARN OWL was reported along the Woodland Beach Road. COMMON
> GOLDENEYE was reported at Port Mahon just past the fishing pier along with
> BLACK SCOTER. A single BOAT-TAILED GRACKLE made a brief appearance at the
> fishing pier. A LAPLAND LONGSPUR was seen with HORNED LARK at Cartanza Road
> along with AMERICAN KESTREL.
>
> A raft of CANVASBACKS was seen off Kitts Hummock along with SURF SCOTER.
> GREATER SCAUP and RUDDY DUCK were seen off of Pickering Beach. WILSON’S
> SNIPE were reported at a field near Frederica off Johnnycake Landing Road,
> along with AMERICAN KESTREL.
>
> Another new bird this week was an EVENING GROSBEAK coming to a feeder near
> Newark off Delaplaine Avenue off Capital Trail east of Possum Park Road.
> This is near Middle Run Natural Area where a YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER was
> seen. CACKLING GOOSE, COMMON GOLDENEYE, LESSER SCAUP, BUFFLEHEAD, and a
> large raft of COMMON MERGANSERS were seen on Newark Reservoir, along with 3
> BALD EAGLES. A pair of COMMON RAVENS was seen over I 95 at Churchman’s
> Marsh.
>
> COMMON MERGANSERS and WINTER WREN were seen at Ashland Nature Center along
> the Red Clay Creek. Waterfowl at Hoopes’s Reservoir included PIED-BILLED
> GREBE, GREEN-WINGED TEAL, BUFFLEHEAD, BLACK, RING-NECKED, and RUDDY DUCK,
> plus HOODED and COMMON MERGANSER. A COMMON RAVEN was seen at Hillside Mill
> Cove along with PILEATED WOODPECKER and SAPSUCKER. A MERLIN was reported at
> Bellevue State Park.
>
> WOOD DUCK, GREEN-WINGED TEAL, KILLDEER, and BELTED KINGFISHER were seen at
> the Peterson Urban Wildlife Refuge. RUSTY BLACKBIRDS were found in the
> woodlot and plus a flyover BALD EAGLE. A LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was found
> at the entrance to the Port of Wilmington with a large group of GREAT
> BLACK-BACKS.
>
> An ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER was photographed at the entrance to Stave’s
> Landing Road on Tuesday. SAVANNAH and AMERICAN TREE SPARROW were seen at
> Stave’s Landing wildlife area. A RED-THROATED LOON was seen flying by
> Collins Beach in Cedar Swamp Wildlife Area. GREATER SCAUP, RUDDY DUCK, and
> over 600 DUNLIN were reported. YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER and AMERICAN PIPIT
> were found at Cedar Swamp.
>
> A late GREAT EGRET was reported at the Ashton Tract in Augustine Wildlife
> Area along with CATBIRD and FOX SPARROW. Waterfowl reported included MUTE
> and TUNDRA SWAN BUFFLEHEAD, and AMERICAN COOT. MUTE SWAN, GADWALL, and
> PIED-BILLED GREBE were found at Dragon Run in Delaware City.
>
> SHORT-EARED OWLS continue to be seen at Fowlers Beach in Prime Hook
> National Wildlife Refuge near Milton, along with BARRED and GREAT HORNED
> OWL. SNOW BUNTINGS continue to be seen along the beach. There was a flyby
> AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN on Wednesday morning. Waterfowl reported included
> ROSS’S and CACKLING GOOSE, SURF SCOTER, HOODED and COMMON MERGANSER.
> AMERICAN BITTERN and BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON along with EASTERN
> MEADOWLARK were found out in the marsh. A SEMIPALMATED PLOVER was found
> along the dike trail at Prime Hook headquarters along with CLAPPER RAIL and
> FORSTER’S TERN. FOX SPARROW and BARRED OWL were reported near Turkle Pond.
>
> CLAPPER RAIL was also reported at Canary Creek near the University of
> Delaware Marine School in Lewes. LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was reported on
> the beach at Cape Henlopen State Park. BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCHES continue be
> reported at the Seaside Nature Center. A pair of TREE SWALLOWS were seen
> flying over Silver Lake in Rehoboth Beach on Thursday. Waterfowl on the
> lake included 650 CANVASBACK and several HOODED MERGANSERS.
>
> Four COMMON EIDERS were reported today at Indian River Inlet along with
> BRANT, LONG-TAILED DUCK, BUFFLEHEAD, and all three species of SCOTER,
> WHITE-WINGED, BLACK and SURF. PURPLE SANDPIPER, RUDDY TURNSTONE,
> SANDERLING, and DUNLIN with LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL were seen on the
> jetty. GREAT CORMORANT was reported on the channel marker. “IPSWICH”
> SAVANNAH SPARROW and TREE SPARROW were photographed along the beach. The
> mud flats at Quillen’s Point at the end of Cedar Neck near Ocean View had
> 22 BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, RUDDY TURNSTONE, DUNLIN, SANDERLING and both
> LESSER and GREATER YELLOWLEGS. BRANT, BUFFLEHEAD, GOLDENEYE, and
> RED-BREASTED MERGANSER were seen on Indian River Bay.
>
> Thanks to all the people that make the Birdline possible, including Jen
> Driscoll, Anthony VanSchoor, Gina Sheridan, Andrew Albright, John Janowski,
> George Armistead, Liz Porter, Brian Henderson, Kristin Leprich, Elizabeth
> Clements, Rick Cheicante, Adam Woodis, Al Guarente, Rodney Murray, Curt
> Davis, Aaron Reb, Bert Filmyer, Mike Rosengarten, Dave Belford, Kathie
> O’Neil, Katie Bird, Mike Hudson, Gary Griffith, Joe Sebastiani, Mike
> Moore, John Skibicki, Chris and Karen Bennett, Anthony Gonzon, Megan
> Kasprzak, Wayne Longbottom, Rob Blye, Ellen Jacobson, Sue Gruver, Sharon
> Lynn, Lynn Smith, Scott Northey, Amy and Jim White, Sally O’Byrne, Colin
> Campbell, Ryan Crane, Joe Swertinski and Joe Russell. Birdline needs your
> sightings. Please call your reports into 302-792-9591 or email
> <ednieap...> Until next week, this is Andy Ednie wishing you good
> birding!
>
> -end transcript
>
> List archives: https://lists.princeton.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=DE-BIRDS > List help: <DE-BIRDS-request...>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> End of de-birds Digest - 27 Dec 2019 to 28 Dec 2019 (#2019-233)
> ***************************************************************
>
Date: 12/29/19 10:52 am From: Mary Lukaszewski <mlukas...> Subject: [de-birds] Visit from a Carolina Wren
On Dec. 27 my husband had the garage door open to take out the garbage cans to go to the dump. While he was putting out the cans, apparently our long-time Carolina Wren decided to see what out interior house looked like for when Joe opened the door between the garage and kitchen the Wren flew into our house. He took a tour of all our rooms and ended up sitting on top of a palm tree in our sunroom. He didn't seem very upset but I opened one of our large windows so it could fly out. He sat on the plant for about 10 minutes watching my dogs go around the sunroom. It finally flew to the back of our sunroom couch, not far from the window. When Joe walked over to the couch, the Wren finally took advantage of the open window and flew out into our back yard. I've looked for the Wren for the last two days but I haven't seen it come to the feeders. It has been here for about two years and I hope its flight into our house has not scared it into leaving our yard.
Date: 12/28/19 7:05 am From: Andy Ednie, Claymont, DE. <000006be14ba5998-dmarc-request...> Subject: [de-birds] RBA: Birdline Delaware, December 27th, 2019
RBA * Delaware * Statewide * December 27, 2019 * DEST 1912.20
*Birds mentioned Ross’s Goose Cackling Goose Brant Tundra Swan Mute Swan Wood Duck Gadwall American Wigeon Green-winged Teal Canvasback Ring-necked Duck Greater Scaup Lesser Scaup Black Scoter White-winged Scoter Surf Scoter Long-tailed Duck Bufflehead Common Goldeneye Common Merganser Hooded Merganser Red-breasted Merganser Ruddy Duck Pied-billed Grebe Clapper Rail American Coot American Avocet Black-bellied Plover Semipalmated Plover Killdeer Ruddy Turnstone Sanderling Dunlin Purple Sandpiper Long-billed Dowitcher Wilson’s Snipe Greater Yellowlegs Lesser Yellowlegs Forster’s Tern Lesser Black-backed Gull Red-throated Loon Great Cormorant AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN American Bittern Great Egret Black-crowned Night Heron Bald Eagle Barn Owl Barred Owl Short-eared Owl Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Pileated Woodpecker American Kestrel Common Raven Tree Swallow Brown-headed Nuthatch Marsh Wren Gray Catbird Snow Bunting Lapland Longspur EVENING GROSBEAK American Tree Sparrow Savannah Ipswich Sparrow Fox Sparrow Eastern Meadowlark Rusty Blackbird Boat-tailed Grackle Orange-crowned Warbler WESTERN TANAGER
Hotline: Birdline Delaware Date: December 27, 2019 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, December 27th, the last Birdline of the year, this is Birdline Delaware from the Delaware Museum of Natural History in Greenville. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everybody! The unofficial Delaware Annual list increased to 328 species this week.
Holiday plans were put on hold for a female WESTERN TANAGER found next to the visitor center at Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge near Smyrna. This bird was found on Christmas Eve Day coming to the berry bushes next to bathrooms at the headquarters and has been present daily. Look for the yellow-breasted, greenish-back bird with yellow orange bill and yellow wing bars feeding with NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD and HOUSE SPARROWS. There’s been a rash of WESTERN TANAGER sightings along the East Coast this month, with birds reported in Cape May, Sandy Hook, Long Island, New Hampshire, Connecticut and Massachusetts.
Birders looking for the TANAGER have found other good birds at the refuge including AMERICAN AVOCET, LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER, and both GREATER and LESSER YELLOWLEGS. A CLAPPER RAIL was reported calling at Bear Swamp. MARSH WREN was found by Raymond Pool. Waterfowl seen included TUNDRA SWAN, CACKLING GOOSE, AMERICAN WIGEON, BUFFLEHEAD, AMERICAN COOT, plus HOODED and COMMON MERGANSER. EASTERN MEADOWLARK and HORNED LARK were reported along Whitehall Neck Road.
AMERICAN COOT and BUFFLEHEAD were found at Taylor’s Gut in Woodland Beach Wildlife Area. BARN OWL was reported along the Woodland Beach Road. COMMON GOLDENEYE was reported at Port Mahon just past the fishing pier along with BLACK SCOTER. A single BOAT-TAILED GRACKLE made a brief appearance at the fishing pier. A LAPLAND LONGSPUR was seen with HORNED LARK at Cartanza Road along with AMERICAN KESTREL.
A raft of CANVASBACKS was seen off Kitts Hummock along with SURF SCOTER. GREATER SCAUP and RUDDY DUCK were seen off of Pickering Beach. WILSON’S SNIPE were reported at a field near Frederica off Johnnycake Landing Road, along with AMERICAN KESTREL.
Another new bird this week was an EVENING GROSBEAK coming to a feeder near Newark off Delaplaine Avenue off Capital Trail east of Possum Park Road. This is near Middle Run Natural Area where a YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER was seen. CACKLING GOOSE, COMMON GOLDENEYE, LESSER SCAUP, BUFFLEHEAD, and a large raft of COMMON MERGANSERS were seen on Newark Reservoir, along with 3 BALD EAGLES. A pair of COMMON RAVENS was seen over I 95 at Churchman’s Marsh.
COMMON MERGANSERS and WINTER WREN were seen at Ashland Nature Center along the Red Clay Creek. Waterfowl at Hoopes’s Reservoir included PIED-BILLED GREBE, GREEN-WINGED TEAL, BUFFLEHEAD, BLACK, RING-NECKED, and RUDDY DUCK, plus HOODED and COMMON MERGANSER. A COMMON RAVEN was seen at Hillside Mill Cove along with PILEATED WOODPECKER and SAPSUCKER. A MERLIN was reported at Bellevue State Park.
WOOD DUCK, GREEN-WINGED TEAL, KILLDEER, and BELTED KINGFISHER were seen at the Peterson Urban Wildlife Refuge. RUSTY BLACKBIRDS were found in the woodlot and plus a flyover BALD EAGLE. A LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was found at the entrance to the Port of Wilmington with a large group of GREAT BLACK-BACKS.
An ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER was photographed at the entrance to Stave’s Landing Road on Tuesday. SAVANNAH and AMERICAN TREE SPARROW were seen at Stave’s Landing wildlife area. A RED-THROATED LOON was seen flying by Collins Beach in Cedar Swamp Wildlife Area. GREATER SCAUP, RUDDY DUCK, and over 600 DUNLIN were reported. YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER and AMERICAN PIPIT were found at Cedar Swamp.
A late GREAT EGRET was reported at the Ashton Tract in Augustine Wildlife Area along with CATBIRD and FOX SPARROW. Waterfowl reported included MUTE and TUNDRA SWAN BUFFLEHEAD, and AMERICAN COOT. MUTE SWAN, GADWALL, and PIED-BILLED GREBE were found at Dragon Run in Delaware City.
SHORT-EARED OWLS continue to be seen at Fowlers Beach in Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge near Milton, along with BARRED and GREAT HORNED OWL. SNOW BUNTINGS continue to be seen along the beach. There was a flyby AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN on Wednesday morning. Waterfowl reported included ROSS’S and CACKLING GOOSE, SURF SCOTER, HOODED and COMMON MERGANSER. AMERICAN BITTERN and BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON along with EASTERN MEADOWLARK were found out in the marsh. A SEMIPALMATED PLOVER was found along the dike trail at Prime Hook headquarters along with CLAPPER RAIL and FORSTER’S TERN. FOX SPARROW and BARRED OWL were reported near Turkle Pond.
CLAPPER RAIL was also reported at Canary Creek near the University of Delaware Marine School in Lewes. LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was reported on the beach at Cape Henlopen State Park. BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCHES continue be reported at the Seaside Nature Center. A pair of TREE SWALLOWS were seen flying over Silver Lake in Rehoboth Beach on Thursday. Waterfowl on the lake included 650 CANVASBACK and several HOODED MERGANSERS.
Four COMMON EIDERS were reported today at Indian River Inlet along with BRANT, LONG-TAILED DUCK, BUFFLEHEAD, and all three species of SCOTER, WHITE-WINGED, BLACK and SURF. PURPLE SANDPIPER, RUDDY TURNSTONE, SANDERLING, and DUNLIN with LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL were seen on the jetty. GREAT CORMORANT was reported on the channel marker. “IPSWICH” SAVANNAH SPARROW and TREE SPARROW were photographed along the beach. The mud flats at Quillen’s Point at the end of Cedar Neck near Ocean View had 22 BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, RUDDY TURNSTONE, DUNLIN, SANDERLING and both LESSER and GREATER YELLOWLEGS. BRANT, BUFFLEHEAD, GOLDENEYE, and RED-BREASTED MERGANSER were seen on Indian River Bay.
Thanks to all the people that make the Birdline possible, including Jen Driscoll, Anthony VanSchoor, Gina Sheridan, Andrew Albright, John Janowski, George Armistead, Liz Porter, Brian Henderson, Kristin Leprich, Elizabeth Clements, Rick Cheicante, Adam Woodis, Al Guarente, Rodney Murray, Curt Davis, Aaron Reb, Bert Filmyer, Mike Rosengarten, Dave Belford, Kathie O’Neil, Katie Bird, Mike Hudson, Gary Griffith, Joe Sebastiani, Mike Moore, John Skibicki, Chris and Karen Bennett, Anthony Gonzon, Megan Kasprzak, Wayne Longbottom, Rob Blye, Ellen Jacobson, Sue Gruver, Sharon Lynn, Lynn Smith, Scott Northey, Amy and Jim White, Sally O’Byrne, Colin Campbell, Ryan Crane, Joe Swertinski and Joe Russell. Birdline needs your sightings. Please call your reports into 302-792-9591 or email <ednieap...> Until next week, this is Andy Ednie wishing you good birding!
Date: 12/27/19 12:36 pm From: David and Joy Peters <Trogon1000...> Subject: [de-birds] Question
Hi, All
I certainly enjoyed watching a very healthy-looking western tanager female feeding on berries by the Bombay Hook visitors center. Thanks to all of the good reports that alerted us to this wonderfully lost bird.
BUT my question is whether any of you know how to get permission to look for the golden-crowned sparrow in Maryland? Its not far away and has continued to show, but the only info I can find is that it is on private land with restricted viewing. Maybe I missed something, but if anyone has info on how to respectfully look for this bird, I would be delighted. I do love these vagrants, and Queen Annes County is one of our nearest neighbors!
Date: 12/27/19 7:52 am From: Frank Rohrbacher <0000007c6769d2e2-dmarc-request...> Subject: [de-birds] PHNWR Headquarters Area for the Cape Henlopen CBC
Hi all
I will be leading the group for the Prime Hook NWR Headquarters again this year. If you are interested in joining me, we will meet at the Prime Hook NWR entrance road at 6:15-6:30 AM Sunday 29 December.
Thank you.
Frank RohrbacherWilmington Delaware
Date: 12/26/19 12:33 pm From: Gina Sheridan <gsherida8502...> Subject: [de-birds] Kent County Western Tanager & Canvasback
Yesterday (12/25/19) at the Bombay Hook VC , seeing the cooperative WESTERN TANAGER turned out to be my favorite Christmas present. With bright sunshine and no wind, it was a beautiful winter's day.
Afterwards, Dennis and I checked out Kitts Hammock and were delighted to find a flock of 21 CANVASBACKs, an adult LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, and a sprinkling of SURF SCOTERS. In fact, this was only the second time that I have seen Canvasback in Kent County.
